review – Every once in a while, a product emerges that is amazingly innovative, very functional, and meets a huge demand. I’m my family’s go-to person for all tech and have long been looking for a meter that I can carry unobtrusively. The Volty voltmeter from PC Doodle allows me to do just that! Volty, where have you been all your life!
What is it?
Volty is a miniature DC measurement tool with a voltage range of 2.5 to 30 volts designed to fit Leatherman ¼” Multitool Flat drill holder, or can be hung on a keychain, necklace or tucked into a purse.
Hardware Specifications
- Measures 2.5 to 30 volts DC
- Gold plated contacts
- Waterproof, but cannot be used when wet
- 35.3 x 7.4 x 3.1 mm (1.4 x .28 x .12 in)
- Weight: Too light for my scale (a few grams I guess)
What’s in this box?
- Volty in a silver plastic bag
- Instructions with link to YouTube Renovation Instructional Videos
Design and Features
About a week ago, The-Gadgeteer published a news article about a miniature DC voltmeter here. I’ve had the pleasure of using Volty for the past few weeks and I’ve been very impressed. This little booger is so slippery!
Volty comes in a silver pouch containing a padded envelope.
It’s super small!
Here’s how the Volty compares to a standard Leatherman flat drill.
I tried weighing the Volty on my scale, but it was too light for the 0.1 ounce resolution of my scale. In comparison, I would say it’s lighter than nickel. You’ll never notice it on a pocket or keyring, but be careful – I can attest they’re easy to lose. I bought the second one after misplacing the first 🙂!
Volty is not limited to use in Leatherman tools. If your favorite tool has a ¼-inch drill socket, the Volty can be trimmed to fit it. here is a video showing the assembly process.
After trimming, the flat bit holder spring engages the groove on the side of the Volty and holds it securely.
To use the Volty installed in the tool, the body of the tool will be the negative terminal. Of course, the body of the tool needs to be conductive. The gold tip on the Volty is the positive connection.
Don’t have a multitool? no problem! There is a small hole in the body, which can be hung on the key chain. If your key is metal, you can even use your key to bridge to the negative terminal of the battery. This method of carrying the Volty is great for preventing loss!
Before proceeding, please note: Do not attempt to use the Volty on a DC or AC circuit higher than 30 volts. If you do, at least the Volty may be damaged. In the worst case you can burn down your house or kill yourself, so for God’s sake know what you’re doing and be careful! Measuring low voltages should not endanger life or property, but if in doubt, consult a professional.
Volty is a super simple to use device. Using any conductor, connect the negative terminal of the power supply to anywhere on the Volty gold tail. Next, touch the positive connection of the power supply with the prong.
This is where the Volty fits comfortably inside my Leatherman Charge TTI.
I was happy to find that the handle closed completely after storing the Volty.
The input range is 2.5 to 30 VDC. If you want to know if your voltage is in the correct range, check the battery or power supply. Many rechargeable devices are within the Volty’s range, but it cannot measure single-cell 1.5-volt batteries such as AA, AAA, C, and D batteries. However, it can measure the voltage of two of the cells in series (wow, yes!).
I interviewed Derek Traxler, who prefers to be called the “chief mentor” of the small company in Minneapolis, Minnesota, computer doodle, the designer and manufacturer of Volty. He explained that the voltage limitation is mainly due to the complexity of fitting components into such a tiny package and the voltage required to successfully turn on the LED. He is continuing to develop another version capable of measuring voltages below 3 volts. If he is successful, I will definitely be a returning customer!
There are two LEDs (red and green) on the circuit side of the Volty. Once connected, the LEDs will alternately flash for a few seconds. After a brief pause, the green LED blinks every 10 volts, (10 blinks, 20 blinks twice – you get the idea). Another short pause, then the red and green LEDs flash together (the color looks yellow because the LEDs are close together), for every 1VDC increase, there’s another pause, then only the red LED flashes once every 0.1 volts. For example – 24.6 DC voltage would be two green flashes, four red and green flashes, and six red flashes. Just count the flashes and add them together, ten, one and tenths. nothing! here is a video showing how to use the tool.
If Volty remains connected, the same sequence is repeated, flashing alternately, green for ten, green and red for one, and red for tenths. This is a nice feature for monitoring slowly falling voltages.
Inside small circuits, the resistive load of the Volty is small, so the measurement should be relatively accurate. For perspective, I have other meters that measure voltage but have no load. In some cases, the battery can test fine, but when it’s put into the device, it quickly fails because it can’t supply voltage at the load current. Volty does a great job here. In my tests, I removed an old 3-volt coin cell battery from the drawer to replace the dead battery in the watch. Before completing the task of disassembling the watch, a quick Volty test of the battery showed it was as low as 2.4 volts. Thank you PC Doodle – you saved me from having to take my watch apart twice or run around the house trying to remember what I did with my Fluke multimeter. Volty is there when I need it!
what do I like
- Ultra-small carry-on size
- Cheap
what would i change
- Eventually I would like to see a version with a wider voltage range
final thoughts
The Volty isn’t going to replace a multimeter, but the size and shape to carry around is something I’ve been looking for for a long time. Are you that handy guy who is constantly asked to “see” that gadget for your family and friends? Are you a technician who just needs to know if that solar panel is generating electricity? Is your car battery dead, or just pretending? If these are questions you might be asking yourself, you need Volty! This product is amazing!
Price: $25
where to buy: computer doodle
resource: The samples for this review were purchased from PC Doodle for personal use.
