Adam Savage Tests His Very First Multimeter!
Adam Savage shares the story of his first multimeter purchase in the early 1990s, explaining how this Fluke meter became an essential tool in his shop for 35+ years. He demonstrates the audible continuity feature, which he uses for 95% of his electrical troubleshooting needs.
Summary
Adam Savage presents a personal story about acquiring his first multimeter, a beaten-up Fluke device he bought for $65 at the Foothill College ham radio electronic swap meet in the early 1990s when he was building his first shop in San Francisco's Bay View. He describes the swap meet as an incredible hub of Silicon Valley innovation where numerous Fortune 100 startups likely sourced components. Despite having to save up for the purchase, Savage never regretted buying the meter and used it for decades, though he admits to underusing its full capabilities. He focuses primarily on demonstrating the audible continuity feature, which allows users to test if electrical circuits are complete while devices are unpowered. Using a simple breadboard demonstration, he shows how the meter beeps when a circuit is complete and goes silent when broken. Savage credits this single feature with solving about 95% of his electrical troubleshooting problems across car repairs, home repairs, and electronics work. After 25 years with his original meter, he upgraded to a newer Fluke model that has served him well for another decade. He emphasizes that while Fluke may not have been targeting young makers like himself in the 1980s and 90s, the company now offers more accessible tools for beginning makers and those starting their careers.
Key Insights
- Savage argues there are tools you won't discover organically in your trade - someone has to tell you about them, with multimeters being his prime example
- Savage claims the Foothill College ham radio swap meet was such a significant hub that probably half a dozen Fortune 100 startups were built from components found there in the 80s and 90s
- Savage reveals he primarily underused his multimeter, mainly relying on the audible continuity feature despite the device having thousands of other capabilities
- Savage states that audible continuity testing solves about 95% of the electrical problem-solving he needs to do in his shop
- Savage suggests that while Fluke likely wasn't targeting young makers like himself in the 80s and 90s, the company now specifically considers beginning makers in their product development
Topics
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to Access