Uni-T UT171A pictures and first impressions - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 10:00:27 am
content: The UT171 is a new series of DMM from Uni-T. Model "A" is a 40,000-count meter. It can store up to 999 readings in its internal memory. It also comes with a USB cable that allows it to connect to a PC for longer term data logging.First impressions:1. Very well built, on par with the newer Uni-T's such as the UT139 and UT181 series.2. Input protection looks good with properly rated ceramic/HRC fuses.3. DCV spec'ed at 0.025%+5 counts and based on the references and 34461A I have it is right around the 0.02-0.04% region, so there are only a few counts to spare.4. Continuity tester isn't the fastest, with a very slight delay, but it is latched. Still quite usable and much better than many slow DMMs.5. Display update rate is fast at 5 times/sec (according to specifications).6. Shows "Leads" on display and beeps when leads plugged into the wrong sockets.7. Backlight is not very bright but perfectly adequate in dimmer environments (very similar to the UT139C).8. Resistances between the terminals in the A, mA and uA are respectively about 32.77mOhms, 1.67Ohms and 51.16Ohms.Now here a few pictures (click to see larger version):

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 10:41:55 am
content: What's the street price?

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 10:51:58 am
content: Quote from: george graves on January 20, 2015, 10:41:55 amThe only listing I found currently on eBay is about $175 after shipping. I may stock a few later too (I do have one unopened at the moment) and I think I can offer a better price than that.There are the B and C models too but they are quite a bit more expensive and they use lithium batteries so I will not be carrying those in my shop.

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 11:12:20 am
content: Quote from: george graves on January 20, 2015, 10:41:55 amI dont care at all for the street price of $175.More importantly is what's the back alley price ?Muttley

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 11:26:41 am
content: Thanks for the quick review Franky. Any idea of battery life with the 6 AAs?

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 11:29:25 am
content: Quote from: Wytnucls on January 20, 2015, 11:26:41 amWill need to do some measurements on current draw tomorrow to find out.

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 11:32:59 am
content: Looks like a nice meter, but cmon, 6xAAA? It takes way too much management to arrange those rechargeable batteries.

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 11:39:41 am
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on January 20, 2015, 11:32:59 amYou can check out the UT171B and UT171C models. They use rechargeable lithium batteries. No idea how long they last for each charge though as those 2 models use different displays (EBTN LCD on 171B and OLED on 171C).

author: YU2
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 03:54:50 pm
content: Very nice meter indeed. Should last long with 6 batteries.What is the voltage on continuity and does it it overshoot in voltage?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 05:24:47 pm
content: Input protection is very nice as well, nice attention to detail there, with the fuse having a plastic shield around one half. Nice that they are using 1kV rated fuses as well.

author: Ebivetar
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 06:20:40 pm
content: $175 is great price if everything is in specs.Does it have peak hold(250uS) and LP filter? If it has, then it will be best buy

author: teslafan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 08:16:32 pm
content: Quote from: Ebivetar on January 20, 2015, 06:20:40 pmDatabase here on eevblog per Wytnucls shows no Peak, no Hold, no Temp, & no LoZ. And interesting to note is the DB shows 6 AAs, but example pics are AAA. Don't know if req's changed or is a typo. Hope this helps.

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 09:11:29 pm
content: Typo in the Uni-T listed specs on their site. Still showing 6 AAs.Happens regularly with this company. Best to refer to user manual, if available.http://www.uni-trend.com.cn/en/product/2014_0711_587.html

author: teslafan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2015, 10:08:06 pm
content: Wytnucls,Update in pg 1 database for next time?Franky,What would u sell the 1 unopened UT171A for?Thanks

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 02:14:03 am
content: Quote from: Wytnucls on January 20, 2015, 11:26:41 amAs mentioned earlier by someone else, those are AAA's not AA's. I just did some measurements and the meter draws about 10mA on most ranges. Assuming a typical 1000mAh on alkaline AAA cells, a fresh set would last about 100 hours.I don't have rechargeable NiCd or NiMH cells here but when I powered it through a PSU set to 7.2V (6 x 1.2V) the meter gives a low battery warning. The meter still seems to function correctly and give correct readings, except that the continuity buzzer sounds slightly different. At 7V, however, the meter would flash "batt" for a few seconds and then shut down automatically. If I increase the voltage to around 7.32V the low battery warning would not appear.Quote from: YU2 on January 20, 2015, 03:54:50 pmVoltage on continuity is about 2.05V. And no, it doesn't overshoot in measuring voltage.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2015, 02:41:04 am
content: Quote from: NANDBlog on January 20, 2015, 11:32:59 amWait till you own Fluke 287/289, it uses AAs not AAAs.

