Multimeter Review / buyers guide: Part 3 - UNI-T UT61E - Look inside

[Monkeh]

OK, I don't understand the big fuss about the voltage rating on the fuses. They are for the A and mA ranges, right? And it's marked clearly on the meter that both ranges are fused at 250V max, i.e. nothing more than the mains power. And those fuses are rated correctly, aren't they? Or am I missing something?

There's a lot of fuss over whether it's compliant with the standards or not, for various reasons. It certainly doesn't live up to the Cat IV rating without replacing the fuses and fitting the missing protection devices (MOVs or spark gaps, the main input resistor needs replacing with something a little more durable), at the least.

However, for the use 99.99% of us intend for this meter, that is, electronics and occasionally very simple electrics (basic home stuff, automotive, etc), none of that matters in the slightest. I don't think anyone on this forum is stupid enough (or has access to, besides supposedly Kiriakos) go poking around the business end of a supply beefy enough to cause a problem.

And as for the last few posts by me and Kiriakos, that's just me taking significant offence at someone criticising a device and attempting to partake in remotely technical discussions when he apparently doesn't have the ability to accurately remember a three digit number which isn't prefixed by the name Fluke or Agilent.

[herctrap]

dont argue about the fuses
i have bought the UT-71E

http://www.uni-trend.com/UT71e.html

and take a look inside











γεια σου Κυριάκο

[DaveXRQ]

The UT71E has always been on terrible list 

[Kiriakos GR]

dont argue about the fuses i have bought the UT-71E ...........γεια σου Κυριάκο

Good morning dear country man 

To all:
The specifications about input protection by fuses and the max input voltage,
becomes known to the user by the CAT rating on the input bananas.

If the manufacturer is honest about those specifications, and the user (hypothetically)  lives at the safe side too, as long he is following them.

The Asian version which comes with 250V Fuses, and it is clearly written on the meter face plate at the current inputs 250v max 
The 61E who was send in the market of Germany and passed the GS certification it was had 600V fuses,
and it did pass as 600V about the current measurements.   

But it did not pass about the max input voltage as voltmeter !! ( This has nothing to do with the fuse )
The volts input has design errors, which are not possible to cure by additional electronic parts.

The UT61E  it can considered as safe for 220V Mains measurements but what it will happen if some one try to measure one step-up transformer ?
He gets at risk with out realizing it !!

Simple as that.

.

[Fennec]

About this cheap input jacks. I try to fix the problem at my UT61B. I hope it works for a longer time because the solder and mechanical movement maybe makes problems.
The jacks himself are clamped between both shell, so it should be no problems. We will see.
The original jacks are very cheap and  after 1 year they had a loose connection, although I use this Multimeter maybe one times in a month only.

I bought RC accu jacks, 4mm, cut them to 14,5mm like the original ones, soldered 2,5mm˛ copper installation wire on it, thats all. Time, maybe 30min.
The 2,5mm˛ was a lill to much, maybe 1,5mm˛ is better to solder. I think 1,5mm˛ is enough for the 20A range too.

I don't need it to recalibrating and the connectors fits very fine now.

[Monkeh]

I tried a modification like that with another meter of mine and found the solder would fail when removing plugs.

[SeanB]

When doing this I would use a hard silver loaded solder instead to make the join. No fracture and much stronger.

[Fennec]

Yes, I wrote, Iam not sure about this cheap soldering. But, the jacks himself are clamped very well.
And yes, it should be much better to solder it "hard" I dont know what this in english means.

[Monkeh]

Yes, I wrote, Iam not sure about this cheap soldering. But, the jacks himself are clamped very well.
And yes, it should be much better to solder it "hard" I dont know what this in english means.

Welding is what is really needed.

Brazing could also work.

[Fennec]

Welding is what is really needed.

Yes, think so. With blaze and copper solder.

[G7PSK]

I am also not sure what the fuss is about with the fuse ratings as the meter is not intended in any form or fashion for HV work on distribution lines Fluke meters of the type being used by most members of this forum and the EEV blog are also not suitable for this. If you are going to work with HT lines you need specialist equipment produced by the likes of Megger.

http://www.megger.com/uk/products/ProductDetailsBySubGroup.php?PSGC=P109&BS=P

iIf you look at this page you will see that they break their product line into above 1KV and less than 1KV.

http://www.megger.com/uk/products/Index.php

[Kiriakos GR]

No one really cares about the 1KV, mostly because it is very hard to find it. 

But the 380V which is common to find as phase to phase voltage, is what matters the most.
Any meter with 500V HRC fast fuses, and the proper PCB for CAT IV 600V, are welcome.

[Monkeh]

But the 380V which is common to find as phase to phase voltage, is what matters the most.

Not in domestic environments, and you don't normally use a multimeter to measure current between phases.

[G7PSK]

Again someone working with 3 phase is going to use a professional meter and more than likely use a clamp meter to measure current, the Uni T61E is intended for hobby electronic use. You may have access to 380V phase to phase as I do ( I have up to 715 V on some of the generating plant) but I do not use a Uni T or even a fluke for that I use an AVO.

[Fennec]

>Any meter with 500V HRC fast fuses, and the proper PCB for CAT IV 600V, are welcome.
>But the 380V which is common to find as phase to phase voltage, is what matters the most.

True, for hobbie.. *

>Not in domestic environments, and you don't normally use a multimeter to measure current between phases.

Right. In europe (EU) it is forbidden to use a DMM to measure at mains. Her we have to use low resistance meters, like Benning ak DusPol (R)

http://de.benning.de/en/corporate/products-services/testing-measuring-and-safety-instruments/testequipment/duspol-facts.html

But girlz, we run out of topic.