It’s fun working on electronic projects on your own. Whether it is repairing a broken electronic item or building one from scratch. Either as a hobby or for a school project. This is DIY (Do It Yourself) electronics and no matter how small it is; it is always useful to have the necessary equipment.
Contents
When it comes to buying equipment for your electronics lab, it is important that you do not buy all the equipment you saw in a “how to set up an electronics lab” article. Instead, start with the very essential ones.
In my experience as an electronics engineering working on personal and school projects, the most important equipment that I always need is a Digital Multimeter.
I think you already know this. Electronics is all about current, voltage, and resistance. You have to know how much current or voltage is present across even the simplest of circuits. Resistance is also a very important parameter.
You need a Digital Multimeter to read these values (and other values like frequency etc.) accurately from your circuit. This is to know how your circuit is performing in relation to your design and expectation.
One of the most common reasons a DIY’er needs a multimeter, is when they are working with microcontroller. The Arduino microcontroller is by far the most common microcontroller that electronics DIY/hobbyists end up needing a multimeter for.
The EEVBlog-Brymen BM235 Digital-Multimeter is the best Digital Multimeter I’ve used. Not only was it designed having all the awesome features that you’ll need for your fun project, but it’s also very cheap for so many amazing features.
This Multimeter is your best shot if you are looking for a one-in-all Multimeter that contains all the needed functionalities that you need in your work. BM235 is also designed with features that you might not need now, but will surely find useful in the future. So you’re covered for now and the future with just this Multimeter.
The BM235 has the following amazing features.
• High-quality fuses in the current jack.
• High-quality needle-shaped silicone test leads.
• 2xAAA batteries so you are set for a long hour of work without thinking about your Multimeter going out.
• Outputs true RMS values. This will give you the true root mean square values of your AC readings.
• Very compact and small. Only 160mm x 80mm (6.3in x 3.1in).
• Cat IV rating.
• LCD Backlight display.
• Microamps range of current reading.
• Autosaves your last configuration.
• Very fast continuity testing with backlight signal.
• Comes with a blue holster that makes it stand firmly on your workbench. Rugged enough to stay firm while you work.
From using this Multimeter on electronic products, these are some of the advantages that the BM235 provides that you will not find in other brands of Multimeter. At least, not for as low as what this one is sold for.
• The backlight display comes in very handy when working at night or in poorly lit corners or areas. Sometimes we like working with the main lights switched off, right?
• It is completely safe to use. It is built with internal electronics protection and an external ruggedness protection.
• The Rock solid built enclosure gives you the freedom of easy and care-free handling as you go about working on your project. Once in a while, your multimeter will fall. With the BM235, you do not have to fear for any damages.
• The very fast continuity test signal comes in handy in speeding up your work. The backlight on the LCD dials up on continuity. This comes in handy in very noisy places.
• The very loud buzzer sound also comes in handy when you’re working in very noisy places.
• The frame and stand are designed to fit properly on your bench and a super great feeling while holding it in your hands. You sometimes don’t want to let it go. This will let you work on your project seamlessly with your Multimeter on your hands like your mobile phone.
• The setting saving feature saves a lot of useful design time that would otherwise be used in resetting the multimeter to a configuration you often use. If you have a setting that you use often (like current or voltage ranges), your settings are saved every time, so you do not have to go through the stress of resetting.
• You do not have to fear to blow up a fuse if you plug the probes incorrectly, because It beeps if you have the probes plugged in improperly.
• The microamp range of current measurement lets you measure even the smallest current or voltage in your circuit. This allows for more precise measurement and troubleshooting.
• Very cheap. This is the cheapest Multimeter you will find having all these features cramped in one very handy device.
Only one disadvantage is noticeable with using this Multimeter. The LCD display angle is pretty limited.
If you look at it from the top, the display will disappear. But this is a no-brainer since most times the meter will either be flat or be on the stand while you look at it head on or from below.
So there are minimal chances of ever looking at it from the top. The only time it is not readable is when it is at extreme angles. Who works with a Multimeter like that on his table?
The BM3235 has all the features that you’ll need working on your project, put in one very handy Multimeter sold for a ridiculously and unbelievably cheap for the above benefits.
Its excellent performance is seen in its 4.7 out of 5-star rating on Amazon. Users are clearly finding it super fun and satisfying using it on their projects. You’re missing out if you do not have one for yourself.