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- Опубликовано: 2 июл 2024
- Video Table of Contents:
00:00 Introduction to the 260
01:02 Common features of all 260 Series
03:00 Review of the Series 1 thru 6
08:24 Continuing with Series 7 and 8 (and the odd probe connector)
10:35 Meaning of the suffix letters
11:25 A great website resource
11:49 What to look for when buying a used 260
12:44 Common problems with older 260s
14:02 Final comments and advice
16:24 Closing
This video discusses the Simpson 260 VOM family, first introduced in the 1930s, and still in production today. It is likely the most popular professional (in the US anyway) analog VOM ever produced. A quick review of the various Series of the 260, along with some advice on what to look for when searching for one for your own use. A TON of useful information about the Simpson 260 can be found on this website:
simpson260.com
Notes from the video can be found here:
www.qsl.net/w2aew/youtube/Simp... 
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I just searched on ebay, but the only result said: "Call Alan, he has them all."
OUTPUT is a contender for the most confusing terminal name in electronics.
I'd say TX and RX too. Esp in wrt. serial communications into radio terminals. Depends from which side you are looking.
I agree!
My winner for labelling is my Pioneer receiver and tape deck. "Play" and "Rec". I was never sure which went where.
I have 3 260s amongst my plethora of test equipment (I'm a EE circuit designer), in fact I have one right next to my 4 channel scope. My customer laughed when I pulled one out to show him something. He said he used the same meter in 70s, I needed its analog motion to explain dV/dt. Worked perfectly. Thanks for the video.
These are fantastic. I worked in wireline logging and had to check long cables for shorts and continuity. The capacitance on the cable made reading digital DMMs difficult. The Simpson was much easier. They were going to throw one of these away at my last job and I grabbed it. The younger engineers thought I was nuts for wanting it.
Many times a analog meter is much easier to use than a digital meter that might be more accurate but those numbers just bounce around.
This is what I was looking for. I had no idea they've been around so long. I used the Simpson 260 when I went to RETS electronics 79-82 in Louisville. They had em chained to the desk lol. I'm waiting for mine to come in the mail now from ebay. I just zoomed in on the one I won & was happy to see it's a series 6. I got it for $52 if anyone's wondering. There's a lot on ebay & yes tons of people are actively bidding on them.
Watched, then dug out my Dad's old 260 series III and now it's sitting on my bench :)
I have had a Simpson 260-5P (circa 1966) since I was a Navy electronics technician on Midway Island 1966-1968. For the last fifty years or so, it has just been in the garage with high heat in the summer and pretty cold in the winter. As part of a project testing many multimeters, I thought it would be fun to see how it worked. The D cell was badly corroded and corroded the surface of one of the battery contacts. But it is so thick all I needed to do was sand off the corrosion. The rest of the meter was fine. A 10 Vrms sine wave read 7.0 volts on the 10 volt scale. Near perfect. A 10 V square wave read 11.0 volts on the 50 volt scale which is also near perfect given that this is not a "true" RMS sine wave and it is expected to read 11% too high. Also, these readings were rock solid to frequencies above 100 kHz. I just had to laugh. These things are so good, no wonder thousands of them helped win WWII. Big, Bulky, and Bakelite. Probably what the electronics gods intended.
In the UK, the equivalent is an AVO Meter. I still remember the intensive college work we did just to learn every aspect of using them. As you say, there are certain things that a DMM just won't do so elegantly - pot tracks, slowly moving voltages, bias adjustments, etc. Great video, thanks.
I have an AVOmeter in my "collection" (here in the states). I am impressed with how well built and rugged it appears.
Thankyou for the video.
Had a Simpson 260 through college and my first electronics job.
Went all digital the rest of my career.
Just purchased a 260 series 8 for my retirement fun.
So happy these are available still.
Great memories 👌
Great video as always, Alan!
