Just realized my grandpa's old multimeter was way better than my fancy new one

I used to think vintage tools were just junk taking up space. Then last month at a yard sale in Pueblo, an old electrician showed me his beat up Simpson 260 from the 70s. He handed it to me and said 'try measuring that outlet with your digital meter and then this one.' My cheap digital kept jumping around, but that old needle settled right on 120 volts steady. He explained how the analog movement averages out noise instead of chasing each spike like a digital does. It made me totally change my mind about older gear. I paid him $20 for a similar one he had in his trunk. Has anyone else had an old timer change your view on a tool?

2 comments

2 Comments

barbara8421d ago

That old Simpson 260 from Pueblo sounds like a real gem, @the_phoenix. I had the same experience with a 1950s clamp meter at a swap meet last year. The needle on it reads smooth as silk even with flickering lights, while my new Fluke gets all jittery on the same circuit. It totally changed how I check motors and old wiring now.

the_phoenix21d ago

Same thing happened to me with an old handplane my uncle handed down. My digital meter is great for quick checks, but that analog Simpson taught me more about steady voltage in one afternoon than any YouTube video could. Sometimes the simple tech does the job better without all the extra noise.

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