Friday 1 July 2011

The best multimeter probes I own

Are made from the worst probes I used to own!



These were a very chap set of leads that I wouldn't have trusted for anything HV, so by removing the tips and connecting sharp pogo pins they now have a new life.

They are now dedicated to low voltage board work only (I don't think anyone would try sticking a pogo pin in the power point!) and will easily probe directly to the pins of small parts like SSOP ICs - the spring in the pin always applies a slight pressure making it amazingly easy to keep the probe in place while working with one hand!

The pogo pins were fluxed and then soldered directly, but pin receptacles would probably be even better as you could then replace blunt tips.



You can buy these probes commercially from Pomona and others, but they are very cheap and easy when you have a few spare pins laying around!

Pin size compared to SOIC-8 footprint