When do you have to use an analog instead of a digital volt/ohm meter to get accurate results?

Answer 1

In my experience, analog meters are much more useful in high electrical noise environments such as motor controllers and high voltage generation equipment. The reason that analog meters are of more value in these applications is that they have a physical mass which needs to be moved in order to indicate. As a result, inertia keeps transient, low energy pulses from affecting the overall indication. Also, with any digital meter, you have a sample rate. If there is any ripple or repetitive pulsing going on in the measured signal, you can get what is called aliasing, or false frequency indication which can fool the meter into reading a value other than what is truly there.

Answer 2

Analog meters are often more useful when you are looking for things like "peaks" or "valleys". For example, if you are tuning a circuit and looking for the turn of the screw that gives the maximum, this is much easier to see on an analog meter (assuming you can't use a scope). Many digital meters now have "bargraph" displays just for this purpose.

It isn't so much that the accuracy is better, but the response time is often faster, and your brain can easily see when the needle changes direction, which is not true of a series of numbers flashing by -- especially if there is any small fluctuations due to noise.

Answer 3

I wonder why you think that?

You don't have to use an analogue meter to get the most accurate results - nor do you necessarily have to use a digital one.

The fact remains, though, that most digital meters are more accurate than analogue ones. Many, if not most, cheap digital ones are more accurate than their analogue counterparts.

There are many applications where the accuracy of a digital meter is of little importance but their distinct advantage is very high resolution - the ability to distinguish very small changes in reading, which can't be resolved with an analogue instrument.

But don't confuse accuracy with resolution.

Answer 4

when you are checking the volt/ohm for digital ckts use a digital meter..

Answer 5

The analogue meter is better during expectation of transient electrical surge, that you can see the pointer location.

Answer 6

when you've bought a really really cheap digital one and a really expensive analog one and you've got eyes with microscopic resolution.. otherwise, digital wins hands down.

Answer 7

One example is when performing a polarity check on a current transformer....hope this helps.

Answer 8

Whenever you feel the need.