Innova 3320 Auto-ranging Digital Multimeter Review
Editor Rating: 4.3/5
Great Product
Innova 3320 Multimeter
Reviewed by: Timothy Henderson
Published on: February 28, 2017
Last modified:
- Design
- Functionality
- Price
Review Summary:
Digital multimeters are almost mandatory nowadays. You cannot measure or test anything regarding electricity without a good multimeter, especially if you’re dealing with sensitive automotive electronics. For example, if you wanted to purchase a quality unit twenty years ago, you had to spend several hundreds of dollars. However, thanks to the modern technology, these instruments are affordable and accessible today.
The main question is – which one should you buy. Thankfully, we are here to give you a full insight into the functions and features of the Innova 3320, and if you find it interesting, you don’t have to research any further. On the other hand, if you want a product with different features, feel free to check out our other reviews, you’ll certainly find a multimeter that suits your needs.
Innova 3320 – The Basics
This particular unit is great for both professional electricians and people who want to add a quality instrument to their toolkit. One of the most important elements of this device is its versatility. In simpler words, you can use it both for sensitive readings during serious projects, or simply as a DIY enthusiast for checking the batteries and devices around your household. It packs more than enough features to tackle any analysis regarding capacitance, frequency, voltage, current, and more.
The large digital display offers crystal-clear information. One of the neat things about the Innova 3320 is its battery tester. However, it’s not a usual one which only checks the voltage. This one places the battery under a slight load and checks the level. You’ll see three LED lights on the front of the multimeter, and each represents a certain level. The kickstand is a neat addition, but it’s not well-accepted because it interferes with the wrist strap on the back of the unit.
Although the features seem pretty basic, you can rest assured that this is a precise and accurate instrument.
The Features
Battery Tester
Although it’s a usual feature in many automotive multimeters, it’s slightly different in this one. Instead of just checking the voltage of a battery, it also checks the state by putting it under a slight load. It has three LED lamps (green, yellow, and red) on the front of the casing with three symbols which represent the level of the battery. As you can see, it’s a great addition to an already versatile instrument.
The wide range
One of the unique features of Innova 3320 is its vast range. It measures up to 200MA of AC and ten amps of DC, which is an unusually wide range for multimeters in this category. Most people need a multimeter to measure DC, and it’s rarely used for measuring AC values. The important thing about the range is consistency. However, many people have said that this is one of the most consistent meters on the market, and that’s because of its wide range.
Big, and legible screen
The giant screen is one of the crucial parts of this automotive multimeter, and it makes it easy to read all of the numbers, symbols, and marks on the screen. The backlight allows you to read the values even in dark environments.
Auto shut off
While it’s a standard feature in most multimeters, it’s still worth pointing it out. The auto shut off functions saves time and most importantly – money. Many people simply forget to turn off their tool after use. While it may not draw a lot of power, you could still drain the whole battery in a couple of days. However, there’s no need to worry about that if you have the auto shut off feature available. It will turn the device off after 15 minutes of inactivity and preserve battery life.
The design and protection
The Innova 3320 comes with a rubber mask with two molded holders for the test leads. The overall design is great. The guys from Innova managed to integrate a bunch of useful features into a small and compact device, which is pretty impressive. Although the molded holders aren’t a groundbreaking feature, they come in handy, especially if your leads always end up tangled.
The unit has a wrist strap and a kickstand as well. As we said, many people find it unusual because both of these interfere with each other, but it’s a solvable issue because you probably won’t use both at the same time.
Low battery warning
In addition to the auto shut off option, this unit also has a low battery warning. The concept is pretty self-explanatory; it will give you a timely notification to replace the batteries. While it seems like a pretty ordinary feature, it comes in handy in tight situations and urgent projects. .
Who can use this multimeter?
The brilliant thing about this automotive multimeter is that it can be used by anyone, as long as you know the basics. Professionals love its versatility and precision, and DIY enthusiasts appreciate its ease of use. As you can see, there is something for everyone in the Innova 3320, from complex functions to simple features such as the voltage checker.
If you’re looking for a decent unit with a good number of additional options, this might be the one.
Pros:
Affordable
Versatile
Precise
Compact
Color-coded LEDs for testing the battery
Cons:
Annoying beeps when the auto shutdown option gets activated
The kickstand is poorly designed
Things we didn’t like about it
While it’s a pretty neat unit overall, it doesn’t come without a few disadvantages. Although most of them aren’t a deal-breaking issue, it’s still good to mention what we didn’t like about this product, so you can know what to expect from it.
First of all, the kickstand isn’t well-designed. Although it does its job, the position is not optimal because it stands between the wrist strap and the casing. So, whenever you want to put the unit in a vertical position, you’re going to have a few difficulties. However, it’s easily solvable, and you’ll get used to it.
The lack of ability to test AC above 200 milliamps seems to bother a lot of people. However, this “lack of power” affects you only if you’re a professional and you plan to measure circuits above 200 milliamps AC. If you’re an occasional user, this downside doesn’t affect you at all.
The last thing is a minor nuisance, but it’s still worth mentioning it. The auto off feature is accompanied by a loud series of five beeps which can be quite annoying after a while, especially under peculiar circumstances, for example, if you’re in an area with high voltage. Sudden and unarticulated moves can have fatal consequences.
The FAQ
Is this automotive multimeter hard to use?
Not at all. Even if you never had an opportunity to use a multimeter before, a comprehensive user manual will help you to master the basics.
I am looking for a multimeter to test the battery of my boat. Will this unit dial down to low enough amps to diagnose the issue?
Yes, it can. You can test and troubleshoot boat, car, and other batteries with the Innova 3320. Remember to set the right value and null the meter.
What is the lowest Ohm reading of this unit?
It can read down to 0.001 Ohms. However, you probably won’t use more than two decimals.
What fuse does it use?
It uses a 315mA, 250V 5×20 mm fuse.
Why is the battery tester useful? Doesn’t every multimeter read battery voltages?
The advantage of the battery tester feature is that you don’t have to read the voltage to determine the state of 1.5V, 6V, 9V, or 12V batteries, but instead you can hook it on the test leads and see which of the three diodes turns on. They are in red (low), yellow (questionable/low) and green (good) colors.
What do The Users Say?
The users seem pleased with the Innova 3320. The fact that it’s so versatile and suitable for both professionals and beginners makes it one of the top choices in this category. The price is also one of the crucial factors of this unit; it’s affordable, and it won’t damage your budget. Many multimeters cost hundreds of dollars on the market, but most of them have the same features as this one.
However, some users did notice some inconsistencies in the readings, especially in electrically noisy areas. To prevent false readings, make sure to annul the unit before measuring anything.
The Innova 3320 has a 4.3-star rating on Amazon, which is pretty neat, to say the least.
Conclusion
Although it has a few minor disadvantages, this multimeter packs a bunch of useful features and functions. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or a professional electrician, you’ll certainly find this product useful.
When you’re buying a multimeter, you need to pay attention to three crucial things – versatility, precision, and ease of use. This particular one fulfills these three conditions, and that’s what makes it worth checking out.
