One Multimeter That Can Test All Components?
During my early days in electronic repair, i always thought that one multimeter can accurately check on all electronics components. After many years in this repair trade i can conclude that one has to have different meters to check on different components. At current moment there are no single meter that can test on all electronic components. To test coil we need coil tester, to test resistor we need Ohm meter, to test electrolytic capacitor we need ESR meter, to test non polarity capacitors we need Digital capacitance meter and so forth. If you use analog or digital multimeter to test on different components, although you got the result, the result would not be accurate and this can misled you into believing a bad component is actually good. You will waste tons of time for troubleshooting that you cannot find the answer in the circuit board.
If you have some budget get the appropriate meters so you can accurately test on different type of components. Meters are like assistant to you. More good meters will help speed up your work and at the end of the day you will repair more equipment thus bringing in more profit. When you want to invest on any meter think of the outcome and how it can help you in making more money and not think of how much you waste on that meter. Different thinking approach will usually make you more successful than others.
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Waleed Rishmawi
October 26, 2010 at 12:23 pm
I always thought that a multimeter can check capacitors simply because that meter has a selecting for checking capacitors. Now, i know better simply because of your articles and books that i get from you. it is wonderful.
I am in the states now and I am already visited some repair shops in the area. it is amazing how fast we can learn by watching others doing repair. I also planning to visit some tool shops here and buy what is needed in shop back home.
I is going to be a very long time in the states but so far, I am loving every minute of it.
admin
October 26, 2010 at 8:19 pm
HI Waleed,
Thanks and hope you have a great and wonderful time in the States.
Jestine
bernard
October 26, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Yes technology is catching fast on the repairers, and the purchase of new testing instruments are avoidable , but for a experience technician is always wise in decision making, whether to purchase or not, but for the rich technicians there are no problems, they got the money, but for those with tight budgets it's mind searching getting Quality instruments new or used, but prefer usually ending up buying used or cheaper instrument whether accurate or not. So it depends on the technician personnel easy way or hard way in finding faults in Electronic repairs, as for experience technicians like jestine i think this is not a problem. So to sum it up if there is a budget it is always good in getting testing instruments, and experience new testing methods.
John Preher
October 26, 2010 at 9:24 pm
Hey Waleed, what part of the States are you in?
When I was first getting involved in electronics I used to only use my multimeter thinking this was all I needed, then after a couple of years I got a capanalyser 88A ESR meter and was amazed at how many bad capacitors I started finding and how much more equipment I started to repair. Then our shop got a sencore LCR and I was able to start doing ring tests on high Q coils and could not believe how great of a test this was for finding bad flyback transformers in the CRT tvs we were repairing at the time. The sencore was very big and bulky though, I much prefer now how I carry my blue ring tester,ESR micro, analogue meter,digital capacitance meter and of course my good old digital multimeter. With this arsinal at my side I can repair so much out in the field and have come a long way since only thinking I needed my multimeter. 🙂
admin
October 27, 2010 at 2:21 am
HI Bernard,
It depends on the price too. If it is too expensive i would not buy it. A repair friend of mine told me that he like to use his Digital storage colour oscilloscope for troubleshooting but at that time the scope cost was about RM16,000.
Jestine
Engineer Saeed
November 15, 2010 at 1:58 am
Is this Institute exist in pakistan? if yes, where?
admin
November 15, 2010 at 5:21 am
HI Saeed,
Sorry we do not have any institution in your country.
Jestine
jojogreg
August 9, 2012 at 4:37 am
mr.jestine yong,i'm planning to put up repair business like lcd tv/lcd monitor repair,crt,audio/video,laptop and desktop computer,can you suggest what repair tools or test equipment i must have to invest for my repair shop?.pls.advise..
Jestine Yong
August 9, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Hi JOJO,
The common meters are analog/digital meter, digital capacitance meter, blue esr meter, blur ring tester, oscilloscope, backlight tester, high voltage probe and others. i suggest that you start on few type of equipment first. If you do all you will be confused.
Jestine
Hi Justine
October 9, 2012 at 2:11 pm
dO YOU HAVE ANY THING IN MALTA FROM YOUR INSTITUTE.THANK YOU
Jestine Yong
October 9, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Hi Joe,
Sorry we do not have any institute in other country.
Jestine
suhasini patil
October 14, 2012 at 10:01 am
may you forward me LCR Q meter with diffetent resistance measurement & precision measurement of component - Resistor, capacitor& inductor.
Jestine Yong
October 15, 2012 at 9:06 pm
Hi Suhasini,
Just use the LCR meter and check on those components and you will get the result. As for the q meter please see the link:
http://www.electronicrepairguide.com/blueringtesterresult.html
Jestine