Replacement probes for DMM6500 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: guymo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2021, 08:05:16 am
content: By some quirk of fate I have ended up the lucky owner of a DMM6500. It is far too much meter for my needs but I'll take it... It came with no probes.To my surprise the shrouds of the probes I use on my handheld meter are too large to fit the terminals. I cannot seem to find drawings or specifications of the terminals or of probe shrouds anywhere so it is hard to know in advance whether a particular set of probes would fit, so I am asking here.Do you have any recommendations for appropriate, good quality, general purpose probes please? The Keithley 1754 set which is ordinarily supplied with the meter seems a little pricey (£90) as well as being out of stock.Obviously I could cut the shrouds off my existing probes but I'd prefer not to.What about Agilent/Keysight probes (34138A)?Or probemaster e.g. 8018?Thanks in advance!

author: IAmBack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2021, 01:11:53 pm
content: I got a pair of probes named BST 050 JP from aliexpress and replaced plugs to ones that I've bought somewhere in China (I can upload image of "modified" plugs if You wish - they fit very well). Probes itself poseses very sharp electrodes.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2021, 02:22:13 pm
content: Not bragging but i would choose very good quality probes for such a meter, surely able to find the right shroudEX: if you do 4x probes measurements the cable impedances could be a nuisance ...I would buy originals Fluke, Keysight or HP Agilent era ones too ... probes who are very flexible at 20amps of current with very low ohms resistancesmy 2 cents

author: IAmBack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2021, 02:51:55 pm
content: Not to defend my choice, but 4x (i understand 4 terminal) measurement is something that eliminates effect of cable/terminal/clamp resistance, isn't it?

author: guymo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2021, 03:10:00 pm
content: Quote from: IAmBack on October 18, 2021, 01:11:53 pmThanks. For clarity, I understand that I can replace the connectors on the end of an arbitrary set of probes with banana plugs to fit; I'm asking because I'd like to find a set of probes that works unmodified, not for any particularly good reason

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2021, 03:28:29 pm
content: I'd highly recommend the 9104S Master Kit from Probe Master that comes with straight retractable-shroud bananas and will work with virtually any DMM, even old ones with binding post jacks. Or there is the less extravagant 8044S kit that comes with the same retractable shroud plugs and is readily available to you in the UK.https://simonselectronics.co.uk/product/8044s-fixed-point-48-straight-shrouded-plug-with-screw-on-tip-kit/

author: Hydron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2021, 08:37:33 am
content: Can confirm that both probe master and pomona shrouded probes work fine with my DMM6500. I have occasionally seen oddball probes which have slightly different dimensions to the shrouds, but anything of reasonable quality should work in any decent modern meter (no guarantees for the hardware store cheapie however).

author: skander36
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2021, 09:29:41 am
content: Even the cheap of the cheapest bananas like that is working.It is posible that your DMM was "abused"At a fair price you could use BTC for Brymen 869 -https://www.welectron.com/Brymen-BL21S2-T4SC-Silicone-Test-LeadsThe originals are simple probes(PVC), not impressive in any way.

author: guymo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2021, 02:52:36 pm
content: Quote from: Hydron on October 19, 2021, 08:37:33 amGreat! Thank you.I don't recall where the non-fitting probes came from but they are no-name things, probably from Ali Express some time ago. Despite that, they seem really nice -- gold plated, make excellent contact -- but they don't fit, so...

author: richmit
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2021, 08:57:42 pm
content: I can recommend the Probemaster sheathed, custom leads. I use them with my DMM6500 every day.

author: jjoonathan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2021, 11:02:20 pm
content: I use Pomona 6341 probes. I love them. They fit my DMM6500, are smaller than a truck, and have springy tips. The tips are swappable, so you can buy new ones when the old ones deteriorate or swap them out for rigid tips if that's your jam.

