Analog Meter capability

[Tom Cloud]

>> 
>> typical DMM has 10M Zin.  typical VOM has 20k ohms/volt (unless you
>> get it from ratshack .... then maybe 5k or 10k ohms/volt.  If the
>> analog meter has an internal amp (does it need batteries for more
>> than the ohms scale ?), then it will likely also have 10M Zin.
>
>It requires AA's and a 9 volt battery.  I haven't tried it without the
>batteries in it to see what does and doesn't work.

look on the face of the analog meter -- it should tell you the
Zin.  If not, it should be somewhere on the panel -- like by the
jacks for the test leads.  If it says something like 20kW/V DC
(the "W" is an omega -- don't have "symbol" font  ;-)  or 10kW/V
or such, it's a plain vanilla analog meter with resistors in series
for the different voltage ranges.  If it says 10M or 11M, then it
has an amp in the input and is electronic.  If it says "Electronic"
or "FET" it's probably amplified and has high Zin (10 Meg).  If it's a
RatShack FET VOM, there's a good chance that only the DC range is
amplified and the AC range is just a plain old 5kW/V voltmeter.
I bought one of those before I realized the old switcharoo
shell game they were playing  :-(    Of course, this won't hurt
you as you are going to just be using the DC range anyway ... I
think.

Note that you can "invest" $75 to $350 in a Fluke hand-held DMM
that has the bar-graph scale.  That is almost as good as a "real"
meter  8^)      And it really is a good investment -- you're never
sorry when you get good tools!


Tom Cloud

     Madness takes its toll   .....   please have exact change