ONE OF MY FRIENDS GOT A BIG KICK OUT OF MY VINTAGE SIMPSON 260 VOM

[chief38]

One of my Buddies came over last evening so I could repair his wireless telephone ear set he wears in his office. All I did was take it apart, test it to find out what the problem was and repair it. It turned out the problem was that the two wires attached to the internal rechargeable battery has popped off the tiny circuit board inside because the wires were so thin and cheap they could not withstand the drop they took. It took me only a few minutes to soldier new and heavier wires to both the battery and the circuit board and he was back in business.

What really intrigued him was my vintage Simpson 260 Volt Ohm Multimeter! I actually have two of them (both series 4) and use them constantly. I had not thought about the fact that they are so out dated as far as size and style goes and that they are still analog vs the newer digital meters such as the Fluke. Anyway, he was so enamored with my Simpson 260 Meter he actually bought one on ebay tonight. I did not realize that Simpson still makes the 260 to his day! Truthfully, I was shocked they are still around - but quite happy just the same! It's amazing that when you use such an old piece of equipment all the time you don't look at it as an "antique" - just as a tool you use all the time.

 

[Watchdog]

Lots of times, the old things are best.

That applies to people and dogs, too.

 

[joe44va]

Miss my 260. Don't remember which version it was but it had a mirror scale. Use a Fluke now because of the armored case. Dropped the 260 you see. It didn't survive.

 

[Fishslayer]

Looking for dips or peaks ya still can't beat analog.

 

[D Brown]

Back when I was in college, we used analog because the digital meters weren't accurate enough.

I guess that shows my age, graduated in 1982.

 

[chief38]

Miss my 260. Don't remember which version it was but it had a mirror scale. Use a Fluke now because of the armored case. Dropped the 260 you see. It didn't survive.

Flukes seem to be all the rage now days but I just can't warm up to Digital. You are correct about dropping a Simpson . . . . can't imagine they would fare well! I think my two are made out of Bakelite. Drop them once = history.

 

[joe44va]

Have trouble with digital too. Too old I guess. When I look at a digital clock I picture were the hands should be.

 

[chief38]

Just about everything I own is Analog. The only exception is my Cigar Humidor Hygrometer - that is digital.

 

[jcelect]

260!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My first encounter with the 260 was in A school(1961)! I loved the ones with the roll top enclosure! They could handle a tumble off the bench when you took a 35 deg roll! I can't remember the last time I used one!
jcelect

 

[Drm50]

I've got a few Simpson meters and a couple Flukes. I carry a
$29 Sperry in a pouch on my belt. They are like a Timex watch
you drop one and you aren't out muck. I keep my good meters
in a padded case. I just dropped a old Wiggey that my dad gave
me in the 60s. I was totaled on concrete floor. I hate to replace
a tool that I use everyday, not because of cost but because you
get use to them. Mines and Mills used Simpson's and they are
cheap at yard sales.

 

[kthom]

Got one just like it, chief38. I don't use it much anymore since a simple small digital Ohm/volt/continuity tester fulfills my needs these days and is easier to set up and move around. If I was to do bench testing, I'd sure put my Simpson to work!

 

[BigBill]

I have one too needs batteries.

 

[joe44va]

When I dropped my 260 it was in a case. Didn't help much. Dropped from about 15 feet up. The case was in tact, but the meter was shattered. I suspect the Fluke wouldn't fare well either but I'm not going to test it.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

In 1975 I went to Whitehead Electronics, in downtown Columbus and bought a Sperry "Miniprobe" AC Volt-Ammeter Model SJ-100. It cost about $35, that was over a 1/4 of a week's gross pay! I still have and use that probe. The best thing about it is its small size. I started working for a complex and the had decades of heating service/maintenance men that didn't know what they were doing on 3 stage electric furnaces. The first winter I worked there, we replaced over 100 relays (100 amp)! It looked identical to an A/C relay, that was only 40AMP. By clamping the Amp "Claw" around the third stage wire to the element, you could tell if all the stages had come on or not (A 3 minute diagnosis!) My regional Maintenance supervisor wanted to know why we were using so many $40 relays, I explained that the maintenance staff hadn't replaced one in decades, and it was time to pay the PIPER! He had been on staff and Supervisor in this complex, so he was part of the problem (I didn't make that point!).

The Miniprobe is smaller than anything on the market today. It just slides in with the power on, and won't interfere with normal operation. My men were expected to fix these problems, but a Fluke won't fit in the service area without removing about half the wires, and the system has to be shut down. We contacted Rheem/Ruud for how to test for this problem, Their solution takes about 2-2.5 hours!

YES the old school is often the best school!

And when I left I took all my tool with me! They ask me to leave the Miniprobe, to no avail!

Ivan

 

[chief38]

The Simpson Meters with what I believe to be a Bakelite case is not a candidate for dropping - that's for sure! My main one never leaves the shelf above my workbench and the one I take with me when helping out friends & neighbor's is in a steel fitted case with 1" foam on all sides.

My Electrician's style tool pouch has a much more compact rubberized case multimeter (forgot the brand name) but that one is a digital unit that was a gift. I've never dropped any of them but I'm sure the rubberized units would fair much better than the Simpsons. Bottom line is, NEVER drop a Simpson.

 

[loknload]

I still have my original Amprobe from the 70’s but my prized piece of test equipment is still my Simpson meter.....still gives a true Reading after all these years. Like it better then my Fluke!

 

[mrchuck]

I miss my Radio Shack model that quit working!

 

[Tom S.]

I have and still use a Simpson 270 Series 4. Analog and digital meters both have their place if you do electronic work.


BTW: fixed the picture for you, can't have our members spraining their necks!

 

[chief38]

I have and still use a Simpson 270 Series 4. Analog and digital meters both have their place if you do electronic work.


BTW: fixed the picture for you, can't have our members spraining their necks!

Thank you for fixing orientation and size of picture. I'm good at somethings but NOT great with computer photo's. I did try to rotate it to no avail.