Jump to content

Looking for a better Analogue Multimeter


Tmuir

Recommended Posts

Currently I have a Digitech analogue multimeter, but its lowest current range is 50uA FSD, which is just barely low enough.

My Henry Fried book on repairing quartz watches talks about a Citizen 3002 meter which by the drawings has a range down to 12uA FSD, which would be much more useful.

I don't like my luck in finding one of those meters for a reasonable price, but is anyone else aware of a brand of analogue multmeters that won't break the bank that has a range that goes down that low?

My local electronics stores Jaycar and Altronics each only has one analogue multimeter and both of them the lowest range is 50uA FSD.

Its not an essential need to get a better meter, but it is something I would like to have.

I'm starting to develop a like for the 1970s and early 1980s better quality quartz movements.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finding these citizen meteor on eBay for instance is going to be really tough it occasionally shows up but very seldom. Then Seiko had two analog meters the second one was identical to the citizen and two additional digital meters. I find almost none of these ever show up on eBay.

Finding suitable digital meters is easy finding suitable microamp meters analog is not. Typically the lowest range analog meter you find is 50 µA occasionally you might find a 25 µA but it's usually expensive. The options would be to get a higher range analog meter and Bill the circuit to make it into a microamp meter. Or just give up and go with digital. Personally I really like an analog meter when I'm working on quartz watches for measuring the current consumption. For everything else I use a digital meter.

Then there is another option that I almost forgot about so I'm attaching a picture and a picture of the sins meter so you know what you're looking for. Then attached to the bottom of the analog meter is the power source it lets you use a larger battery. The other option is Bulova meter is a nice big meter with a nice low current range. I think Bulova may even have a tech sheet of showing how to use that for quartz watch if you're interested I'll have to look for it. It basically needs a big capacitor to smooth out the readings.

mt-3.jpg

mt-1.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Yes, "Sold out" is difficult to understand. There doesn't seem to be a lot going on. It's been nine months since any new video was published on the Watch Repair Channel. The Level 4 course on watchfix.com has been in progress for what feels like forever (several years!?). Maybe Mark's enterprises aren't doing well or perhaps already so profitable there's nothing much to motivate him for more material. Or, perhaps these days he's more into crochet. The real reason is probably something entirely different but it would be nice/interesting to know. I don't mean to sound gloomy or pessimistic, but I wouldn't be surprised to be met by an HTTP 404. Every day feels like a gift. Speaking of watchfix.com I've been postponing the "Level 5: Servicing Chronograph Watches" course for a very, very long time. Anyway, I just enrolled on it so it's going to be very interesting to see the videos. I must say, IMO there's nothing really that can compete with Mark's courses when it comes to presentation and video quality. It's simply world-class and makes me associate with some really expensive BBC productions.
    • Steel has some funny properties, or at least counterintuitive. The modulus of elasticity is effectively (not exactly, but close enough) the same for steel that is annealed and hardened. What changes is the point of plastic deformation* . If the movement of your spring doesn't pass that, it should work fine. It looks a little thick, I would thin it a bit maybe from the main body out about halfway, maybe 10-20% thinner (not in thickness, along its form). But if it works it works!   *So- if you have two bars of the same steel, one annealed, one at 600 Vickers (general hardness watch arbors might be), clamp them to a table so the same length is hanging out, and put a weight on the ends, they will bend the same amount. But if you continue to add weight, then remove it, at a point the annealed bar won't return to its original straightness. That's the point of plastic deformation. But up to that point, as springs, they are the same. However- their wear characteristics will be very very different. And getting the hardened bar past its point of plastic deformation takes a lot more effort.
    • @JohnR725 now that you've mentioned it. This is actually the second aftermarket spring (same place and brand) I ordered as the first one broke. The eye on which the arbor pulls on, broke off on the first spring after the first wind, and also it was a bit to large for the arbor. Looked like on one the second picture in the 2nd group. The second one was exactly the same, I had to bend it a bit, to give it a more prominent curve to the end of the spring so that the arbor catches the eye.  Also I believe both were 5-10mm shorter. Not that I writing that, I feel a bit dumb, as the spring might actually been the problem all along, although its advertised as a substitute to the original...     
    • The CS70 is the only one they show as annealed.  A further search on ebay, I found CS75 and CS100 annealed carbon steel strips  e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314072784422
    • Aloha and thanks for catching all these small but important details, John.  I'm going to give it a shot. The good news is I have a parts movement here with a perfect complete balance.  I will place them side by side for visual reference when doing what you outlined.  It's been a while were I've had a hobby in which I joined a forum.  I forgot just how helpful everyone can be. Mahalo. Frank.
×
×
  • Create New...