Old Iskra Unimer 2 :) (Metrawatt clone) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Spiro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2011, 06:17:27 pm
content: Yeap. It is analog instrument with 1-1.5% accuracy. It can measure up to 5000V.What CAT is that? Lion or tigerSmall burden voltage. It is at least 20 years old.

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2011, 06:48:39 pm
content: That shows that badge engineering has a long tradition in the multimeter industry. Compare your Unimer 2 to thehttp://www.radiomuseum.org/r/goerz_unigor_3p3.htmlEspecially have a look at the relayshttp://www.radiomuseum.org/images/radio/metrawatt_gmbh_vorm/unigor_3p_223315.jpg

author: ciccio
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2011, 08:36:29 pm
content: Quote from: BoredAtWork on October 06, 2011, 06:48:39 pmI'm not sure it is "badge engineering". If I remember well, Iskra was assembling those meters under license from Goerz - Metrawatt.I think they received "kits" of parts (see the Goerz name on the PCB and the German-made relay).Before Yugoslavia "exploded" Iskra (that means, I believe, Spark) was a really big company that manufactured every kind of electronic and electrical equipment and parts, usually of good to very good quality. They were the only company manufacturing variacs in Europe (or st least the only one to make them available in Italy, in the 70s).Regards

author: Bored@Work
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2011, 09:25:39 pm
content: Quote from: ciccio on October 06, 2011, 08:36:29 pmI was more thinking the other way around. Iskra building them, Goerz/Metrawatt (today Gossen) selling them under their name. It was common during those times that Western European companies used companies in Eastern Europe to build and assemble their goods. The WE companies were very careful to disguise the origin of their goods, because sales would go down if it turned out the goods were made by "communists". A little bit like today with stuff manufactured in Asia. So I would not be surprised if Iskra assembled the Unigor 3 or parts of it, too.

author: tekfan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2011, 09:42:27 pm
content: I can't believe the circuit board actually says Goerz. Nice to see a backplate that you can actually read in nearly your own language. The Iskra plant was and still is located in the same city I go to school.Yes Iskra does actually mean spark. A joke regarding the company name is often told. In the sence that their products often release sparks.Our school has piles of newer Iskra analog multimeters. The quality is not so good (they weren't meant for industrial use) but they all still work.

author: Spiro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2011, 12:54:14 am
content: BoredAtWork you make my day. I HAVE METRAWATT. I am so happyOk, Metrawatt clone. But who cares. I HAVE METRAWATT CLONE!!!1967? Is it possible that this instrument is that old? It is still working,but I have problem to find 1.5V battery used for resistance measuring.It is nor AA. Must be some sort of lab precise bat. I am going toput it in glass show case.I HAVE METRAWATTclone!!!

author: ciccio
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2011, 07:55:18 am
content: Quote from: tekfan on October 06, 2011, 09:42:27 pmYou must believe : please look at last photo of the original Spiro's post: there is GOERZ written on the PCB...Regards

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2011, 10:00:54 am
content: Very nice meter. I don't like putting stuff into glass cases just for show, I have the Unigor 6e and I still occasionallyuse it.

author: Spiro
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2011, 12:37:00 pm
content: David, how old is your Unigor 6e? I am very curious how old is this Iskra instrument.It is spoil of war. This guy I bought instrument from took it from Lora navy base (near Split).I bought it for 5 deutsche mark in '94-'95. Yeap, welcome to Balkan.Interesting that you can buy Unigor 3p for just 30 euro.http://mjs-electronics.se/images/Multi_ana/multi_ana.htmThere is lot of interesting old instruments on this site.

author: zaoka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2011, 01:10:23 pm
content: My first analog meter was Iskra Unimer 1http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/iskra_unimer_1.htmlIt did not last long, I damaged it by switching ohms range to voltage..Second was Iskra Unimer 31, it was new version of Unimer 1:http://www.ouedkniss.com/annonces/electronique/154343/Photo1.jpgI used this one for more than 5 years and gave it to my brother when I was leaving a country. It was built very well. I think this was Iskra design.Not sure how many of you guys tried Triplett and Simpson, these are far more accurate and better quality than Iskra and Metrawatt analog meters.

author: david77
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2011, 03:30:07 pm
content: I cannot tell how old my Unigor is, however I do have an old catalog of a long gone German eletronics supplier printed in1976 and the meter is in there. If I remember correctly price was about 1100,- DM, or about 550,- EUR in todays money.The 6e is a proper electronics meter, I still use it when I need to measure extremely low voltages/currents as it's smallest rangeis 1mV/1µA full scale.The Unimer 31 looks very much like the later analog Metrawatt metersI disagree that BBC/Goerz/Metrawatt meters were of bad quality. You could (probably still can) find them inmost school physics labs in Germany and they were not treated very well there believe me.I cannot comment on clones like the Iskras however.

author: zaoka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2011, 09:36:13 pm
content: Not sure for Unimer 31, as I remember all parts are made in Iskra, however, you never know.Meters from 80s looks similar to Metrawatt: