Extech, maker of mutimeters and other measuring devices, has kindly contributed three nifty gadgets that will go to three random commenters! All you have to do is leave a comment saying what neat projects you’d use the gadgets for. At midnight tonight, PST, the giveaway ends and we’ll randomly choose three winners. And what prizes are up for grabs, you ask? Here they are:
An EX540 12-function wireless multimeter/datalogger.
An RC100 tweezer-style passive component tester.
A 381676 pen-style multimeter with non-contact voltage detector.
Good luck!
804 thoughts on “Leave a comment, get Extech loot!”
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Two words: Heated Pants
I’ve been really enjoying playing around with building interactive art from trash, particularly the kind that turns kinetic energy into something else so the art project doesn’t require a plug to the wall.
I’m making a homebrew pinball machine and I need all the charity I can get!
I could use Extech RC100 for replacing faulty R/C on my broken 32″ LCD.
The Pen DMM would be very usefull measuring 230V~. Currently I’m using a cheap Screwdriver with glow lamp, that is not very safety.
I would use EX540 to improve the accuracy of the current measurements for my LASER experiments http://www.krazerlasers.com/lasers/ The RC100 would come in really handy tuning up my GPS system too http://www.krazerlasers.com/gps/k100r3/
Thanks!
I would use their nifty gadgets to add all sorts of even niftier gadgets to my truck. I’m thinking arduino controlled lighting system, among other ideas.
Be nice to have for all the PC building projects…still an electronics newbie BUT, a multimeter is a must for the tool kit =P
I could use that nice multimeter to get some of my current projects working or that pen one to get some ladies. You know the ladies will be swarming when they see that sticking out of my pocket protector
I’d use these to continue working on an Arduino MIDI/DMX transceiver!
I’d use it to accompany me when I do my devilish lough while I disassemble my not-so-trusty chinese no-brand dealextreme-bought multimeter…
For starters, I could get down to building that winter-compliant bike like (the cold is killing my batteries), fix the dome light in my wife’s car and troubleshoot the “free or best offer” kegerator taking up valuable garage real estate.
ooh very nice! What can’t you do with a multimeter. I would probably throw away my old Fluke16 :P
Thanks for the give-away!
I would use the “381676 pen-style multimeter” for my upcoming build in China, I get to check out some of the best tech going around at the World Expo in Shanghai whilst working on the NZ pavilion.
I would be glad to use theese for my remote power measurement and monitoring project. (kill a watt clone with web page to show the data)
Long time makezine reader here, but I haven’t normally commented. What better way to start? ;)
The possibilities with these tools are ENDLESS, but my current project is fixing a couple LCD TVs and any of these tools would be a great addition!
Keep up the good posts!
I could use the test equipment to repair a friends 1993 Indiana Jones pinball game.
i want it i want it!
I would use it to replace my cheap chinese one!
I would use it on my pov clock.
This thing has been driving me nuts.
I can imagine all sorts of interesting remote monitoring that could be done with that. Temp fluctuations in the greenhouse, voltage fluctuations in the lab… too many to think about. Hope you pick me.
With one of these I could try to repair my first digital camera (seems like the exploding capacitor damaged something…).
It would also be useful for the µControlled power supply for several devices (light, audio amplifiers, pc, …) I’m planning to build and many other things which are easier to do with equipment.
I’d use to my senior robotics lab. It’s useful to carry because you never know when a problem happens!
I’m building a eight-foot diameter R/C dirigible, and any one of those tools would come in real handy while working on its control systems.
I am curently working on a charging station for e-scooters that logs the power consumption of multiple e-scooters which are identified via RFID and could use the 381676 pen-style multimeter.
I have an old Voltcraft multimeter and it survived a lot of high voltage shocks and was repaired by me several times…
I really wish to get a new multimeter especially as good as this one…
I would use it for every one of my projects…electronics is my life!
All sorts of interesting home automation projects. =)
Over the last years i got quite into 32bit system and currently i’m bulding the second version of a Media Player solution (http://www.project-xmedia.com) and the RC100 seems perfect for testing all of the around 300 SMD resistors, capcatiors and diodes on the board, I’m gooing to assemble in the next weeks. Espacially if you take SMD capacitors, there is no marking, on the chip, so you need to label all components right, if you mess up something, you have to throw everything away, because you don’t know if it was a 100n or a 15p capacitor. With the RC100 i could just grab them and hehe =))
Best Regards
Bernhard
I got an Arduino and love trying new projects, but im in need of a new multimeter, mine is broken!
then again, what do i know?
I would use the stuff to try and fix some old electronics and a monitor I have sitting around.
I wish it was!
I need this for my hackerspace!
I have been meaning to tackle building a RepRap. Maybe some new tools will be the proper motivator.
PMM to Arduino to Hall Effect
Useful for troubleshooting after magic smoke has been released from components on a project.
Ok, this doesn’t sound like a super über mega cool project with freaking lazers, but my mom said she needed a new egg timer. I figured, why not just build it into the oven itself?
My mom would be really happy if you selected this comment.
I’d use these for the building of preamps, spring reverbs, drone synths, and other assorted noisemakers for my basement music studio.
I’m moving soon and I’m planning on installing some LED mood lighting in my new apartment using some Arduinos, BlinkMs, and various other LED devices. I’ve got a nice little web app, which is also iPhone compatible, that will control them all. Funtastic.
I’ve always wanted to build a BPM calculator based off of Arduino for drumming. I know that you can already buy these, but there is no satisfaction greater then building one yourself. It isn’t as much about the destination as the journey that it takes to get there.
I could use it on my latest JYE Oscilloscope Kit I am building. Fun, fun, fun!
Coolness, I’m going to be making a photoresistor-controlled Atari Punk Console soon, and after that I plan on making a Weird Sound Generator.
EX540 Will be great for Arduino projects, I am learning Arduino, and planning to make alarm system, EX540 is interesting tool.
My current project is a guitar pedal clone, then it’s on to some Arduino stuff. It’d be nice to have some decent gear for fault tracing.
I would use these items to help me diagnose what on earth has gone wrong on my AMB Dac project that plain and simple is giving me no love at all!
I would use the multimeter datalogger to help troubleshoot some signal generation circuits for flyback drivers, as well as use it to record the resonant frequency for each transformer so I wouldn’t have to sit there and twiddle with the pots each time I swapped them out!
An art quilt of a working lighthouse with a pressure sensitive soft switch!!
My husband would be glad to get his multimeter back!!
Thanks for the give-away!
I’d use some of these for making the PC controlled fireworks.
Drooling for EX540 here!
I want to make a universal remote out of an arduino for my boom box to which i got second hand without the remote. i would use it to configure the circuit correct resistors, check battery power ect. and plus my meter now is a $5 Canadian tire special that i always forget to turn off and the battery dies :-P
I used to work at a mobile phone factory and I religiously swept up and collected the components that the pick’n’place machine dropped. I now have a bucketload of SMDs of various values (some 1206 and some 0805s) that need measuring and sorting so that I can get started on all of my DIY SMD projects.
I’ve already sorted out the LEDs, SOT23s and ICs but the Rs and Cs remain and my eyes are not what they used to be, so reading the markings on them would do me in.
With this baby I could while away a happy day or so methodically going through the lot.
Hi,
I’m currently working on a solar blind that will charge my small appliances (E.g. cell phone, iPod, etc) I could really use an excellent multimeter from Extech. I will keep a spot open in my tool box. Thanks.
