Micronta Multimeter

Teardown Lab - Micronta Multimeter
What a wonderful gift to get in the post, a classic electronic instrument!
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[@jamesmaloney2534]

IN A VIDEO PRODUCED BY YOU REGARDING AN ISSUE WITH A MICRONTA METER (22-204A) YOU OPENED THE BACK COVER TO REVEAL THE INTERIOR WORKINGS. I TOO AM DELVING INTO THE INNARDS OF MY METER AFTER AUTO INCINERATING A RESISTOR. IN FACT, ITS SO COOKED, (IT LOOKS LIKE IT TOOK ABOUT A BAZILLION VOLTS), AND THE UNDERLAYING CIRCUIT BOARD IS SO SMOKED THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE OHMIC VALUE WILL BE LOST...….FOREVER. IN YOUR VIDEO THE AFFECTED RESISTOR IS THE ONLY BLACK COLORED ITEM ON THE BOARD. IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, AND INCLINATION, AN INVESTIGATION, AND REVELATION OF THE RESISTOR VALUE WOULD BE ENOURMOSLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU, RESPECTFULLY JIM MALONEY

[@backofficeshow]

0.48 ohms

[@jamesmaloney2534]

@@backofficeshow WOW I MEAN WOW !!! FIRST OFF THANKS FOR YOUR IMEDIATE REPLY, IT DOES NOT HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. THE VALUE YOU GAVE IS WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE CORRECT NUMBER, THANKS FOR THE CONFIRMATION. NO KIDDING I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR ANSWER. RESPECTFULLY JIM MALONEY

[@backofficeshow]

@@jamesmaloney2534 good luck in repairs!

[@americanmeteoritefan9670]

I just got one! Can't wait to bench test random things for continuity! Thanks for posting this.

[@nikellty1]

Thank you, i watched you open the back and did it and got mine to show continuity again :)

[@backofficeshow]

Hooray!

[@alanbates3944]

These are the simplest meters to read - SO logical!! Kids these days not a Clue!

[@americanmeteoritefan9670]

Each finger touching the lead offered 2 resistance apparently. Don't touch the leads while reading tiny voltages.

[@petewmids]

I have the exact same meter bought in September 1978 from Tandy in Derby for £18.00 (I have the receipt). The bubble wrap is the original packaging!

[@backofficeshow]

+petewmids ooh really! Wow, that wrap has survived well 😂

[@dvdfilmbuff]

You are more than welcome to it! Glad you were able to clean the battery contacts and get him working. I don't think it had much use at all, the original owner was a bit of an electronics buff many years ago. He passed away recently and this meter was part of his estate and was donated to my father in-law, who passed it on to me. Looking forward to seeing it used in future videos. Cheers Mike.

[@backofficeshow]

+Mike Halliday In really blown away by this Mike, I'm going to chat to my own father to get him to show me how to use it 😁 its a lovely thing to have in such great condition. Especially now that Tandy does not exist but was such a distinct part of my childhood. Especially at this time of year, always trying to sell their Simon rip offs 😄

[@dvdfilmbuff]

The Backoffice Anything else I find or receive that I think will interest you, I will send on! 😁

[@backofficeshow]

+Mike Halliday Wonderful, electric curios always welcome. I bought a cine projector a while ago I've been wanting to do a video on, but I managed to break it before filming it. I may need to repair it on video, or at least try it 😁

[@roseysmom]

I enjoyed your video. I happen to have just opened my Dad’s in near same condition today from his shop. It had bubble wrap from it's original packaging. It is from when he attended Dunwoody in Minnesota in the 70’s.

[@backofficeshow]

Brilliant! I keep meaning to use it. I better check the batteries have not leaked!

[@spit75d]

Did Micronta make an entry-level multimeter that didn't have a selector knob, just different jacks for the leads depending on what you wanted to measure and range? I know I had one back in the 70s but I haven't even found a picture of it.

[@backofficeshow]

Micronta Multitester #22-027A

[@markdavies794]

Years ago at work we had to use an analogue Avometer as Fluke DVMs could not auto range fast enough and the main chips use to blow up.