I used Simson 260 meters in junior high and high school electric shop courses during the early '80s. I owned Radio Shack analog VOMs until around 2010 or so. Then I bought a brand new Fluke 87V handheld DMM, a brand new B&K Precision 5491A bench DMM, and a used Keithley 2015 bench DMM. But I always wanted to add a Simpson 260 to my collection of test equipment, just because it's such a classic, such a standard. It was in the back of my mind to purchase a brand new Series 8 or 9 someday... Then purely by chance, I stumbled on a Series 6 in a rolltop case, all for free at an estate clean-out.
I've always wondered about all the little differences across the different series. Thanks for making this video and answering those questions!
😎👍
Well i didn't get a free one BUT close to it, just 2 days ago. A Simpson 260-8 with test leads for $7 at a thrift store in Original Box. The battery compartment is in pristine condition and the Fuses check out OK. Since it is still in its box it must have come from someone who prized it and took good care of it.
Thank you for doing this video, and all the videos you have created. As a retired EE I love old analog meters. I didn’t read all the comments, so someone else may have already pointed this out. For a reverse banana plug (inline female banana jack), take a look at the Mueller BU-P5167-0 or the Pomona 5167-0. -0 is for black and -2 is for red. These are both available through Mouser for a few dollars and I expect that Digikey would carry them as well. I haven’t tried these yet. The mechanical drawing for these connectors (both Mueller and Pomona) show that the exterior diameter of the “Flexible PVC” insulator around the jack is 8.89mm (doesn’t indicate if that’s max or typical). The connectors on the probes that came with my Bell System KS version of the Triplet 630 are a hard Bakelite material, with a exterior diameter of 8.21mm. I measure the banana post cavity diameter of my meter at 8.65mm. So when using the Mueller/Pomona jack that’s an interference of 240 microns. I’m going to buy a pair of these connectors with my next Mouser order to see if they have a chance of fitting. Maybe the insulator on the Mueller/Pomona plugs is flexible enough to be squished into the meter’s banana post cavity without bunching up.
Thank you Alan! The 260M was the lab instrument when I was in college. And I used one in the field for years. The Fluke 87 of its day..
This brought back many good memories..
Great Video Idea !
This is the most helpful video I've encountered regarding the Simpson 260.
Thank you.
I got my 260 Series 6 while I was working for a healthcare company in the 90's. They had these new fangled digital meters and the 260 was going to be thrown in the trash. The lab saw I was interested in the thing and let me have it. It has been on my bench ever since. Great video! Thanks for posting, Alan.
Amazing how much you taught me about my Simpson meter in this short video. Awesome job and thanks. There will always be a place for these analog meters.
Very helpful. I just bought a series 6 off ebay and I'm looking forward to using it. I like my Avometers, but always hankered for a Simpson. Thank-you
Great information! Love my 260 picked up in an antique store. Cleaned up well and works fine. Will follow your advice about batteries. Thanks for sharing.
Hands down the best Simpson overview on RUclips, thanks.
A great bonus here was the discussion on reasonable cost source for the series 7, 7+ probes. Great video and community discussion.
Had one since 1967 and I still use it. Bought a series 8 recently as a back up! Thanks for the video and take car.
I have series 5p, 6 and 7p. I still use my series 6 in field work from time to time. Excellent presentation! Thanks!
Excellent lecture. The other nice thing about a VOM over a VTVM is that if you find yourself probing around inside a communications receiver and you come across (either by accident or intentionally) the AC primary voltage feeding the equipment. You stand a good chance of blowing up your VTVM, because you are not supposed to put that across wall current. Your VOM should be fine.
Excellent presentation. I thought I was losing my mind thinking I thought they ALL had parallax mirrors. All the ones I have ever seen in person had them. Thanks for defending my sanity 11 minutes into your video. Regards.
I had a ragged 260 from the seventy's and was scared it would give up the ghost, I was thrilled when a friend found a brand new one in a property purchase and gave it too me. Nice video.
