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Multimeter and Battery Monitor Tests

The CM06 version of the TACKlife multimeter is sort of on sale at Amazon. I see a 10% off coupon check box on that sale page. $39.96 and then 10% off of that. Everybody needs a multimeter like this that includes a clamp on ammeter.

I didn't know it when I bought mine, but TACKlife is produced by Amazon.
  • Tacklife - Amazon's first professional team dedicated to tool development. We are committed to providing quality tools to solve your life problems.
 
Decent deal, and good reviews. I bought an HT206D a while back, now I'm just looking for an upgraded multimeter.

I didn't know it when I bought mine, but TACKlife is produced by Amazon.
  • Tacklife - Amazon's first professional team dedicated to tool development. We are committed to providing quality tools to solve your life problems.

I think this is not the case. I think they are just trying to make it sound that way or its a poor translation (probably the latter)

Here is the Tacklife AliExpress Store and the quote from it:
Tacklife- A professional team on Aliexpress. Which deals only with the development of tools. We commit ourselves to using qualitative tools to improve the quality of life.

Amazon does have a line of commercial tools though: Amazon Commercial
 
Decent deal, and good reviews. I bought an HT206D a while back, now I'm just looking for an upgraded multimeter.



I think this is not the case. I think they are just trying to make it sound that way or its a poor translation (probably the latter)

Here is the Tacklife AliExpress Store and the quote from it:


Amazon does have a line of commercial tools though: Amazon Commercial

Hmm, I'm betting that the listing on Amazon is incorrect then. That is rather misleading. I didn't buy mine based on that info, but still, it isn't right to claim that type of association. I put in a question to Amazon on this.
 
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I have found cheap meters have CRAPPY leads.
A good set of leads makes a difference when measuring mV...
As copper becomes more expensive, all new equipment is saving on the leads, sometimes you even get CCA. :oops:
There is nothing like the good 50 years old leads.

That said, i strongly prefer measuring strong current along an external shunt.
 
Does he unit have an ohms function? Measure the ohms of resistance in the leads.
Make sure it doesn’t auto range, you want ohms. Not Kohms, not Mohms
Most multimeters can't measure ohms and below accurately. They just lack the energy to let enough current flow through.
I prefer sending an ampere through the wires and measure the mV lost.

A good multimeter has a good mV range. Measuring 12v is easy.
 
Its a fantastic little meter .. i am really surprised how often i catch myself grabbing that one heading out the door then the more expensive ones the company furnishes (like fluke) ... but having DC Amperage is huge for us when we are checking solar and wind turbines ... you can narrow down problems extremely fast - much faster then with a standard DVM
Speaking of Amazon - Before I pull the trigger on AliExpress what do you think of this...
 
Speaking of Amazon - Before I pull the trigger on AliExpress what do you think of this...
That one does not measure DC amperage.
 
I have the TackLife CM01A multimeter, which doesn't appear to be available anymore. I was using it today to track down an issue in my trailer. I don't know if it's a normal function of a DC ammeter to show current when nothing is being measured or not. Mine will count up and up and up on the 40A setting, not so much on the 400A setting but I suspect that's due to rounding. The voltmeter does the same thing. If I put the leads on a source with actual volts, it stops ranging and goes to the right measurement. If I place the leads on a circuit that isn't active it does read zero volts, so that's a relief.

However, I don't think the ammeter is working right at all. Clamped around the 2/0 positive cable leading to my battery it was reading at least 5 amps higher than the BMS (OverKill Solar) and the Victron BMV-712 were reporting. I should have taken a picture of those side by side. :(

I can't trust this meter any more. I'm done futzing around with a cheap meter. I put in an order for a Fluke 325.
 
I have a volt meter that reads a little high on the volts.
And a multi meter that reads low volts but when I turn on the light it reads high a little.
I just use the same one all the time.
 
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