[HomeBrew] Re: HomeBrew Digest, Vol 58, Issue 2

[Robin Midgett]

Marlin P. Jones often has LCD panel meters for very reasonable 
prices. They also often have DC-DC converters available, which can be 
used to power the LCDs, if necessary. www.mpja.com.

At 03:01 AM 12/9/2008, you wrote:
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>Today's Topics:
>
>    1. RE: Adding lights to meters (4CX250B)
>    2. Those cheap Harbor Freight multimeters.... (DavidE Benedict)
>    3. Re: Those cheap Harbor Freight multimeters.... (Steven Weber)
>
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Message: 1
>Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 14:09:17 -0500
>From: 4CX250B <4cx250b at muohio.edu>
>Subject: RE: [HomeBrew] Adding lights to meters
>To: Dennis Wade <sacramento.cyclist at gmail.com>,
>         "HomeBrew at mailman.qth.net" <HomeBrew at mailman.qth.net>
>Message-ID:
>         <74787094D952A442A1A8904E0AF377438B27B62B at STUCMS5.it.muohio.edu>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>If the Simposn meters are the "wideview' type, then I believe a 
>lighting kit and a bezel kit are available from Simpson distributors.
>jim W8ZR
>________________________________________
>From: homebrew-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
>[homebrew-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dennis Wade 
>[sacramento.cyclist at gmail.com]
>Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 11:23 AM
>To: HomeBrew at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: [HomeBrew] Adding lights to meters
>
>** Please do NOT cross-post messages when posting to HOMEBREW **
>
>Good morning all,
>
>         I've squirreled away some nice Triplett and Simpson large (3.5
>or 4 in) faced meters for use in that amplifier project we all have in
>the back of our minds.
>
>          However, I want lighted meters and, of course, the otherwise
>wonderful meters I've collected are un-lighted.
>
>           Is it practical to add lighting to meters that are not
>built that way?  If so, could someone point me to a good source of
>info?
>
>           Thanks!
>
>                  Dennis
>
>--
>Dennis L. Wade
>KG6ZI
>Carmichael, CA
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>------------------------------
>
>Message: 2
>Date: Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:10:43 -0800
>From: iam at pmug.org (DavidE Benedict)
>Subject: [HomeBrew] Those cheap Harbor Freight multimeters....
>To: homebrew at mailman.qth.net
>Message-ID: <fc.003d0941024405bb003d0941024405bb.24405bc at pmug.org>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
>Does someone have or know of a write-up about how to use those cheap
>Harbor Freight multimeters as volmeters and ammeters in homebrew projects?
>
>Sometimes those 7-function meters are only $1.99 !
>
>The idea lurking in the back of my mind is to take one all apart and just
>use the bare minimum to display a rig's volts or amps.
>
>David
>W7DBH
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
>Message: 3
>Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2008 22:37:39 -0500
>From: "Steven Weber" <kd1jv at moose.ncia.net>
>Subject: Re: [HomeBrew] Those cheap Harbor Freight multimeters....
>To: <homebrew at mailman.qth.net>
>Message-ID: <001601c959af$7d6e76b0$0302a8c0 at YOUR2F18F5CB1A>
>Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
>         reply-type=original
>
> > Does someone have or know of a write-up about how to use those cheap
> > Harbor Freight multimeters as volmeters and ammeters in homebrew projects?
>
>Not specificly, but most likely you would have to power them with an
>isolated supply or with the battery for it to work right. Often the (-)
>input is baised to 1/2 the meter supply voltage so it can read +/- and if
>the (-) input is connected to the meter (-) supply, it doesn't work right.
>All kinds of wierd things can happen, including blowing the chip.
>
>The other poblem would be mechanical - it is unlikely you can remount the
>display to right angles to the board. Connections to the display in a cheap
>meter like that are no doubt done with "zebra" meat strips between the board
>and display. Therefore, you would need a really big front panel and waste
>all that space behind the meter.
>
>73, Steve KD1JV
>
>
>
>------------------------------
>
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>End of HomeBrew Digest, Vol 58, Issue 2
>***************************************

Thanks,
Robin Midgett K4IDC
615-322-5836 office - rolls to pager
615-336-7091 cellular
615-301-1642 home
K4IDC at comcast.net
Radio Gear For Sale: http://www.people.vanderbilt.edu/~robin.midgett/index.htm