Digital Multi Meters - time for a new one

[No mail]

My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

[Tim Streater]

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

I've got a Neoteck NTK017C. Made in China of course but that seems to be
mostly unavoidable these days. Unit itself works nicely.

[Andy Burns]

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

I bought a Brymen BM789 a couple of years ago, happy with it, think it
was cheaper at the time ...

<https://telonic.co.uk/product/brymen-bm789-professional-multimeter>

[jkn]

Post by Andy Burns

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

I bought a Brymen BM789 a couple of years ago, happy with it, think it
was cheaper at the time ...
<https://telonic.co.uk/product/brymen-bm789-professional-multimeter>

I also got a Brymen DVM from Telonic a couple of years ago. Either the
BM785 or Andy's BM789.

Decent quality, reliable. I haven't worked it hard though. The range got
good reviews in EEVblog.

[jkn]

Post by jkn

Post by Andy Burns

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

I bought a Brymen BM789 a couple of years ago, happy with it, think it
was cheaper at the time ...
<https://telonic.co.uk/product/brymen-bm789-professional-multimeter>

I also got a Brymen DVM from Telonic a couple of years ago. Either the
BM785 or Andy's BM789.
Decent quality, reliable. I haven't worked it hard though. The range got
good reviews in EEVblog.

Looks like I got a Brymen BM867s

https://telonic.co.uk/product/brymen-bm867s-professional-multimeter/

I must have felt mildly flush at the time;I can't recall why I chose
that particular model

[Chris Green]

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

Tenma branded from CPC seem pretty sound to me.

[jkn]

Post by Chris Green

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

Tenma branded from CPC seem pretty sound to me.

$WORK got a Tenma DVM (presumably from CPC) quite a few years ago.
Nice-seeing meter ... except that all the Voltage readings were out by a
factor of two!

It got returned/replaced, of course. I am not singling Tenma out as a
result of this, but it was an interesting fault. I am still mildly
curious what the cause might have been.

J^n

[Theo]

Post by jkn

Post by Chris Green

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

Tenma branded from CPC seem pretty sound to me.

$WORK got a Tenma DVM (presumably from CPC) quite a few years ago.
Nice-seeing meter ... except that all the Voltage readings were out by a
factor of two!
It got returned/replaced, of course. I am not singling Tenma out as a
result of this, but it was an interesting fault. I am still mildly
curious what the cause might have been.

Maybe there's a divide by 2 resistor network and the lower one has a dry
joint so it's just a series resistor in circuit instead?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Post by jkn

Post by Chris Green

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

Tenma branded from CPC seem pretty sound to me.

$WORK got a Tenma DVM (presumably from CPC) quite a few years ago.
Nice-seeing meter ... except that all the Voltage readings were out by a
factor of two!

Ive got an analogue meter like that somewhere.

But I revel in my classic Universal AvoMeter, which was £45 in a second
hand antique store.

Post by jkn
It got returned/replaced, of course. I am not singling Tenma out as a
result of this, but it was an interesting fault. I am still mildly
curious what the cause might have been.

Someone assembled the board wrong.

Post by jkn
J^n

[mm0fmf]

Post by The Natural Philosopher
But I revel in my classic Universal AvoMeter, which was £45 in a second
hand antique store.

I got an AVO8 MkX with leads and calibration certificate as a Christmas
present in 1979. Currently no 1.5V low ohms battery installed, it has
had 2 since I got it. On it's second BLR121 15V battery which still works.

I use a cheap DMM from CPC bought in 1998 most of the time.

[jkn]

Post by jkn

Post by Chris Green

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

Tenma branded from CPC seem pretty sound to me.

$WORK got a Tenma DVM (presumably from CPC) quite a few years ago.
Nice-seeing meter ... except that all the Voltage readings were out by
a factor of two!

Ive got an analogue  meter like that somewhere.
But I revel in my classic Universal AvoMeter, which was £45 in a second
hand antique store.

I picked up an AVO8 for £15 I think, in a charity shop. VGC with case
etc. I gave it to a work colleague who had always coveted one.

Post by jkn
It got returned/replaced, of course. I am not singling Tenma out as a
result of this, but it was an interesting fault. I am still mildly
curious what the cause might have been.

Someone assembled the board wrong.

Post by jkn
J^n

[Mark Carver]

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

I've got a Fluke 73, had it about 25 years. Last week I noticed
something rattling about inside. I went to open it, and discovered the
ABS case was rotting away from the inside. The rattle was from a piece
of screw pillar.

Not really sure what's caused it. The battery shows no signs of trouble,
and is 'Best Before March 2025' . It's still usable for the moment. It
lives in the dark in my toolbox (always has done). Though I did notice I
have a roll of self amalgamating tape in there ?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Post by Mark Carver
I've got a Fluke 73, had it about 25 years. Last week I noticed
something rattling about inside. I went to open it, and discovered the
ABS case was rotting away from the inside. The rattle was from a piece
of screw pillar.
Not really sure what's caused it. The battery shows no signs of trouble,
and is 'Best Before March 2025' . It's still usable for the moment. It
lives in the dark in my toolbox (always has done). Though I did notice I
have a roll of self amalgamating tape in there ?

Today's plastics are biodegradable. Blame the Greens

[Jeff Layman]

Post by The Natural Philosopher

Post by Mark Carver
I've got a Fluke 73, had it about 25 years. Last week I noticed
something rattling about inside. I went to open it, and discovered the
ABS case was rotting away from the inside. The rattle was from a piece
of screw pillar.
Not really sure what's caused it. The battery shows no signs of trouble,
and is 'Best Before March 2025' . It's still usable for the moment. It
lives in the dark in my toolbox (always has done). Though I did notice I
have a roll of self amalgamating tape in there ?

Today's plastics are biodegradable. Blame the Greens

Mark's Fluke is 25 years old, but biodegradable plastic is a lot older
than that:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodegradable_plastic#History>

"Granny Greens", eh? Who knew...?

[tony sayer]

Post by Mark Carver

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

I've got a Fluke 73, had it about 25 years. Last week I noticed
something rattling about inside. I went to open it, and discovered the
ABS case was rotting away from the inside. The rattle was from a piece
of screw pillar.
Not really sure what's caused it. The battery shows no signs of trouble,
and is 'Best Before March 2025' . It's still usable for the moment. It
lives in the dark in my toolbox (always has done). Though I did notice I
have a roll of self amalgamating tape in there ?

Word is or was, the All Fluke products had a lifetime warranty .

Mind you the three I've got have worked fine over many years!...

[Jeff Layman]

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

I bought a Metex M2325 in the mid-late 80s (see Metex section in Henry's
advert on p67 at
<https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Wireless-World/90s/Wireless-World-1990-06.pdf>)
and it's still going well. I've never had any problem with it. I thought
I'd paid a lot less (not at Henry's), but that £32 price is equivalent
to around £72 today.

[Andrew]

Post by No mail
My Uni-T DMM has become flaky so it's time for a new one. I can't
justify the cost of a Fluke but don't want bargain basement.
Any recommendations?

My UNI-T UT58 (Maplins circa 2005) seems to be fine,
apart from the leads, where the plastic insulation is
hardening and starting to crack and split.

What is wrong with yours ?

[Andy Burns]

[...] seems to be fine,
apart from the leads, where the plastic insulation is
hardening and starting to crack and split.

Decent silicone meter leads aren't too expensive (the Brymen came with a
set).