Your nominations please: USA-sales, something that has inductance and
capacitance as well as the usual others (V/A/ohms), other things I am
not concerned about, or am I? I see a few have temperature probes, might
be handy. I can go maybe $100 or so. Within this price range, is there
any great reason to buy one over another?
-----------

Take a look at this listing on EBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8003 423&rd=1

Wavetek is a good brand. They used to be a publicly traded company in the
US but were bought out by another instrumentation company.

Meters with inductance aren't that common. If you can just buy one device
it's really helpful to have frequency, continuity and diode test -
transistor beta is helpful too -

For Inductance and Capacitance , Q and D I use a GenRad 1658 Digibridge
which I bought for $50 -- I don't see many of them now. I also have a
Heathkit RLC bridge which is pretty darn good -- these usually go for around
$20.

Jack

"DougC" wrote in message
...
Your nominations please: USA-sales, something that has inductance and
capacitance as well as the usual others (V/A/ohms), other things I am
not concerned about, or am I? I see a few have temperature probes, might
be handy. I can go maybe $100 or so. Within this price range, is there
any great reason to buy one over another?
-----------

"DougC"

Your nominations please: USA-sales, something that has inductance and
capacitance as well as the usual others (V/A/ohms), other things I am
not concerned about, or am I?


** You may be concerned to learn that inductance ranges as found on DMMs are
all but useless for correctly measuring the inductance of iron core chokes
or transformer primaries as found in tube amps etc.

Worse - the same meter's capacitance ranges are not much use for testing
PSU electros either since ESR is the parameter of interest and goes high
long before any uFs are found missing.

An LCR bridge is far more useful for analysing iron inductors and
electros.




......... Phil

Phil Allison wrote:

** You may be concerned to learn that inductance ranges as found on DMMs are
all but useless for correctly measuring the inductance of iron core chokes
or transformer primaries as found in tube amps etc.

I looked at a Wavetek Meterman on a scope and it uses a 400hz sawtooth
for measuring inductance. They seem more of a good/bad test than an
accurate measurement.


Adam

DougC wrote:
Your nominations please: USA-sales, something that has inductance and
capacitance as well as the usual others (V/A/ohms), other things I am
not concerned about, or am I? I see a few have temperature probes, might
be handy. I can go maybe $100 or so. Within this price range, is there
any great reason to buy one over another?
-----------

I've seen cheap multimeters in the Parts Express,and MCM flyers,and
other places for like $30 or less that do C/L and transistors (hfe,I
suppose?)Mostly generic or no-name stuff,might not be dead-accurate,but
close enough,and it's cheap.. I remember seeing a Fluke somewhere
(MCM,maybe?) that I was eye-balling for it's L/C capabilities,i'm not
sure if did transistors or not,but it looked pretty nice,and was just
under $50.

Go to www.aade.com and take a look.....George



"ptaylor" wrote in message
...
DougC wrote:
Your nominations please: USA-sales, something that has inductance and
capacitance as well as the usual others (V/A/ohms), other things I am
not concerned about, or am I? I see a few have temperature probes, might
be handy. I can go maybe $100 or so. Within this price range, is there
any great reason to buy one over another?
-----------

I've seen cheap multimeters in the Parts Express,and MCM flyers,and
other places for like $30 or less that do C/L and transistors (hfe,I
suppose?)Mostly generic or no-name stuff,might not be dead-accurate,but
close enough,and it's cheap.. I remember seeing a Fluke somewhere
(MCM,maybe?) that I was eye-balling for it's L/C capabilities,i'm not
sure if did transistors or not,but it looked pretty nice,and was just
under $50.

Phil Allison wrote:

** You may be concerned to learn that inductance ranges as found on DMMs are
all but useless for correctly measuring the inductance of iron core chokes
or transformer primaries as found in tube amps etc.

Worse - the same meter's capacitance ranges are not much use for testing
PSU electros either since ESR is the parameter of interest and goes high
long before any uFs are found missing.

An LCR bridge is far more useful for analysing iron inductors and
electros.


So, I would guess use the unknown L or C with a known C or L, apply
different freq signals and see where the peak is, and then figure
backwards?.... I only had classes in high-school, they didn't ask you to
figure out unknown component values real often, other than on paper.
--------
Where can I get a SIMPLE a-f/low r-f signal generator? When I took
electronics classes in high-school, we used these simple little boxes
that had a single graduated knob for generating signals--but when I
search Google for "signal generators" all I am finding are massive,
complex, fully-digital industrial-grade test instruments that cost
thousands of dollars....? Lots for TV use, RF-only. I have looked fairly
all afternoon now and found NOTHING that approaches the small, simple
thing I am looking for. Someone must sell them, is it called something else?

