Is an analog meter any good for RV troubleshooting?

A “Short” article on electrical “Circuits”

Everyone,

Here’s a “Short” answer to a question about measuring electrical “Circuits” from my RVelectricity facebook group..

Hey Mike,

Are GB analog multimeters good? (Gardner Bender)

Hey Linda,

For basic troubleshooting analog meters can work pretty well, as long as you understand how to set the scale properly. But it’s really easy to break the movement (needle) on an analog meter if you set the scale improperly. Modern digital meter are much more forgiving of mistakes.

Plus reading an analog meter with any real accuracy is a bit of an art form. That’s why we had mirrored scales on our precision analog meters in the ‘70s. The most basic digital meter will be more useful than any analog meter.

What to get?

I like this Southwire 10037k kit because it includes a DMM (Digital Multi Meter) 3-Light Outlet Tester, and a NCVT (Non-Contact Voltage Tester). The best part is the entire kit is available for around $30 at many big box stores or on Amazon HERE.

It’s the same meter I use in many of my RVelectricity seminars, articles and videos.

Let’s play safe out there… Mike