FNIRSI HRM-10 Battery Internal Resistance Tester [ & Milli-Ohmmeter] Review - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Paul T
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 09:32:57 am
content: I am starting a topic on theHRM-10 Internal Resistance Tester- not currently one under Test Equipment. There was a brief discussion inBeginnersto briefly discuss what the readings mean.I just posted a review at:KeepOnTesting, please check it out.As I said in my review, and on the other sub-forum, I felt the usefulness of this device to check the condition of old batteries was poor. I do capacity tests on rechargeable cells all the time, and the information it provides is much more useful, including the IR test it does (which needs done several times due to poor repeatability).However, I found this to be anexcellent device for accurately measuring milliohms up to 200 ohms.I haven't seen a good 4-wire resistance tester for about $35 before.I wondered if anyone is using this meter for anything in particular, and how well it works for what you are doing? Has anyone made their own cable for the product?

author: ptluis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 10:59:03 am
content: Quote from: Paul T on October 19, 2024, 09:32:57 amI'm using one with firmware V0.4, although on their site there's only V0.3 available to download.i use it to test battery cells in packs, and it's working nicely, it shows consistent results within specs. What I don't like is the short cable, and the clips come a little offset, but i will build some extra probs when i have some free time.

author: TheDefpom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 11:24:42 am
content: Fnirsi have sent one to me to review, it should arrive very soon, so watch out for a review on my channel within the next couple of weeks, if I remember I will post it here too.

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2024, 08:46:36 pm
content: Also got one, first impressions are mediocre.Purchased it on sale from a store on Aliexpress (36$ delivered incl.25%EUVAT)Dont like the connector, there is likely a reason why they tend to use specialty connectors where some seem to originate from aviation on cheap resistance/milliohm meters.Is it a GX12-4pin on HRM-10?Trying to find heads & tails of the different models.* Yaorea 1030+ USB-A 4pin* Yaorea 1035+ XS10 4pin?* RC3563 GX12 4 pin?* HRM-10 GX12 4pin?* Yaorea 2050 USB-A 4pinCorrect?

author: ptluis
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2024, 08:40:25 am
content: Quote from: DaneLaw on October 19, 2024, 08:46:36 pmWhy you say yours is mediocre? in what scenario's? I find mine really competent in diagnosing lithium batteries health, it's easy to find a failing or bad cell in a pack. The cable is really not good, and the clip solution is not adequate for bare cells, the pin type is better but the device reads fast and comparing to hioki BT3563A and BT3554 it does not disapoint.

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2024, 03:38:20 pm
content: Quote from: ptluis on October 20, 2024, 08:40:25 amITs still early days, but there was a few things that didn't appeal..The lack of silicone wires for its 4-wire inner measurement wires, which we even see on 5 dollar 4-wire test grippers... it makes the cable rigid and will have a will of its own when you try to measure, also very little spacing from one grapper to the next if you wanna center a battery, and poke it from each side.. you have very little play, - as mentioned also don't like the screw-on connector that you need to align and carefully see where the small grease is with some light to align it correctly, it makes the product bulky, as you tend to leave the connector on, and it's cumbersome to change if you wanna make your own test leads, and the fact that it only exists with grappers, - far from ideal in most of my usecases, not least on batteries and if they wanna use this bulky connector with such a rigid short cable. put the socket in the bottom.My unit arrived with v0.4 but hopefully, it can be suited up with other test leads, as my readings (at times) left a lot to be desired, but it's far from ideal to use grappers on fx 18650, even though you space them.Was the socket-identification above of the different models correct, and if so, same pinout as fx RC3563?.

author: Paul T
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2024, 03:58:48 pm
content: I have firmware 0.4 too. As received. I only have three small issues with the software.#1 The - sign for negative readings is an _ underscore, instead of being centered. Easy to miss it.#2 cannot remove lines or or delete the record data on the device.#3 adjusting the time is backwards. The down arrow is used to increase the value.

author: Paul T
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2024, 08:13:46 pm
content: My opinion of the FNIRSI is improving after successfully calibrating it, as described inmy review blog. I wished more devices allowed the user to do this.

author: TERRA Operative
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2024, 10:56:48 pm
content: I have done a review on one of these on my Youtube channel, seems lots of people are getting them recently.It seems to give readings that roughly agree with my HP 4338B milliohm meter.After cal it was much better too.I found a few small things that I didn't like, but mostly down to things in the UI which is firmware fixable.

