DIY Multimeter: Complete!
As mentioned in a previous posting, for Christmas, I received an Assemble-it-yourself Digital Multimeter Kit. Awesome. So, for the last week or two I’ve been building it, section at a time, till tonight, where I found myself in need of doing a calming activity. What is more calming then sitting down and soldering for 2 hours, while listening to Paramore’s discography using my DIY FM Transmitter to broadcast to my DIY AM/FM Radio?
Anyway… This is what it looks like, finished:
Sorry about the Mr. Blurrycam shot. Darn flash. I’ll have a clearer shot after the break, along with more details on the functions.
There, a much better, focused, balance photo. As you will notice, the selector knobs gives me many options. Here are some of the features of the multimeter:
- AC/DC Voltage Measurement
- AC/DC Current Measurement (up to 20A!!!)
- Continuity/diode tester (with buzzer, thank god…)
- Ohmmeter
- Capacitance-meter (okay, not the right name…)
- NPN/PNP Transistor tester
Tons of features. The great thing about this multimeter is its performance is dependent to a certain degree on your soldering and assembly abilities. The assembly guide had tests at the end of the most sections, which I completed and passed each one (I lied, I didn’t complete the transistor testing and the capacitance measurement, as none of my other multimeters could measure these, and I didn’t have a transistor or capacitor lying around (within close proximity)). There is virtually no variance between this meter and my Mastercraft “control” meter.
Wall voltage measured:
- Mastercraft: 120.4VAC
- Dan Joannis ©: 120.1VAC
Win.
I know I throw safety to the wind, as my first AC voltage test was with wall voltage, as I don’t have a variable AC PSU.
Here is proof that it turns on!
And here is the rear, with the lead-clips, allowing me to conveniently store them on the sides.
Pretty sweet kit, and I’m glad I didn’t mess it up. Add another line up to first-try functioning projects. Thanks for the kit, Mom!
very informative. can i link this to my site?
Sure, if you truly feel that three photos of a kit multimeter (and the awful rhetoric of a younger me) would be relevant, go ahead!
To be fair, though, this kit multimeter continues to serve me well as my primary multimeter, over three years later.
Well I would say that says a lot if you’ve had it for over three years! 🙂