- 2026
- Jan
- 15
The Sabtronics 2010A DVM Part 1: Checkout and observations.
I purchased this meter at Dayton 2024 on Sunday. It was still in the box, had all documentation with it, and was in excellent condition save that the seller said it had one segment in the display out. I couldn’t pass it up for $20, considering it’s both that awesome 1970s blue and has some historical interest.
Sabtronics was a company that appeared in the 1970s. Based in Texas, they were pretty much the first company that offered a hobbyist priced digital voltmeter you could either buy as a kit or assembled. It offered 3 1/2 digits of precision, was fully calibratable by the end user, and even offered an optional True RMS module. Sabtronics offered other devices - frequency counters, signal generators, etc. - essentially your entire test lineup, all made in the USA for reasonable prices. The stuff even ran on batteries, if you so desired.
Unfortunately, the coming of the Japanese meters and equipment did them in, as they were unable to compete with prices offered for imported junk. Isn’t that a familiar story?
(I’ll post pictures of the box and the documents ASAP, I need to dig them out of their hiding spot!)
Here’s the front of the meter, and you can definitely see there’s a segment out.
This segment did work for a while, so I assume there’s something inside the LED package that’s broken.
The top is that lovely blue.
Inside is clean. There’s a spot for some extra parts. The displays are on their own board on a long ribbon, which should make replacement easy.
In the back is a battery holder. It’s broken, of course - that cheap plastic wasn’t very good no matter where it was built. It gets old and brittle. Was this why the device was retired?
These do have the option to run on 10VDC (!) which is a very odd voltage. I have a power adapter from another Sabtronics unit, which is what I’m running it on.
The back is normally covered by a cover that has a slide latch. I noticed that it didn’t set in the hole well, I assume due to age and plastic changing over the years. Attempting to put it back in made it crack, which is probably why every other Sabtronics device I’ve seen is missing the cover. I probably will reattach this piece with some extra plastic and glue, remove the battery holder, and permanently attach the cover. I don’t need to run this on batteries.
Ignore the extra parts, those are from the Simpson 715 that’s on the bench beside this guy.
So, does this thing work? Sure does, although I’m not sure if it’s correct.
One (or both) of those meters is wrong. I’m not sure who, but I’ll take the Sabtronics in to work and check it with our voltage calibrator. As for the display, I have some of the proper Fairchild displays on order from a NOS seller. Those should be here soon, stay tuned!
Next part of this series: Coming soon.