ITTSB.EU Blog Forum
Electrical Test and Measurement instruments => Handheld multimeter => Topic started by: Kiriakos GR on July 22, 2025, 09:09:46 AM
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Weather conditions changing in our times, environmental temperature going up.
Direct sunlight this is not harmless even for our digital multimeter.
Direct sunlight exposure at summer time, this can create two issues at your multimeter.
a) LCD screen might go temporarily black.
b) Range switch / functions rotating switch, plastic mechanism this keeping rotating switch in place, this gets soften.
Eventually you will note, lesser feeling of stiffness, when switching between positions.
Stiffness might permanently lost, and a repair of plastic parts it might be required.
c) Banana inputs, the shrouded plastic pipe around these banana inputs, is the mechanical force that keeps 4mm diameter stable.
Overheat might cause shrouded plastic to get temporarily soften, this be in a danger to expand in diameter, due test leads connection then constantly create pressure at the female banana barrel.
Best advice for carrying at multimeter at summer time and safe storage.
1) Never leave test leads connected.
2) Always keep the DMM within a soft bag with flip opening port.
3) Use soft bag flip opening port at closed position (DMM face plate not visible), expose DMM face plate at sunlight only when you need to perform a measurement.
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Back in time, HP was delivering soft cases in Grey color.
Such a color option, will collect less sun light energy, in comparison to black soft cases.
FLUKE and Keysight they deliver HH DMM, these following bright color codes.
These absorb less heat.
FLIR go it totally wrong, by the offering of total black HH DMM.
They possibly skipped QC testing by the use of their thermal imagers :P