Regards, Michael
I’m knee deep in a mess of dashboard panels and wires with nothing to keep me going but my $10 multimeter and my wits.
This would surely help me get my 280z back on the road again.
I would do all the projects in the book! But I also want to wire some LEDs to a old PSU and I need to teach my self how to create a circuit.
No more electrocute me.
I’m currently studying electrical engineering and I could use either of the two multimeters for a wide range of circuits I have to build in my various classes. I can certainly see some time saved with either of the feature sets of the EX540 or 381676.
On a personal project level, I’m currently trying to troubleshoot my parents’ toaster oven and an ancient alarm clock (that just seems to have a coolness factor).
My Radio Shack multimeter does the job for now, but an Extech would be far nicer!
Thanks!
I’d use one to try my hand at fixing a busted Braun cleaning station for my razor. My poor razor is so very, very dirty.
I could totally used it to finish my ‘tap’ sensitive table / display: an 8 by 8 RGB led display build in a 50cm by 50cm table. The glass surface will be mounted on 4 piezo transductors to triangulate any choc on the glass.
All of this drived by an arduino at first and some custom designed board.
Very nice! I would use this to help build an ultra low noise amplifier setup for the Faraday collector on our noble gas mass spectrometer and to retune the 30W CO2 laser that we use to heat samples to improve the precision of our power supply calibration.
I need a new multimeter as the experiments in the book are showing the weaknesses in my current meter… And new and shiny is always good.
I’d be able to use all of these things in building the circuits for this year’s Halloween props.
So many projects. Arduino and accelerometer have been sitting around.
Making a facebook activity meter from an old-fashioned voltmeter and an arduino, could really use one of these!
Current ‘maker’ projects that need to be finished:
* LaserTag Team Operations medic pack gadget
* Dog Talker (so our dogs can tell my wife what they really want)
* Chaos Machine Controller, version 2
* Wall Clock with WiFi and NTP, so I don’t have to set and reset it
Could use either of these gadgets to help in a couple of my current projects, but the most notable being that the EX540 Datalogger capability would greatly help in debugging the data streams in my current technical thesis project. Plus that fact that it’s a very capable multimeter would improve the accuracy of most of my measurements since I currently use a $20 meter.
I would use this for anything that i could use it for there is end less imposibilities
Supporting an out of production, limited run car is a labor of love. And it isn’t always mechanical. It is amazing the number of electrical problems one can encounter. Either of the DMMs would be a huge help. The wireless probe would be especially helpful by avoiding the tangle of wires. On the other hand, the wires help chase down ground issues. Now back to my day job.
I would use it for building amps, preamps, drone synths, and whatever nifty devices I can think of for my basement music studio/physics lab.
Current project: pan/tilt mount for my camera.
The peak hold function on the EX540 would be very nifty for capturing the surge current as the servos fire up.
If I had an EX540 I would be one step closer to realizing my ultimate goal of taking over the world with tube amplifiers. And robots. Don’t forget the robots.
I would use this multimeter for troubleshooting around the house and reducing waste. Instead of having to throw out stuff because it doesn’t work, I can try and pinpoint the exact component failure and repair/replace that part.
I need an RMS meter because I also have a standby generator connected to the electrical system in my house and the bi-annual tuneups require an RMS meter to accurately report the output voltage and frequency of power going into my house. If I had an RMS meter, I could do those measurements myself instead of relying on others.
Let’s see: I’m working on a birdhouse with a 3D webcam inside, and I need to use IR LEDs for lighting, and I’m working on an alphanumeric LED 8-button USB peripheral, and I’m working on a vintage computer box for my modern PC. They’d all benefit from some new Extech toys.
What couldn’t you work on. If it has a wire with a current, this will help fix it!
At this point I am kind of padding out my software knowledge with a little hardware. My first “real” project will probably be a data logger for my water heater. I’m curious about the duty cycle, how much it burns when no one is home.
I have a Radio Shack pen multimeter, which is nice, but has few functions. The big Extech would be a real upgrade for me. Thx!
I’d donate my other multimeter to a teacher I know who teaches electronics in high school. I’m working through the Make: Electronics book and enjoying it – a more advanced meter would likely help out later in the book.
I would use it for when I am building my tube amp or
for when I am re”making” old stereos into new
My wife and I just bought our first home. It was build in 1919 and needs most of the electrical replaced. I’m doing this myself and it would be great to have an accurate multi meter to complete the job.
I would use it to finish my contactless generator project for my bike!
Although there are may more projects that I can think of the first one that comes to mind is a complete christmas light show that “dances” to music but is comtrolled through analog electronics. any sort of multi meter would be useful for troubleshooting the wiring.
I would use these for many different projects, currently the Arduino is fun to work on.
What neat projects?
Why, I’d use these for *all* the neat projects!
I would use this on many projects. Currently I am working on the Arduino system.
I could use one of those tools, I am building a CNC router now.
I would use these products to scavenge my old analog multimeters and other electronic equipment for spare parts. Too many inspiring arduino panel meter hacks.
I could use the EX540 12-function wireless multimeter/datalogger.
I am reworking a RL-1000 with a new micro controller board. The mowing motors do not seem to have the same power curve that is described on their data sheet and having an logging RMS multimeter would make this task more science than guess work with my current multimeter.
I also have a large set of diodes, LEDs and assorted other parts that have been pulled over the years that the RC100 tweezer-style passive component tester would help sort through.
I’d love to have the EX540 to replace my very crappy multimeter to use in doing the projects in Make: Electronics.
I’m working on a USB notifier (think voicemail indicator for email, IM, etc) and these low value resistors are driving me crazy.
The pen multimeter and component tester would be great for debugging circuits both for school and at home!
My design team for school is building a railgun and would love to have our own wireless DMM instead of having to borrow one from another department.
The multimeters would be great for diagnosing broken hardware at the sound club on campus.
Instead of living the EX540 unused when I’m not “making”, I’d use it to log the energy usage of appliances around the house.
A little LED starfield maybe? Some blinkenlights are always a good thing.f
I have many noise maker/electronic instrument/circuit hack projects in the queue that would certainly benefit greatly from a new Extech toy.
I always have at least one electronics project on the go. But, any one of these tools would probably be very helpful when I attempt to hack my wife’s knitting machine!
…I’d use these tools to try and take over the world!!!
NARF! OK, I know I posted too but give it to this guy.
I’d log energy usage.
I’ve been meaning to get my grandson one of these so I can stop lending him my EX330.
I would use it in the development of my wind/solar gen jukebox. Or maybe in the development of surge protection devices to harness surge and store it.
Oh man. That tweezer style tester would really help me fix my old Radio Shack Model 100 computer. Testing boards parts like that with just a multi-meter is a real pain.
I would use this for my epic projects including, but of course not limited to:
automatic bartender
search and rescue robot for my local FD
firefighter locator
and many many more
I’d use these tools to continue my edumacation in electronics then build an Arduino controlled world dictatorship MUAHAHAHAHAHA
Doesn’t everyone use these toys to measure Karma?
if i win i’ll tattoo i=v/r on my a**. sike.
Those RC100 tweezers are super cool- they would come in really handy for repurposing a bunch of broken LCD monitors I found dumpster diving.
I am starting to think about building a CNC router. These would help.
I’d build that robot I always wanted!
I would use my multimeter to catalog my box full of scavanged wall warts, motors and speakers.