Cheers W5SLW
Output was used to filter out the DC component on the plate of an amplifier and reading only the audio level during IF alignment in an AM radio. I once told my students that I could fix anything with my Simpson 260. Over the years ,on the job, I was given the current model Simpson by my employers. On my radio bench I kept the 260-3 and it still residues there. I use it and several vintage pieces of equipment during my radio repair and restoration business. I also have DMM’s “C” meters, digital and analog, several signal generators, a 50 Mhz scope, B&W audio generator, Triplett tube tester and B&K Digital frequency counter. Im 80 now and get up early every day to work in my shop for a few hours.i spent 50 years on the electronics field, repairing radio /TV/VCR’s/ DVD’s and various Computer equipment. I worked in manufacturing, research, broadcasting and teaching, in my final years ,just before retirement , I worked as a Consultant to SRI and Epitax in fiber optics.
Great video that brings memories from a few decades ago. I used thosde VOMs in the '80s.
I found this information very accurate, great for experts on this subject and great for newcomers too.
The Simpson 260 is considered an extinct relic here in El Salvador, because there aren't any authorized distributors left, despite the fact this units are still being manufactured.
The series 9 meters were introduced in the early 2000s, they might not be so popular yet, but they deserve their place in history
The reason I didn't include the Series 9 was two-fold... 1) I don't have one to show, and 2) it differs physically from the "look" of the Series 1-8 - and I was intending to show to lasting "beauty" of the design.... ;-)
Awesome video! Made my day. Thank you!
Wow was just bidding on a 260 the other day.... :) Thanks for the background on them.
Excellent video! very informative and interesting.
Thank you, thank you. Two thumbs up!
Just found a Series 3 in my predecessor's tool kit...thanks for the walkthrough!
Like everyone, another well done Simpson video. I love the point of the Simpson make you think; function, range, load effect, and lets all remember that their are two different levels of battery voltage used to measure ohms or "blow your transistors, diodes and fets...lol. You'd be great doing a series to match up with the 1001 uses of the Simpson.
Nice and informative video! I recently acquired a nice series 6 and can't wait for an excuse to use it!
Nice collection 👍🏼 I have a older Heathkit FET analog multimeter in good working condition they come in handy.
Thanks Alan, because of your longtime love for the 260s, a few years back I spotted a long-shot candidate on CraigsList. After a number of emails, I took a chance and drove 2+ hours each way for what turned out to be an immaculate 260 7M for $25. In the right situation, there is nothing like a quality analog meter. Dave
Congrats, that's a great find!
I have a pair of Avometers (7, broken, 8 1/2 military model, working), and a Hartmann & Braun Elavi 3, all good representatives of their native countries take on the analog VOM. I'm a big fan of using them on current, because they're really good at low currents and you very quickly get an indication that something is awry if you keep an eye on them when powering up a new circuit. Also, I knew that ProbeMaster has special Simpson leads, but didn't know exactly why/how. Now I know something new! And, I want a 260. Thanks!
I picked up a Simpson 260 series 6XLP a few years ago at a antique shop in good working order. The case has squarish corners instead of the rounded corners like the ones in your video. If you get a meter movement that is sticking there is probably some metal chips stuck on the magnet in the movement. I used to cut a piece of scotch 33 or a piece of double sided sticky tape about 1/8" wide and about 1" long and stick the end of the tape on the tip of a small screwdriver then fish with it around the magnet to grab up the chips. I really liked the video you have on understanding op amps. This will help me understand better ICs that have an op amp for an input.
A very nice and concise presentation.
In Czechoslovakia, we had the AVOMET series from Metra Blansko company. The most popular model was Avomet DU 10 from the 1950s-1960s (DiodeGoneWild did a video about it). It was succeeded by DU 20 universal measuring instrument in 1969.
Thank you for the video.
Thank you again for great video Alan. A special treat with all those small measuring tips as well. The Simpsons are a lot alike the Avometer I presume? Take care and have a Merry Christmas when time comes.