author: Handyman32
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 30, 2015, 07:10:05 pm
content: It uses Hollyland fuses which seem a departure from the horrible glass fuses found on some earlier models which also claimed CAT IV 600V rating!6xAAA Batteries? Or non-standard lithium rechargeable batteries? Why not simply a 9V battery?The “Industrial Digital Multimeter”, “True RMS” and “CE” markings make it look like a cheap meter which doesn’t have its place in the professional arena. It still sounds like a “Hobbyist Digital Multimeter”.My lesson after buying these kinds of DMM is simple… instead of buying several cheap meters, just buy one good expensive meter which will outlast everything else. It will be much cheaper in the end.

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2015, 01:02:06 am
content: Quote from: Handyman32 on January 30, 2015, 07:10:05 pmYea, but sometimes you need 4 meters. Volt and amps, both in and out of a circuit.

author: omgfire
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2015, 06:58:03 am
content: Quote from: george graves on January 31, 2015, 01:02:06 amTheoretically, lab power supply can show both voltage and current in, while one luxurious DMM (like Gossen M249A) can show both voltage and current out. But, four cheapest DMM are cheaper than one M249A.

author: teslafan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2015, 04:59:49 am
content: Thanks for the pics & comments, sounds good, I like it. Cost?

author: jarvis
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2015, 01:36:35 am
content: What's the DMM IC inside ?

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2015, 02:24:57 am
content: Quote from: jarvis on February 16, 2015, 01:36:35 amI didn't take out the PCB to look on the other side, so I'm not sure if there's anything else on that side. On the side you see in the pictures there are only 2 bigger chips one is a LCD driver and the other is a EFM32 G232F128, which is a MCU I believe.

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2015, 03:59:12 am
content: Probably the newish Cyrustek 60,000 count ES51997/8.http://www.cyrustek.com.tw/spec/ES51998.pdf

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2015, 04:07:47 am
content: Quote from: Wytnucls on February 16, 2015, 03:59:12 amCan't be (not on the 171A model anyway), because it's only 40,000-count.

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2015, 04:56:24 am
content: True. Forgot the A model had a lower resolution. Could still be a Cyrustek.

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2015, 03:54:30 pm
content: The frontend chip in the UT171B is aHycon HY3131iirc. It's slightly curious, because Hycon specifies that chip as 50000 count, when the UT171A/B are 40000 and 60000 count. Since that Hycon chip is only the frontend chip though which returns naked 24bit ADC readings to the main processor (the EFM32 on these meters), I'm guessing that 50000 count number is an application recommendation, not a fixed number like it would be in a fully integrated DMM chip.

author: mos6502
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2015, 05:58:51 am
content: Any news? There doesn't seem to be much interest in the UT171A. Can't find any reviews. Weird because it looks like an interesting meter. The price isn't too bad ($160 on dx.com).Couple questions:1. What's the display update rate?2. What's the bar graph update rate?3. What's the output voltage on diode test? Can you test white LEDs?The only remotely related video I could find was of the UT171B, that one seems to have a really good update rate and bar graph:

author: Ohm711
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 04, 2016, 05:35:55 pm
content: I bought this multimeter from DX. Update seems to be fast, looks very similar to UT171B from video.It can test blue, white or UV LEDs without problem.Brighness of backlight is adjustable from 10% to 100%. Default is 50%Here is few photos:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2dk57y84wyg3o7y/AAC5uaztlM6CBNiqfMefle3Qa?dl=0

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2016, 10:19:19 pm
content: I wonder how is this UT171A DMM different from Brymen BM829S. I would buy the Brymen, because of better input protection but I like the UT171A's:-rugged input jacks-big selector rotary switch-NCV and 40 000 countsI wonder if it survives 1000V input when in ohms or diode range. There is no Low Impedance mode, too.It is a pity that the 50 000 counts Brymen BM867S has no NCV (=EF).

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2016, 12:16:00 am
content: User manual here:http://www.pinsonne.de/media/daten/Uni-T%20UT171ABC.pdf

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2016, 12:30:27 am
content: You should buy one and try it. If it survives, maybe rub your feet on the carpet and touch the leads. Once it's dead, post a video.I do like the UT181A other than it not being very robust at all, requiring some non-standard battery, not being able to use the meter while it is being charged, not able to store the last settings, not sent with any power cord adapters for the charger and I doubt it would survive much of a drop test..... What was I saying... Oh yea, I do like the 181A.Quote from: Hydrawerk on May 26, 2016, 10:19:19 pm