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Spockie-Tech
Site Admin
Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3160
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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One of the ~$40 Jaycar meters comes with a serial cable and a program that lets you log data on your PC and graph it.
Admittedly Ive only used that function once, since I have a E-station battery charger with logging that does it per cell,
but assuming you didnt have one of those, the PC logging of voltage on a battery pack, with a discharge load like a globe or something could be quite useful to check a packs capacity.
Ditto on the Fluke's accuracy. I've compared my Fluke-87 (I forgot what it cost, but it was in the high hundreds range back in the 90s when I bought it) and the cheapy Jaycar is witin a few % of it..
The main advantage to Fluke's is if you're using them in application that needs *certification* or other documented accuracy, they *can* be calibrated and adjusted by a calibration lab ($$$) - not that I know anyone (except the place I worked for that made aviation altimeter transponders) that has actually *done it*, but it *can be* if you wanted to.. They'd probably turn their noses up if you sent a jaycar meter in for calibration/certifcation..
For Roboteers - who tend to make more magic smoke than most electronic hobbyists (we play with higher power stuff, your average hobbyist couldnt find anything on their bench to supply 200amps even if they tried) - a cheapy meter *would* make more sense. The smoke they use is cheaper so you dont cry so much when it escapes _________________ Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people
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Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:11 pm |
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