Zotek are rather amazing - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 04:17:19 am
content: This was in another thread, but I thought I'd share in a new thread to discuss the incredible scope of Zotek (now Zoyi?)https://zotektools.com/about-us/https://zotektools.com/zoyi-inside/There website now has remarkable insight into the company, history and founders.Zotek are the designers and manufacturers of ANENG and other branded meters.They claim to ship 5000-8000 units per day

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 07:44:52 am
content: All done by seven people

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 08:38:26 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on December 22, 2021, 07:44:52 amsix

author: H.O
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 09:34:04 am
content: Li, Li, Lo, Wu, Xu living together with Wang and Chan in oneEngineering Apartment

author: flash2b
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 09:48:28 am
content: I like their new ZT-5566S see:https://zotektools.com/products/zt-5566s/I have an Aneng AN888S which I like a lot, but I never got the alarm function to work ! Their new one as voice and USB support.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 10:47:20 am
content: I had never heard of Zotek.Looks really interesting and from the datasheets they are impressive too.But I have learned from experience with lots of China companies that the first impression may not stay. So, always get samples and test in detail.

author: gamalot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 11:39:11 am
content: A few years ago, when they just started their business, I saw their soft ads on 38hot and other forums. I don't like their products very much, they look weird to me.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 01:32:48 pm
content: Quote from: gamalot on December 22, 2021, 11:39:11 amSome of them are weird but just as many are very ordinary/conservative designs.eg.

author: gamalot
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 02:51:44 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on December 22, 2021, 01:32:48 pmYes you are right, not every one is weird. This one looks normal, like a Fluke 17B in a light blue case.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 03:30:35 pm
content: Quote from: gamalot on December 22, 2021, 02:51:44 pmThey make different colors, too. Don't like blue? Get a red one, or a black one.(I don't think any other manufacturer does that)

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 03:36:58 pm
content: I have one of those and it is useless because the probe connectors are shitty. Thanks for letting me know which manufacturer to avoid.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 04:08:08 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 22, 2021, 04:17:19 amMestek seems to be another one of the white labelshttp://www.mestek-tools.com/en/And, of course, the giant Mastechhttps://mastech-group.com/

author: Caliaxy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 04:15:25 pm
content: Dave, maybe it’s the time for a “Why are Chinese meters so cheap?” video, to match your “Why are Fluke meters so expensive?”

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 05:10:08 pm
content: Quote from: Bud on December 22, 2021, 03:36:58 pmwhich remind me of my ANENG AN8002 (bought 2017)... i dont mind if probes are shitty, i can replace with the good one, but this one's range/mode knob is fucked up, sometime it works sometime it goes heywires, similar to the problem dave's video about i cant remember which brand's knob intermittent problem. but but... its only $18 am i eligible at complaining?

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 05:10:43 pm
content: Quote from: Caliaxy on December 22, 2021, 04:15:25 pmAlternative titles:* "How can the Chinese possibly make these meters for this price?"* "Why isn't everybody buying these meters?"These aren't DT830Bs. The AN860B+ shown above is rock-solid.Quote from: Bud on December 22, 2021, 03:36:58 pmMine never gave me any problems. What leads are you using?

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 05:14:26 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on December 22, 2021, 05:10:08 pmThat model is very flimsy compared to the rubber-bumper models. I had an AN8002 which developed an intermittent Ohms range after a trip in my toolcase. My 860B+ has made many, many journeys and it's still perfect.Quote from: Mechatrommer on December 22, 2021, 05:10:08 pmI think it was his own EEVBLOG 121GW meter. They made a shim to press the springs harder against the PCB.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 05:17:16 pm
content: yup only $18 down the drain, not a big deal

author: Caliaxy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 06:19:17 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on December 22, 2021, 05:17:16 pmAnd at that price you can do it twice, if need it

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2021, 06:41:41 pm
content: i already bought the brand twice. the 2nd one isAneng Q1 on 2019 and modifiedif i'm on the bench, thats my main DMM now, so far so good... maybe not twice of the same model, we have other option such as Uni-T etc... my UT71A is since 2010 and still working, the button's carbon need topping up since i need to press hard to take effect. i have another Vici VC99 as backup, apart from Gossen MetraHit X-Tra in the drawer (2nd hand bought-refunded, broken and fixed) we can get really pissed off while working when the DMM goes heywire and no backup around... maybe i can tear apart and repair this AN8002, i just dont have the urgency yet...