DougC said:

Where can I get a SIMPLE a-f/low r-f signal generator? When I took
electronics classes in high-school, we used these simple little boxes
that had a single graduated knob for generating signals--but when I
search Google for "signal generators" all I am finding are massive,
complex, fully-digital industrial-grade test instruments that cost
thousands of dollars....? Lots for TV use, RF-only. I have looked fairly
all afternoon now and found NOTHING that approaches the small, simple
thing I am looking for. Someone must sell them, is it called something else?

http://www.tequipment.net/TMT.html

If you can't find it here, it probably doesn't exist :-)

--
Sander deWaal
"SOA of a KT88? Sufficient."

"DougC" wrote in message
...
Where can I get a SIMPLE a-f/low r-f signal generator? When I took
electronics classes in high-school, we used these simple little boxes
that had a single graduated knob for generating signals--but when I
search Google for "signal generators" all I am finding are massive,

Doug -
You got what you searched for. Signal generator is generally synonymous with
RF generator.
Do a google search for " audio generator -software " without the quotes,
and you'll find what you want.

--Chuck

On Fri, 10 Sep 2004 04:34:25 -0500, DougC wrote:

Your nominations please: USA-sales, something that has inductance and
capacitance as well as the usual others (V/A/ohms), other things I am
not concerned about, or am I? I see a few have temperature probes, might
be handy. I can go maybe $100 or so. Within this price range, is there
any great reason to buy one over another?
-----------


I bought a Metex in Canada, might be available in the US... about $80.

it has capacitance, frequency, and hfe if you need it! Doesn't do L, I don't
know of any that do.

You would be better off with a bridge to do L and C.

"DougC" wrote in message
...
Phil Allison wrote:

** You may be concerned to learn that inductance ranges as found on DMMs
are
all but useless for correctly measuring the inductance of iron core
chokes
or transformer primaries as found in tube amps etc.

Worse - the same meter's capacitance ranges are not much use for
testing
PSU electros either since ESR is the parameter of interest and goes high
long before any uFs are found missing.

An LCR bridge is far more useful for analysing iron inductors and
electros.


So, I would guess use the unknown L or C with a known C or L, apply
different freq signals and see where the peak is, and then figure
backwards?....


** That is one way - for iron core inductors and audio trannies. The
problem is that for different test frequencies and different signal levels
the answer you get is not the same.

The capacitatance tester on a DMM will work fine with plastic film, paper,
tantalum, ceramic and other types.

The problem is that faulty electro caps in PSUs will not show a loss of
uFs - you need an ESR meter for them or simply substitute a new one if in
doubt.




............. Phil

I'm gonna have to disagree with that. I or should i say we have Wavetek 34xr handheld meters at work,($109 or something) somebody
decided these were a lot cheaper than buying all the technicians Flukes or HP's. I never really used my handheld, mostly my bench
Fluke, then when i did use the handheld i ran into problems. Measuring 5.0vac (i had a old analog meter which i though was reading
wrong) on the handheld it was reading high 5.3 volts. I was looking for 5.0v +- 5% which is the spec. This was with the meter
hanging from a rackmount with the magnet on the strap. When i held the meter in my hand, i could get it to read as high as 5.6v
depending on where i held it! When the meter was placed next to anything metal, the reading was changed. It's very affected. If i
held it by the leads, the meter dangling in the air, it read 5.0v which is what i was looking to verify. Later when i asked 4
other technicians about the Waveteks, each and every one of them told me "oh, they are junk, don't use those Waveteks for anything
other than checking 9 volt batteries or checking for continuity". It actually doesn't look like a bad meter at all, has
capacitance and other features but i won't use mine anymore for ANY critical measurments. These are all brand new, 3 months old at
most.



"John Walton" wrote in message ...
Take a look at this listing on EBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8003 423&rd=1

Wavetek is a good brand. They used to be a publicly traded company in the
US but were bought out by another instrumentation company.

Meters with inductance aren't that common. If you can just buy one device
it's really helpful to have frequency, continuity and diode test -
transistor beta is helpful too -

For Inductance and Capacitance , Q and D I use a GenRad 1658 Digibridge
which I bought for $50 -- I don't see many of them now. I also have a
Heathkit RLC bridge which is pretty darn good -- these usually go for around
$20.

