multimeter advice needed

[steve ravet]

James Weiler wrote:
> 
> Gang,
> I'm looking for a digital multimeter that can also read frequency (what
> range I don't know, anybody have any recomendations here?) and handle current
> high enough to measure alt. output and starter draw so proly close to 100
> Amps.  Don't know if they come this high.  Proly my dream meter is a fluke
> but I don't want to hand over my first born and perhaps an appendage too.

You might get 2 things instead....  A nice multimeter and an automotive
battery/starter tester.  Might be cheaper that a multimeter w/inductive
pickup, and it'll let you do load tests also.  100 amps will require an
inductive pickup AFAIK.  Be sure you don't get an "A/C only" one.  I
would recommend a radio shack meter, they've got a nice one for $49, but
I'm not sure what kind of frequency counter options they have.  Also,
you want to get autorange.  I saw starter/battery testers in the
Northern catalog for $29 and $49.

--steve

> 
> It would be ideal if it could measure current by an inductive pick-up.
> Don't know if all this is possible at a reasonable price, I may be asking
> too much.
> 
> Thanks for any and all advice,
> jw

-- 
Steve Ravet
steve.ravet at arm.com
Advanced Risc Machines, Inc.
www.arm.com