Picked Up This Little Beauty From eBay Today - BK Precision 2805 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Satch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2016, 09:43:06 pm
content: Well, I couldn't resist this little beastie. Isn't she a beaut? I haven't a clue if it works or not but for the princely sum of $7.99 it was too good to pass up. I was mucking around looking for good used bench meters(I am always looking but not 'trigger happy' on the buy/bid buttons) and stumbled across this days ago. I chucked it in the watch list and went about my business. Today a notification form the eBay app told only minutes were left in the auction. I waited til 20 seconds remained and hit the go button. Nothing to worry with. It was mine. I like the retro sort of look of this thing and at that price, I can afford to tinker with it if it does not work properly.

author: electrolust
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 19, 2016, 11:26:39 pm
content: came with leads also? good buy

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2016, 11:48:19 pm
content: Quotenot hard to figure out - even I could test a battery (after reading instructions)

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 12:09:45 am
content: I like the looks of some of the old test equipment. I don't think I have ever seen a handheld meter with two rotary selectors. Lets see if it works!

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 12:16:25 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on May 20, 2016, 12:09:45 amAVO ?

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 12:20:23 am
content: Quote from: tautech on May 20, 2016, 12:16:25 amThat's stretching the definition of handheld a bit, isn't it?

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 12:28:01 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on May 20, 2016, 12:09:45 amKeithley 129, 130

author: Muttley Snickers
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 12:28:45 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on May 20, 2016, 12:09:45 amThere are a few others out there as well, these TES Prova meters are still available but extremely expensive, I was going to buy one once and then the medication wore off.TES Metershttp://www.tes.com.tw/en/product_list.asp?title_seq=54

author: Satch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 01:14:29 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on May 20, 2016, 12:09:45 amThat was what caught my eye to begin with. Sure, there are other meters with rotary dials but as you mention, they are not super common. I think it has a bit of a 70s vibe to it though I am unsure of its actual vintage. There is something kind of neat about using a devise that does not have twenty buttons with a second/shift function to each along with menus. Now I may have to look for those Keithleys lowimpedance mentioned.

author: Satch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 01:15:58 am
content: Quote from: ez24 on May 19, 2016, 11:48:19 pmI am not speaking of function but of mechanical failure. Yeah...select function, range, test.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 05:48:51 am
content: Micronta has some of these interfaces. I find them too confusing to use and likely to make an oops.

author: Satch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 11:12:49 am
content: Retiredcaps, it kind of piques my curiosity as to who made the Micronta multimeters over the years. It's funny how different interfaces appear to different eyes. To me, an analogue dial is much easier to deal with than a bunch of push buttons or menus. Yet at the same time I do not necessarily like using mechanical needle sweep gauges like Simpsons or Triplett. I like that interface in an automotive gauge for quick reference but vastly prefer the digital readout of a DMM for test measurement.

author: ralphrmartin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 02:47:01 pm
content: My dad had a Micronta one like the one in the picture - we found it a few months back when we were sorting out his effects. Seems they were sold in the UK too.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 20, 2016, 10:43:30 pm
content: Quote from: Satch on May 20, 2016, 11:12:49 amMy old Radio Shack meters says "Custom Manufactured in China for the Radio Shack Corporation", so I don't know who the original manufacturer is. I equate Micronta with Radio Shack.I haven't done as much reseach into Micronta as I have with other brands.QuoteI have a Fluke 8020A and while I know it is very popular with many people, I dislike the side button pushes. My preferred interface is a simple dial like the Fluke 77 III autoranging meter.

author: klunkerbus
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 12:32:45 am
content: Quote from: retiredcaps on May 20, 2016, 10:43:30 pmI don't know it for a fact, but I'm pretty sure Micronta was a brand unique to Tandy/Radio Shack, and that Tandy/Radio Shack made most of their own stuff. EDIT: Depending on the merchandise category, Realistic, Nova, Archer and Optimus are other brands specific to T/RS that come to mind.

author: Satch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 01:20:04 am
content: I once had an Optimus receiver that was a rebranded Pioneer. Pretty decent piece of kit. With the near total decline of Radio Shack in general I oft forget that at one time they were a major player in the electronics industry. It does not surprise me they would have had enough clout to have a multimeter made entirely to their specs. I suppose I will have to check them out a bit more.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 02:42:49 am
content: I had to look up the AVO meter. Hey, I'm old but not that old!!Never have seen the Keithley meters as well.Any luck getting it working?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2016, 03:22:54 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on May 21, 2016, 02:42:49 amDon't talk yourself up Joe.The last AVO's were made in 2008 but we all know you were born in another century like most of us.I've got a few of which the best is an AVOMETER 8 Mk5 and it's labeled manufacture date was Feb 75, the year I left school.I only keep it for the 3kV AC & DC ranges they have.(not mine, just a pic from the net)Small site that has pics of internals:https://richardsears.wordpress.com/2013/12/29/avometer-8-mkv/The last of the 8's like the one below didn't have the HV terminals for 3kV.

author: Satch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2016, 11:02:41 am
content: Well, the package arrived yesterday and I was happy to see it was in better condition than described by the seller. Very little staining and no physical damage. I opened the battery compartment half expecting to find a crusty old battery in there that had long ago given up its contents to the battery connection wires. Surprise! It was clean as new.I popped in a new 9v battery and with a bit of hesitation, switched it on. No sparks, pops, or blank screens. I carefully rotated each dial through its settings and found he meter responsive. So far, so good. I set it to VAC and tested the mains at a nearby receptacle. 123v and some change. Precisely what I got from the Greenlee/Brymen when I tested it in the same receptacle a few weeks ago. I then set it to VDC and set the range dial to 2v and metered a AAA battery. 1.688v. I suppose new alkaline batteries are charged slightly over what we think of as normal. I then tested the same battery with the Greenlee and got a reading of 1.684v. So it looks like the meter functions as it should.Next, I did what all good EEVblog members should do and took it apart. Very straight forward. Two screws in the back and the case came apart. Removing the front dials was just as easy. Friction fit on the rotary shafts. Just be gentle. The board will remove with two small Philips screws but I have not done it yet since my precision screwdrivers were not to hand at the moment. Surprisingly there were very few crusties or other signs of ageing in there. The high current shunt is pretty large piece of copper looking wire and I was surprised to see a 10Ka, 600v rated Buss brand fuse for the high amperage over current protection. A much smaller glass fuse protects the lower amperage side of things. Heck, there was even a spare for the latter in the battery compartment! All in all a pretty good piece of kit for $7.99. I will try to get some open case photos posted up.

author: rrinker
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2016, 12:36:41 pm
content: I had that very same grey Micronta from late high school through college. Wish I knew what happened to it, lost in a move somewhere I think, but I know I never blew it up or anything making an oops with the range settings.Going to be interesting to see which I like - I now have an EEVBlog Bryman 235 which is my only modern meter, with the dial selector - my othger handheld is a Fluke 8060A, and both my bench meters are older Flukes with pushbuttons as well.