Jack

"DougC" wrote in message
...
Your nominations please: USA-sales, something that has inductance and
capacitance as well as the usual others (V/A/ohms), other things I am
not concerned about, or am I? I see a few have temperature probes, might
be handy. I can go maybe $100 or so. Within this price range, is there
any great reason to buy one over another?
-----------

Doug:

Getting a little back on track he

http://store.yahoo.com/webtronics/protek506.html

I think this is a really nice meter. It's loaded with nice features, and
most important the internal shunt resistance is low so your bias settings
(if you use OPT shunt method) will be accurate.

dre

Chuck wrote:

Doug -
You got what you searched for. Signal generator is generally synonymous with
RF generator.
Do a google search for " audio generator -software " without the quotes,
and you'll find what you want.

--Chuck


-Heh he heh, the questions are endless: are the small/inexpensive PCB
signal generator kits worth using? I can either spend more for a
better-quality signal generator (that has a digital or graduated-dial
readout) and use it with my current "vanilla" DMM, or buy an inexpensive
PCB-type signal generator that has no readout or graduated dial, and
then buy a new DMM that does frequency counting... The inexpensive
generator I am looking at is he http://www.hobbytron.net/UK307.html;
do these sorts of circuits put out a clean enough signal to be useable,
and can the DMM's measure well enough up to 30-50Khz or so? --The cheap
generator and counting-DMM is cheaper ($150) than the "better" generator
($250) used with my existing "vanilla" DMM, but I have no way to tell
what the cheap gnerator is really putting out without an oscilloscope,,,
but that is another thing I currently do not have.

Could be -- I had an old Wavetek hand-held which worked quite well, but it
"disappeared" -- I still use an 1970's vintage Wavetek sweep generator. I
have hand-helds from Beckman, Keithley and Radio Shack -- but most recently
a Fluke 177 which is a tough, durable instrument. The Beckman has a broken
knob which makes it useless, the Keithley died (I bought it new in the
1970's), the Radio Shack works but the LCD is dying.

"Robert Mozeleski" wrote in message
...
I'm gonna have to disagree with that. I or should i say we have Wavetek
34xr handheld meters at work,($109 or something) somebody
decided these were a lot cheaper than buying all the technicians Flukes or
HP's. I never really used my handheld, mostly my bench
Fluke, then when i did use the handheld i ran into problems. Measuring
5.0vac (i had a old analog meter which i though was reading
wrong) on the handheld it was reading high 5.3 volts. I was looking for
5.0v +- 5% which is the spec. This was with the meter
hanging from a rackmount with the magnet on the strap. When i held the
meter in my hand, i could get it to read as high as 5.6v
depending on where i held it! When the meter was placed next to anything
metal, the reading was changed. It's very affected. If i
held it by the leads, the meter dangling in the air, it read 5.0v which is
what i was looking to verify. Later when i asked 4
other technicians about the Waveteks, each and every one of them told me
"oh, they are junk, don't use those Waveteks for anything
other than checking 9 volt batteries or checking for continuity". It
actually doesn't look like a bad meter at all, has
capacitance and other features but i won't use mine anymore for ANY
critical measurments. These are all brand new, 3 months old at
most.



"John Walton" wrote in message
...
Take a look at this listing on EBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...8003 423&rd=1

Wavetek is a good brand. They used to be a publicly traded company in
the
US but were bought out by another instrumentation company.

Meters with inductance aren't that common. If you can just buy one
device
it's really helpful to have frequency, continuity and diode test -
transistor beta is helpful too -

For Inductance and Capacitance , Q and D I use a GenRad 1658 Digibridge
which I bought for $50 -- I don't see many of them now. I also have a
Heathkit RLC bridge which is pretty darn good -- these usually go for
around
$20.

Jack

"DougC" wrote in message
...
Your nominations please: USA-sales, something that has inductance and
capacitance as well as the usual others (V/A/ohms), other things I am
not concerned about, or am I? I see a few have temperature probes,
might
be handy. I can go maybe $100 or so. Within this price range, is there
any great reason to buy one over another?
-----------

"DougC" wrote in message
...
.. -Heh he heh, the questions are endless: are the small/inexpensive PCB
signal generator kits worth using?

Doug-
It depends on how you are going to use them. The kit you identified is a
Function Generator. That means it is a square wave generator that creates
triangle and sine-like outputs by linear and non-linear signal processing of
the square wave. Function generators often have a provision to accept a
control voltage to adjust or modulate the frequency. The downside is that
function generators have more harmonic distortion in the sinewave output
than a good sinewave oscillator. For many applications this is not a
problem.
Cost shouldnt be a problem either. My HP 200CD oscillator cost me $2 at a
swap meet. So far, all it has needed for maintenance was a coat of paint on
the cabinet.
--Chuck