AVOMeters

[Tiresias]

An entertaining (actually, no, depressing) few days spent cleaning out my partner’s father’s house. How many amp/volt meters do you think you need? So far we have 2 AVOmeters.



Two Sangamos of a similar era/size.

And the behemoth.





Weighs about 12 kilos. Much of which is the case.

Bit harsh to chuck them out, no?

 

[Malc2098]

I remember my radio engineers using them to mend my Pye Westminster!

 

[Lurker]

I know that I am an old git, but I feel more confident seeing a needle move.

I have one that was chucked out at work a good 20 years ago.
Still use it sometimes .

 

[9fingers]

Those meters are collectable items amongst the right group of people.

There are still some jobs that an analogue meter excels at such as adjusting for a maximum or minimum reading.
Quite difficult on a digital meter.

Bob

 

[RogerS]

I know that I am an old git, but I feel more confident seeing a needle move.

I have one that was chucked out at work a good 20 years ago.
Still use it sometimes .

Mine is sitting on my desk as I type !

 

[DaveL]

I still have an AVO model 7 stored away, the model 8 was always the one to have. I have an amplifier repair book that gives voltage levels all taken with a model 8.

 

[9fingers]

I still have an AVO model 7 stored away, the model 8 was always the one to have. I have an amplifier repair book that gives voltage levels all taken with a model 8.

Yup! Model 8 sitting on my bench here.

Bob

 

[Tiresias]

, the model 8 was always the one to have. I have an amplifier repair book that gives voltage levels all taken with a model 8.

This one?



A Mk V I believe (as if I knew anything about it)....

 

[DaveL]

, the model 8 was always the one to have. I have an amplifier repair book that gives voltage levels all taken with a model 8.

This one?



A Mk V I believe (as if I knew anything about it)....

That is a desirable item, not to be dumped!

 

[9fingers]

Indeed it is desirable

Mine is a mk2 with the earlier layout.






Bob

 

[Woodbloke]

As a Plessey apprentice in the 60's, I used those things more or less every every day, but I haven't seen one now for decades. I recollect that they had to be checked and re-callibrated every so often 'in house' - Rob

 

[AJB Temple]

Saleable to people / firms who accumulate props for film sets. Ideal set dressing for war films etc.

 

[AndyT]

A quick search of sold items on eBay shows Avo 8s from £200 down to under a tenner for an "untested" ie not working one.
Plenty at around £40. A shame to bin it when there's still demand but clearing someone's estate is the sort of job that could take over your life if you let it.

 

[9fingers]

Saleable to people / firms who accumulate props for film sets. Ideal set dressing for war films etc.

True but they do have real uses still for jobs not practicable with a digital meter.

Bob

 

[John Brown]

I used to have a model 7, and a Multiminor.
Sold them both a few years back. I agree that a nicely damped ballistic movement can be really useful. Sometimes I wish I'd kept the model 7, but the Multiminor was pretty basic.

 

[John Brown]

I still have a couple of moving coil meters, but I only use them for telling the time.

 

[Dr.Al]

I used to use AVOs when I was at university and loved them. I've wanted one ever since but never been able to justify the cost to myself.

 

[Pete Maddex]

I have 4 AVOs all 8 and about the same number digital ones.

DSC_0290 by pete maddex, on Flickr

Pete