author: Hydron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2021, 10:59:23 am
content: Quote from: jjoonathan on October 19, 2021, 11:02:20 pmJust a quick word of warning - these Pomona probes can be good, but watch out when measuring low resistances with them; the construction involves a crimped connection that often shows a few ohms of resistance (yes I know crimps should be great when done properly, but the "done properly" bit seems to have been missed in the design). There are other threads on this, including some teardowns and x-ray pics. I still often use mine (fantastic for working on boards with fine pitch parts), but when measuring small resistances I typically pick something else that can be trusted better (often probe master). If you're picking up a _single_ nice set of probes I'd probably go elsewhere.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2021, 12:57:59 pm
content: Quote from: Hydron on October 20, 2021, 10:59:23 amI agree.Pomona 6341 is not very good, only thing working for them is that they are very small if you need that. In addition to bad contact, one thing I hate about them is that cables aretoosoft and thin. They hang down like wet threads and keep getting caught to anything on the desk or inside of DUT...If you need fine tip pogo pin probes I would recommend to look at Probe Master 8150/52 type.. Same tip style, superior in quality..After I bought PM 8150 I don't use P 6341 anymore. Funny thing is that despite being larger, they are nicer to hold and very finely controllable.I highly recommended them.

author: jjoonathan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2021, 04:13:17 pm
content: As it would happen, the Probe Master 8150 is exactly the model I had in mind while throwing out "big as a truck." It's often larger than my DUTs! I love the screw-on attachments, but I don't love the size. Yes, Probe Master 8152 has thin pogos, but in the same comically large body, and without attachments. The PM8150 was my daily driver until I discovered the Pomona 6341. Truthfully, I'd prefer something even smaller.I suppose it depends entirely on what you're doing with it. If you want to stab a power circuit for the lowest possible contact resistance or push through 30 years of crust on a through-hole component, a big probe and rigid tip are probably just what you want. If you're squeezing between 0402s under a microscope, even the .040" tip on the Pomona 6341 is unwieldy. I regularly use coax half that diameter (UT-020) and it's still larger than the pin pitches on 5 year old chips! Yes, pogo pins are trash if you're concerned about stabbing through crust, but they're brilliant if you want to keep contact on a 0402 by feel while moving around your desk to push buttons. I get maybe ±1mm of compliance from skin sag -- the extra ±4mm of compliance from the pogo makes a world of difference.Anyway, a more complete picture of my lineup:* Pomona 6341 daily driver* ProbeMaster 8150 for anything big or crusty (spade lug attachments get the most use)* Keithley 5808 kelvin probes for low resistance. Notably, these have rigid tips* Patchwork micro stuff: 36AWG enamel wire, .13mm micro chip clip, UT-020 micro coax (20 thou OD), 047 to SMA pigtails, 0402 resistor book, UV expoxy, nano rework station.So, OP: what do your circuits look like? Teeny weeny or big and crusty?

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2021, 05:20:03 pm
content: Quote from: jjoonathan on October 20, 2021, 04:13:17 pmIt works for you, that's fine.But they are fiddly and thinner than a pencil and whole handle is less than 100mm long.PM 8150 you can actually hold comfortably, not with just tips of the fingers.And fine part of the tips (one you poke at the DUTs) is not really larger than Pomonas..I guess it depends how big your hands are too..

author: guymo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2021, 09:46:25 am
content: Quote from: bdunham7 on October 18, 2021, 03:28:29 pmIt seems my wife found this post because I received a set of these as a gift today... so many thanks for making it straightforward! They seem very nice.(Actually she ordered from the above link but was sent 90-degree versions without retractable shrouds, but as it happens they fit the terminals on the meter perfectly.)

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 25, 2021, 10:13:10 am
content: Cross-reference to thread with x-ray images and my comments on poor connection within the Pomona 6341 probes:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/smt-probes-comparison-probe-master-8151-vs-pomona-6341-tl910-inc-x-ray-images/msg1018001/#msg1018001