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2024, 11:32:06 pm
content: The only other two milliohm meters I got, are a YR2050 (DC) and a 20$ YR1030+ (AC) mainly to get the USB-probes for the YR2050 as that unit comes bundled with grappers..copper wire.

author: Paul T
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2024, 02:01:15 pm
content: It's not too difficult to make a small adapter board for use with other connectors.A 4-wire connection can be extended to other attachments - without any penalty, as long as the connections are reliable.Here's an example of a round-trip cable tester setup. It's meant to determine the total resistance a cable has on the power wires. The lower the resistance, the better ampacity.My previous milli-ohmmeter adapted to 4P header and these various attachments go to USB-A, USB-Mini, USB-Micro, USB-C. Also, I made shunts for far-end termination from good quality connectors. The resistance of the connectors at the ends of the cables are present in the product usage, so I feel it's valid to capture the entire path the way I do.The key to adapting the FNIRSI to these components was 2x5 headers that the Kelvin clips can grab onto. 5 rows handle the pressure of the jaws better than just a few. They are all in parallel. The V+I+V-I- labels match up with my previous equipment force and sense connections.

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2024, 08:21:43 pm
content: Looks like there is a new bundled version.with also probes and cellmount at an added cost of around +18$.The HRM10 socket is as debated, just a standard GX12-4pin.So you could likely also get some of the accessories for other 4wire-battery-testers using that connector, just double check the pin-out matches.

author: Paul T
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2024, 09:11:33 pm
content: This is a nice kit, in theory. However, the length of the wires between the tester pens to the junction is too short, barely the length of the pen itself. If you want to aim the pens at opposing ends of the battery so that the probes are perpendicular to the face, it can't be done.

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2024, 04:19:39 am
content: Quote from: Paul T on October 29, 2024, 09:11:33 pmMany of these graphical promo-display pictures, ain't 100% representative of the actual product, sizewise, they are orchestrated to make it look neat as can also be seen on the dual 90-degree angle of the cable on the probes., so hopefully they will fit their intended use-case, but then again the jaws kontra cable length are actually very close to the pictured dimension above.These accessories would come as stand-alone spares and be purchasable for users who already purchased the HRM-10 with just jaws, not sure about the price, but the seller that sold me the HRM10 would reach out when he got them as spares.Been testing the HRM10 on various cable-resistance, and the readings are very close to the values on YR2050 (DC-based)

author: TheDefpom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2024, 05:10:34 am
content: I edited my review video for this today and uploaded it to YouTube (currently unlisted) will go public on Wednesday next week.

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2024, 01:35:26 pm
content: Anyone measured the actual test current level from the HRM-10?How does this compare with the Yaorea 1030, 1035 and 2050?Best,

author: Paul T
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 31, 2024, 02:07:55 pm
content: Here's what I get when testing. The resistance is reported on the HRM-10, the current on a ZOYI ZT-5566.R (ohm) I (mA)0.0305 23.5 (multimeter in AC A)2.168 2.45 (multimeter in AC mA)50.69 0.034 (multimeter in mA, add 48.5 ohm resistor)Double-Log chart attached.

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2024, 11:09:03 pm
content: Quote from: DaneLaw on October 31, 2024, 04:19:39 amWill likely also pop up at many other stores, but the mentioned source above got back with this listing.https://aliexpress.com/item/1005007997236597.html?

author: bte
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 21, 2024, 08:01:01 pm
content: Quote from: mawyatt on October 31, 2024, 01:35:26 pmIn this review some voltage waveforms are shown:https://youtu.be/8XsSwTGnwEk?t=486It is not exactly an answer to your question, but it might provide some insight as to how the measurements are made.

author: cybermaus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2025, 07:16:04 pm
content: Did anyone try using this as a short finder,like the shorty-tool?So use with sharp needles and see if the short is the local component, or at least nearby rather then on the other side of the board?What is the voltage is uses to measure, will it activate gates?

