Paul Kallus posted:Here's my latest adventure: I picked up the HF meter at lunch break today...it was still new in package, looks to be the same one as yours, Stan. I tried it out first thing when I got home using the "20" setting on DCV and hooked probes to adaptor plug...it read nothing (0.00); I then hooked up a building to one of the plugs and tried again on an unused plug, still nothing.
Then, reverting back to the unloaded state, I started turning the dial and finally when it was on "20m" under DCA I got a reading, about 2.07, then I hooked up one building, and measured, this time the building lights went on and off and the meter readings were jumping all over the place. Not sure what's going on, but something is haywire with the meter.
I then tried a new C battery - as simple as it gets, or so I thought - it read 0.00 under "20" DCV, but then started moving the dial around the meter until I got to 10A) and it read 1.45. This sounds right, right, cause its a 1.5 volt battery? Or, is this meter a bust? I know my analog Sperry meter is good, at least the AC part of it, because its AC readings pretty closely matched my Z-4000 transformer digital outputs during track wiring phase of construction.
I like that you guys have voltage regulators, are these off the shelf products, or how hard are they to hook up?
Would an old HO DC transformer with variable control work too? I know I have one laying around somewhere. In theory, I could cut the wires from the Menards adaptors (leaving the plug part in the buildings) and then run all the wire pairs to the little DC transformer, and slowly crank the lever until the lights come on.
Hopefully you haven't blown the fuse inside the meter.
Anyway, plug the red lead into V^ma and plug the black lead into COM.
Turn the switch to ON.
Then set the range to 20 DCV and read the voltage.