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 23, 2021, 12:59:24 am
content: Quote from: Caliaxy on December 22, 2021, 04:15:25 pmThat simply comes down to manufacturing cost and margin. Nothing interesting there at all.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 23, 2021, 01:01:38 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on December 22, 2021, 05:10:43 pmI must admit that those titles would almost certainly guarantee clicks

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 23, 2021, 01:06:20 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on December 22, 2021, 01:32:48 pmThat would make for an interesting shootout

author: all_repair
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2021, 02:16:13 am
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on December 22, 2021, 06:41:41 pmbecause price is too low. :-) I have the same problem, getting much more kick surfing Zotek site for their new products and buying them than spending time fixing low value items.If the resistance value become too high when you check your DMM probes, change the batteries. I have learned that cheap meters do not like rechargeable 1.2V. Juice of I.5V pri-cell are meters killer regardless of cell brand or meter brand. For my multimeters, I am using rechargeable 1.5 Li cell, and rechargeable Li 9V(note not 8.4V type) cell now

author: Caliaxy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2021, 02:54:03 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 23, 2021, 12:59:24 amAnd compromises.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 23, 2021, 03:57:48 am
content: Quote from: Caliaxy on December 23, 2021, 02:54:03 amSure, I compromises go hand in hand with manufacturing cost. Zotek know their products sell because of the price point, so they design it down to meet a price point.Untimately, if two products use the exact same design and parts, just making it in China at a lower cost doesn't gain you a huge margin. It's a useful difference, but not huge.

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2021, 04:38:54 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 23, 2021, 12:59:24 amI think their supply chain might be at least a little interesting. They seem to have a proliferation of models without really having a large range. No DT830 super-cheapies that I can see, and nothing over $200 or even $100 AFAIK. That has to take a lot of engineering and supply-chain management to keep everything going and I wonder if they do it partially to diversify their supplier base rather than for marketing reasons. Brymen has a similarly large number of models, but they have more range and they OEM for a lot of people so they have marketing reasons for the abundance of variants.A Zoyi VC17B vs Fluke 17B shootout would probably be a popular topic as they are obviously direct competitors in the Chinese market.

author: crazyguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2021, 06:01:47 am
content: they have super-cheapies model DT-9205A, ~US$3.0 on taobao

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 23, 2021, 06:58:38 am
content: Quote from: bdunham7 on December 23, 2021, 04:38:54 amThey are obviously trying to do as much in house as they can. Moulding, assembly etc. And the founder has been a multimeter chip designer for over 25 years, so they have that covered.I only have a 17B, so will need the 17B+ to make it a fair comparison. I'll order them.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2022, 06:28:20 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on December 23, 2021, 06:58:38 amThis should be a good video.I've been beating on a Zoyi VC17B (actually Aneng AN860B+) for a few years now.It's a damn fine meter. It's always behaved impeccably and the build quality is orders of magnitude better than the plasticky AN800X meters for a tiny bit more money.I'm not saying it's going to be better than the Fluke 17B+ in a straight comparison but it's only about 1/6th the price.Aneng seems to have discontinued it, which is a shame. I also have the newer AN870 which looks like an update/improvement but there's something about it I don't like. I actually prefer to use my AN860 even though it has worse specs. Go figure.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 06, 2022, 11:22:00 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on January 05, 2022, 06:28:20 pmSo no point in a shootout?

author: Anthocyanina
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2022, 12:43:21 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 06, 2022, 11:22:00 pmI think it was replaced with the AN870

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2022, 07:33:45 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on January 06, 2022, 11:22:00 pmThat's only Aneng. It's still on the Zotek web site and you can buy it in Zoyi and plenty of other brands.https://zotektools.com/products/vc17b/https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000215450256.htmlI thought the point was to compare Fluke with Fluke clone?