Is a $100 Amazon special benchtop VMM sufficient for basic voltage checks? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: K5_489
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2024, 09:53:24 pm
content: The older I get, the more frustrated I find myself getting with portable VMMs on the bench...seems the dang things are _always_ either in the way, I can never get the display at an angle that's easy to see while not in the way, or my ADHD kicks in, and i have NO IDEA where the heck I put it last time (I SWEAR I just put in the tool drawer 5 minutes ago!!!)99% of the time, I'm either testing continuity of a circuit, or need to know a 12VDC nominal voltage to a 0.5V resolution. Most of my work is more electrical than electronic. Realistically, a $5 Horrible Fright VMM is probably plenty for my needs from an accuracy/resolution standpoint, and I've seriously considered just buying a dozen of them to leave on the benchThe few times that I need something better, I have several Fluke 77 & 177 models around here...somewhere (seriously..legit ADHD can be a real bummer sometimes)But what I'd really like is just one benchtop with a larger, brighter display and that never leaves the bench. I was looking at these things -https://www.amazon.com/Labloot-Multimeter-Voltmeter-Continuity-Multimeters/dp/B0C5CSX7RJand while I'm well aware they're not a $100 Tek or Fluke, I'm wondering if there's some other compelling reason to not a get a cheap one for my rather basic needs?

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2024, 10:56:47 pm
content: Its the same as the Owon XDM1041, so if you look around for that you might find more info:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/owon-xdm1041-the-unknown-multimeter/

author: K5_489
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2024, 11:20:40 pm
content: It doesn't have to be that particular model, it just happened to be the first "cheap" one I came across that I used as an example. Seems most of the reviews for this class of product I'm seeing are comparing functionality to much more expensive units in an attempt to get fancy features at a dirt cheap price...which doesn't really apply to my needs (I don't think)...but it's also a case of "I don't know what I don't know".Though I did see one post in that thread mentioning usability could be a pain due to being so lightweight that you have to hold it to press any buttons to keep it from moving. These are the kinds of things I'd never even think about.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2024, 11:33:42 pm
content: Yes its lightweight, you could stick it to the desk or add something heavy behind it. Otherwise should be fine for what you want to do.

author: xrunner
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2024, 01:17:00 am
content: Quote from: K5_489 on September 20, 2024, 09:53:24 pmShutting down my built-in test equipment snobbery ...Sure for what you want do do I'd say go for it.

author: RAPo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2024, 02:06:26 am
content: I can speak from experience with the aforementioned Owon: functionally, it does what you need. But this thing is movable. If your ADHD kicks in, it will be next—to the last VMM you can´t find. I have also its bigger brother the XDM2041. That one doesn´t wander. If you have the money and can live with its quirks (https://hackaday.com/2021/07/14/fixing-noisy-measurements-on-an-owon-xdm2041-bench-multimeter/) buy that one.

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2024, 03:40:16 am
content: There is a four-part video review of XDM1041 by TheHWCave in this playlist:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZqw8i7uFArli3mRfQmzbgs0eKcgvR88There are chapter indexes in each video description.Here's a link to the summary of its user interface in which a lot of quirks are mentioned:https://youtu.be/EvxrtSlAnzE?t=30m57s

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2024, 12:00:44 pm
content: Quote from: K5_489 on September 20, 2024, 09:53:24 pmEasily"sufficient".Quote from: K5_489 on September 20, 2024, 09:53:24 pmYou can get a couple of those, too.I was going to mention these but it looks like Farnell stopped making them:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/trashy-meters-redux/

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2024, 12:59:53 pm
content: Sorry, aVMM?I think you’ve commingled “DMM” (digital multimeter) and “VOM” (volt-ohm meter).

author: K5_489
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 21, 2024, 06:50:43 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on September 21, 2024, 12:59:53 pmIt's more that I was originally thinking "All I REALLY need is a voltmeter...well, maybe a continuity checker too" combined with "these stupid mutlimeters are always in my dang way!" then my brain, in all it's stupid ADHD glory, combined the two to make Voltage Multi Meter. It happens...frequently.Sometimes I catch it, sometimes i don't. This was a I don't time....