Cheapo DMM can be dangerous - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: NEMAON
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2020, 01:32:52 pm
content: Hi!Get this on my mail today: I haven't used it yet and I probably never will ...

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 20, 2020, 03:50:00 pm
content: As long as you don't use it for mains voltage checks, there shouldn't be an issue. Using it for resistance and low power DC projects should not be an issue. Accuracy could be another issue, however. I have a couple of ANENG meters. I don't use them on mains and they work fine for basic electronics use, your meter should work about the same.

author: M0HZH
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2020, 04:07:21 pm
content: Somehow, the rotary switch bothers me even more than the piece of metal sticking out of the test lead.

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2020, 05:31:46 pm
content: Quote from: M0HZH on April 20, 2020, 04:07:21 pmIs that because it has a Citroen badge on it..?

author: NoisyBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2020, 06:52:52 pm
content: Even for low voltage work, I would replace the probes if it is not molded in.Unsafe tool has no place anywhere.

author: NEMAON
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2020, 09:46:14 pm
content: Yeah! and it's soooo stiff...

author: SmokedComponent
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2020, 10:14:32 pm
content: This is clearly a superior meter. Some DMMs have lightning or "HV" warning on their display, this one has tactile indicator.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2020, 11:05:10 pm
content: Hmmm, did you get this as a Happy Meal toy? The Aneng 8008 looks like a Rolls Royce compared to this.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 01:10:17 am
content: Yes, that is really terrible quality control - one of the biggest plagues of the bottom of the barrel brands. Being a rebadge, I wonder if Uni-T actually rejected this and it was properly repurposed/recycled by Uyigao.

author: drussell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 01:12:42 am
content: Quote from: Muttley Snickers on April 21, 2020, 12:48:13 amI don't think UNI-T and UYIGAO are actually related, are they?(Not that UNI-T isn't often questionable cheap stuff either...)

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 02:05:23 am
content: Yay, a free junk food drive-thru toygreat for the kids in the back to teeth on the leads, measure mum and dad's neck skin resistance,and stab some air vents in the leather seats!500V MAX CAT. 11 is a lot more believable than many other cheapies,so I'd use it up to 50 volts with confidenceFUSES and prayerI'd first pull it apart to check for suss batteries, slap up blunders, wonky connections and poor soldering which can/does happen,especially during floggings on the sweatshop assembly lineto speed things up at TooHungLow Eloctrenics Co.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 02:51:15 am
content: Quote from: drussell on April 21, 2020, 01:12:42 amI think Uni-T has actually quite reasonable finish, but this particular unit looks really close to a Uni-T UT10A.

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 09:08:26 am
content: Maybe it's a clone of a clone?There are multimeters that they give away free at Harbor Tool & Freight that are better made than this.My suggestion is to file one end off it at 45 degrees and then use it as a door stop.

author: drussell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 09:38:45 am
content: Quote from: rsjsouza on April 21, 2020, 02:51:15 amYeah, the UYIGAO UA18 appears to be a knock-off of the UNI-T.Cloning products is common in China, just usually someone makes them look like a Fluke or something.

author: drussell
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 09:41:06 am
content: Quote from: Gandalf_Sr on April 21, 2020, 09:08:26 amBrilliant!

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 10:31:32 am
content: The design of theselandfillmeters are best suited as car wheel chocs, especially if you live in roller coaster places like San Francisco or Templestowe, VIC.wrap the leads around the meter tightly in a fashion so they grip the concrete better and flex a bit with the tyreYes, the pocket Math:four of these is a lot cheaper than just one decent wheel choc,and looks techie and cool

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 11:20:11 am
content: Quote from: drussell on April 21, 2020, 09:38:45 amNo kidding! Look at the Aneng AN8802:

author: splin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 03:57:16 pm
content: Thats not CAT two, it's CAT eleven - 7 better-er than any Fluke!The metal needle point sticking out the side of the test probe is part of the cutting edge protection circuitry - along with the corresponding point on the other probe they form an in-probe spark gap to protect the test leads from melting if a high energy event is encountered.This innovative patented solution, unique to UYIGAO, has the particular benefit of implementing the protection as close as possible to the energy source as possible keeping hot plasma/ionised gases as far as posiible from the instrument body which could otherwise melt or even catch fire.The safety instructions make it clear that in use you must make sure the needle points are facing each other, not covered by the operator's hands or clothing and probes must never exceed 450mm apart when probing 11KV or above power lines...

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 04:43:37 pm
content: Dual impedance input!

author: Gandalf_Sr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 05:57:20 pm
content: ROTFLMAO!

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2020, 12:22:46 am
content: Quote from: Shock on April 21, 2020, 04:43:37 pmYep, circuit or operatorJust posted the Flukes on Ebay,and scoring a box of these UYIGAOs before there's a Corona styled dunny paper rush on them,and pay off the mortgage with the change

author: NoisyBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2020, 02:39:11 am
content: Found a reviewhttps://lygte-info.dk/review/DMMUyigao%20UA18%20UK.html

author: dzseki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2020, 05:48:41 am
content: Not sure what did you expect from this meter at all?It's pure business: as long there is demand for cheap sh!t, then there will be a supply too!I imagine two chinese workers talking at the canteen "Hey look! These western guys buy every sh!t we produce, let's keep doing it!"My philosophy is to not buy something what I don't need, not even if it is free...

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 22, 2020, 08:57:53 am
content: Quote from: dzseki on April 22, 2020, 05:48:41 amgood philosophy, EVERYONE needs to be on that same pageand IMVHO I can't imagine it's the chinese workers with that mindset,I'd bet it's the unscrupulous fatass middlemen on our end that think that way,and screw the chinese industries to produce cheap crap at'how low can you REALLY go, or we go elsewhere..'prices.and yeah, this type of cheap crap should be opened, inspected,and fubar'd and binned if it's a FAIL, so no one gets a go at it, especially dumpster divers and rubbish tip surfers