You can certainly see where Simpson got the idea from.. or was it that AVO got the idea from Simpson??? :-)
Thank you very much for this video. I am restoring two meters, Series 1 and 5, that belonged to my dad. I used the same site you used for reference, however your explanation and the additional information you provided greatly expanded my understanding and completed the story. Best wishes.
Brasso polish does a nice job on the bakelite housing.
@@w2aew Thanks, I used Brasso and Novus Polish which is a bit finer. Turned out very well. They are displayable now. The meter movements were compromised due to hard use, one sticks one had a broken needle. I will consider movement replacement if the right one comes along. I watched your video on how to do that. Best Wishes.
I'm restoring my Simpson 260 Series 3 meter made in 1966. Terminals / Screws / and the Meter/Safe mod. It was found in a shed for free, so I will see what else needs repair once i get it powered on again. It's in good Physical condition other than the battery terminal and 2 missing screws. Thankfully the meter was stored back side down. The damage was localized to the rear. -W5FOX
Thanks so much. I just bought a model 6 based on your recommendation.
Great video, as usual. Simpson’s are not much available where I live (Paris), but I do have quite a few VOM’s and VTVM’s from METRIX.
I know it’s a bit OT, but I just love these things. 2 of my VOM’s are MT215A (it’s the military version of the MX205A), and they have a 10MΩ input impedance too. Also have a 462, and a 430 (from the late 40’s).
But the most impressive ones are the two 745 VTVM’s that sport 7 tubes each, plus the EA52 tubes in the AC probes. Also have a 742C and a 744.
Not well known in North America, but over here, they are extremely high quality meters.
Worth checking if you’re found of analog meters like I am.
Thank you for making that video. I think too many people look down on analog meters.
I had to check my 260 that I got back in the 70s. It is a Series 6! I also picked up a Simpson 303 VTVM that looks a lot like a 260. It is pretty crusty inside and, the battery was in and leaked. Thanks for the tip to remove the batteries. Alan, good information.
This was really helpful and interesting. Thank you. I have a 6P and something called a "Custom 5" that came in a nice protective carrying case.
Great video again!!! You're the best! Thanks.
Great video. I picked up a second series 3 a few weeks ago, I regretted selling my first one.
Swapped out the caps that were out of spec and she runs like a Swiss watch.
Great Video, I have a 260 series 7 and it still works well. Began using them in the 1960's. Just wish I had the mirrored version.
I remember them from school. I live 20 miles from the factory, should make a trip up there. They have a display in the hall in the local casino.
Awesome video, now I know what I need to make a purchase
Thank you for your videos Alan
These are great meters. I've also got a couple of model 303 Simpson VTVMs which are awesome.
great video. Thanks for sharing. Wish i watched it before buying my series 6. Opened it up to find battery leakage and lots of corrosion. Hope it cleans up and I can get it working.
Always great content!
Superb, I just used this method and works perfectly fine thanks
Thanks. I had a smaller Simpson DVM from the 1960 period though do not know the model. This was followed by a VVM with fet gain and higher input Z . Today I always use the type with a bar graph.
Simpson 260 series VOM is the Zippo lighter of electricity- An American icon. Simple, reliable, works well, and has never been cheapened down in quality.
Used the Simpson 260 for over 20 years, along with some Fluke 8020A, while working in the aircraft instrument repair business. Wish I still had the 260, my nephew somehow wound up with it and I never got it back :( ... Using two of the Luke's now, oh well. Good video :)
I bought a series 3 in 1962, I had to replace the meter movement at one point but it still works. I also have a series 2 that I got about 20 years ago. Along with those I have a Triplet 630 but I prefer the Simpsons because the series 3 reverses the polarity of the ohms section when you throw the polarity switch and that is a great way to check an inductor without needing an inductance meter.
I still have a old Heath VTVM that I use when aligning radios, much easier to follow the needle than bouncing numbers.
Exelente saludos yo tendo un Simpson 260 serie 7M y en lo personal me encantan los VOM analogicos. Saludos desde Mexico 👏👏👏
My first job as a tech we had a series 2. Over the 3 years i was there we acquired a series 6, then a Fluke 8000A. I could never afford a Simpson at the time so a while later I got myself a Micronta 22-210 which in some respects is a better meter than the Simpson. I still have it today and it works as well as it did when I got it in the early 80's.