All of the tools would be helpful when working on the electronics I’m adding to my home-built telescope.
I’d use these to help my work converting my stage lighting rig from incandescent to LED.
Arrrrr!!! This pirate needs some loot!
OK – not really, my gear is in top notch shape, but I _MIGHT_ have to fix it one day! =-)
I’m just getting into electronics and my two young boys are showing interest as well The multimeter would be great for us as we disassemble more and more things to see how they work
We would use the test gear to further general audio madness via the net.
The RC100 Tweezers would be handy with small digital to analogue converter (DAC) circuitry. The EX540 multimeter would be used for general madness poking around high voltage tube circuity.
We could also put the USB Sound Level Datalogger to good use as speaker madness is also fun. ;)
Good luck to all!
Gio
http://diyAudioProjects.com/
Arrr!!! Me forgots to mentions that I’d use the bastardly device to fix me flux capacitor in me time machine!
I would use them as I continue to work on my balancing robot. I know they have been done a million times already, but that doesn’t mean I can’t take a stab at it.
…if I didn’t have to use my Radio Shack $10 multimeter any more.
I’m pretty sure it would make my wife and kids love me more, and land me several promotions at work, all in the same week.
Seriously.
Whoo hoo! Loot! Thanks for offering these, Extech and Make!
Its time to fix all that stuff I haven’t had time to in the past. This would make it much easier.
I left my last multimeter hooked up to an illumination setup in my postdoctoral lab.
I’ve got a hand full of electronics I need to get down and dirty with. Had to replace capacitors and other things in my LCD screen and would have been much easier to troubleshoot with this. Too many electronics not enough tools.
I have just had my house renovated and I am in the process of reinstalling the old alarm system. I am hoping to extend it and add a DIY SMS message alert. My current DMM is from a bargain bin and is pretty slow on even basic continuity tests. A nice DMM with a PC interface would make dramatically improve my testing and measuring…
I’m currently working on a wireless arduino controller firework system allowing me to fire to music. With the nature of a firework system, i.e. shorting out nichrome to ignite fuse, making sure the components can handle a 12v short is necessary. One of these meters would go a long way in my project.
If I get one, makerbot mods galore
Want to make an arduino data logger to integrate with, ethernet controller, xbee, and a website.
I have an old Realistic brand light sensor that my grandfather used as a car rally timer. An Extech measuring device will be helpful in bringing the sensor into the 21st century.
Thanks!
Any of those would make my RC camera trigger project go quicker…
I’m building my kids a new clubhouse/playset outside this summer, and want to use solar to wire up all the amenities. This thing is going to have lights, enough electricity to power a radio, not to mention a zipline. Though I doubt I’d be able to use any of these for that. Maybe build something so I could measure how fast they were going down the cable… hrmm….
I’m trying to make a joule thief and need to verify if my resisters are still good.
Need to build an FM transmitter for my church to broadcast over the campus. Some Extech gear would sure be sweet!
…then I could finally give the little Voltcraft VC555 multimeter back to my parents!
I err… “borrowed” ;-) it for a few years now and when I moved out about 6 Months ago they actually thought it would be mine.
But what I would do with it. I guess I would start with modding my bikes light. And the output-connectors of my amp seem to hafe a loose connection.
And in far future, but maybe already this summer, it would be usefull when working on kite aerial photography equipment. Ever wanted to make an attempt with that.
I’m currently working on an Arduino-based accelerograph. A multimeter sure would make my life easier.
Got an Arduino starter kit and Chumby Guts for Christmas. Been pondering a network aware analog guage with the Arduino, I’d love the Extech loot to help get it off the ground.
I would us them to start my trip through the Make:Electronics book. I have had it for a month but my tools are packed up :(
I would just like to say, me too!!! I could get a lot of use with any of the 3, like everyone else that comments on here!
I’ll need some Extech loots to help me build my beer brewing system!
Its robot time! I need any of those for robotics.
I could really use a new multimeter to work on the LED/solar lighting circuits to be embedded in some of my decorative hand-thrown stoneware pottery. (You can see early examples on http://www.barleyhollow.com) Nothing fancy, but they’re fun to make and kind of pretty after dark. I’m in the process of setting up my own pottery studio, so there will be lots of small projects for which the ExecTech tools would come in very handy.
I am slowly discovering the wonderful world of microprocessors, and am building/designing circuits using both the Arduino and the 8 bit microprocessors from Atmel. i would benefit greatly if I had an Extech multimeter because it would not only help me debug and test my circuits, but also help in validating passive components,test continuity, measure voltage and current, and perform general debugging and measurements. The wireless logging capability of the 540 will greatly aid in remote data logging and analysis for circuits that have to be monitored over a period of time, and for capturing those rare state conditions when the code breaks down. The Extech is a must-have in every electronics engineer’s toolkit.
DIY laser etcher from discarded scanners
We love some free Extech loot!
take over the world!! or at least it would help me with my weekend projects :)
A solar PV panel system for my shop, thermostatic vents for our greenhouse, wort chiller for my home brewing fun, electric two wheel drive off road scooter, and much more. All made from scrounged materials!
I’ve been dabbling in solar arrays and a propane generator lately as sources for backup electricity in my home. Test equipment like this is always a helpful addition!
… but if I did, this would be the start of my new home workshop, I need to start somewhere and this would be the kick in the pants to do it. Some of this equipment would also be quite handy in my day job of installing, maintaining and testing medical imaging equipment.
Forgot to meantion, let me win and I’ll x-ray my prize and send it to Make :D
I’m not sure. I am an electrical engineer who designs communication equipment and test procedures. Since I am so unfamiliar with these products, I have no idea how I would implement tests using this equipment.
I might recommend donating equipment to universities, or contacting engineering/designing companies to show off your hardware, or post some videos on unique and interesting ways to use them.
I would use the Extech Tools along with my MAKE: Electronics book so that hopefully soon I can be building my own creations! (Robots, etc.) I hope to move right into the Arduino prrojects as soon as I have a better grasp on the basics!
I’ve been working on a pulse shaped EPR spectrometer… the first evar, these might be useful for that.
Also been working on a laser projector from scratch. Naww not the kind with the speaker, I’m going all the way with closed loop capacitive feedback.
I’ve been putting of buying a decent digital multimeter for too long.
First and foremost I would exercise the electrical gremlins out of the truck I am restoring. Then I would finish the lights for our wedding center pieces. Then my induction launcher.
Thanks to the Make:Electronics book, I’ve been wishing for a better multimeter, preferably one with capacitance measurements and a transistor check function. After a whole bundle of capacitors is delivered today, I’m thinking about making an 8-step atari punk console sequencer… I’m going to need more knobs though!
I also might hook up the data logger function of the meter to a CdS cell I have lying around, and set it outside to find out where the best place for my herb garden will be in my new apartment.
RC100 will be great to get the value from salvaged components, for my gameboy and SMS projects (ladecadence.net), it’ll be very useful.
EX540 will also be great to test all my circuits and home-made pcb’s, like my arduino’s shields, usb projects, etc.
I can calibrate my flux capacitor.
I would use it for what it was made for ;)
Measuring everything I can think of
Möp (Umlaute are great)
It currently supports a number of hardware scopes, and would like to add EX540..
It can plot all data in the same window or in different ones, can save, load…
I’ll use this to replace my current featureless multimeter!
