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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 4:07:25 AM   
EdMan-RCU


 

Posts: 249
Joined: 3/5/2002
From: tallahassee, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I'm looking for a good loaded digital voltmeter to test RX packs. I know Hobbico makes one, anybody ever use it? How well does it work? Maybe there's another one out there that works well.
Thanks in advance,
EdMan
       Post #: 1

Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 5:11:23 AM   
Steve Guinn



Posts: 835
Joined: 8/23/2002
From: WV
Status: offline 		The MK III works great. I recommend it.

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 5:27:46 AM   
Red Scholefield



Posts: 4973
Joined: 12/8/2001
From: Newberry, FL, USA
Status: online 		Don't waste your money on one. Build your own load and use a pocket Digital voltmeter that you can buy for amost the same price and have something that is of use in your shop. See article on loaded voltmeter at the battery clinic.

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 6:15:24 AM   
digger.10



Posts: 222
Joined: 5/31/2002
From: Beaver Dam, WI, USA
Status: offline 		I too have the Hobbico MkIII, it is excellent for a quick check at the field but I agree with Red, build one yourself and it will be much more versatile around the shop. The MkIII, for example, won't load single cells or read more than 19.99 DCV. Start with a good digital or analog multimeter and you will be able to check not only pack voltage but also current, impedance and voltage on ANYTHING electrical on your planes or around the house, all for about the same price.

I don't think buying the Hobbico was a waste of money, but it definitely has a limited range of functions.


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digger.10

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 7:03:37 AM   
Vince


 

Posts: 1650
Joined: 2/2/2002
From: Nederland, Tx.
Status: offline 		Personally, knowing the lack of accuracy that Hobbico electronics traditionally exhibit, I wouldn't trust the Hobbico unit. I have an analog ACE Voltmaster, and I just purchased an I4C digital loaded voltmeter that is excellent. I also agree with Red on the home built one.

Vince

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 7:08:12 AM   
Steve Guinn



Posts: 835
Joined: 8/23/2002
From: WV
Status: offline 		I humbly stand corrected.

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 9:13:28 AM   
EdMan-RCU


 

Posts: 249
Joined: 3/5/2002
From: tallahassee, FL, USA
Status: offline 		[QUOTE]Originally posted by Vince
Personally, knowing the lack of accuracy that Hobbico electronics traditionally exhibit, I wouldn't trust the Hobbico unit. I have an analog ACE Voltmaster, and I just purchased an I4C digital loaded voltmeter that is excellent. I also agree with Red on the home built one.

Vince [/QUOTE]

What is/or who has the I4C digital loaded voltmeter? I'm looking for one to simply put in my field box for a quick battery check at the field. I currently have an analog meter thats pretty much crapped out.
Thanks,
EdMan

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 5:58:24 PM   
Vince


 

Posts: 1650
Joined: 2/2/2002
From: Nederland, Tx.
Status: offline 		Web site for I4C

http://www.i4cproducts.com/

Vince

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 6:36:51 PM   
Vince


 

Posts: 1650
Joined: 2/2/2002
From: Nederland, Tx.
Status: offline 		[QUOTE]Originally posted by Steve Guinn
I humbly stand corrected. [/QUOTE]

Sorry, didn't mean to sound so short. When all I had was the Hobbico ESV, I thought it was the "cats meow", until a friend showed me how innacurate it was. It is better than using nothing, but one has to take into consideration it's innacuracy.

Vince

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 7:16:38 PM   
EdMan-RCU


 

Posts: 249
Joined: 3/5/2002
From: tallahassee, FL, USA
Status: offline 		I checked out the I4C Digital Voltmeter. WOW, at $60 its alittle expensive. I noticed it puts either a 500mah, 1amp, 1.5 amp load on the pack. That seems a bit much, doesn't it? The Hobbico only puts a 250mah load.......... What is the proper load for a standard 5 servo draw?
Whats inaccurate about the Hobbico voltmeter? Does it not read proper voltage, or is it the load it puts on the pack? How bout the old loaded analog meters, they just state they put a standard R/C load on the pack. Are they know to be inaccurate? My old one never failed me, it's just that it's about had it. (I have to thump it to get it to read the pack, then it seems to be intermittent ) Anyways, I just would rather upgrade to an digital.

Thanks Again,
EdMan

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 7:23:00 PM   
SamD


 

Posts: 159
Joined: 6/5/2002
From: seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Check out this: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?Q=1&I=LWP167

I've bumped this against my Fluke and it's consistently within .01 volts. I've modified mine slightly with a separate 1/8" phono jack and corresponding plug on my battery test leads (which are "y'd" together). By doing this, I can leave the leads plugged in the meter and switch between 4.8/9.6 volts on the meter. The price is right, too.

Sam

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       Post #: 11

Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 9:26:01 PM   
EdMan-RCU


 

Posts: 249
Joined: 3/5/2002
From: tallahassee, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Sam,
I was just looking at this unit at Hobbico's home page a few minutes ago. This is an interesting meter, and even less $$$ than the other loaded digital MK3 unit.
A question for you, does the mult-meter unit have male or female banana connectors? According to Tower, you can just use the optional standard leads to plug in the Hobbico multimeter (male banana to RX female connector). But looking at Hobbico's page on this unit, it visually looks like the unit has the male banana jack on it, and will require the female part of the connector to attach it to RX battery.
Maybe you can set me straight on this.
Thanks,
EdMan

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 11:47:01 PM   
Steve Guinn



Posts: 835
Joined: 8/23/2002
From: WV
Status: offline 		No offense taken, Vince. I'm fairly new at this and try to be helpful when I think I know what I'm talking about.
Did not sound short.

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/4/2002 11:58:39 PM   
hebertjj


 

Posts: 323
Joined: 1/18/2002
From: Knoxville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Guys, Guys, Guys!!!

Would you please listen to Red, the forum's moderator and a bonafide battery expert. Due to cheap, application specific ICs for multimeters, the kind of accuracy we need for loaded meters is readily available in the cheapest of digital multimeters. I recently got a dig multimtr from our local Harbour Freight outlet for about $6, took a piece of wire and a 15 ohm power resistor I had (less than a buck), and soldered it all in with a female plug from ServoCity ($.55) and a couple of banana plugs (about $2 from RS). It's probably not as pretty as Red's, but it works fine; I leave it in my flite box and leave my good meters at home.

Howzat,
Joel Hebert

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Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/5/2002 12:18:05 AM   
SamD


 

Posts: 159
Joined: 6/5/2002
From: seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Ed,

The meter has standard female jacks for use with male banana plug.

Joel, you're right, that's a cheap route with your set-up. The Hobbico is currently $20 complete with no work required; I didn't think that was too bad for something that's ready to go right out of the box. (True, I modified mine but it wasn't necessary).

Sam

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       Post #: 15

Loaded Digital Voltmeter - 11/5/2002 2:42:17 AM