Warning About Triplett 630 Models MultiMeter

[ElectronTubesRule]

Just so other's that might want one know in advance. They take non-standard lead/probes the end that goes into the unit is bayonet style so you can not just get a set at RatShack. Plus being rated up to 5000VDC/5000VAC you really have to make sure you are useing leads that can support that type of voltage.

Second it takes an expensive 30V Everyready 413 Battery that runs from $10-$27 depending on where you shop and how many you buy at one time. SO again not something you can run to RatShack or Wally World and pick up at 2 in the morning!

My unit while new is missing it's leads and it's battery. It comes in a nice leather carry case. I was at the web site checking out leads which are reasonable and the Leather case alone for the 630 line runs $65 so I am not too hurt about it missing the $17 leads and given it's odd ball 30V battery it is no wounder it does not come with one. If it did someone long ago took it out while it sat on the shelf for their in factory use.I am sure that is what happened to the leads too. The guy I bought it from buys up company's in liquidation and their industrial parts and supplies.

So just know in advance that while the leads are cheap the ZInk Carbon specialty battery it takes is not cheap or readily available so be prepared for that. The case appears to be bakealite in the photo so this bad boy must be from no newer then the 1980's I would imagine. Plenty of them on Ebay.

Just make sure you follow what CaptinKillowatt said about looking in the lower left hand corner for two extra ports labled 5000VDC and 5000VAC so you know you are getting one that goes up to that voltage because not all of them do some stop at 1000V.

I am not too worried as long as I can get batterys but I am sure it would not be hard to use 3x 9Volts or if need be 4 and a resistor to get it to 30V and limit current draw. If they ever totally stopped making them.

I just wanted to make sure everyone know this since I just found out looking on line for any reading material on them like an online owner's manual or the like. I am so excited I am off to order some battery's and a set of leads.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Sorry i forgot to mention the battery that is used for the Ohms function. It is actually a photographic battery and should still be available in almost any decent photography store. If not you can use 3 x 9 volt batteries but you won't need any resistors as 3 x 9= 27. No need for dropping resistors or current limiting of any kind. One thing I really like about the meter is the overload breaker that will trip if you make an Ooooops with the meter. Not sure what you meant by non-standard jacks. The meter I have has standard banana jacks which are standard. I made up meter leads from HV wire rated for 10 Kv and you do not want to use just any wire for the leads as most is rated for only 600 volts.

 

[ElectronTubesRule]

I ordered a battery because I was not sure if I needed it for all functions or not so I just ordered one.

From what I have read over the years their have been many different models of the 630. Some use the Banana style jack's some use the more modern style where you have basically the hollow metallic sleeve surrounded by a plastic sleeve.

For instance on the companies website they list leads as such " For Older Models of the 630" I kid you not....LOL Then on ebay a guy has some listed for " 630 Model 4 and Higher" they are each totally different styles. I have both my old Mircronta has Banana style my Fluke does not.

i was actually wondering about that! The voltage rating of the OEM leads. They did not strike me as being anything different then the common ones for 1000-650 volt range meter's!

So again I am very thankful that you pointed me in the right direction and made sure I knew what to look for to get the right model! It is hard to find something on the internet if you do not even know what you are looking for! I am so excited I can not wait for my new tool to arrive in the mail!!! So again thanks for pointing me in the right direction this is exactly what I was looking for!


Oh and I was not at all complaining just so you know I am happy as a lark to have this unit heading my way and at such a great price point! I just wanted other's to know in advance so if they bought one off ebay or craigslist list they would know those few things! I am happy as can be so do not take it like me complaining I was just trying to give a heads up! When I used to by a lot of milsurplus stuff I often had to make my own batteries packs because a lot of their devices used odd ball Military Specific batteries....Kind of like how they used to make the rims on the vehicles odd ball size so civilians and soldiers would not be able to use the tires on their vehicles thus preventing theft. The original military jeep had rims that where odd ball sized to prevent theft of tires during WWII rationing of rubber, fuel and other essentials. So it did not surprise me that it took some odd battery I just did not know it at the time.

I have Belding HV RF power wire designed for High Voltage RF use rated to 40,000 Volts from long ago. I considered using it to build some leads. Instead of screw on alligator clips I figured I would make some specifically for the purpose of testing the leads that come out the transformer with clips.

