Bought My First Multimeter!! Is It Good Quality??? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mike690003 · #1 07-02-2003, 01:01 AM

Hello Board, I was shopping at Wal-Mart today and I saw a multimeter on sale for $9.96!!! It is a "Electro-Tek" Electrical multimeter(model# 10729W) I always wanted a multimeter and jumped on this one. Will this multimeter be able to fne tune my car or do I need to purchase a digital one?? This one has a needle measurement, its not digital

but on th other hand , It was on sale. I have the reciept handy in case you guys give me the thumbs down on this meter, i'll take that sucker back.

The specs are:

Dc Voltage: 0-2.5-10-50-250-500V
AC voltage 0-10-50-250V
DC current:0-0.5-10-500mA
Resistance RX10 1(omega sign,ohms I presume??)-5k(ohms??)
RX1K 100(ohms)-500k(ohms)

Battery test 1.5V

Decibels -20db to 56db at AC Volt ranges

Is this multimeter sufficient to test and diagnose??

If so, could someone instruct me on how to test various conditions??

Running too rich or lean?
O2 Sensor?
Alternator?
etc.

Please Help!! Im planning on having a long DIY weekend dedicated to this.

Cap'n Carageous · #2 07-02-2003, 01:23 PM

Not trying to be a smart alec, but it's the same principle. Any instrument is only as capable of producing the results of the players input. In short, yes, your multimeter is a good basic instrument and can perform a number of tests. But you have to have the knowledge to use it. I used one for years and still do in certain situations. However, as my knowledge grew I stepped up to better digital units that are easier to read(for me). Read my thread on 'Our favorite multimeter is on sale" and you'll see that there are bargains out there that will do even more. But, even that meter is basic compared the industrial/commercial units available.
On another level, your unit will be good to learn on, cause when you hook it up to voltage while it is set to ohms and fry it, you will have learned a $10 lesson instead of a $$$$ one!!

mike690003 · #3 07-02-2003, 02:12 PM

Hello, how exactly do I get a reading to fix my car's rich running? I have black smoke coming out may exhaust and would love to get this problem fixed using my multimeter. Because it is analog, it does not have "duty cycle". Is that a problem for me? Where should I plug the pins and what readings should I get??
How do I test:
02 sensor?
Alternator?
Etc....

Help!

G-Benz · #4 07-02-2003, 05:20 PM

Sounds like your multimeter is about as functional as my old Radio Shack unit. Bought it about 28 years ago for school projects and some general purposes around the house.

I still find it handy (when I hooked up my 220V air compressor and found that the house panel was mislabeled

), but I find it to be of little use when attempting to diagnose knotty problems with the engine management system.

Check out the thread about the Sears unit. It's inexpensive and it's far more useful...

Our favorite multimeter is on sale

mike690003 · #5 07-02-2003, 05:58 PM

So are you guys telling me that my analog multimeter is a piece of crap?? It will not even help me to diagnose my cars rich running condition??

Is it that crappy??

G-Benz · #6 07-02-2003, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mike690003
I have the reciept handy in case you guys give me the thumbs down on this meter, i'll take that sucker back.

Is this multimeter sufficient to test and diagnose??

Please Help!! Im planning on having a long DIY weekend dedicated to this.

You asked us for advice and now you are getting defensive when you are told that it won't suit your purpose.

I never called it "a piece of crap". As I said, I own one now that has the same specs, and I can do a lot with it. But for what you want to do, you need a multimeter that will allow you to measure "duty cycle"...that's all I've said. I even pointed out a thread that states for an additional $10, you can have a multimeter that WILL serve your purpose.

It's not about the money, it's about the functions you require...

mike690003 · #7 07-02-2003, 06:33 PM

No no no no, You took the large font the wrong way! I was surprised at the fact that the multimeter is that crappy. I thought that I could at least diagnose my car's rich running condition with it., my gas consumption is out of hand!!! Sorry about the misunderstanding. I'm a nice guy!

#8 07-02-2003, 08:21 PM

FYI
In order to measure the oxygen sensor output, you need an ohmeter with a high impedence. That is a meter that will not load down the output. If you are interested there is a small circuit (about $5.00 to build) that will accomplish that. What car is running rich?

PeterG

mike690003 · #9 07-02-2003, 08:37 PM

my only car(1987 300E) it is running rich. I can smell the high gas fumes out the exhaust. I bought the multimeter to fix this, but the multimeter is crap.

Can an analog multimeter be used to adjust the mixture??

Kyle Blackmore · #10 07-02-2003, 10:06 PM

In a nutshell Mike ,no.Invest a little more for a meter that will read duty cycle. I paid $30Cdn for my digital multimeter and I don't know if it will read duty cycle or not.There could be a lot of reasons your car is running too rich besides just the O2 sensor and it's a giant leap from reading a value on the meter to understanding how to use that information to adjust or repair your problem.I know because I'm as newbie about this as you and I'd be in the same boat . Give me a breaker point distributor and a Holley carb on a small block Ford and I can diagnose and repair it with a dwell-tach a timing light and a vacuum gauge , now I need to take the next step to understand how my FI/ electronic ignition works and how to properly diagnose it . One day I'll get there

hopefully.

mike690003 · #11 07-03-2003, 04:54 PM

Hello,

Do our cars use the OBD I for diagnostics??

Quote:

I think you can also hook up a jumper wire and a test light to read the codes...

Where can I buy a test light from(autozone)??

$300 for a diagnostic computer is a load of cash!!

I thought a digital multimeter was a cheap way of having your own "diagnostic computer"???

Help!!

Kyle Blackmore · #12 07-03-2003, 11:00 PM

Hi Mike , our cars do have the OBD I and the duty cycle meter is necessary to diagnose certain conditions . It reads in percent and you compare that to normal (anyone who actually understands this stuff can jump right in

). I checked my DMM and it doesn't read duty cycle but it has more features overall than the Sears model. I'm going to check my local Sears for the model mentioned in the other thread.Click here for a link to a thread about the duty cycle.