DMM in Australia <$60 what are my options? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: GhettoBlaster
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 22, 2015, 01:38:38 pm
content: Hi guysLooking for a slightly better quality DMM to replace my $5 toy. My main use is diy audio, low voltage, lots of resistance testing. Accuracy is more important than HV safety as I rarely test mains 230v.The first DMM that comes to mind is the Uni-t UT61e - this meter appears fine for my use however temperature would be nice, it is also quite old.Is there a better replacement for the same price or less or is the UT61e still the best in this price range?Is there anything cheaper of with temperature measurements that has good reputation?I am located in Australia and prices have fluctuated as of late with the poor dollar.Cheers

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 22, 2015, 01:46:35 pm
content: Sub AU$60 is tough, it doesn't really step you up in quality much.You can get a Fluke, but with hardly any functionality:http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Fluke-101-Handheld-and-Easily-Carried-Digital-Multimeter-Brand-New-/261451540393?hash=item3cdfb9e7a9Maybe this Mastech? (I have no idea if it's any good)http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/MASTECH-MS8226-RS232-Auto-Range-Digital-Multimeter-Tester-Handheld-Meters-/281549426738?hash=item418da75032The UT-61E is good value, but make sure it's the E model.I will be offering a "cheap" meter soon that is really good quality, but it's not sub AU$100 I'm afraid, or maybe it could be on special.

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 22, 2015, 02:56:02 pm
content: It is not in AUS, but you can get a decent meter for $71AUD. I know this i above your limit, but I think worth it f you can. he meter is the Uni-T UT139C. Have a look for one on ebay if you can buy that way. Our trusted friend here, iloveelectronics, has an ebay store but he is out of stock right now. You could PM and see what e can do.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Uni-T-UT139C-True-RMS-Digital-Multimeter-with-Temperature-NCV-Backlight-/171213085325I am sorry, I know you said <60 and in AUS................

author: GhettoBlaster
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 04:37:44 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 22, 2015, 01:46:35 pmThanks Dave - I will keep an eye out for it. Perhaps I missed some of the videos when it was mentioned, however what is the ETA?I had considered the fluke options in inluding 15B/17B however they are quite limited as mentioned.Quote from: Lightages on September 22, 2015, 02:56:02 pmI had planned to purchase this meter some time back over the UT61-e simply for the addition of temperature measurement; the dollar was trading well and it was only $43 delivered. :-(The following have been shortlisted u139c, Digitek DT-2843R, UT61e. All appear around the $60ish mark. As most measurements are low voltage and small resistance values the UT61e might be the better option - it seems to have a support network on this forum.EDIT: I found the UT61E for under $60 at a physical store around the corner from my Ubiversity. (I did not realise physical stores that you can walk into and speak to people actually existed anymore?) Unless anyone has a better proven meter to recommend i think ill buy the UT61E?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 04:49:06 am
content: Quote from: GhettoBlaster on September 23, 2015, 04:37:44 amYou didn't miss it, I haven't mentioned it publicly. Late October I think. It should have EEVblog on the front if that worth anythingBut yeah, very compact, real HRC fuses and CAT IV safety, UL listing.Very muchlike this:

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 04:55:39 am
content: Buy an old Fluke77,if you can find one.It will probably do just about anything you want to do,the 9v battery lasts for ages,& it doesn't have the siily delay that a lot of modern cheap meters have when you try to check continuity,resistance,or in some cases,volts.It is pre-CAT ratings (or at least mine is),but it was designed properly.I'm a bit of a Uni-T hater.We had earlier models at one job,& the silly things drove us mad with delays when testing,cheap & nasty probes,& a really bad habit of the resistance range going crazy when the battery got a bit low (but way before the low battery display came up).The new models may have overcome these problems.

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 05:15:02 am
content: QuoteAre you going to start selling your own line of meters or just selling one used one?

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 06:30:20 am
content: Quote from: ez24 on September 23, 2015, 05:15:02 amI will be selling meters in my own store.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 07:44:08 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 23, 2015, 06:30:20 amAnd other test equipment?

