Fluke 280 Series True-rms Logging DMM VS Chinese Clone !!     - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2011, 04:58:11 pm
content: Check this out !! and take your pills before you click those links ...Original ......http://www.fluke.com/Fluke/caen/Digital-Multimeters/Fluke-280-Series.htm?PID=56057And this .....http://www.cem-instruments.com/en/pro/pro-465.html

author: Achilles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2011, 05:50:18 pm
content: Hey cool, A logging DDM with graphical display has been on my list for a while, but the Fluke is quite expensive here around and the Metrix Star Trek Design isn't my taste.....I had been looking at CEM before but I never saw this one. A test would be great....hehe. Maybe a 287/289 and DT-9978/9979 Head on head duel.Layout, Display, Accuracy, Battery lifetime, Security (build quality and fuses) and of course Price/Value. It looks very interesting and if the price is much lower than a yellow one it could be interesting (for me)Edit: I just see it seems to use or at least be manufactured for rechargeable batteries. IP67 (if it really stands to that one) is great too..... Worth to have an eye on it

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2011, 06:33:07 pm
content: No no no no , you got it by the wrong wayI do not fly my hat for the CEM products, even if I had watch their 10 minutes video,with the magical moments that the CEM employs have & the large buildings / 50 production lines / personal training/ wild horses / travel over clouds, and flying donkeysThey have vision but you do not gain fame with just Hollywood style videos, or by making copies of others companies design.The companies that I knock their door, haves products with genuine original ideas.If you are so passionate about a Fluke 287/289 , it makes more sense to chase one on ebay.

author: Achilles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2011, 06:54:48 pm
content: Yeah I know that you didn't fave it, but it honestly looks interesting if it works.IP67 rated, Bluetooth, graphical display....even a bit more than the Fluke. It is a bit of a shame that they copied the Fluke design. They could have build their own design and I am sure it would be a lot easier on the market, because most people see it as a Fluke clone now and stay away because of that.Sure, the Fluke may be better build quality, but as I said it's very expensive. I don't know how the prices are in greece but here it's about 350-450 E used and they are hard to find on ebay. UK looks much better and cheaper, but most sellers are selling in UK only and don't want to ship it to ger. Then we have the USA, where postage is quite high and Customs/VAT will be addd after that. So you could more or less wait for a new oneThe Metrix MTX is quite often on German ebay at the moment. They are about 150Euro which is very fair I think.I still stay there, the specs look very interesting and a test would be great by someone, but the meter really seems to be very new (just very few infos in the net)

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2011, 07:12:11 pm
content: One last word about pricing of Asian products, they do not come cheap !!And if the device looks shiny, the price is shiny too.Some companies make nice products, and have poor distribution network,and so the first whole seller who will get the first products at hand from them, he blast the prices sky high = no competition yet.I know everything related about Fluke pricing in Germany and in all EU.UK haves a bit lower pricing, but not close enough to what happens at the other side of the pond.The CEM page about the product looks poorly made, no info about the rest parts, like software or IR-modem or what ever.They build it, but they do not support it as it should for international sales.If I was Chinese, I would had less second thoughts about getting one.But I am not !!

author: Achilles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2011, 07:37:28 pm
content: Yeah I understand what you say.I wouldn't get that one if it is just about 150 Euros or so cheaper than the Fluke. In that case the bet would be a bit too high for meIt depends a bit on the company. Some sell to private and in small amounts and that's not a bad way, too. I got some Photografphic Equipment directly ordered from the manufacturer in China. As you said it was not "cheap" but still a lot less expensive than our european or american counterparts (They design and develop on their own).To take it short, excellent build quality, very kind service, fast and helpful. With my European Ballhead I had less good experience. It#S OK but overpriced (Designed in Switzerland, made in France). Factory made scratches and notches. No service at all (they really don't have a service line or email but offer you two years warranty). A friend of mine was obsesses with this european company (one of the leaders and pioneers in photo-hardware) but fell down quick. Malfunctioning Ballhead, was searching to find a service line and got one by the German main reseller, called them and was told they call him back because there was no native english speaking Person at the office (huh). got his call after three weeks and they told him to open the Ballhead and fix it on his own....... So much about european premium quality stuff. The chinese stuff has a dent or a screw missing and they send you a new item for free. That's service I expect and if I pay half of the price for an equal product...why not.So for me China doesn't automatically mean crap. You have to check and see if it's worth it's money. There is no bad production there is more bad quality controlDon't get me wrong. I am not a fan of china or chinese copying, but I am no fan of overpriced "we have our reputation already" stuff either....PS:I just noticed their Automotive DMM's. My brothe ruses one for about two years now. They are sold as Voltcrafthttp://www.conrad.de/ce/de/product/123240/AT-400-AUTOMOTIVE-MULTIMETERVoltcraft is distributed by Conrad Electronic (one of our biggest electronics suppliers around here) and they just rebrand them. I have a Voltcraft DMM since 12Years in use and it's not bad at all.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 22, 2011, 09:36:39 pm
content: I do understand your concept, I really do .Well I am fan of all the planet , and I do have Chinese friends.Even so, I hate copies, and I hate the phrase: Build for a price ..There is no such words in real life, that's just cheap trading tactics, for people who just think about the today,and they do not invest about long term partnerships.If I have become expert and respectable in myvillage, it is an result that came of my own determination / hard work / and dedication.And when I discover people or companies with those high standards, I need them next to me as friends, no matter what.