[@backofficeshow]

+Mark Davies it's like continuity testers on digital meters, they always have annoying lag!

[@billminckler6550]

Thank you. I just received a Micronta Multimeter and was wondering about any internal battery. Thank you! 👋

[@normbograham]

The reason there are two batteries, is because one is used to measure "ohms", and one is used to measure "cont" (continuity). They use two different batteries.

[@backofficeshow]

That's good to know, thanks for reminding me, it's time to do my annual battery check!

[@VintageProjectDE]

Nice meter! Having an analog meter around the shop is really useful, just like having an analog scope next to your DSO. :-) Just don't rub the cover: It'll charge and deflect the needle as you have seen. Also: The mirror is there so that you can compensate for parallax error. Your're supposed to move your eye such that you align the needle and its reflection to take accurate readings.

[@backofficeshow]

Thilo Niewoehner I will have to get my analogue scope out of storage to show you all 👍

[@grumpy_ken]

that is the first time someone explained the purpose of the mirror, and it makes so much sense now

[@americanmeteoritefan9670]

Can someone explain "parallax error? Lol

[@NickMonteleone]

First thing...with meter off...zero the meter with the small plastic adjustment screw on front of meter window in the position you will use it in. Second...the plastic window will build up a static charge and affect the needle when you touch it. Just breath on it to dissipate the static charge. Third...rotate the selector switch around a few times to clean off contacts. Also, when inserting probe leads into meter, insert and remove a few times to help with the connection. You can also use a bit of electrical contact cleaner. I have that meter and a Simpson clone by Micronta that I purchased in the 70s and they both still work fine.

[@frederickjuneau7874]

Do you know how the ohm adjustment works

[@Buy-n-large]

I have one, it's a clamshell but it's just like that other than being a clamshell

[@backofficeshow]

+D Roberts nice! Does the shell add much volume to it?

[@davidhigginbotham5451]

Sears also sold these, not just Radio Shack. I have both.

[@grumpy_ken]

Micronta is a Radio Shack house brand, like Realistic. Tandy's business model was to sell all high margin house brands. I would not be surprised if it came from the same Korean factory that also produced oem meters for Sears and JC Penney. Maxon in Seoul maybe? They made a number of CB and two radios for RS.

[@carletonhoffman]

i enjoyed this but what i really want to do is find out how to use the smaller Micronta multimeter i have. i would appreciate it if you would let us see all the pages of instructions. i don't remember buying this although i assume it was at Radio Shack, probably in the '70s and if i ever had instructions i must have misplaced them.

[@Neffers_UK]

I love how "off" is a feature on the front of box blurb, haha. I wish I had my old analogue meter I had as a kid that my grandad gave me, it was ace. It had a clear large display and two whole knobs, for all the possibilities! [I had to stop typing this cause I couldn't remember it, and went looking for similar meters and had a bit of a flashback, oh my] It was very much like this www.tequipment.net/Simpson270-5RT.asp, possibly the same, possibly not. Thanks for the memory stirring though, that was awesome. Edit, it may have indeed been a Simpson unit. After being a farmer he went on to work for the "grid" - unsure of what the company it would have been but it was pre YEB, he was a clever man my gdad (mums side), went on to become mayor of his town and later on a mayor for a South Yorkshire city for a short period.

[@SoddingaboutSi]

Off is to shunt the meter movment, not so much to save batteries. I have this meter in the boot of my car. Good older meters.

[@backofficeshow]

I do drag it out from time to time, I find they have a more instant response than a digital meter. Sometimes you just want to see what's happening Vs taking a super accurate measurement so they are almost little a little scope 😁

[@trking649]

Something very odd with the video now - it seems to stick with fluorescent overlay ...

[@ronin99999]

Radio shackin USA, tandy in uk .sorry no more

[@ughievox2513]

Hi is there is a fuse to protect circuits from overvoltage connections just in case.

[@allanmccullough8550]

Two fuses.

[@masterbrown2002]

Nothing worse than that finger cheese.

[@gd2329j]

So you never fixed a vacuum cleaner full of dog crap & pet hair !

[@davidhigginbotham5451]

near mint... but NOT working. That's rich. ;)