Farmall Cub

good morning from the deep south , hope all is well . what "meter" , brand , model # would you recommend for the type of electrical tests you would normally do on a cub . 6v and 12v . would any at the local autoparts stores work , I'd prefer one easy to use , I am electrically challenged. It seems I've read this subject before but could not find it in a search . thanks, coppersmythe.......................................

The inexpensive meters are just as good the expensive ones for working on tractors.

I picked analog, readings indicated with a needle, from the local hardware store for $20-. Analog meters work well on the Cub's dirty electrical system.

Digital meters, readings indicated by numbers on a screen. Typically the digital meters do not work well on the Cub's electrical system. Harbor Freight has the meters for around $3- each. The Harbor Freight meter is very accurate.

Recommend picking up one of each type meter.

I like my multimeter because it has a tone when measuring resistance/continuity. I use it to time distributors. Beep, no beep, ah there it is!

thanks guys , simple is better in this context , I'm not building the next mars rover . coppersmythe.....................................................although , hummmmmmm......ps: I only hesitate , I was recently talking to one of the engineers at LSU that is building the prototype for the drone that fedex was considering to deliver its packages , awesome.................................................

I concur with Eugene that an analog meter is more reliable for troubleshooting the cub (and other low-tech equipment).

Been using a Fluke Tqm for years. Very simple to use, compact and durable. Its digital, which I like. Been the only one I've used for probably 11 years. Doesn't have a lot of functions you'll never use. Only thing I wish it could do that it doesn't is be able to test diodes. Other than that, it is perfect for what I need.

Here it is. Not cheap, but you shouldn't ever need another one, and you definitely get what you pay for.

thanks for the info guys , coppersmythe..................................

get an analog meter, you will be happy with it. get a fairly good one though

I am a retired electronics technician, so I have good and chap digital and analog meters on hand. What I use depends on what I am doing. If only one, it would be an analog.. A digital is handy for verifying battery is charging, but most of the tiem can only be used at the battery. At the generator it gets to much electrical noise from the brushes.There you need an analog. I also keep a 6V/12V test light for quick go/no go tests. Works great for things like voltage at coil, and are points closing.

I'm an analog user. Just because that is how old it is (there were no digital meters back then..which shows how old I am, too). And, I think Trent points out a really good feature: the meter BEEPS when there's continuity. Over the years, from wiring a house, a barn, a boat, working on cars and the tractor...it seems that the beep is the big thing that I'm usually checking. Typically I use it the verify that a circuit is correctly wired before hooking it to the power source.

DickB wrote:I'm an analog user. Just because that is how old it is (there were no digital meters back then..which shows how old I am, too). ........

You must really be old, My meter I go to when nothing else seems to work right is a digital I bought new approximately 40 years ago. It cost me a week and a half pay, but i was doing 2 way radio work, and it was the only thing I could find to read plate voltage on commercial 2 way transmitters. After all these years it still works just like it did new. Salesman threw one about 5 feet out in the middle of a tile floor, and said "If it doesn't work now, everybody's meal tonight is on me." He didn't have to pay.

What brand is that John? A lot of the old good ones are Simpson.

Oooooppps! John, it could have been that the digital meters were more expensive back then.... I bought it maybe 25 years ago. It was from Radio Shack, back when they were still a bit like a radio shack. BTW, John, old and expired K4BJY here, but never adept nor knowledgeable although I've never been able to forget code.

BIGHOSS wrote:What brand is that John? A lot of the old good ones are Simpson.

My good analog is a Simpson, but the good digital I spoke about is a Sencore.

DickB wrote:Oooooppps! John, it could have been that the digital meters were more expensive back then.... I bought it maybe 25 years ago. It was from Radio Shack, back when they were still a bit like a radio shack. BTW, John, old and expired K4BJY here, but never adept nor knowledgeable although I've never been able to forget code.

Yes, they were very expensive back then, especially if you wanted a good one which I needed. I never got a ham license, that was too much like work, so no fun in my spare time. My license was 2nd class commercial, police, sheriffs, fire, ambulance, construction companies etc. Even did IMTS mobile phones, long before cell phones were even thought of.