I’ve gotten great service from cheap multimeters. When you buy it, test a known good car battery and see if it reads 12.3 or so volts (engine off) and 14.4 or so volts with the engine running.
Please rewrite your second paragraph. I understand that most people seeking help here are not car experts, if they were, they would be giving advice instead of asking for it so I try to interpret what they are saying, but there is a limit and your paragraph 2 exceeds that limit for me.
But to answer your question about multimeters. Yes there are differences, but some of those differences only matter to professionals. An $8 multimeter is fine for occasional troubleshooting like you are doing but it wouldn’t last two days in a pros shop, maybe not even 2 seconds as a pro would probably throw it in a trash can.
If the meter is analog, that is it has a needle that sweeps across a scale, then the more expensive meters have a lower loading on the circuit under test and that makes them more accurate. For your purposes, measuring changes in whole volts in a 12 volt system, accuracy to the third decimal place is not important.
If the meter is digital, the more expensive ones give readings quicker. Again, not an issue with you but if you were trying to check the sweep of an O2 sensor, it would be more important. Circuit loading of a digital multimeter is zero so that loading is not an issue.
But the biggest thing you pay for are things like ruggedness, reliability, comfort of use (ergonomics) and more scales and ranges, again not critical for the casual user.
@jniwriter
I’ve noticed that cheapo multimeters often don’t measure dc amps
And that is precisely what you need if your BF or somebody else wants to measure parasitic draw
I must add something . . . if your BF doesn’t know how to use a multimeter properly, he will blow the fuse, and he’ll wonder why it’s not reading anything
Many people mistakenly believe they know how to use a specific tool . . .
“you don’t know what you don’t know”
You want 50 milliamps or less of parasitic draw
Thanks insightful. Bought one and hope it helps!
BustedKnuckles, thank you! We will look that up too…
@jnlwriter
Does your multimeter measure dc amps?
The last DVM I added to my multimeter collection was from Harbor Freight, and it was totally free. No, I didn’t steal it. I had a coupon that they had mailed me in their advertisement. OP should watch the mailers for HF advertisements. If there’s a HF in your area I mean. Coupons for free DVM’s are very common from HF. They did require me to purchase something to qualify to get the free item.
That DVM measures ac/dc volts, resistance, and ac/dc current. But there’s a max current limit of 10 amps I think, so it isn’t something you’d put in series with the starter motor or probably even the alternator. And the low resistance readings — 0.1 to 0.5 ohms range – isn’t very accurate.
I think you have a ground problem on your battery s neg terminal. I think BF bought new connectors with battery, not new cables. try cutting back neg cable and getting rid of corroded wire end, and re attach to connector and then re attach to battery. also check that other end is connected to block properly and make sure engine is grounded to battery. often the wire will be corroded under the insulation where you cant see it
George
That harbor freight multimeter . . . does it measure DC amps?
If it doesn’t, it’s useless for parasitic draw
But you can’t beat free
And I also get the harbor fake mailings
I didn’t go for the “free” multimeter, because I have my Fluke multimeter at work, and my old multimeter from my apprenticeship is still working. And that’s the backup meter, which stays in my garage. When I send my fluke in for its free recalibrations, I use the backup meter.
And make sure there is a solid ground connection from the chassis to the engine.