That would be perfect for my current project :
An automatic on/off LED grow light!
I’d use these nifty little devices to identify harvestable components in landfill-bound electronics.
I love free stuff, especially when it’s useful free stuff!
If I won the EX540, I would take my current multimeter and donate it to someone that is just starting out in electronics or is strapped for cash – and who is not strapped for cash these days? Failing to find a person that needed it, I would give it to a local school.
My current project is wall of transparent push button switches that are lit by RGB LEDs. Pressing the buttons trigger new patterns, making for a customizable art piece.
Arduino projects!!!
I am currently designing my own computer ISA and if I can get funding, I’m going to build it out of either TTL or CMOS logic chips.
I want to make a horribly frightening machine that is stuffed inside a fake dear head and then mounted to a wall. The machine would cause the head to contort violently and create incredibly loud grinding metal noises.
Will use it to build awesome Arduino projects.
I use every tool I have to Make fun things….
I’m currently working on the schematics of fake-dice which use weights to show the desired number. if it works out (meaning i manage to build it in a miniature way), i’d use the multimeters to debug that.
In the past year I have discovered and gained interest in the awesome realm of electronics/high voltage. Now being 30 I only wish I had interest in these things at an earlier age and could possibly be working in that field by now. I am currently working on a Tesla coil and this meter(or any of these devices)would be very useful for measuring capacitance, resistance, voltage, continuity, current and a whole slew of things needed to make a properly functioning Tesla coil. I hope to not injure myself I the process. It would be nice to win something sometime in my life.
the wireless datalogging feature of the Extech 540 could be useful. I would use it to monitor the current draw on my Hacked together plotter. It randomly gets brownouts but i dont’ want to sit there watching for an hour to wait for it. This would let me set it up and then check the graph later to seew where in the process the error is and see if it is repeatable by comparing runs.
This would be a perfect gadget for our local hackerspace the “warpzone” where people do all kinds of projects.
I’m about to get my HAM license and this would be a great addition to the shack!
My old multimeter just broke a week ago and Make has come to the rescue again. I use my multimeter for so many projects, mostly Arduino-based things that help me out with everyday tasks.
I’m trying to build a small mobile robot using a beagle board and irobot create that I can use for telepresence, lasertag, and airsoft.
I haven’t done much of late in electronics. Time to get back to it. :)
I would build a web controlled laser pointer to play with my cats from work.
I would love to put together the computer controlled christmas light display I’ve always wanted to build. Having a multimeter could be quite handy for that.
I would give it to my husband for Valentine’s day.
Electronics beat chocolate any day (though I suppose both are a possibility). <3
I would really appreciate the Multimeter to replace my analog meters.
One or all of these would find good use by my students as they apply what they learn in the Grade 5 Electricity unit for science. Thanks!
381676 pen-style multimeter with non-contact voltage detector would prevent me from scrapping back the shielding on the power lines coming into the house to test them, My wife and kids would sleep much better knowing I would not get hurt!
and hack it into something better :)
Hi,
My son and I have been enjoying pulling apart old electronics to grab the old bits then reusing them in new projects. We are using everything, from the motors to the surface mount components. When sorting out all the pieces, we do have to determine if a part is still good or not. We would love to use any of these tools to help in the operation.
Thank you.
I’m getting started on my electronics projects so I could use the tools to fill out my toolchest.
My current project is to read and display audio time code using in film making.
Im trying to build a small cd-changing robot for my media center. I sure could use another multimeter, since the one im using doesnt even measure resistance anymore :(
*note to self – stop blowing out multimeters*
My current multimeter is a cheap piece ‘o crap from Lowes that I can’t change the leads or replace the battery. Anything would be an improvement.
More arduino fun!
Cause really, can you ever have too much???
:)
Theremins! I need to make more theremins!
I’ve been building electronic stuff, mostly curiosities for years. My multimeter was given to me by a family friend who wanted to foster my interest. My nephew will be ready to learn about electronics soon and this would let me hand down my old multimeter (which is actually quite good, despite the already hand-me-down status)
I would use it to finally figure out what is wrong with my buddy Teddy…I miss you Mister Ruxpin…Someday we will laugh and sing together again, I promise.
I could use an Extech DMM to teach my high school students how a quality multimeter differs from the cheap Chinese import DMMs when measuring voltages and resistances as they build and troubleshoot their robots.
I lost my last multi meter while trying to disable evil robots bent on world domination. Although I was successful in my task, I am currently defenseless if they try again.
Actually I just shorted something while playing with a 240V supply for my hot tub, but evil robots sounds better than I wasn’t paying attention and made a stupid mistake.
I’d love to have that pen style multimeter to use when helping with my 10 year old’s up coming science fair project – possibly building and testing an electromagnet.
Scratch-built HD TV receiver & antenna.
Any one of these devices is a welcome replacement for my wally world special multimeter. They could help me complete fabrication on my web enabled Ir tracking Air Soft rodent turret to protect my trash cans at all costs. I may even implement a trail cam that posts the action to twitter as it happens. people can dream can’t they? Thanks Make for making dreams possible.
A four-legged robot with 4 degrees of freedom and an omni-wheel on each leg. This is the ultimate goal of all my robot-building.
I’m working on an EM sensor for a robot, and some quality measuring tools to replace my little Radio Shack special would be super-helpful.
I would use it for the wearable computer I’m designing.
Everybody on this page seems to be doing some pretty awesome stuff, I am very impressed.
Working on making a GPS guided robot with RC override.
I would definitely use these gadgets for measuring voltages in our tiny medical devices. The “pen” would be great for sneaking measurements from tiny spaces.
Well, first I’d use the 381676 to escape from the cell that my evil captors are holding me in. By taking it apart, and rearranging the parts, I’d make a sophisticated device that unlocks the electronic lock holding the cell door shut.
Then, during my escape, I’d use the RC100 to help hotwire a Humvee and make my getaway (while getting shot at by AK-47’s. All that automatic weapon fire, and nobody can hit me… odd).
Then, I’m sure that the EX540 would come in handy when I try to disarm the atom bomb that the bad guys have left behind, which incidentally only has 3:00 minutes left until detonation (the bad guys were nice enough to put a big LED display with numerals counting down). I can never remember, is it the red wire or the blue one? Where is that EX540?. Tic Toc …
Sincerely,
McGyver
I’d use it for or current school project, a simple autonomous robot, the multi meter we had broke D:
I am working towards making a UAV. I’m doing as much on the ground as I can before I try to make something that flies so I don’t crash and ruin equipment.
I started by making a simple land robot that wanders around avoiding objects to get familiar with microcontrollers and work with sensors. I am now working on a land-based robot that will use GPS to travel to different waypoints. I’m using an Arduino clone and a GPS module I bought from Parallax. I finished etching the shield board last night, and will drill and populate it tonight. Next, I will try to add a wireless modem to the robot, so I can change waypoints, etc. remotely.
I’ll use the electronics developed here in the UAV. I’m thinking about using a Rogallo wing setup with weight shift control. I’m fascinated by hang gliders, and think this would be an inexpensive and fun way to make a UAV.
The DMM would come in real handy…
Right now, I have a $3 DMM that has a very small display that I have to pick up to read.
With the EX540 – I could leave it set on the bench and would save me a lot of time.
The RC100 would come in handy for repairing that stack of Planar LCD monitors I’ve got…
I’m rolling my own thermostat for my 2-story home. The current thermostat is just downstairs, so it has no idea what the weather is like in the upstairs bedroom. With a couple digital thermometers and some xbees, I’m going to cure that!
