Re: VOMs

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: VOMs
From: fryg-at-postoffice.ptd-dot-net
Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 09:16:13 -0400 (EDT)
At 10:04 PM 5/21/96 -0600, you wrote:
[snip]
>I have been thinking of getting a new VOM.  Since I don't particularly want
>to smoke it, could anyone make a recommendation?  It would also be nice
>to measure capacitance too.  

Chip,

     I've found it doesn't matter what VOM you use eventually with the
equipement we use, something frys!  I Started getting rather cheap but good
VOM's from (sorry to use the "R" word) Radio Shack.  They have a new one
which does frequency, capacitance, V, O transistor and diode checks and also
links to your PC via serial cable.  I have used it on my small coil (less
than 1 KVA) unit for measurements just by setting up an external voltage
divider with surge protectors pulled from some old electronics and putting
the VOM and my PC in a small Faraday Cage.  (the cage really helps when the
fields are flying!  I've locked up my data PC's from across the room several
times till chicken wire and furring strips provided me with all the
protection a PC could need!)   I have data logging capability from it, and
the resolution seems to be inline with what I was looking for.  The unit is
about $130 and if nothing else, the freq. counter and Cap meter are worth
having with the PC link.  Sorry I don't have the spec's on it now but a call
to R.S. will give you what you need quickly.  (The PC connection works with
Windows 3.1X software that comes with it)
        Check it out before you buy other units, This is as cost effective
as I have found and with a few dollars more material hooked to it, I have
not yet had a problem with it.

                                Good Luck
                                Glenn Frey