Multimeter

[Mick Annick]

My Morgan gave up the ghost completely today and had to be towed home. It’s been playing up for a while - won’t start when hot, cuts out when slowing down, until it died completely today.

Having trawled the Land Rover, TVR and Morgan forums for help it seems I need a multimeter to start tracking down the issue, only problem is putting a plug in a socket is a challenge for me, so I’ve a lot to learn, so can anyone please recommend a reasonably priced multimeter? I need to find some ohms, anywhere between 20 and 6000, and some volts anywhere between .02 and 13 if that makes sense.

Thank you!

 

[James1979]

Depends on what you want to spend.

A £3 one from Lidl I have gets used a lot and will do what you want.

I’ve a Taskmaster by Sealey which lives in the truck and that’ll do auto stuff like dwell angle etc etc.

You can go further and spend a lot on a fluke or something but horses for courses.

My Lidl one is fine for using when I don’t want to wreck a good one.

 

[Neilj]

What sort of budget do you have for one? Cheap and cheerful or something a bit better?

 

[Bullet2012]

I always use fluke but as previously mentioned they can be a bit spendy, but cheap ones can give false readings

 

[Mick Annick]

Fluke is way out my league, but I’d happily part with up to £75.00, it’s going to get very little use after I’ve sorted this problem out.

 

[Bullet2012]

Hope it’s not the TPS as I believe they are made of unobtainableism

 

[Bullet2012]

Fluke is way out my league, but I’d happily part with up to £75.00, it’s going to get very little use after I’ve sorted this problem out.

It’s surprising how useful they are, even for just checking fuses

 

[Bullet2012]

I know you are in France but eBay have some in your budget
eg https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283947550884?hash=item421c97c8a4:g:w2UAAOSwDGNdoY-E

and Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fluke-Handheld-Multimeter-Calibration-Certificate/dp/B00HE6MIJY/ref=sr_1_11?crid=VEXAEDC5T7YV&keywords=fluke+multimeter&qid=1652971964&sprefix=Fluke%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-11

 

[blackolive (Ste)]

Can’t go wrong with a Fluke

 

[carbon]

For work I use fluke and Brymen. When doing things at home I use a brymen. Lots available that will do what you want without spending a fortune

 

[500e]

New Fluke 101+ Handheld Easy Digital Multimeter CAT III 600V With Magnetic Case | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for New Fluke 101+ Handheld Easy Digital Multimeter CAT III 600V With Magnetic Case at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

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Fluke are good reliable meters, the only down side that one appears to have very low amp range only Ma.

I have had most from AVO 8 to Fluke Have found Tenma 72-7780 with sensible sized read out, a good all round unit not expensive has a 10 Amp range.

https://uk.farnell.com/tenma/72-7780/digital-multimeter-handheld-3/dp/2450662?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI89XR7fPr9wIVEJftCh0clAV7EAQYASABEgJJjPD_BwE&mckv=_dc|pcrid|505528697456|plid||kword||match||slid||product|2450662|pgrid|118014581206|ptaid|pla-57456878290|&CMP=KNC-GUK-GEN-SHOPPING-SMART-PRIVATELABEL-Test790&gross_price=true

one of the killers of meters and other things forgetting to put the plugs back to Volts ohms etc
It has lived in the van and tote tray for 4 years

 

[Mick Annick]

Hope it’s not the TPS as I believe they are made of unobtainableism

You are correct, but there is a conversion kit available - £190 - so possible if expensive solution. The kit takes more readily available throttle pots.

 

[Mick Annick]

I know you are in France but eBay have some in your budget
eg https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/283947550884?hash=item421c97c8a4:g:w2UAAOSwDGNdoY-E

and Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fluke-Handheld-Multimeter-Calibration-Certificate/dp/B00HE6MIJY/ref=sr_1_11?crid=VEXAEDC5T7YV&keywords=fluke+multimeter&qid=1652971964&sprefix=Fluke%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-11

Cheers Bullet, I’d wrongly assumed Fluke was out of my league, that’ll do nicely.

 

[500e]

No Amp range

 

[Bullet2012]

You are correct, but there is a conversion kit available - £190 - so possible if expensive solution. The kit takes more readily available throttle pots.

No Amp range

i have never had to use amps for automotive
do you have a link to the conversion kit ?

 

[optima21]

last year I got a couple of Aneng M118A's from the far east, with then costing just over £15 for both of them

ANENG M118A Digital Multimeter Portable AC/DC Tester Mini Resitance Meter R KY | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for ANENG M118A Digital Multimeter Portable AC/DC Tester Mini Resitance Meter R KY at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[GRW]

I've had this one fir years from UNI-T.
Decent and also measures capacitance which is handy:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/UNI-T-Multimeter-Capacitance-Temperature-Measurement/dp/B08FCD7R9P/ref=asc_df_B08FCD7R9P/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=463154703782&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8296683708413773792&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007418&hvtargid=pla-1009095635897&psc=1

 

[armalites]

A multimeter is massively useful but when diagnosing automotive issues you do need to understand they can have limitations where they will give a false indication.

It's entirely possible to have a piece of equipment that doesn't work yet when you check the voltage it will show correct battery voltage, when you then do a continuity check the cables will test fine too but it still doesn't work. This kind of issue can be caused where there is a poor connection that only fails under load and that's where a simple test probe with an incandescent bulb wins. I recently watched a really interesting video on a modern VW that was overheating because the fans weren't comming on. At face value every part of the system checked out, the ECU was sending voltage, the fans worked fine when tested standalone, the cables had good continuity to 12V and 0v but still the fans didn't work. The vehicle had been to multiple garages and nobody had traced the fault which in the end was simply a marginal ground connection.

A power probe is also very useful as it allows to provide a positive or negative connection to a device to test it.

 

[Mick Annick]

i have never had to use amps for automotive
do you have a link to the conversion kit ?

SP002 Rover V8 Throttle Pot upgrade kit - ACT Performance Products - your source for after market TVR upgrades, components and performance accessories.

SP002 Rover V8 throttle pot upgrade kit. Replaces original unit on all Rover engines using 2 bolt fixing TP, from late flapper to last of the Hotwire 14CUX replaces ETC8495 and ERR2263 Consists of: Colvern throttle pot, alloy adapter plate, Brass spidle, ball bearing, stainless cover plate...

www.actproducts.co.uk

Or this one

ACT ROVER V8 14CUX replacement throttle pot TPS /throttle position sensor – Tornado Systems

www.tornadosystems.com

 

[GRW]

A power probe is also very useful as it allows to provide a positive or negative connection to a device to test it.

I agree that bad connections can throw you a curve ball, but it's not THAT common, and the basics of checking connections and earth's is stuff you ought to do anyway as a process of elimination I think?

Power probe. Awesome bit of kit, and useful.... but also dangerous if you're not sure what the consequences are of applying voltage with one.
Plenty of people have blown expensive stuff up with a PP.... which doesn't happen with a MM.