9 Best Panel Meters for 2021
Panel meters are an essential tool that helps maintain equipment in many industries. They are widely used in process control equipment; but, there are still other types of panel meters that can be used at home as well.
From engineers to hobbyists, panel meters have always come in as a handy tool that provides a visual countable representation of an input signal. These signals can be a voltage, current, or resistance that are often measured from a sensor which is then displayed in units like speed, frequency, temperature, and so on.
Depending on the application, there are several types of panel meters that you can choose from. In fact, thanks to technological advancement, there are now newly added features that make panel meters modern and less complicated to use.
So with that, we will discuss the different types of panel meters currently available in the market and recommend a few that you can use, either for your hobby or in many industrial uses.
Here is the list we are going to cover:
Digital vs. Analog Panel Meter
One of the most basic types of panel meters is analog meters. This type of device is perfect for students and beginners because it is application-specific and can be used as an ammeter, galvanometer, voltmeter, and so on. Since an analog panel meter’s needle can swing back and forth, it is best used in tracking and monitoring pulses in signals.
There are two types of analog panel meters. The first one is the taut bands which are commonly used in an environment that has high vibrations. It has a suspended moving needle between two ribbons of metals, reducing its friction and making it more sensitive. Pivot & Jewel panel meters, on the other hand, can also withstand high vibrations but are not as accurate as taut bands. Commonly used to measure alternating current (AC), they have a coil and a pointer that is suspended by polished steel and fits into two jewel bearings.
With the innovation in digital technology, analog panel meters have been used less frequently. Engineers and even hobbyists are now turning to digital panel meters because they are more convenient and easier to read.
Digital panel meters display the readings or information from the signal in a numerical form. Given that the readings are displayed like this; it is much easier to track any minimal or slight changes in the signal. This type of panel meter is generally ideal for smoothing out noisy signals since they give you a clear picture of your signal’s modulation.
Unlike analog panel meters, different types of digital panel meters are often distinguished by how they display their readings. Digital panel meters work the same way as any panel meters.
The main advantage of using it is its convenience and usability. You can read the display from afar and in dim or dark places. Apart from that, modern digital panel meters also have added features like setpoints, alarms, and even a data interface that allow you to store and interact with the readings.
So with that, we have listed some of the most recommended digital panel meters from Circuit Specialists.
It is worth mentioning that Circuit Specialists also offers analog panel meters but for the sake of usability and flexibility we would only be recommending different types of digital panel meters in this article.
Recommended digital panel meters – LCD
Miniature LCD Digital Panel Meter – 5V Independent
Item#: CX101B
This miniature digital panel meter is part of the CX101 series from Circuit Specialists that is created through fine workmanship and offers high reliability at an affordable price. The CX101 series is suitable for various situations that require accurate measurement and instrumentation.
The CX101 series are easy to use digital panel meters that are designed to be used with an independent (isolated) ground.
Specifications and Characteristics:
Power: 5V powered, common ground
Accuracy: ± (0.1 % rdg. + 1 dgt.)
Operating Temp: Standard 0 – 50 °C
The CX101B series has 3.5 digits and its decimal point is user selectable. It has a true differential input and reference as its configuration as well as the standard automatic zeroing for any digital panel meter
80-260 Volt 0-20 Amp AC Panel Meter
Part#: AC002
The AC002 is an AC Panel Meter that is both affordable and of high-quality. Its meter can display four electrical parameter measurements (voltage, current, active power, energy) that you can easily switch when you need to. It also has an overload alarm function, setpoint, backlight feature which allows you to see in low-light, and it even stores data when the power is off.
You can also set your own power warning threshold in order to trigger the alarm.
Specifications and Characteristics:
Working voltage: 80 ~ 270 VAC
Test voltage: 80 ~ 270 VAC
Rated power: 20A /4400 W
Operating frequency: 45 – 65 Hz
Measurement accuracy: 1.0 grade
The AC002 is one of the most recommended panel meters for indoor use. This LCD panel meter has a large-screen display function, allowing you to view the reading even from afar.
3-1/2 Digit Dual Display LCD Panel Meter
Item#: HH528
With its large and dual display, you can easily understand the readings even from a distance. This LCD panel meter has a signal that can be imported between the IN and GND connectors.
It has a dual-slope integration A-D converter system and it has an input impedance of 4.7KΩ
Specifications and Characteristics:
Power Supply: 9V DC
Accuracy: ± (0.8% reading + 3.5 digits)
Sampling rate: 2-3/sec
The HH528 has an over-range maximum display of “1” and the DC ranges are as follows
For more information about the HH528, please visit our website.
4-1/2 Digit LCD Panel Meter
Item#: PM-328
This LCD panel meter has so many applications, you can use it as a voltmeter, thermometer, pH Meter, dB Meter, capacitance Meter, Lux Meter, and many more.