author: metalphreak
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2011, 05:48:16 am
content: The CEM units all look suspiciously like ExTech unitsPretty certain they are one of the OEM manufacturers for ExTech. Check out their other models and the corresponding ExTech units - the only difference is the case colour.

author: Achilles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2011, 09:46:43 am
content: Yes, They seem to produce for others as well. As I mentioned Conrad electronic (Voltcraft). They seem to have a webshop, but it doesn't show all Products.I have been curious and asked for the price of the Logging DMM.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2011, 10:01:12 am
content: Quote from: metalphreak on October 23, 2011, 05:48:16 amI can not spot such visual similarities with Extech products, its best to add model numbers at list.Or to add pictures .

author: Achilles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2011, 10:16:52 am
content: I didn't compare every model, but the similarities betweenExtech EX505 and CEM DT 9915 are there.Display, Case form, Buttons, Input Jacks, The Layout of the measurement modes is different, but they seem to offer several models and just show one of the series. So it may be possible....

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2011, 10:43:56 am
content: Well this is the EEV planet ...If you do not take it apart !!You do not have a story, so to speak about it

author: Achilles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2011, 10:56:52 am
content: Hehe, yeah, to be sure you would have to take a look on the inside, but even then it could be a 1:1 clone. As I said, my brother uses the Voltcraft Automitive DMM which seems to be a CEM and it works very nice.It could be that Extech lets CEM produce for them, but letting sth. produce isn't the whole thing. Who knows the amount of malfunctioning DMM which is tested and then rejected by Extech.....If they sell on their own I doubt they would keep a very high quality control standard because it's more expensive.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2011, 11:15:23 am
content: You possibly have a point about the similarity ( picture above) ...The CEM with True rms are the 9917T, but there is no actual picture of it.

author: sonicj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2011, 03:13:33 pm
content: side by side

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2011, 07:56:36 am
content: Yes one picture = 1000 words

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2011, 02:00:17 am
content: If you had a hard day and you need a good laugh,try to read the text on the top of this display.

author: metalphreak
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2011, 02:39:58 am
content: CEM DT-9927T vs Sidchrome/ABW Tools vs Extech EX520My Sidchrome meter has EX520CF-1 labelled in a few locations on the PCB. Also watched a youtube video of someone tearing down an EX5x0 model and the internal design is identical. In any case, they're not crap build quality like the cheap chinese knockoffs. The waterproofing design is actually pretty good. Couldn't find a photo of the 9927Tmodel which has true RMS. It also seems like CEM have switched from yellow to blue colours?

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2011, 02:48:35 am
content: Hey metalphreak get this too for your picture collection ..And the point here is not the quality level , but who gets what and from whom.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2011, 03:20:33 am
content: Here is possibly an positive example about parts sharing,I just found that the Japanese sanwa uses probably identical LCD display, that came from the same shop that Agilent got their display for the Agilent orange series.http://overseas.sanwa-meter.co.jp/index.php?cd772

author: Achilles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2011, 07:17:34 pm
content: I found a Manual of the CEM logging Multimeter online for those interested.http://doc.gmecdn.cz/722/722-423/orn.722-423.1.pdfIt seems to be quite new if I look around, but I already found a reseller in Germany who charges 153Euro plus shipping and VAT what surprised me a lot. I expected it to be in a higher pricerange....

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2011, 08:24:16 pm
content: I got one step further and found an retailer in Poland, even so he looks hungry for cash ...http://www.gme.sk/sk/dt-9979-p722-423.htmlAchilles send me with one PM, the link of your reseller if possible, just for my personal collection of links.

author: Achilles
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2011, 08:36:58 pm
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on October 27, 2011, 08:24:16 pmHonestly buddy, I think I went ahead. I found one at least in my country and even less expensiveOK, you got mail