Amprobe AM-530 Multimeter Review

amprobe-am-530

Editor Rating: 4.4/5

Excellent

Amprobe AM-530 Multimeter

Reviewed by: Timothy Henderson

Last modified: Jul 21, 2022 @ 3:11 pm

  • Design
  • Functionality
  • Price

Amprobe AM-530 Review Summary:

A multimeter is a mandatory tool for people who like keeping things under control and are in the business closely related to electricity. As we all know, 99% of businesses include electricity in some shape or form. In fact, everything runs on electricity nowadays. Whether you’re a professional or an amateur, you should consider purchasing a multimeter for your household, especially if you have sensitive electronics such as computers, TVs, digital thermostats.

A sudden peak of high voltage could easily break the sensitive parts inside an expensive unit. To prevent these things from happening, take a closer look at this review, and you might find this product interesting and worth checking out. One thing you should remember is that these devices come with an affordable price, which means you won’t have to calculate your budget limits much.

Amprobe AM-530 – The Basics


This particular multimeter is suitable both for professionals and amateurs. It may look complex and hard to use, but it isn’t. As long as you follow the basic rules of handling a tool like this, you should be able to take full advantage of it.

The Amprobe AM-530 comes with a lot of useful features. It is used to measure and determine the voltage and help to perform adequate repairs, troubleshoot equipment, find blown fuses, connect equipment, and more.

The Features


True RMS


This option is one of the most important ones found in quality multimeters. It improves accuracy in environments with a lot of electrical noise. Many meters from previous generations don’t have this option, and it makes people question the precision of the reading. If you’re not familiar with the term “electrical noise,” it can be defined as an undesirable electrical signal which interferes with the “original” signal or a wave and messes up the reading.

The flashlight


As with the battery life indicator, many people also think the light feature is either redundant or not impressive at all. However, it can be extremely useful. For example, if you lose all power in your house and don’t have any lighting, you can still troubleshoot a fuse panel without additional flashlights and candles around. All you have to do is push a button, and you’ll get a bright LED light beam.

Auto-sensing


The auto-sensing feature is especially useful for people who aren’t experts in this field. It enables the meter to recognize the input and switch to the correct mode. Without it, you could easily choose the wrong input mode and break the sensitive electronic parts or get inaccurate readings.

The battery life indicator


Although this feature doesn’t seem important, it’s very useful in emergency situations. This product won’t suddenly stop working, like the ones without a battery life indicator. Instead, you’ll get a warning to change your batteries soon.

The non-contact voltage detector


People put a lot of distrust into this feature because no one is used to it. It’s fairly new on the market, but it offers a lot of benefits. It allows you to detect low voltages by hovering with the leads over a particular object. All you have to do is put the device into the NCV mode and wave around the cord or wiring. It also makes an audible beep, which is pretty convenient.

Quick-acting fuse


This feature is a great safety precaution. It helps protect the meter from taking irreparable damage by blowing the inner fuse first. Of course, it also protects you from electric shocks, which are in most cases fatal.

Data hold


The Amprobe AM-530 has a function to save your data if you’re unable to write it down immediately. Although it’s not packed with an impressive amount of internal memory, it’s still quite useful, especially for emergencies.

Auto-Off feature


This one is pretty self-explanatory. It turns itself off after a certain time of inactivity and saves battery life.

Who can use the Amprobe AM-530?


Because it’s very easy to get a hold of this unit, anyone who knows the basics can use it without much hassle. The functions are comprehensive, and there are no complicated menus or redundant buttons, everything is straightforward.

If you’re a professional, you’ll find a bunch of useful features such as NCV or data-hold. However, if you need it for home use, you never have to activate those functions in the first place. The most important thing is that these auxiliary features don’t stand in the way or interfere with the normal use of this multimeter, which means even beginners can use it without being confused with all the bonus options.

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Pros:

N

Easy to use

N

Affordable

N

 A lot of additional features for professional electricians

N

Lightweight

N

Durable and sturdy

Cons:

N

No casing included

N

Short metal ends on the leads

N

No magnetic strap (although it has a retractable kickstand)

Things we didn’t like about this unit


There aren’t too many disadvantages of this product, but there are still things that need to be mentioned because some people simply might not like them.

The first thing you’ll notice is the shortness of probe ends. Many other probes come with a tip that’s at least half-inch long. These look very stubby and underwhelming. The short probe ends can be a burden if you’re testing something bulky. Also, people simply like longer probes because they’re easier to work with. However, the problem is easily solvable; there are a lot of compatible test leads on Amazon, and they’re pretty affordable.

There is no case for this unit. Although it says on Amazon that the carrying case is included with the package, a lot of people got their units without one. This downside may seem irrelevant, but it’s still something that many people need. So, even if you see a “carrying casing included” – don’t expect one.

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Amprobe AM-530 FAQs

Does the Amprobe AM-530 have an auto-sensing feature?

Yes, it does. It helps a lot, especially if you’re not an expert. You won’t have to set the mode manually; the unit does that for you.

Does it come with the leads or do I have to buy them separately?

Yes, it does come with a pair of leads. It is a standard set of red and black leads. However, due to the shortness of the metal tips, we advise buying an extra pair.

Does the Amprobe AM-530 have an overload protection?

Yes, this unit does have an overload protection. There are two fuses included, a 0.5 amp and a 1 amp fuse.

What are the dimensions of this product?

The dimensions are – 7″ x 3 ½” x 1.75″

Is this a complicated tool?

Not at all. As long as you know the basics of handling multimeters, you won’t have an issue with this one.

What Users Say About The Amprobe AM-530?


People who bought this unit are quite pleased with it. Although it does have a few minor downsides, most of them are easily solvable. It’s popular among users because it’s straightforward and affordable. The Amazon ratings are also pretty good. It has a 4.4-star rating out of 5, which is quite impressive, to say the least. It also holds the number 25 spot in the “current testers” category.

On the other hand, the professionals are very pleased with the Amprobe AM-530 because of its additional features. Many of the other multimeters don’t have a data hold or flashlight function. While these features may seem redundant or unnecessary, they come in handy in many tight situations.

Conclusion


The fact that this unit has a 4.4-star rating says a lot about its quality. It’s durable, consistent, and most importantly – precise. Multimeters need to have a high rate of precision to stay relevant, because a lot of professionals measure small currents, especially in modern circuit boards. The difference between a good and bad unit is in its precision and resolution. This one has grade-A components which allow precise readings and dependable data.

Bear in mind, this meter doesn’t come with a magnetic strap but instead has a kickstand which can be retracted from the casing. It’s a similar thing, but most people are used to magnetic straps, so it’s worth mentioning that this multimeter doesn’t come with one. This unit also has a display backlight which comes in handy in dark environments.

We didn’t like the included leads at all. It’s probably the only major thing we weren’t impressed with. We can’t say they’re unusable, but you should seriously consider buying a pair of extra leads with a longer metal tip. They aren’t expensive at all, and you’ll have a much better experience with longer metal tips, so we strongly advise buying a pair.

Of course, don’t forget about the safety and precautionary measures whenever you’re dealing with electricity. We all know that even the slightest error can have fatal consequences. Always make double checks before dealing with current, regardless of its intensity, because even small voltages may have a sufficient amount of amps to be fatal for humans.

Amprobe am530 conclusion

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