I really enjoy watching the videos on theory and on older test equipment. Not so much the ones on repairing modern transceivers since I'm not a HAM, although the techniques do hold my interest. Thanks for your efforts.
I'm pretty sure I have one of those Simpson 260 meters buried in the boxes from a recent move. My dad would probably have acquired it used (since that was the kind of guy he was). I'm pretty sure it has pin-jacks, so he might have acquired it just before or after WWII. (He was an electronics experimenter from his early teens - late '20s/early '30s - and later a navy radar specialist.) There is also a VTVOM somewhere in those boxes.
I remember the Sams Photo-Facts series of repair manuals specified the meter loads when measuring at certain sensitive test points in vacuum tube circuits. I found out the hard way that newer was not always better. A solid-state meter that puts no load (or only 10MΩ instead of 1MΩ) on a circuit will get the wrong reading sometimes.
For cleaning dry cell battery leakage, I have found that plain water is best of all. I had always assumed that it would take something special to get that crust out of a valued (but abused) instrument. I tried every imaginable solvent (including some that did more damage than the leakage) and never had much luck. The solvents would flush away any crust that I could dislodge mechanically by brushing and scraping, but they didn't dissolve the crust. I don't recall what impelled me to try water, but plain water (distilled is best to avoid any new contamination) dissolves the crust just fine. Of course it won't help much if the contamination has delaminated and infiltrated a PCB, but sometimes things can be saved. Great tip about leaving the batteries out of any meter not being regularly used as an ohmmeter.
Thanks for the good tips on cleaning the leakage residue.
What a great coincidence Alan...I have three Simpsons recently acquired, a Series 3, 5P and 7M. The 5P uses a 15V battery no longer available; it's used only on the RX10,000 resistance scale. I did find one on eBay from a guy who custom builds them (the 5P is the best so far of the lot so figured it'd be my keeper). If you have a Series 5 and do want to keep the battery in it it's a Lithium battery that should outlive most of us...search on eBay for "Simpson 260 5 5P Triplett 625 15V Lithium battery" and that'll take you to the seller. Thanks Alan! 73 - Dino KLØS
Thank you for sharing your knowledge
Learned a lot. Thanks!
Truly good information and advice. Time for me to remove the batteries from my collection. (yes, I did forget about them)
I have 2 260s, a series 3 that is corroded, and a series 5, that works great after getting new battery contacts for it. I read that the meter gasket will go bad and will let dirt get in the meter movement. I also have a 360 series 2 meter that I like really well. Thanks for the informative video.
As pointed out by somebody else, in Europe the AVO Meter was the workhorse. Unlike the Simpson, it had 2 main scale select switches. Might sound confusing, but you got accustomed to it quite quickly.
Another thing the AVO Meter sported was an electromechanical safety trip. If the meter needle hit an end stop, it tripped the safety. There was a button on the top for resetting. Excellent especially for educational institute laboratories.
About the loading -- at 1 kV DC the Simpson and many other analog meters with their 20 k-ohm/volt movement already beats the DVMs: 20 megaohm!. Of course , at 500 V there is a match and below that the loading effect becomes an issue.
At some point our lab bought a French (or was it Swiss?) Metrix meter which had two specialties of its own. First, it had 20 microamp movement, for 50 k-ohm/V. Second, it did not have an Ohms Zero adjustment. That sounded strange, but the explanation was quite understandable -- it used an inherently stable mercury battery. Sort of miss those high stability batteries even today. My old Canon Pellix camera would need a new exposure meter battery...
Good information, thank you!
Great rundown on a classic.
We had these in high school. I have an old Triplett meter from ~ 1960 that was my fathers. It's a good meter but I think these later series 260's have a few more features. My meter had a 30V Burgess battery in it (for high ohms) which I still have and has a charge and hasn't leaked. I keep it out of the meter though. Thanks for the memories.
