MJLorton Solar Power and Electronic Measurement Equipment Forum

Product Reviews => Product Reviews => Topic started by: woodguy60 on July 11, 2014, 09:36:12 AM

Title: uk multimeter
Post by: woodguy60 on July 11, 2014, 09:36:12 AM

Hi I live in Barbados and will be going to the uk in a few week time
i am hoping to purchase a multimeter when there.
not looking for a  high cost top of the line meter
but on the other hand not crap.
can anyone suggest  brand and model number i can look for?
thanks paul

Title: Re: uk multimeter
Post by: ProBang2 on July 11, 2014, 11:49:50 PM

Hello.

It is nearly impossible to give an useful recommendation without any informations.
Perhaps it can be useful to answer the following questions:

• How much money you want to spend?
• Would you like to buy a benchtop or a handheld multimeter?
• A new or a used one?
• In which environment the multimeter would be used (i.e. more working outdoors or in the laboratory)?
  
• How necessary is an advanced input protection (i.e. will you frequently work at the mains)?
• You need high accurate measurements with high resolution (e.g. for making electronic design)?
• How necessary is data-logging?

Title: Re: uk multimeter
Post by: woodguy60 on July 12, 2014, 09:49:56 AM

money i want to spend around 60 pounds.
benchtop or handheld
new or used ok with me.
only for indoor work
very seldom will be working on the mains
about accurate measurements. i own a cnc machine  so will be using this meter for trouble shooting
also looking to build a controller for my cnc.
also will be exprementing  with building other control circuits
Thanks Probang
paul

Title: Re: uk multimeter
Post by: Mr Eastwood on July 14, 2014, 07:16:27 AM

Quote from: woodguy60 on July 12, 2014, 09:49:56 AM

money i want to spend around 60 pounds.
benchtop or handheld
new or used ok with me.
only for indoor work
very seldom will be working on the mains
about accurate measurements. i own a cnc machine  so will be using this meter for trouble shooting
also looking to build a controller for my cnc.
also will be exprementing  with building other control circuits
Thanks Probang
paul

What about PWM duty cycle for motor control and RPMs for rotation speeds maybe temperature might be helpful; that might push you towards a more automotive biased one maybe?

Title: Re: uk multimeter
Post by: ProBang2 on August 05, 2014, 01:58:58 AM

Hello Paul.

I don´t know, if it still interests. And I´m sorry: I don´t know anything about electronic- stores in England.
That´s why my suggestion is more general.

IMO it´s most useful for you to get the following items together.

My suggestion:

Item DMM Uni-T UT61E DMM DT-830B Component-Tester Total

Price 41.00 GBP   2.72 GBP   9.69 GBP 53.41 GBP

Reasons:

Uni-T UT61E - Best bang per buck with 22000 counts resolution, TRMS, Data- logging capability and 0.1% basic accuracy.
Source:http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNI-T-UT-61E-Digital-Multimeters-UT61E-/221043306594?pt=UK_Mobile_Phones_Communication_Radio_Meters&hash=item3377353062 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNI-T-UT-61E-Digital-Multimeters-UT61E-/221043306594?pt=UK_Mobile_Phones_Communication_Radio_Meters&hash=item3377353062)

DT-830B - Really an "El Cheapo" DMM. But it is quite handy if two measurements at the same time are needed, e.g. Volt and Ampere for determining of power-consumption.
Be aware: Using with high power circuits is dangerous!!!
Source: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Portable-Ammeter-Voltmeter-Handheld-Tester-Ohmmeter-LCD-Digital-Multimeter-/400732719989?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item5d4d880b75 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Portable-Ammeter-Voltmeter-Handheld-Tester-Ohmmeter-LCD-Digital-Multimeter-/400732719989?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item5d4d880b75)

Component- Tester - Quite useful tool for testing and identifying stuff.
Source: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ESR-Meter-Transistor-Tester-NPN-PNP-Mosfet-Thyristor-Diode-Resistor-Capactior-/171368601308?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item27e65d56dc

Yes, all this stuff comes from Hongkong. Actually you could order it in Barbados...

Further Informations:

There are four videos from the owner of this forum about the UT61E. Link to the first:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz6CYDRl1M8

And one about the DT-830B:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL3NqkzvZ8o

And a video about the component tester, made by Steve Wagner:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztpVMtsVF68

Additional comment to the videos:
 
The marking with the "CE"- sign is meaningless. It seems independed tested. It´s not! The manufacturer claims only, to meet the specs and marks it self. Safety is only independently checked with the "UL- listed"- marking (USA) or the "GS"- sign (Germany). Perhaps there are some others, I don´t know. BTW: The UT-61E is available as a german version with the "GS"-sign. It has a better input protection (bigger HRC-Fuses, spark- gap and so on) as the international version. Also it will delivered with the USB- cable instead the RS232- Connection. But it´s more expensive...
For example, a link to the german version:
http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/MzU2OTYxOTk-/Messtechnik_Uhren/Messtechnik/Multimeter/RMS_Digital_Multimeter_UNI_T_UT61E.html (http://www.pollin.de/shop/dt/MzU2OTYxOTk-/Messtechnik_Uhren/Messtechnik/Multimeter/RMS_Digital_Multimeter_UNI_T_UT61E.html)
(74,95 € ~ 60 GBP + shipping and hard to get outside of Germany.)

Variation:

If you have no need for a component- tester or if you can spend a little more then 60 pounds,
then go for the Digitec DT-2843R as second DMM (instead of the DT-830B).

Reason:

It will adding functions, which the UT61E is lacking.

• Backlight
• Temperature
• MaxMin Function (UT61E has Peak- Max Min)
• AC+DC TRMS (The UT61E can´t do that)

Link to video, made by LightAges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eDWb7qkx4A

Source: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digitek-DT-2843R-AC-DC-True-RMS-Multimeter-with-Backlight-and-Temperature-/171080136251

All in all it is difficult to find a DMM that can do everything. Especially in this price range.
But I think, my suggestions have a wide range of functionality and fulfill your requirements.

Greetings,

Hartmut