Digital Multimeter VS Analog Multimeter Beginners Guide
A multimeter is a device used to measure current, resistance and Voltage.
There are 2 types of Multimeter
- Analog Multimeter
- Digital Multimeter
The main difference between these two Multimeters is Display.
Analog Multimeters:
The 1st true Analog Multimeter was invented in the 1920s era by Donald Macadie intended to used as a Radio Receiver because he was tired of carryings lot’s of equipment’s to measure so he combined Ohmmeter, Voltmeter, and Ammeter in a single device making it multifunction because at that time each device was very heavy and hard to move around.
This one device could measure Ampere, Volts, and Ohm so it was also called AVOmeter.
Analog Multimeter uses a moving needle on a scale to show and help in measuring the statistics. But a needle moving on a scale can also give no accurate readings because of fluctuating needle making readings in-consistent and sometimes if the needle gets loose it can also show absolute wrong reading.
Analog multimeters don’t require batteries or external power source making it very easy to use for long projects and making it portable without having to worry about batteries
Analog Multimeters are fairly cheap and are easily available to buy but with cheap price comes a problem with working in a darker environment where it’s almost impossible to see the readings. They don’t have advanced features as compared to Modern Digital Multimeters.
Analog Multimeters are easy to damage whereas Digital Multimeters come with advance safety features to protect it from damages.
Analog Multimeters are a good option for general use and small projects where accurate readings are not required. If you are reading signals and constantly moving readings this is a great choice. Because Analog Multimeters are sensitive to readings.
Digital Multimeter:
Digital Multimeters are commonly used nowadays as they offer much more versatile features than Analog multimeters.
They have an LCD instead of a rotating needle in Analog Multimeter which shows numeric display making them easy to read and get accurate measurements. For professional use, they are great to work with having safety features that provide a great long time value.
These digital multimeters can be bought very cheaply but the cheaper ones may not be suitable for industrial use and laboratory use. For Laboratory use Digital Multimeters can be expensive as they come with certifications of accurate readings.
Also, another reason for expensive Digital multimeter is that they use gold while normal digital multimeters use nickel platings.
As compared to Analog Multimeters, Digital multimeters readings are very accurate and precise.
They are easy to work in a darker environment if they have a backlit LED while Analog multimeters are hard to use in the light-less environment because of this Digital multimeters require batteries or a power source to work but Analog Multimeter doesn’t rely on a power source to work.
Nowadays Digital Multimeters have far more advance features than Analog Multimeters making at almost the same price making them a beast of a tool all in a single compact device.
They also have an auto-range feature making it fairly easy to work with without getting it damaged.
Use Precautions and safety measurements to ensure proper use with any damage or injury.
Now you know the basics of Multimeters if there are still questions in your mind feel free to ask me.
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