Thanks Alan - I just pulled my series 3 260 apart and one of the AA batteries was just starting to leak. I pulled all the batteries and tossed 'em in the trash. Thanks for the heads up!
Old batteries should be recycled, not just put in the trash bin. most supermarkets have a box to drop batteries in.
Thanks to Alan, I remembered to check the batteries in my 260 and they were leaking fluid, just in time to clean the compartment. 73 YV5NGK
These were workhorse meters for many years. I like the Simpson 360 since uses the same case as the 260 series with the digital display.
I do not have a 260, but I do love my 160 and simply cherish my 314. Fine instrumentation.
Nice informative video. Great job! Thank you.
Thanks for the tip regarding removing the batteries. I could never remember why I have a pack of D-cells in the kitchen nick nack drawer. Now I know! I guess that tells you something :-)
Thanks for this video!
Ive got that one. It was a graduation present from my grandfather back in the late 1950’s. It still works like new. No other meter holds up as well.
Mr. Wolke, your videos have been a great source of inspiration for me. Encouraged by your content, I recently purchased a Simpson meter, albeit unknowingly a series 2 model. Unfortunately, the meter is currently in non-working condition and exhibits significant corrosion from battery leakage. Nevertheless, I am enthusiastic about restoring it and putting it to good use.
Good luck with your meter restoration. Hopefully the battery acid hasn't gotten into the phenolic wafers of the rotary switch. Given that the phenolic material is somewhat porous, the acid can permanently damage them because there is no way to clean it completely. The effect of it is that it creates leakage paths through with switch wafers which affect the meter accuracy.
@@w2aew The issue of corrosion and battery leakage isn't as severe as my initial concerns led me to believe. While there is some residual corrosion in a few spots, the primary concern lies with two severely damaged bobbin resistors and a shunt resistor that require replacement. Do you happen to know the contemporary equivalent for bobbin resistors?
@@Amir-kz6yq Any modern resistor that meets the value, accuracy and power rating of the originals will work.
@@w2aew After successfully repairing the meter, it now operates flawlessly. This equipment is truly impressive, and I want to express my gratitude once more for the inspiration. Nonetheless, there's still an issue to address: it's currently impossible to zero the needle when the meter is in an upright position. Should it be used while laid flat instead?
@@Amir-kz6yq There are "balance weights" on the meter's coil assembly that can be used to adjust this - but it takes a VERY skilled hand to do this. It's something I have never even attempted...
Hi. A special video showing how to use the dB scale will be very useful. Thanks.
An American version of the AVOmeter ;-) I like these type of old instruments - great video!
Yes, the AVOmeter seems to have the same classic status in other parts of the world - you don't see them often in the US though.
The AVO actually deserves some more attention. It was developed years before the Simpson 260, but I it doesn't seem they are a version of one another
@@Torogol85 I agree - I know the AVOmeter has a very long history and well deserved reputation - they just don't have a presence here in the US, so I have no experience with it. I believe it was originally developed in 1923, although the design has changed quite a bit. Production stopped several years ago.
It may be old tech but I know people who keep one around because you can see needle deflection whereas with a digital readout, you pretty much have to look at it. That means having to take your eyes off of what you're working on. Once you've used one for a while, you don't even have to look at it to see if you're ballpark or not.
Very lucid, logical approach. Nice. I just picked up a 260 xpi. Wondering what the x and I stood for. It was cal'd 2008. Also, it has normal banana plug sockets.
i have a series 7P and a series 8xi these are the best meters out there and i would never trade them for anything! i use mine every day for all my service repairs!
I picked one up today at a car boot sale for £5, about $7. It's a Series 7. I expected the worst when I opened the battery compartment but it's like new, as is the rest of the meter. Also has the original fuses and although the leads were absent I managed to test the lower dc range and resistance ranges and it's very accurate.
In the UK from what I've seen no-one supplies the leads so it's a copy or a mod to some standard leads.
