I finally stopped using my old analog multimeter for most jobs.

For years, I would pull out my Simpson 260 to check for shorts or continuity. It was reliable, but reading that needle on a shaky bench could be a real pain. About two years ago, I got a Fluke 87V for a big repair job on a pinball machine. Now I use the digital one for almost everything because the auto-ranging and clear display just save so much time. Do you still keep any old analog tools in your kit, or is it all digital now?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_richard2mo ago

I get the appeal of the needle for some jobs, but for me speed and clarity win every time. Trying to read a bouncing needle under a truck hood in bad light is a recipe for mistakes. The digital readout gives me one solid number I can trust without second guessing.

the_sage2mo ago

Honestly, that needle is the whole point for me. A digital readout gives you a number, but the analog swing shows you the trend instantly, like watching a capacitor charge or spotting a shaky connection. My old Triplett just feels more alive in my hand, you know? It forces you to understand what the circuit is doing, not just what it says right this second. I keep a good digital meter for precision work, but my bench isn't right without that moving coil.

kevin_murray8811d ago

Learned the hard way trying to trace a flickering ground fault in an old PA system once. Digital meter kept jumping all over, couldn't tell if it was noise or a real intermittent break. Swapped over to my old Simpson 260 and watched the needle sweep up and down in a steady rhythm, that told me right away it was a loose connection not a component failure. Sometimes the numbers just lie to you or hide the pattern, you know? That needle shows you the behavior, not just the snapshot. Stuck with both types on the bench ever since, each has its place but the analog saved me that day.