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20A LCD Automotive Current Tester - Instore @ SuperCheap for $5 (Elsewhere $13+)

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Was wandering around SuperCheap (Taringa QLD) earlier tonight and found this… so of course I bought one :)

This is a small battery powered device (small 12V A23 Battery included) you plug into one of your car or trucks blade fuse sockets to measure how much current that particular circuit is drawing. It's capable of measuring up to 20A DC at voltages up to 48V DC so could come in handy for any other Oz Bargain tinkerers like me to use on their cars or buy a few more and rip them apart to use on other things :)

These have been around for a while but they usually sell for around 3-4 times this amount at places like Jaycar (http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QP2251) or on eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/CF-02S-AUTOMOTIVE-CURRENT-TESTER-…) however these were just sitting on a peg in the electrical isle with a standard white price tag.

I always wanted a few to use as a cheap current meters on other projects but never wanted to blow $13+ on something that I'd just rip apart but for $5 it's a bargain in my book and thought there may be other nerds out there who think the same way ;) The A23 battery is worth about half that in itself! I just hope other SuperCheap stores aroun the country also have them in stock and at this price.

Related Stores

Supercheap Auto
Supercheap Auto

closed Comments

  • -1

    a multimeter would do the same trick. many measure up to 20a dc

    • +4

      Of course… but a multimeter isn't as easy to use for those who may not understand them plus they're not as compact for those like me wanting to rip them apart to use them purely as cheap panel meters. Oh, and of course multimeters capable of 20A aren't as cheap as this nor can they be easily left attached for extended monitoring without some modification to the cars wiring.

      Just sayin' :)

    • yeah, but a multimeter is much more useful. 20a multimeters aren't too expensive on chinese sites

      • Yes yes, point taken Mattgal… and for those needing the extra capabilities of a cheapie Multimeter with 20A current capability then of course you can buy one for next to nix. A 10 second eBay search found this one for $17.50: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ATTEN-AT9205B-Digital-Multimeter-… These have been around for ages. Nothing new and this is their normal price so they're not a bargain.

    • Cheapie multimeters may have a 20A range, but they have skinny leads which introduce significant resistance in the path. I wouldn't use those leads for too long, they might even start warming up. The 20A range is a bit of a sop to universality and not for constant use.

      I don't have a need for this, but +1 for a good price.

  • +1

    Sorry mattgal it's still a good deal for local stock. What you're saying is like if the OP posted up a calculator and you said a computer can do the same thing. Sure, it can, but there is a place in the world for both to co-exist. Bit of an extreme but you get the point…

    +1 from me.

  • Excellent find OP.
    Cheapest 20A "Panel Meter" around.

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