My series 2 doesn't have the larger knobs that show up in your video, but the smaller rounder ones. It originally came with those pin-type jacks, but over time they got worse in terms of intermittent behavior, so at some point (many years ago now) I "upgraded" it to use banana jacks. That knob on the left is DC-AC-Output, no polarity switching option like the later ones. I also note that I have two jacks for 5000V ranges, which seem to be missing or much lower voltages on the later ones. This has been useful to me in the past. I should probably open mine up and at least eyeball the batteries, if not take them out. Those "reverse banana plugs" are a real PITA. My Simpson 461 came with that setup, and it's annoying because I have multiple sets of test leads that are handy for different situations (needle-tipped probes, clips, hook-type Pomona clips, etc.) So I initially made something similar to that Pomona adapter you showed that was basically a pair of deep-panel banana jacks wired together and coated with heatshrink, but I eventually retrofitted that 461 with just standard jacks, to get away from having to deal with that nonsense. Some time ago I got to looking at these meters on ebay, and was surprised to find how many of them were for sale on there. Not long ago my brother commented to me how he really liked the use of an analog VOM for some things, and I then looked at how many of the darn things I've got on hand here. At least 4-5 of the things... :-)
Great video, I have one of the series 6...
I've got a Series 7M which still works a treat. I have the original test leads still in good shape.
I think 4 of my ANENG 8008 DMMs will fit into one of these!
My Tektronix o'scope isn't much bigger than one either!
Just the fact that they are still around, attests to the quality.
As an EM in the Navy, this was our 'go to' meter for just about all our work. I remember when they shifted to the 'reversed banana' jack. It was a safety issue. Us sailors would put the meter on something, then reach up with the leads into the switchgear or motor controller to take a reading. And on a bad day, it wouldn't quite reach and as you tried to take the reading, the banana would pull out of the meter while you were focused on placing your probe. This left a bare banana plug dangling around, as 'live' as whatever you touched with the probe.
But yes, finding the 'reverse' banana leads was a pain.
that's a decent reason!
I lucked out and found a Series 7 on eBay for about $90. It's in perfect condition with the original box and manual. I ordered some Probemaster probes for it as the originals are showing a little age (discoloration but still OK to use).
I've ben made fun ov terribly, that I'm old an obsolete. But I've had a solid employment and I'm 49 now and keep up doing it. The 260 series I believe 8 is fantastic. I've used the 383a with good success good cap checker, the 310 vtvm is good. And the aerovox model 75 cap and resistive bridge is the basic meat and potato.
That’s the meter i learned basic electronics on when I started out in the 1980s. I couple of years ago I found a Simpson 269 for less than what the 260 goes for. I like that one because the meter movement is the size of the whole meter. It has 100k ohms per volt and measures micro amps. I think it sometimes goes for less than the 260 because it’s not as well known.
Another good reason to own one of these or the Triplett equivalent, is some older equipment schematics will specify a 20kohm/volt meter to measure voltages.
Well, there go all the 260s! Glad I bought mine a few years ago (and got my cap testers before they hyped up). Agreed, go for a Series 6. I have a 6 and an 8, the 8 having no advantage but using the silly “safer” reverse banana. It does keep you from licking the plug, I guess. My S6 ohms ranges died without warning recently, not a battery or fuse issue. Got to dig into that.
Thanks to all for the test probe info.
They've been "going" for a few years not - apparently they're lend geek cred to a maker's shack!
I have the series 7 and a series 6. I've been thinking of cutting the reverse banana jack off, and making an adapter to go to regular banana. Then I could use my other test leads. I also have the hard case, which you didn't mention.
Thanks Alan. Just went and pulled the batteries out of my 260.
I got a pair of replacement probes for my Simpson 260 (7P) from Oldaker they were reasonably priced and I got the alligator clip add-ons
My father gave me his 260 from henmphil school from california in the 60's is a treasure for me and I never sale it
I have a simpson from the 50s I love it!!!!