author: Paul T
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 12, 2025, 08:33:48 pm
content: I use the HRM-10 for that purpose. However, the prong leads they supply with the pro kit are too widely spaced between prongs, and too rigidly joined at the cable not far away from the pens.Here is the homemade set of 4-wire probes I use for probing boards for shorts using the HRM-10 or other devices.The stainless needle does not move, it's the core of the donor test leads. The gold pin is spring-loaded, creatively attached with heat shrink tubing just a little taller than the solid pin. In use, put the solid pin on the joint and make sure the pogo can touch too.I also made an adapter plate, but I'm showing it's not really needed.

author: cybermaus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 06:35:57 am
content: Thanks. I was thinking of doing the same (making my own probes)However, I was thinking of just soldering two wires near the tip of a single sharp needletip probe. Theyseem to do this for that "shorty" tooland it does not seem to matter.After all, for short finding you want relative value, want to know if one "short" is bigger or smaller then the other, you do not need absolute values.I also saw on a YouTube (diodegonewild) that the measure voltage, when open, is 1.8Vpp, so 0.9Vp. Just a tad to high for in-circuit measuring, but we'll see.Anyway good to know you use it for this without too much issues.I already ordered one yesterday, but for its primary function, battery & battery wire resistances. Should be here by tomorrow as it was locally sourced (eleshop.nl).Edit: I suddenly realize my worry about measure voltage in-circuit is not valid. It may have a 1.8Vpp open voltage, but when searching a *short* it surely will not reach that.

author: Paul T
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2025, 11:50:14 am
content: I tried making my first set with a wire soldered very close to the tip. I wasn’t happy with the results. I know a relative result is desired. However the additional resistance offset muddies things too much. There may also be something galvanic going on. The readings are not as stable, more dependent on mechanical pressure. By using two separate wires, the voltage drop that occurs due to the current passing from the tip to the pad/joint is eliminated from the measurement.

author: cybermaus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2025, 10:16:21 pm
content: Arrived. Works good for batteries, and for confirming which of my banana wires are junk (though I sort of already knew)As to short finding: Will makes probes later but even as is with the kelvin clips it works quite wellEspecially if you realize the clip side without wire is the sense (the side with wire is the feed), so if you use the edge of the sense side as probe, it shows every 5mm extra 50mil pcb trace clearly.Of course, I do not have an actual short to trace just right now. And I probably will still make needle probes.Edit:I made some needle probes. And I am quite happy how they turned out ... mechanically at least.Some cheap Chinese probes and I milled a 3mm channel into them for the extra wire. The overmolding refused to mill cleanly and became a sort of closing flap.Electrically however, as foretold by @Paul T, it takes some skill and fiddling, and as Dave puts it, tongue angles to make it work.It's doable on tinned pads, a pretty constant 5mO offset, but on copper, nickel, and even gold, it is quite finicky and dependent on pressure and oxides.

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 19, 2025, 06:12:31 pm
content: Just a warning here.I tried to back date the firmware on this to check out something.The process went as expected, no errors. However, the unit will no longer turn on for normal operation.I can still get into the boot loader so I tried putting teh latest version back in. No joy. It still won't turn on. So I basically bricked it.Don't be tempted to do this, no matter how inquisitive you are.I'm trying to contact FNIRSI to see if there is something that can be done, but .. we'll see.Okay, update here. I had a moment of inspiration. The firmware files I tried to use were on a network share. Copying them to the update volume does not work. They have to be local. Once I copied them to the machine I was updating from, both the V0.2 and V0.3 firmware work fine.

author: cybermaus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2025, 05:51:26 am
content: Quote from: BillyO on August 19, 2025, 06:12:31 pmI am sure that was a relief.A few questions: Why did you want an old version?For others, I opened the whats new of 0.3:Code:V0.3 202406201. Updated some English translations2. Fixed some operational anomaliesV0.2 202404301. Updated some clocks that could not be saved after power offV0.1 202404251. Updated the automatic shutdown issue

author: Paul T
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2025, 11:59:56 am
content: My device shipped with 0.4.

author: cybermaus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2025, 12:45:35 pm
content: Well, that triggered me to walk over to the bench and ... so does mine. Even though latest download is 0.3

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2025, 01:42:18 pm
content: Quote from: cybermaus on August 20, 2025, 05:51:26 amTo see what those "operational anomalies" were.