Multimeter giveaway for July - Major Tech MT1887 / Extech EX530

[Administrator]

I will be giving away the Major Tech MT1887 / Extech EX530:

The Major Tech MT1887 / Extech EX530 is a 40 000 count multimeter with IP67 dustproof / waterproof rating.

The video review can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZCU_9_xesU

To enter this giveaway (25 July 2012) just post a reply here with:

* Your name:
* The country and city you live in:
* Note one of the issues that I found annoying with the MT1887.
* Upload a picture of your lab...or of yourself and your favorite multimeter...or your backyard or neighborhood.

You can enter all the competitions and giveaways...but you can't win more than once every three months.

Cheers,
Martin.

[retiredcaps]

Does promoting your video back in Jan 2012 count?   

See

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/product-reviews-photos-and-discussion/choices-choices-(multimeters-again)/msg82027/#msg82027

From Alberta, Canada.  Photo to follow when it is daylight and not raining.

PS.  The answer is also in the above post.

[birrbert]

One of the issues you found annoying with this multimeter was that the digital screen's update rate is slow, only twice second to be precise. The same applies to the analog bar graph.

Name: Róbert Biró
Country and city: Romania, Csíkszereda (officially Miercurea Ciuc).
Photo: I work for a small local NGO who's aim is to implement small scale developments in villages, so I would like to show you a photo (attached) of the area which I work in.

Cheers!

[MJLorton]

Does promoting your video back in Jan 2012 count?   

See

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/product-reviews-photos-and-discussion/choices-choices-(multimeters-again)/msg82027/#msg82027

From Alberta, Canada.  Photo to follow when it is daylight and not raining.

PS.  The answer is also in the above post.

LOL! Yes...that 59 minute video ;-)
Answer noted...look forward to the picture....good luck.

[MJLorton]

One of the issues you found annoying with this multimeter was that the digital screen's update rate is slow, only twice second to be precise. The same applies to the analog bar graph.

Name: Róbert Biró
Country and city: Romania, Csíkszereda (officially Miercurea Ciuc).
Photo: I work for a small local NGO who's aim is to implement small scale developments in villages, so I would like to show you a photo (attached) of the area which I work in.

Cheers!

Hi Róbert,

Stunning picture....you are a lucky man. Thanks for entering...good luck.

Cheers,
Martin.

[Klas-Kenny]

Name: Jesper Ĺhman
From: Sweden, Ljungby
Annoying about DMM: In the Min-Max-feature it doesn't give any timestamp or duration where the value occured. Nor does it have average.
Latest pic of my lab when it's not a total mess:


As you can see I've got to few fairly good multimeters 

Cheers!

Edit: By the way, that old scanner to the right isn't a scanner any longer, it's my Sweeping LED-UV-box for PCB-making.
Also, I'm only 18 years old so far without any education in electronics. I'll start my engineer-studies this autumn though.

[angelico]

Hello,

Name: Paulo Angélico
Londrina, PR - Brazil

The fragility of the selector is the biggest problem for me.
The low refresh rate of the bar graph is also a point to make.

My lab in Brazil. I am a physics teacher.



I build low cost experiments to use in teaching physics.
I also build antennas for reception of shortwave and medium wave.
My blog: pibiduel.wordpress.com

[AB1BE]

One of the issues that you found annoying with this multimeter is the slow response of the continuity buzzer.

Name: Ken Williams
Country and city: Merrimack, NH, USA
Photos: My backyard in winter and summer

[mcinku]

*  Mirc Cinku
* Slovenia, Skofja Loka
* Display update

[Roberto]

Name: Roberto Pratti

country and city: Serra - ES / Brazil

Don’t have the option to change the duration of the back light, and the same button integrates “HOLD” and BACK LIGHT functions.

Photos: Future lab of my father and me (if my Mother don't change of idea).
 

My multimeters and my new Rigol DS1052E Oscilloscope.

[Tangent_tracker]

My Name Oliver King (ollyk22 on youtube)
I live in Stockport, UK
An annoying feature in the video was the fact that the grommets and test leads were difficult to manipulate.
My bench...

[Vilberts]

Hi Martin,

Atis Kozulis
Latvia, Ikskile

You didn't seem to be annoyed , but if I have to choose (something that could) I'd bet on a general response time - slow (measurement display, bar graph, continuity); IP67 could be ignored and selector - as long as it works.

My favorite/everyday multimeter - UNI-T ^(R) MY-68 (I wish I could trust what's written on it, but ..., looking for something trustworthy)

Cheers!

[ntydk]

Hello Martin,

* Norman Yeung

* Concord, California USA

* Note one of the issues that I found annoying with the MT1887.
Since one of the advantages of this meter is weather proof, the condition of the O ring seals are definitley critical to the meter.

My opinion:
The location of the fuses can be better. The O ring seals are subjected to the risk of being not tight seal again after separation, especially when closing the case by applying improper or uneven torque (mostly likely not to the manufacturer specification) to the self tapping screws. This also will accelerate the deterioration of the seals if not handle properly.

My suggestion:
At least relocate the 0.5A fuse next to the battery compartment with easy access or upgrade the 0.5A ceramic fuse to a resettable fuse to avoid opening the case and tamapering the factory seals. 

* Upload a picture of my lab:

Thanks for sharng.

[DaveXRQ]

Hey Martin, your videos are quite nice to watch actually, that's what i like about your videos, no not that, it's that you can speak in a engaging manner but makes me think twice about hitting 'close tab'

Name : Dave Seether
Country Of Residence : Singapore



Generally your biggest bugbear with the Extech is that you do not like the slow update rate and the "analog" bargraph is painfully slow.

My opinion? :
Well , they could have used the same chipset as Uni-T but obviously they can't so they are out of luck
the self tappers and the O-rings make a "darwinian" moment because soon enough the self tappers will chew the case for dinner

My suggestion ! :
Machined brass inserts and normal metal threaded screws is best
They need to find a faster chipset, the UT61E is claimed to be around 1-2 updates per second in the datasheet but it looks like it is pretty fast, so yes, same for the "analog" bargraph
Still a nice meter anyway, just a little weird design as with all extech's but it's okay in my eyes ( of the beholder )

Here's a picture of my lab and my favourite meter of course the UT61E alongside a minipa ET-845 and oddly a wavetek DM5XL but ah well will get a used APPA 96 and most possibly a YH-187 and another UT61E plus a VC99 and also a U1252 down the road, and also a Tek DMM830 if i can find one at a steal

But heck, still a good meter

In my town, it would be impossible to find a good extech or a good meter like the UT61E and not expect it to be outrageously overpriced
(i found a UT10A but it was like 18USD so figure it out, and the most decent meter easily found is the UT33A the other brands are shit, and so move up to either fluke, agilent, or other ancient meters)


Indecent exposure ... talking about phone cameras

[omarhussein]

Hi,

Omar Hussein. From London, UK. You found the fact that it did not time stamp the Min / Max values annoying and it does not have an average value.