Can you test DCC VOLTS/AMPS with any old cheap multimeter?

How well does an el cheapo multimeter compare to an RRAmpMeter crafted specifically for DCC? Many modelers might "cheap out" and think a bargain basement multimeter is good enough for DCC, so let's test that theory.

MRH Staffer Jeff compares an RRAmpMeter to just such an inexpensive "hack" multimeter when measuring DCC volts/amps just to see. Find out the results in this video and in Jeff's article in the September issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine (FREE).

Please note this is not intended to be the definitive rigorous video on how to test DCC current and voltage with extreme accuracy. This is to show what modelers "going on the cheap" may try to do using a low-ball multimeter as compared to a product specifically designed to measure the DCC signal. If you've ever wondered how this DCC-specific product compares to a cheap "hack" multimeter, here's an example.

If you want rigorous scientific and highly accurate "laboratory" type comparison testing, this video does not show that. This video deliberately shows the hack approach modelers trying to go it on the cheap might do. In the future, we'll publish a more professional analysis, so watch for it.

If you wish to discuss this video or comment on it, please join the discussion over at the MRH website using the link below.