It has an over-range indication of “1” and its input impedance is more than 100 mOhms. The decimal points are selectable with wire jumpers and it has an automatic polarity indication for its display
Specifications and Characteristics:
Supply voltage: INDEPENDENT 7 – 12V DC
Accuracy: ± 0.05% (23° + -5°C, <80% RH)
Power Dissipation: 0.5mA DC
Like other digital panel meters, it also has a dual-slope integration A/D converter system that relies on integration. This affordable panel meter has 200.0mV full-scale input sensitivity as well.
Miniature LCD Panel Meter – 9V Independent
Item#: CX101A
Another most recommended LCD panel meter is the CX101A. It is part of the CX101 series of Circuit Specialists that features great usability and high quality at an affordable price. This miniature panel meter’s unmatched performance is the first choice of every hobbyist (and even professionals) for any application that requires instrumentation.
Specifications and Characteristics:
Power: 9V powered
Accuracy: ± (0.1 % rdg. + 1 dgt.)
Operating Temp: Standard 0 – 50 °C
Given that it is part of the CX101 series of Circuit Specialists, it also has 13 connection pins, automatic zeroing, user-selectable decimal point, and a conversion rate of 2.5 per second. It has a true differential input and reference for its configuration and an over-range maximum display of “1.”
Jumbo LCD Panel Meter – 9V Independent Power Supply
Item#: PM-1028A
To finish off this list on LCD panel meters, we would like to recommend PM-328. This digital panel meter offers great usability because of its easy-to-read display. It is suitable for a host of applications and you can use it as a voltmeter, thermometer, capacitance meter, or in many other domestic and industrial uses.
Specifications and Characteristics:
Power supply: 9V Independent
Accuracy: ± 0.05% (23° + -5°C, <80% RH)
Power Dissipation: 1mA DC typical
When you buy the PM-1028A, voltage divider resistors are included and you can even select the measured range just by soldering the selection jointly. Like any other LCD digital panel meter, it also has a selectable decimal point and automatic polarity indication.
With more than 100 MΩ input impedance, you can easily minimize distortion in the signal.
Recommended digital panel meters – LED
LED Digital Panel Meter – 5V Common Ground
Item#: PM-1029B
Like many digital panel meters, the PM-1029B has an auto-zero and auto-polarity function. The decimal point is also user-selectable, allowing you to adjust the display for easy reading. Since it has a bright LED display, it still has great readability under dim or low light settings.
Specifications and Characteristics:
Power Supply: Single 5 Volt Common Ground
Accuracy: ± 0.05% (23° ±5°C, <80% RH)
Power Dissipation: 60 mA DC typical
The PM-1029B is easy to install due to its Bezel Snap-In Design (84mm x 41mm rectangular hole typical). Its high-quality SMT construction also provides great reliability.
It has a dual-slope integration A-D converter system for its measuring method and the reading rate is 2-3 readings per second. The voltage divider resistors are also included and you can just adjust the measured range by soldering the selection jointly.
Red LED Digital Panel Meter, 5V Common Ground
Item#: CX102B
This LED panel meter is part of the CX102 series of Circuit Specialists. Known for their high readability feature, panel meters from the CX102 series are extremely flexible, well-constructed, and at the same time, affordable.
Specifications and Characteristics:
Power: 5V powered, common ground
Accuracy: ± (0.1 % rdg. + 2 dgt.)
Operating Temp: Standard 0 – 50 °C
The CX102B has a true differential input and reference as its configuration. It also has 10 connection pins and you can mount it by the window plug-in with a clip. Like many other digital panel meters, it is automatic zeroing and the decimal point is user-selectable as well.
LED Digital Panel Meter – 9V Independent Power Supply
Item#: PM-1029A
This jumbo-sized LED panel meter is designed to provide high reliability to its users. It is suitable for many applications such as voltmeter, thermometer, pH meter, capacitance meter, and for many other domestic or industrial uses
Specifications and Characteristics:
Power Supply: 9V Independent Power Supply
Accuracy: ± 0.05% (23° ±5°C, <80% RH)
Power Dissipation: 60mA DC typical
With its bright LED display, it is readable even in low light.
The PM-1029A has a dual-slope integration A-D converter system for its measuring method and the reading rate is 2-3 readings per second. It has an over-range indication display of “1” and a max reading of 3.5 digits.
Finding the right panel meter
The digital panel meters that we have listed above are just some of the many panel meters from Circuit Specialists. They also have analog panel meters and even digital temperature displays.
Keep in mind that the digital panel meters that we have cited above can have many different uses.
LCD panel meters have an input sensitivity of as high as 200mV, making them the most responsive panel meters. On the other hand, LED panels use less energy than the conventional LCD and you can also use them in low light because of their bright display.
So before buying any panel meter, you have to determine which type would be best suited for you. You need to look at its specifications and assess whether that certain panel meter would work for you or not.
All in all, you just need to find the right one that is suitable for you and your needs. Since there are several types of panel meters and all of which have different usability, you need to familiarize yourself with the different types and then start looking from there.
To recap, we have discussed the difference between digital and analog panel meters, and we have listed a few recommendations that might be very useful for you.
Choosing the best panel meter can be hard. Hopefully, this list provided some clarity. Be sure to give us a call or email us if you have any questions!
