BM235 out of stock - what alternative? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: garymck
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 03:26:35 am
content: Hi,went to buy an EEVBlog BM235 Multimeter, but they are out of stock. Are there any decent alternatives available for around the same price - say $150 OZ dollars? As a beginner at electronics I am concerned about safety/accuracy and durability in that order..Can anyone point me towards another unit, or should I just wait until the BM235's are back in stock.cheersGary

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 03:37:43 am
content: Wait.Joe Smith rates these and that would be good enough for me.

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 04:14:12 am
content: uni-t 139, get two, more useful than having just one meter...

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 04:25:04 am
content: Quote from: garymck on May 30, 2017, 03:26:35 amDid you check any of the other distributors?

author: garymck
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 05:18:56 am
content: No point in getting from outside Australia, freight from the US kills it :-(cheersGaryQuote from: joeqsmith on May 30, 2017, 04:25:04 am

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 06:57:05 am
content: If you can spend a bit more, the BM257S is very good and IMHO a better meter. The suggestion to buy the Uni-T UT139C is also not a bad idea because two meters are better than one.

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 07:08:31 am
content: As "a biginner in electronics" implies you won't be working on high energy circuits, so just about any decent multimeter should do you. Just don't buy anything with a "transistor test" socket on it, and you should be ok. lol

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 09:24:27 am
content: For the money you have to spend, wait for the EEVBlog BM235, it's hard to beat for features and price

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 11:45:55 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on May 30, 2017, 09:24:27 amWell, you could try these guys for example:https://www.welectron.com/Brymen-BM235-Multimeter_1They include the quality test leads (same as Dave's version, I believe) and a nice pouch with each multimeter. If the really mean the "free shipping worldwide", that's a very good deal.Disclaimer: I did order a BM257s from them and was very satisfied with the handling (and with the meter). No affiliation otherwise!

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 11:49:25 am
content: ETA, two weeks.Was supposed to have them now, but there was a manufacturing delay.

author: dimkasta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 01:44:47 pm
content: You state that you are a beginner, but to be honest this does not matter.What matters is if you are a beginner pro or a beginner hobbyist and what stuff you need to check.In any case, since you are probably not a pro, it would be wise to keep your probes away from mains and other high energy stuff.If you are not sure about something, do not poke it with anything. Even with the safest or most expensive DMM.That said, a nice choice inside your budget is the Fluke 17B+With those new budget flukes in the market, it is hard to justify buying anything else at their price level (at least to my hobbyist eyes), unless you need a very specific function.And with the rest of the money, you can buy a UniT 139C and/or a Fluke 101. More than one DMMs are always useful.And if you do not need to use the extra stuff that 17B+ gives on high energy stuff, you can downgrade to 15B+ since the 139C has you covered anyway. Not that 139C cannot do those on higher energy stuff, but it would be safe to assume that it was never properly tested/revised to do them, so better be safe than sorry...

author: garymck
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2017, 10:54:11 pm
content: will wait for the Brymen. Fluke 17B+ is more expensive here than Brymen which has more features...2 weeks not long anyway...cheersGary

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2017, 12:31:35 am
content: Good call, decent Fluke meters in Kangaroo Central are rich playboy hobbyist or overpaid tradie bunny prices,and any affordable ones only have bare bone features, which may get you by, depending on needs.The EEVBlog BM235 is worth the wait, just use The Force in the meantime---------------------------I'd give SOME of the Uni-Ts the big miss unless they have these exclusive features you might need:1.REDholster (indicates 'STOP' or politics debate starter)2. cheap fuses (safer than custom fit nails or wrapped coax core)3. lots of comment, teardowns and fanning at EEVblog4. even more teardowns, comments and insults on Youtube5. CHEAP to buy, many reports confirming they do switch on, and stay on6. cute display to woo you into 'bang for buck' satisfaction(and light up a cigarette afterwards)7.8.9.10.I need some assistance with 7. to 10.sorry about that.

author: dimkasta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2017, 09:54:21 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on May 31, 2017, 12:31:35 amCheck instrument queen on ebay. Tried vendor with good prices.Anything you buy locally will be overpricedYou simply cannot beat the cost savings of a virtual shop with big exposure

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2017, 08:26:38 am
content: Quote from: dimkasta on June 02, 2017, 09:54:21 amThat sounds great, but just a band-aid for a bigger problem of WHY can't local sellers sell just as cheap online as the overseas leechers with their eye candy click n ship deals?It indicates the manufacturers are IGNORING this country by not supporting their product or the people here, by blatantly withholding FAIR PRICES.At the same time any local distributors of the product are FORCED to grin and bear such corporate BULLYING behaviour, and somehow 'feel privileged' they can deal with such crappy attitude companies !and sooner or later their bricks and mortar base in Australia will die in the ass due to eroding orders,and same loyal distributors will lose their house trying to 'hang on'and resort to selling apples or whatever on the streetThat sux, end of storyBesides 'instrument queen' does not sell Fluke meters anyway, just knockoff fluke accessories and cheapskate 'bang for buck' redmeters

author: dimkasta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2017, 09:58:14 am
content: That's a big discussion.The product company has to agree to sell less units at a smaller price, to allow the local shops to maintain their local business that costs way more than an account on ebay.But this contradicts normal sales logic and practice. They have to really care for the local shops. Which they have no reason to.And yes it is not fair. But who said globalization and free market are fair in their current state?Anyway, yes she does sell flukeshttp://www.ebay.com/itm/231294560152?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 04, 2017, 10:10:50 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on June 04, 2017, 08:26:38 amIt was so bad at one stage that I know one official Oz dealer who used to covertly buy them from US dealers, import them on the side and sell them under the counter at much more realistic prices, as well as well the regular official imported one the "official" Oz price to companies who didn't care what they cost.Fluke have changed their policy in recent years though and it's not nearly as bad now as what it used to be.FYI Brymen are very protective of their dealer relationships. I originally wanted to resell the BM257 and they said I couldn't because they already had an official Australian dealer. So I had to wait a year and a half for the new BM235 under development.