I am just starting in the homebrew electronics area and need to acquire tools as I make my way through the “best of Make” projects book that came with my subscription.
Robotic claw of doom!
My DMM has been broken for a year or so and I haven’t spent the money to buy a new one yet. I’m working on an arduino based adapter for an old intellivision musical keyboard, and building some headlights/turn signals for a 4-person rhoades bike car.
-)
I have been making what few projects I have by blindly believing in my soldering skills, and that the math that I have figured out on paper is correct. With any of these multimeters, I could be more adventurous with my building, and possibly even be able to recycle electronic components to avoid filling up the landfills!
My sons love legos and wooden trains and gadgets. With the DMM, we’d take apart and repair the broken crank flashlights, which would give me a chance to teach them about rectification, switches, motors and LEDs.
From there, maybe we’ll build the world’s first electrically actuated wooden train track switch!
I am building a clock that uses 60 RGB LEDs to display the time similar to what an analog clock face would look like. I will need a meter to test all of the solder connections on the LEDs and to take measurements so that I can ensure that the power supply I’ll be using is beefy enough.
I’m working on making my mass-produced townhouse as energy efficient as possible given the limitations of someone else’s design. We’re down to half the normal use of a house/household our size and the indoor temperature is the next hurdle.
I’m planning to build and place temperature sampling units using Arduinos and Xbee modules so I can establish a baseline for summer heating pattern and winter cooling patterns.
After I get that data, the plan is to make arduino-based systems to help passive cooling in the summer (drawing shades/opening windows); look at optimum insulation plans for the winter; and to build a bed chiller to reduce the need for summertime AC.
I’d finish working through my Make: Electronics. I’d use it to build Yet Another pen plotter from printers(great learning exercise!) as well as Yet Another melody door bell.
I would use the tools to reverse-engineer a Monster iPod-to-FM transmitter.
I would use the multimeter to help build my homemade speakers and power supplies.
I am currently building my first house with the help of some friends using eco friendly materials. I am trying to make it as efficient as possible and will soon be acquiring solar panels, geothermal heating and general wiring for the house. so these would come in most handy.
I’d give any one of these to my 12-year-old son so he could continue his self-directed journey learning about all things electronic.
This blog (along with Instructables) renewed my childhood interest in electronics.
With one of these great tools, I suppose I’d have no excuses left for finally getting started up again.
Need to mod some pinball machines to use some up to date technology (a machine from 2003 uses a 20+ yr old processor…)
I was interested in attempting to create a networked CNC machine (so I could CNC designs at my house even while on the go), and could really use one of those devices to help test my design (would be much nicer than my $20 radioshack multimeter, at any rate)
I would use it to learn more about electricity and to tinker on some projects I’ve seen but haven’t dared attempt. I’m pretty new to the whole thing, but I would have fun learning more.
(metaljenster at gmail.com)
As a poor electronics hobbyist, any free tools are good tools! I’m currently working on a text display device for a television, since I’m determined to generate my own TV signal. At least the knowledge part behind it is free, since I’ve learned all about the nitty gritty of NTSC now thanks to the internet!
I’m working on some floor-exploration robots, this would be a great help!
I want to turn my old Xbox into a universal media center.
Same project, actually. I have an iMac G4 that suffered from the infamous exploding capacitors. I’ve replaced all of the affected caps, but it still has a lingering intermittent shutdown problem. I can’t trigger it, so I can’t watch it happen and figure out where the problem is originating, though I suspect the power supply. The datalogging meter would be able to watch the voltage level coming out of the power supply while I waited for it to fail. And the component tester would help me figure out whether any of the SMT parts were damaged during the re-capping (I tried to be careful, but still…)
Bill.
Really want to get into making/working with electrical circuits, this would be a great way to help me start.
Wow.
Right now I don’t know much about electronics, but having just moved into a house something that could help with any house wiring projects (and I have at least one in mind!) would be a glorious thing.
Brandi
(brandiweed at wavecable dot com)
One is a projector scavenged from my local library, I could really use the RC100 to find the value of the damaged components. As well as a few motherboard I am fixing to donate to crayon for computers.
As a senior at Oregon State University in electrical and computer engineering, I would definitely use it in my final project, a custom digital photo frame!
I would use for pretty much all of my learning experiments and projects
I’m working on a project to add an accelerometer to my mountain unicycle and log the data as I ride.
Later I’ll right some software to visually display the data.
A nice multimeter would come in handy!
I’d use it to assist my “extracurricular” projects during the next few years of my EE undergrad.
i don’t own one, and the cheapest one around (small electronics store 40mi away) has them for 40 dollars.
way too much for a student budget.
i’ll use them for testing my atari music machine, among other stuff.
I could use some more test equipment for my plan to hack my car’s built-in audio system to add an aux-in port. Also the robot that will take over the world.
A data logger is excellent for show and tell about various electronic projects and the effects of changing values or components…..
Gadzooks I’d love to win
I got the idea from one of the x projects but as a hobby I am looking to design an automated process to separate out usable consumables from lunar regolith – or dirt.
I’m making led lights powered by screw gun battery to light up my shed.
I’m currently working on an electrical enhancement of a lift assist device to help disabled persons use a toilet an when I’m getting into the electrical portion of the project a multimeter would really help me in recording and testing out the components.
Here’s a non powered hydraulic version of the device. A prototype I developed while at school.
http://liftassist.blogspot.com
It was at the Maker Faire a couple of years ago and people commented on making controlling the thing electronically. Thanks!
Miguel
but working on the wiring and items in a home, moving towards automation.
I need a new multimeter for my Arduino projects!
That would be a really nice tool to help me in all my projects, such as my home security system and HiFi pre amp.
I’d love to win the multimeter- it would be a really nice thing to use on a research project I’m working on for creating an uplink system for an amateur weather/research balloon to control mission function and data transmission. It would also be nice for use on my own personal hobby of creating guitar stomp boxes.
I could use a new multi-meter to complete projects around the house. My current multi-meter requires clips to use.
I am trying to find out where the problem is with the LHC maybe we can run it at full power.
This tool would be helpful
Every scientist should have at least one.
I’m just starting to learn about electronics and I would love any of these tools to help me out with my new projects.
I’d use a DMM to diagnose electrical problems and help others resolve electrical problems like circuits that didn’t work and closet lights that quit working when they replaced an outlet on the other side of the wall a few years back. Thanks.
What if you could find brand new worlds right here on Earth? Where anything is possible. Same planet, different dimension. I’ve found the gateway. Although, it seems as if there might be a glitch with the timing circuitry, so I need some tools to fix it before I start sliding through wormholes.
I’ve got an Extech meter and it’s a nice little device. Recommended to me by LadyAda.
I will be working on a custom built DC electric vehicle controller.
My copper-foil hat has an open. Oh, and tin-foil hat wearers are stupid.
