Budget but good quality multimeters with RS232 option

[Blokk]

Hello,

I am thinking about to buy a general purpose multimeter, which can be handy around the house, or when I do hobby projects for example (myDAQ is nice, but not for 230VAC checks 🙂 ).

I am looking for budget devices, I do not really want to pay much more than 100 EUR. I read at some sites, that the company Brymen makes acceptable MMs in this price range, for example I have found this: https://brymen.eu/shop/bm257s/

On the website there is zero info about the RS232 protocol, and whether it is properly documented or not (they just say on the website that you can buy their serial-USB adapter, and a data logger software). Anyway, I contacted the manufacturer, I hope they will reply...

Are you aware of some other MM models which are good, in this price range (not much more than 100EUR), and come with RS232 option (documented protocol)?

Thanks! 🙂

[Hooovahh]

I've got the meter you are looking for.  I bought it off of Amazon a few years ago for $35 with prime shipping.  It comes with RS-232, a thermocouple, and I've already written LabVIEW drivers for it.  I honestly don't use the RS232 functionality beyond the drivers I wrote, but the meter it self has served me well for the basic hobby stuff, and residential wiring.

[Blokk]

Thanks! Awesome! 🙂

Unfortunately the product is recently not available on EU amazon sites, and the US Amazon does not ship this item to EU. Anyway, I will try to find it in another online shop (or use a "middleman" company who can order stuff in US, and passes it to me in EU)...

Such MM will serve me good with RS232! It will come handy in my planned Peltier-cooled cloud chamber hobby project... 🙂

edit: ebay.com ships it to Germany, but the postage costs more than the multimeter itself 😄

edit2: found another seller on ebay who ships it from US, total cost is acceptable, like 59 USD (47 EUR)...

[Hooovahh]

Yeah I think it has an always on feature too.  Which made me think about adding it to a test system for some low current reading.  Powering the meter with a static power supply would mean being able to add a mA reading to a test system using a COM port and $35.  But we never went this route for the obvious draw backs.  But for home it works great, hope you can find a retailer for your country.

[Blokk]

Yes, I have found some retailers already. I might use this MM for current monitoring too, I will send max 7 Amp through my stacked Peltier modules using a controllable voltage source (will be controlled with analog voltage 1-5 VDC from the myDAQ), and I want to measure the flowing current up to 7 Amps. If something goes wrong with the Peltier, I will get extra info beside the hot side temperature...

[Blokk]

I have also found a local German manufacturer, I prefer to buy from EU companies, better support.

I am checking the different models (the cheapest with RS232/USB is the model 2025, around 55 EUR), and how the communication protocols differ.

Hooovahh, from the "comm protocol point of view", what do you think, which model is the most promising/best value?

http://www.peaktech.de/productdetail/kategorie/software/produkt/dmm-tool-basic.1034.html

I attached the communication protocol manual, listing all the submodels.

Thanks for your insight! 🙂

[Blokk]

I ended up buying the PeakTech model 3430. Looks good so far. I put together a quick project, i attached it in LV2014 version:

Spoiler

When inserting the batteries, a very massive fuse looked at me! 🙂

Spoiler

[altenbach]

The fuse is for people that try to measure current while connecting the pins directly to e.g. the wall outlet. 😄

That reminds me that I still have a Metex ME-11 that I bought about 20 years ago on Radio Shack (clearance price was <$20, if I remember right)

Works under MS-DOS and Windows!

Here's a picture of the device and relevant manual page. Now I just need to find a PC that has a working serial port and a working floppy drive :o.

[jcarmody]

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@altenbach wrote:

The fuse is for people that try to measure current while connecting the pins directly to e.g. the wall outlet. 😄

I did that, once, back in 1983 with my brand-new analog meter from Radio Shack. I was a freshman in High School, which is no excuse...