I've done that with the needle bearing types, but not with the taut-band movements. My favorite trick allows me to remove magnetic trash from inside the movement: simply unbolt the magnet, blow out the junk, and bolt the magnet back on.
Jim
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Don, I respectfully remove the bar graph digital meter from my digi-bashing comments. Notwithstanding, I still contend much of the digital meter's popularity is dependent on the users' need to appear chic. Thanks for your commentary, Don. I had completely forgotten about the bar graph on some digital meters.
Bob Swinney
If I were intent on appearing "chic", I would have something a
*lot* newer than what I have. All of mine are well out of production by now, and only one was bought new (discounting the Fluke 77, which I could not hear, and which I re-sold to a co-worker when I got the 37.)Another benefit of a good digital is that you have higher resolution (e.g. 5V can be measured to within 0.001V) if that happens to be important to you. For many things, it is not important, but there can be things where it will be. (Just like having a micrometer which reads to tenths -- you usually don't need that kind of resolution, but it is nice to have when you do need it.
And in general, I've found the Flukes, at least, to be a lot more rugged than any *good* analog meter. (And easier to read without glasses than equally portable analogs, such as the Triplett 310.) I've not owned any other portable digitals, so I don't know how well they hold up, but the Flukes are quite rugged.
They are quite useful.
I won't be around to continue this discussion for a few days.
Enjoy, DoN.
Nah, digital is *much* cheaper to make than analog these days, and it has been for something like 20 years. One Japanese instrument company I had a lot of dealings with couldn't wait to obsolete their analog line and go all-digital, close down their clean rooms and get rid of all the fiddly mechanical assembly. Many customers didn't like it at the time- (the digital instruments were no better in practical terms in many cases, and were harder to use), but eventually everyone went "modern".
Best regards, Spehro Pefhany
The biggest problem I have with many Digital meters, are gate times that rank from almost ok to abominably slow
Gunner
"A vote for Kerry is a de facto vote for bin Laden." Strider
I have a 4 1/2 digit Fluke which is very useful for precision power supplies, voltage references and small variations about the nominal but for trying to eyeball average a fluctuating value it's hard to beat my old AVO.
Ted
I guess I can gloat. I just look in the corner, and verified that I have a Simpson 260, in pristine condition, with its manual, in its original leather case. This came home with me from a club meeting where someone practically twisted my arm to take it for nothing.
As far as digital meters are concerned, they are available so cheap from Harbor Freight now (last special was about $3 or $4) that I have a few, and just leave them scattered where I might need them. And they are RUGGED. If you overrange one, you may blow a fuse, but you won't wrap the needle around the pin. Finally, a good analog meter needs a high input impedange, so as not to load the circuit. This means that the movement will be very sensitive to vibration, dropping and overranging.
But, nothing beats an analog for giving you a feel for the readings. For example, watching a capacitor charge up on the ohms scale can tell you a lot.
Yes. Digital (except bar graphs) is terrible for signals that are changing.
Good gloat there with that 260! ;-)
Best regards, Spehro Pefhany
Yeah, my favorite DVM here at work is a fluke model 87. But I *do* have a simpson model 260 here that gets heavy use.
Jim
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Heavy being the operative word. My old simpson meter could have done double-duty as an anvil in an emergency.
Al Moore
Actually, the old analog meter face was great. If one used a specific meter long - e.g. auto speed or shop equipment - one could use their mind's eye and sense good/bad - go/no go or even in range or on the mark.
With digital, one has to compare to another number and or range of numbers....
Martin
I have to use a meter for tuning servo drives, in the .5mv range..and a digital is simply too slow way down there. I bought a Beckman at MarVac Dow in Costa Mesa last year when Id left my 73, 90 miles away...and even on 110 VAC, it takes nearly 2 seconds for it to stablilze. Its a handy paper weight.
Btw..I have 3 other 260s, but they are the bakelite cased ones, complete the epoxy repairs here and there
Respects and regards Gunner
BTW...you should tell the group about that portable tach you sell..its a hell of a tack. I used it today to fine adjust a vari drive..and was getting rpm reading from a .5x.5 bit of tape, at a distance of 12 FEET, at 3000 rpm on the 4" diameter spindle face of a Hardinge chucker
That rifle hanging on the wall of the working-class flat or labourer's cottage is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there. - George Orwell
speaking of analog meters, I have an extra one here, a Triplet 835 - photo on my web site,
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