I am the volunteer tech for a licensed low-power community radio station that provides opportunities for local youth to create programming. After our big earthquake and then big storms (North coast of CA), our antenna structure fell, damaging both the antenna and transmitter. Since I’m a volunteer, I’ve been spending a lot of evenings and weekends over the last two weeks getting everything repaired to get back on the air. In doing all this, I finally realized that I really need to upgrade from the $15 Velleman VOM that I’ve been using for the last 8 years. This meter has served me well, but I need something that is more capable for troubleshooting circuits in the transmitter and audio chain (our compressor-limiter is somewhat homebrew as well as a few patchbays and other equipment). Any one of these Extech products would be a great upgrade and would be put to good, frequent use!
my automatic closet LED’s could use some more current but i don’t want to chance burning them out and my old ratshack MM runs my rechargeable batteries out in what seems like seconds. please send a new multimeter!
I’ve been meaning to build an electric motorcycle for a while now. The only thing holding me back is a free mutimeter… :)
Figuring out what the heck is in this IR blaster thing..
Yeah Baby!
Mecha suite – with friking lasers!
Eric
Could really use these when I get my copy of Make: Electronics, plus there’s the Arduino gathering dust, plus various bits of broken electronics I’ve been meaning to repair.
Plus my daughter’s robot army. But that comes later.
With the wireless multimeter/data logger, I could finally chart battery response in real-time, under load!
With the RC100, I could finally clean up that box of recovered components that I don’t know what they are!
Stuff or possibly things. If I’m feeling extra adventurous things and stuff. :)
I could really use these to make a solar/battery pack charger for my Chumby guts.
Chumby on the move!
I’m in the process of making interesting and educational gadgets for kids (mine and multiple guests/visitors). A good multimeter would be invaluable at this point.
2 robots playing soccer autonomously.
To participate in the Robocup junior championships.
Must. Have. More. Stuff!
Seriously, each one would be a welcome addition to my workbench.
I’d definitely used the wireless data logging on a robot while remote controlling… true loaded motor current…excellent…
The others would be very handy in a possible upcoming Gameboy classic hack/retrofit.
Robots: http://www.robotdialogs.com
I would use one of these meters to help trouble shoot the Aurora (Northern Lights) Monitoring System that I am building.
my current multimeter has had a hard life and is barely hanging together, I would love any of them.
I got the ebook version of Make: Electronics on the O’Reilly sale last week. Currently going through the first projects and my shopping list for the upcoming. A multimeter is on there.
I would, of course, only use it for good. But I would use the Extech device to build my mind influencing devices. It works with a thermovisual feedback system.
Thanks Extech.
-Gabriel
That pen multimeter looks like it would be super useful in helping me reverse engineer some guitar effects pedals. It’s a bit of a struggle with the huge probes on my el cheapo DMM.
I’d use this when building my mini bench power supply and working on various Arduino projects.
I would use the EX540 for trouble shooting electrical issues.
It is amazing that websites like Make and companies like Extech Instruments do things like this. Do you know how much it means to us? I have never won anything from any of these contests but it puts a smile on my face every time, simply because you all have the heart to want to give back to your real customers.
Thank you from the heart.
Looking forward to winning one of these nifty tools.
Thanks
My wife already has the parts for “The Internet!” from the IT crowd, it’s just a matter of teaching her how to put them together. I could teach her to troubleshoot electronics with that multimeter.
I’ve also got a puzzle box that opens with a motor, but that motor just doesn’t seem to have enough juice. I could finally figure out where the problem lies.
It would be great, yo.
Having one of those would be really useful as I would use it to make the lie detector I’m working on.
…to enslave the human race, of course.
Or maybe hacking my new Arduino board.
I would port my Java based (Mac OS X, Linux and Windows) multimeter software to support the EX540.
(see http://www.agri-vision.nl/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13)
I’m going to build a cnc mill/3d printer, and would use these during my development of stepper motor drivers with more capacity!
Arrhhh more Amps!
Here is the thing. I am a test engineer for an electric utility. On two separate instances I fell off a ladder because of adjustments I was making to a bushing pot device on the low side of a transformer.
I would make a slight adjustment, climb down the ladder, walk into the building, and read the output voltage. With the EX540 I could have my laptop on top of the transformer with me and read the voltage as I am adjusting.
No need to climb down the ladder until I am done….ohhh I forgot to mention I live in the midwest so all this work is typically done in the winter so the waterproof feature I am sure will also be handy.
Thanks
Kenpo_Dad
I saw one in use the other day and i must have one. Why not build it?
It would be great to have a new meter in general… my old one is fried, and I’m working with a cruddy basic digital dmm while adding some DIY PID to my espresso machine.
I’m going to make a mint tin amp! Could really use a multimeter!
Having a quality DMM would make debugging my electronics projects far less time consuming.
Working on a capacitive detecting witches cauldron for next halloween that will change the color of the lighting in the fog filled cauldron based on the presence of a hand.
such parts will aid my ongoing flux capacitor project. still looking for a delorean.
Secret evil Arduino project that will rule the world!!
I’d use it to help troubleshoot my epsilon 12 headphone protection circuit.
I have a Kill-a-watt that I’m planning to convert into a Tweet-a-watt and these tools would be very useful!
Referenced gadgets would aid in the fine tuning of my Arduino based time machine.
My son has been taking a strong interest in electronics lately. He’s been pulling apart old electronic toys and experimenting with the motors, lights, and wires. I purchased the DIY Design Electronics Kit for him to learn. I know he’d be very grateful for one of these tools.
Right now, I’m working on a microcontroller based regulated high voltage switching power supply. I could really use this meter!
I have just started playing with Arduinos (and am very impressed). Tools like this would be handy for some projects I have in mind. I am making a firelight simulator (previously using a PIC) that dims a mains powered bulb so being able to measure digital level as well as (240v) mains would be handy.
I’m working on a 16×16 RGB LED matrix, so 768 elements in 256 components, controlled by some version of an arduino and various LED driver chips.
Better troubleshooting tools would be seriously helpful for this…
I’d gladly accept one of those :)
I don’t even own a digital multimeter. It would be fantastic if I had one :).
I could use the RC100 to figure out what some of the tons of SMD components I’ve removed from boards are…
Data acquisition mode on the EX540 is just full of win. Overall it’s probably the best geek tool ever. Under the guise of a waterproof multimeter, it also hides an RF PC link, datalogger, and does frequency, duty cycle, and temperature measurement. And with 1000V input protect on all functions, you can’t blow it up by forgetting to change modes. (I hope!) It would definitely be handy for HAM radio work :)
The Pen DMM is a nifty thing, it’d be great since I’m starting to get into surface-mount soldering with an FT4232H-based SPI-, I2C- and 2xUART-to-USB board, and it would definitely be handy to check my reflow work :)
I have a ton of old components (loose or pulled from old electronics), and a component tester would allow me to utilize the small and SMD parts. Can caps and resistors are usually marked but the small ones aren’t!
I have an old theremin project that I need an excuse to start working on again!
I thought it would be cool to make a digital chess clock with a twist. In addition to displaying the time, the clock would have two columns on either side (one for each player), which would each suspend a magnetic object using Hall Effect sensors, etc. The height the object would be levitated would be proportional to the time the player had remaining; so, as their time ran out, their piece would slowly fall to the ground.
Tesla Coil attached to a R/C Car.
I’ve been wanting to design a power monitoring device to see how much power my systems are drawing during the night and in sleep mode.
I could really use these tools to work on the electronics (read: arduino, accelerometers, gps, camera, etc.) for my Arduino-powered first person view MultiPlex EasyStar R/C plane.
Going to mod my car audio system to power full-sized hard drives instead of USB sticks.
Everyone at HackPittsburgh is always asking me if I have my current Extech multimeter so they can use it on the many projects we are always working on. Having a second one around would be great so I could leave one out for the people in the shop that don’t have one yet.
