'96cherokeesport

I have a 1996 XJ that I just bought. Battery tested good. I wanted to test all connections going from the battery, but I don't know what the multimeter needs to have before I purchase one. I'm a first time owner of a jeep, and would like to figure this problem out, before taking it anywhere

CCKen

Recommend a manual ranging digital multimeter (not an auto ranging meter).


Home Depot and Lowe's have fairly good meters that cost around $30.


Don't buy a Harbor Freight meter.

Kerry6363

Sears has a good digital model for $10

Squid

CC Ken, why a manual ranging meter?
Just wondering because I bought a Sears auto ranging meter for about $50. Did I make a mistake?

CCKen

Maybe not. For that price it should be okay.


I've never had luck using auto ranging multimeters. Readings keep jumping around for some reason.

CCKen

Multimeters should have 10 Mega Ohm Impedance. Will $10 buy you that?


Here's what Chrysler has to say:

Fred/N0AZZ

If you want to buy a better one the first time that will last buy a Fluke meter they have all price ranges but the quality is much higher overall. One other thing don't loan it out same for torque wrenches if you have good ones. Don't ask me how I know but learned long ago.

CCKen

I will only trust the man down the street from me to borrow a torque wrench from me only because I know he will treat it like his own and I borrow his expensive digital Snap On torque wrench from time to time.


O'reilly loans out torque wenches. I asked the dude at the counter if they have their torque wrenches calibrated. The answer was NO. So, there you go, never use a torque wrench from an auto parts store if you care about exact torque specs (within +/- 4%).


My torque wrenches are Craftsman.

djgrayxj

Note from DJ
How about a Simpson 260 for an analog meter?
And how do you check for the impedance on the DVOM you already have?

CCKen

The 260 is an overkill for pukes like us. It is the best however.


Edit: I used a 260 for years as an aircraft mechanic. There was no such thing as a digital multimeter back in my day...LOL.

The impedance rating should be in the spec sheet/book that comes with the meter. If you don't have it you may have luck googling the operator's manual for it.

djgrayxj

Note from DJ to CCKen
Thanks for the information on DVOM.

I thought someone would know about a 260. I found it at a payday lone place and watched it for a year plus then offered the owners daughter who was the cashier $40.00 and explained to here that it was never going to sell because it wasn’t digital and no one but a 70 plus person like me would know how to use it.

She took me up on my offer; it was so original that it still had the protective cover over the face.

BlueRidgeMark

Wanna sell it?


/ducks/


Man, you scored!

BlueRidgeMark

They can be confusing, sometimes, especially when your values are close to the switchover point between two ranges.

Not a big deal if you can get used to it. I'd rather not have it making up it's own mind about what it's doing.


It's probably fine.

Fred/N0AZZ

I still use one all the time in radio/electronics work sometimes it is the only thing that will tell what you need to know.

BlueRidgeMark

Yep.

I'm a firm believer that you need a good analog meter, a good DMM, and a test light, and the knowledge to know which one to use when, and what it's really telling you.