When I was last at Rat Shack they did not have any leads with banana connectors on the end only the newer style. In fact they did not even have a spot on the peg board for them. It seems that banana style is not in fashion currently.

So when you built your test leads did you use the OEM style plug ends or do they make a better style that is made from a better material then cheap low dielectric plastic.

 

[Highvoltage2010]

Triplett 630

FWIW, my 630 accepts standard banna plugs just fine.

Also, you can series 3-9v batteries and velcrow them next to the meter.

All is well!

2010highvoltage.

 

[KE0ZU]

Most VOMs used the old "General Radio 274" style connector, or the headphones "pin" connectors. As for leads, there are sellers on Ebay selling mil-surplus VOM leads with interchangeable tips. I've purchased several sets, and they are very good quality rubber insulated leads.

Most, if not all meters,have enough room for 3 9 Volt batteries somewhere inside. In "the day" 22-1/2 and 30 Volt batteries were common place, only with the passage of time have they become difficult to find.

I think Bakelite cases were their Achilles heel, and had VOM makers moved away from Bakelite and gone to relatively indestructible ABS plastic like the telephone companies did, VOMs would have remained more popular for many more years than they did.

 

[Shockwave]

I've got two out of three of those meters and they can take much more abuse than any digital meter. Especially if you use them around RF. Now if I could only find a bullet proof scope to go with it.......

 

[Beetle]

Something about the Simpson 269 (the one on the right side of the pic) that users should be very careful of...

Notice that there's a position labeled "OPEN" right near the top of the range indicator. When the switch is in that position, there is literally an open circuit across the meter coil. That may not be so bad if the meter remains on the workbench, but for proper damping of the movement, there should be a very LOW resistance across the coil when the meter is being moved around. It's similar to how a DC generator behaves without a load attached. Remember the generator for the headlight on a bicycle?

I leave my 269 and all my other analog VOMs in the highest DC AMPS range that passes current through the switch. Saves a LOT of wear and tear on the movement.

 

[KE0ZU]

Interesting subject VOMs.

Shockwave;

I've got two out of three of those meters and they can take much more abuse than any digital meter.

A drop from about 3 feet onto a concrete floor might change your mind, you can bet this wouldn't happen with your Fluke. As I mentioned earlier, IMHO not moving to ABS was the biggest problem any of these old meters had.

Beetle;

I tend to agree with you regarding using current ranges, but just looking across a big filament tranny, or checking a buss in a panel can instantly vaporize the red probe tip, and toast most everything from there, to the other end of the black one. DAMHIKT.

This is from the 262 manual;

There were a great many designs, and although I'm only familiar with the more popular Triplett, and Simpsons. The triplett has what I consider "more useful" DC Volt ranges than the Simpson 260s,even though I used the Simpsons for decades. I like the Simpson 262 better than either the 630s or other 260 series meters, because the 262 resistance scale has much better resolution as you move toward "0". Especially nice when wringing out harnesses.

 

[Beetle]

D'oh! I never worked on the 262; the Navy didn't use them much and none of them ever passed through the Cal Lab at the shipyard here in the late 60s through '74. It does look like the 269 (except for the fact it says "262" in large print - which I overlooked!).

Most of the testing on the waterfront specified the 269, largely because of the much greater sensitivity on DC volts (100K vs. 20K ohms per volt). And of course, the 269 looks "better" than any 260.

You're right, of course, about being careful what you're measuring before connecting the meter. Most of the multimeter repairs I had to make were to replace the Rx1 and Rx10 range resistors. Guys on the waterfront would check continuity and then turn on the power to check voltages - without doing something TERRIBLY important....

I liked the AN/PSM-4 Series C and later: some genius changed the circuitry slightly and relocated these two resistors to the battery compartment so they could be replaced without taking the meter apart!

 

[giboni]

Old post.

But......I have a small collection of Simpson & Triplett meters ! Triplett 630 my favorite.

If U need 15 volt battery. Simpson 260 Series 5 and 5P

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162899335675

Triplett 630 series Simpson 370 30 volt battery

https://www.ebay.com/i/162029810720?chn=ps

 

[giboni]

For Simpson series 260-5 15 volt battery

Lithium battery's !

https://www.ebay.com/itm/162899335675

 

[Hurricane145]

Old thread but who cares.
I have a 630NA. Ya just gotta LOVE that taut band meter movement!!