Ln sortof beat me to the punch, but I would give it to my boyfriend for Valentine’s Day. He’s a really big DIY tech project guy and I’m sure he’d love to have one of those.
Circuit bending and synth building
I’ve got a couple projects going on that could benefit from better equipment – a programmable intervalometer, a modified ybox2, and play on the reverse geocache puzzle.
I’m making electronics-based orreries…devices that show the location of the planets. Sure could use a component tester!
Since I keep frying components by either giving them too much juice, not grounding them properly, or misreading pinouts and polarity markings, a multimeter would be nice to have to test circuits before powering them up.
i could finish a couple interactive projects (top secret ) with a good meter
Wanting to make some home-automation and lighting components for a new house.
I could finally finish my Segway project with these! I’ve been getting wonky signals from my IMU, so hopefully these could shed some light!
My ex took my multimeter when she left me. I’m not sure which I miss more.
Extech was recently(?) acquired by FLIR, in part because of their i5 thermal camera. I had a chance to play with one a couple of months ago at Solar Power International, and was pleasantly surprised.
If they were giving one of those away, I would take the guts out and put them into an electric RC airplane, along with an ArduPilot, and make lots and lots of videos.
I should also mention that N.O.A.A. is going to be fying one of my systems in a ScanEagle UAV later this year to spot seals, and other sea mammals up in the arctic regions.
homemade speakers.
I´m going to use them when I build a CV-controller for my modular synth.
like brian mckenna /phillip stearns hybrid
I make do with a lot of cheap instruments for my labs and experiments–I would use these for building physics lab equipment, building and exploring electric circuits, and for teaching students how to test and debug circuits.
My first project would be learning all about how to use a multimeter properly!
Then I’d go straight to redoing the wiring in a couple of cars.
I could use a replacement for the one that broke.
I’d love one of these!
Along with a temperature probe, I’d use one of these bad boys to calibrate the thermistor readings on my MakerBot to help keep my extruder from jamming with off-temperature plastic.
I would use any of these on a Sumobot that I’m developing. Thanks Extech & Make!
Would definitely put them to good use in construction of scratch-built makerbot and cnc router table projects I’ve got starting up
I use these when I build my Glass melter and Annealer
I do lots of electronics projects, from scratch builds, to kits, to repairs. I have a nice Fluke meter, but it’s twenty years old and the dial is nearly broken and I’ve got a functional, but crappy, Chinese made meter from Harbor Freight. It would be nice to have a nice, fully functional meter again.
Teaching my kids about electronics.
But here’s a few highlights.
-got a fresh Arduino I’ve been aching to do an RFID doorlock with.
-Can anyone say Roomba Hacking?
-been aching to mod my pre-digital tuner HDTV to recieve HDTV.
Thanks!
I would use the gadgets to build a headlamp, which is turned on by a tilt switch! It is the perfect help for those tough solder jobs!
I’d use them to figure out what I did wrong on my next project more quickly than usually happens.
Given my propensity for Victoriana and Mad Science, I plane to use these tools to create high-voltage devices and robotics.
any of the items up for grabs would make a great contest prize for our robotics club!
or for a new recruits raffle!!!
Hi I’m a kid so I don’t exactly have the money laying around to buy awesome tools like these, none the less my imagination lacks nothing. Sometime soon I plan to build my own treaded robot that carries a airsoft gun and webcam. But what I really want to do is hook a gyroscopic sensor up to the suspension (yes I do have a system that will work) so the platform with the gun is constantly level.
Thank you for your time
-Minimaker
I’ve had a project on my shelf for months now, designing a distributed microprocessor-controlled LED lighting system for a set of home library bookshelves. This would really help get me motivated to finish building and documenting the process!
The wireless multimeter datalogger is perfect for any environmental logging you want to set up: add a simple photoresistor and measure daily light cycles, add the optional thermistor and you have a thermometer for your office. Use the frequency scale to identify the strongest RF signals in your area (up to 100MHz). A SMD tester would encourage me to approach that form factor which is slightly intimidating. The pocket multimeter means you always have a multimeter around–perfect for helping friends out in a pinch!
I’m working on a project to create a Truman Show style habitat for my hamster, complete with a small meadow, pond, and stream. It’s going to be run by multiple arduinos, and I plan to stream webcams of both the outside area and the inside the den (via infrared camera) to a dedicated site where people can watch my hamster 24/7.
I’d use the multimeters to help with my installation of high-powered LEDs to provide artificial sunlight. The sun will brighten and dim slowly during the day just like a normal solar cycle via PWM control on the arduinos. There’ll even be rainstorms with artificial lightning and thunder, not to mention rain. I’m using multiple colors in a ratio that will simulate actual sunshine, but those things are hell to wire up! With some of them drawing 3.6V @ 2.8A, I’m having to design and build my own power supplies to keep costs down.
This thing is gonna be epic, and a new multimeter would definitely help me keep morale up as I spend the next few months coaxing ~27,000 lumens out of these LEDs!
I want to buy an arduino kit from the maker shed and start my hacking!
I just got my first Arduino and have plans for a variety of projects. One project that these tools would be very handy on is a camera tracking turret.
The wireless multimeter would become the main meter as I continue to work through “Make: electronics”, building stuff with my Arduino, and around the house projects (there are always cords to repair and check, batteries, remotes to repair). That data logging and frequency would be really nice.
The component checker would have been helpful as I tried to figure out why the remote didn’t work 100% anymore. I have more projects of my own as well as repairs that it would be very nice for.
The pen-style multimeter would help in figuring out what that one light switch actually switches… and well as other around the house projects.
I would use this loot to learn more about electronics – with the intention of building electronic/interactive clothing and jewelry.
I would finally be able to build an “electric eater” to help me consume all of the leftover CRT monitors from Circuit City.
… to find out why many projects of mine are not working!
I would use the EX540 to log the output of our Hydro POV wheel over time to see if we can improve the overall charging efficiency.
Making a few atari punk consoles and finishing my x0xb0x
I will love it and feed it and take it for walks every day! I swear!
I’ll use it (any of them) now that I’m preparing a mp3 musical doorbell for a friend.
I would use any of these wonderful tools to debug my PIC enabled Internet Refrigerator project.
I am getting back into electronics and am quickly accumulating a project wishlist that includes a tube guitar amp, an alarm clock, and some small junk bots. Love the mag.
i need to repair my arduino, the only way to detect the error is with one of these.
I’ll use it to sort out the pile of SMT components I swept off my bench the other day!
would totally use it to help build a control, monitoring, and data-logging module for my soapbox kart.
Always needing multimeter for LED lighting projects in mixed media glass and light,
I could definitely use the multimeter for logging the voltage in my apartment. The breaker started tripping a lot and I’m trying to see how widely the voltage varies. Right now I have a web cam taking pictures of a Kill-a-watt every 10 minutes but that’s clearly sub-optimal.
First of all, good luck with the comments!
Second, of course, I’m just a 13 year old maker who is using some cheap tools, and does want some high quality long lasting stuff… I’ve been making for about 2 years now, and I can say it’s really fun! Anyway, I am thinking of making a sound board (just like on the radio with the cheesy sound effects) with as many as possible (I’m gonna try for 64) hooked up to arduino with waveshield, and it would be nice to get some new equipment to use for it. Also if you wanna see my other projects, my instructables username is chrisapalo.