author: dimkasta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2017, 10:24:34 am
content: Oh did they sell at significantly different wholesale prices in different countries?Weird practice for Europe was to convert dollars to euros, but this is less of an issue now that the dollar is stronger

author: WackyGerman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2017, 11:44:37 am
content: Wait for the BM235 and support Dave by buying this multimeter . Don t buy the crappy cheapos

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2017, 11:07:55 pm
content: Quote from: WackyGerman on June 04, 2017, 11:44:37 amAside from supporting Davewhich is a personal choice,from a shoppers critical view BM235 is a good meter at a fair price,good enough for pros, newbs, 'can't afford a Fluke' hobbyists,and most DIYdeath wishers(whose families prefer them to tinker above ground)Some of the dollars stay here, or at least go around in a positive manner,and some may come back your way again,rather than dumping your cash, NEVER to be seen or felt again,to some suss overseas money grubber who has their English spell checker disabled permanently.And if you really must buy a plastic h@nd held gren@de fitted with an LCD,two wires and big knob to play with, masquerading as acheapo meter,then get it from a local dealer direct HERE at Kangaroo Central,so you can take the pos back and get another if DOA or it dies 6 months later(hopefully before taking out the fingers crossed cheapskate prodder)-----------------------btw re instrumentqueen, she (or heor) only sells the Fluke 17B, that's NOT classed as a Fluke SELLER afaik

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 07:36:23 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on June 04, 2017, 11:07:55 pmYou're lucky Dave doesn't charge for each use of emoticons on this forum... you'd go bankrupt in a day... LOL

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 07:46:18 am
content: Quote from: P90 on June 05, 2017, 07:36:23 amYes, that's really generous of Dave. Especially those animated icons -- I don't even want to think about all the electricity Dave's server must require to power these, in browsers all around the world...

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 09:50:36 am
content: I rate myself as a lightweight smilie slingercompared to some others here who use the feature like confetti

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 10:12:55 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on June 05, 2017, 09:50:36 amLOL:-)

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 10:15:28 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on June 04, 2017, 11:07:55 pmA lot of the money does indeed stay here and goes to directly hiring two people (David and Suse), taxes paid here, importers get paid here, my accountant gets paid here, my DHL guy gets paid here etc.Then when exported to Amazon centers, Amazon and their workers in those country get paid etc.Although I'm not fussed if people buy my blue BM235 or buy the standard red Brymen one.

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 10:25:04 am
content: but the blue does look nicer and since it's not red, people are less likely to confuse it with a crappy Chinese meter...

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2017, 10:59:20 am
content: I'll word everyone up in tradie land, that Fluke yellow and EEVblog Blue are now THE standard meters to wave aroundfor instant 'no questions asked' access to job sites (and all the fringe benefits mentioned at other posts)But don't rock up in sandals, shorts, hawaiian shirt, holding a beer and smoke expecting to get in,duh...

author: dimkasta
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 06, 2017, 03:01:30 pm
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on June 05, 2017, 10:59:20 amJust make sure that all sites have a tested color sample pack to easily identify unqualified personel and/or terrorists

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2017, 12:31:07 am
content: Quote from: dimkasta on June 06, 2017, 03:01:30 pmNot a problem, most sites know equipment will stop working or bl0w up where there's a red meter involved

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 07, 2017, 02:49:37 am
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on June 05, 2017, 10:59:20 amFor reference, the EEVblog blue is Pantone 3005CBTW, I couldn't get the new HVP70 probe in the correct blue because they wanted me to commit to buying 3 tons of material or something like that for a colour change

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 01:47:44 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on June 07, 2017, 02:49:37 amAn aussie'true blue'probeand multimeterin any shade/hue is still a better bet than most sussREDmetersColour blind electronics people won't care if the blue is lighter, darker, sky, royale or navy anyway

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 08, 2017, 02:51:49 am
content: Just been informed that my original June 5th shipment that was delayed to the 15th, is now delayed until the 21st

author: stefanv
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 12:02:27 pm
content: In case anyone is wondering, both the EEVblog version and standard Brymen are back in stock in Europe (check Amazon). The price difference is not that big, so I definitely recommend supporting Dave by buying his version if you can afford. But if you are on a budget (or prefer red over blue),I'm sureI hope Dave won't mind and he would just want you to do your job doneI'm a happy owner of a standard red version. Now I need a second one. It will be blue this time

author: gtc
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 25, 2017, 08:20:59 am
content: Just an FYI:Back in stock in Oz. I received mine yesterday. Ordered Monday night. Delivered express post Wednesday morning.Great service!