Anyway good luck with all the submissions!
Ps previously I’ve commented as chris just so you know.
finally I could sort the SMD capacitors I spilled on the floor…
oh do i need a new multimeter!
I’m starting on a fasching costume this weekend using EL wire, inspired by the latest make. Either of these would be a step up from my current multimeter.
I could use the pen multimeter to help me finish my project in time to enter Maker Faire Detroit.
Love the magazine!
Hacking something together using an arduino to turn my bedroom lights on/off with my phone over wifi.
The data logger would sure be handy to monitor my solar thermal collector I will be building. The pen DMM would mean less instruments to carry doing repairs. The SMD meter would make those measurements easier.
I am building an analog synth from scratch.
I need the basic nifty gadgets involved in making nifty gadgets. Otherwise how will I reinvent the mandolin the way Les Paul reinvented the guitar?
Step 1: Piezo pick-up
Step 2: Homemade tube amp
Step 3: Greatness
Step 4: Fx pedals
Step 5: Even more greatness
I am homebrewing a regenerative shortwave receiver from scraps. Being able to measure capacitance would be a great help!
I want to further the automation capabilities of my cat’s litterbox.
Let’s be honest. You want to give away a multimeter. I want you to give away a multimeter.
It could replace my old one and actually give accurate readings.
I could use this for hacking my 1960’s stereo cabinet into a digital media server!
My old multimeter sort of kinda burnt out when I was testing it on some high voltage stuff.
Now it works only half the time – I have to test for completion before I check a voltage or I’m stuck wondering if a 9V battery is dead or not.
A new multimeter would be much appreciated, so I can work on projects such as an automatic blind opener and automatic door closer.
Thanks!
I’d definitely replace the POS multimeter that currently inhabits my tool box.
Building a 3d printer that prints on sugar using a laser diode as its heating element.
Have a really old Panasonic SCARA industrial robot whose controller has never worked for me. I need these tools for the replacement “homebrew” controller I’m building. *cross fingers*
The datalogger (EX540) can be used to reverse engineer many things. For example, read and record your car engine’s sensors while you’re driving, to build a new gas saving gizmo.
I have a small garage and I need to build a distance sensor so I can optimally park my car without bumping into anything.
I would use the ex540 in rebuilding my fm-10a in a portable system so I can broadcast at a camping event in the woods.
I would use it to get my self start learning electronics better. I have a whole note book filled full of electronic project i want to build. Such as a touch less bike generator that would give power to a battery pack, that would then give power to a home made removable bike light and turn signals. I would add a couple USB ports to the battery pack so that I can charge up other devices. That is just one project but once i have it done I can ride my bike home from work!
I’d finally be able to track down the weird electrical problems that have plagued my motorcycle and be able to use it instead of the car.
I’d also just have a lot of fun testing random things unnecessarily.
Without a doubt, the greatest achievement in Amateur Radio is bouncing your signal off of the moon and hearing someone talk back to you off of their moon-bounced signal!
With that in mind, I REALLY need a new DMM so that I can build a soon-to-be-ordered Elecraft K2 ham radio kit. The Elecraft radio kit is probably one of the very best tranceivers out there and that is what is needed to hear an extremely faint signal off of the moon. The Elecraft kit is like 7 zillion transistors, capacitors, and knobbies in a big bag. Without a decent multimeter, I’m doomed! Help!
Kevin
N9EME
Lots and lots of robots…
I need some tools for my overnight space race, Mars is tough to reach without corporate support, so I thought L1 Lagrange would be reachable with a little Make help :)
cheers
obi
I could use any of these to assist in debugging my guitar stomp boxes and Arduino stuff.
I’d use the r/c tester to help me salvage components from dead electronics.
about the new comment sign in requirement:
moveable type is terrible. apparently someone has my username, adcurtin, but it’s not me. If I have a moveable type account, I most certainly forgot, and there is no way to recover a user name with moveable type. I tried resetting my password, but it still didn’t work, so i must not have an account (Then whose password was I resetting?).
I tried openid with my google profile, but that didn’t work either. How about facebook connect or something like that? Or a custom login just for make?
So in addition to making what I guess is technically a arduino mega repstrap machine, I just joined a FIRST robotics team today. I’m basically planning to eat, sleep, and geek. :P
Thx,
Dale
I could use it for remote sensing, datalogging, pc & electronics debugging as well as general electrical work. My true rms meter I paid $150 for and was brand new was stolen.
I have a genric $50 model now.
High-quality tools are always useful
I could definitely use these to help salvage components, since as of late my pile has less and less through-hole parts. Plus I’m playing around with wearables lately, such as a wristband stress monitor and recorder. Hopefully it’ll lead to some interesting interactive charts.
Plus, I could use them to diagnose my laptop, so that I wouldn’t be typing this on an 8-year-old box. And that would be nice.
These look like cool tools to use for my budding Arduino lessons.
I am about to embark into the world of Arduino. Got part on order.
Planing to learn to use Jeenodes to do remote temperature monitoring.
Planing to lear to do Jeenode and do remote voltage monitoring.
These can help do the hardware debugging. I can do software debugging. But the hardware portion is new to me.
I work at night, so I’m trying to make an inexpensive controller (Arduino based) that will monitor and then regulate the brightness, humidity, and temperature in my bedroom so that I can reproduce the conditions of the previous day. This way, as an example, in the middle of my “night” today, my room will be like the middle of the (actual) night last night.
I am trouble shooting the kit version of the Gear Clock
http://alan-parekh.com/projects/gear-clock/
and there are so many times where I would like to have a second meter to keep an eye on a different part of the circuit while my current meter is monitoring something else.
I’d be interested in using the datalogger function to monitor my solar popcan heater’s temperature rise/fall during the day so I can finally determine the optimum angles for heating.
I’ll use it while building my R/C controlled Arduino robot :D
My son is starting work on his science fair project and this would be a great tool. He is working on a project exploring green energy from static electricity.
I have also recently introduced him to my Arduino and I could see the gears in his head moving.
I have so many projects around the house that need to be worked on I can’t number. Repairs, new projects, tinkering (my favorite), etc. Any of these tools would be a wonderful addition to my tools.
Steve
I would love to have a multimeter. It would go great with my new Make: Electronics book.
Those multimeters are a lot nicer than the crap one I have now.
Good uses in ham radio homebrewing.
Repairing slightly broken electronics, e.g., a very nice MIDI controller I was just given that has three loose rotary encoders.
I would use these products to, dare I say it, RULE THE WORLD!
I am currently working on a two stage rocket that will lauch my camera hi into the air. Then with a 555 timer circuit I made I will have it take picture while it is coming down on a parachute. I will use the tools for projects like that. I am only 17 so my budget is pretty low so this prize would help a lot!
~Ben Sanders~
Take it apart!
Hey do we get to know who won?
I just cleared out a corner in the garage and am starting to setup my own workspace for projects. Would be nice to win.
Serously who won?
This meter I am needing to be inventing and constructing the world’s only and first “Electro Steam Powered Wrist Clock with Tubes of Vacuum”!
I ain’t kidding bub.
If anybody goes to vegas check out joe cools tattoo shop. He’s the owner of several tatto shops and does real good work so check him out at 4265 S Arville st. Suite F 7024529828 voodootattoo@lv.com is how you can reach him. I wouldnt be saying this if he hadnt hooked it up for me.
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