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 08:50:45 am
content: +1 for the UT61E - got mine for AU$54.27 delivered from Amazon.(It's pretty good value compared to the EX330, which is more expensive when delivered from Amazon and has lower specs)It has decent specs and doesn't feel cheap. I wish it had temp and a backlight though...The input protection isn't too good but it is 22000 count.

author: nrxnrx
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 04:39:25 pm
content: Hi!Just chiming in to say that the UT-139C is also rebranded as Tenma 72-7780 (by Farnell), which could make it more available.The %*#^%@ thing beeps whenever you look at it, but at least the CAT ratings seem real.--Mihai

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 06:23:18 pm
content: Yes, if there is one thing I can say I dislike in multimeters, or any device, is beeping without an option of silencing it. The UT139C is an offender.

author: commie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 08:32:41 pm
content: Quote from: crispy_tofu on September 23, 2015, 08:50:45 amYeah..., I bought one of Ebay, figured 22000 count like wow man, great stuff like. I also watched a video by M.Lorton praising the shit out of the UT61E as to how good it was, he showed how to calibrate it by turning a pot, which was incendently incorrect as it turns out.Great, I thought, can calibrate 4..20mA loops on a single range. When I finally got it to play with I found the elusive pot adjusts not only voltage span but current span as well so you either have accurate 'Volts' or accurate 'current' but not both.The best I could get it was 'volts' and '4mA' more or less spot on but then at 20mA it reads 35 counts too high, it is in spec. but what stinking pile of a shit design? Why go through all the trouble of producing millions of UT61E's that are not designed correctly?

author: ez24
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 08:59:54 pm
content: QuoteSounds interesting - why not start a post on what kind of multimeters to use with 4-20 ma testing. I would like to know more on why this meter fails in this testing. If you do not want to, I will but I do not know what is going on. Someday I want to get into 4-20 circuits. Thanks

author: commie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2015, 09:13:24 pm
content: Quote from: ez24 on September 23, 2015, 08:59:54 pmHi ez24, the reason it fails, is simply because it has a single span pot for both current and voltage measurement when in fact there should be one gain/span pot for voltage and another for current measurements. Ideally, it should have a zero adjustment as well.If it had been designed correctly, you could get it more or less bang on calibrating it with the use of a newish 61/2 digit bench multimeter.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 12:02:00 am
content: Quote from: tautech on September 23, 2015, 07:44:08 amDon't know yet.

author: Maxlor
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 12:49:15 am
content: Test gear by Dave. I expect some idiosynchasies, such as...- an internal switch that detects when the device has been opened up. If you try to turn the device on without having opened it first, it'll tell you "don't turn it on, TAKE IT APART". On a multimeter's 7-segment display, that message will show up as "EtIA".- Larger testgear will feature proprietary unpatented ILF (In-Like-Flynn) fasteners which will enable teardowns in a jiffy.- fail/pass modes come with authentic "wah wah wah wah" voice recordings, which cannot be disabled.- all products will feature a graphical display, in order to properly display the "leads connected to the wrong jack" warning. It won't say "LEAd" or something like that like with other manufacturers, but instead show this:- The devices will feature an odd mix-and-match between high quality expensive parts for connectors, and cheap plastic for things like enclosures. Noone will care.- product robustness will be specified not with an IP rating, but in in "hours of canyoning."- for the first couple of months, half the gear will be lost in transit because it rips open its packaging. Post offices around the world suddenly see an increase in applications for internships from people with an electronics background.Seriously though, good luck, I hope you can make it work. And looking into the future, It'd be rather cool if eevblog ends up being a respected test gear brand. Heh, weirder things have happened.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 12:52:43 am
content: Quote from: Maxlor on September 24, 2015, 12:49:15 am

author: nidlaX
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 02:01:05 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on September 23, 2015, 04:49:06 amI just bought a Greenlee DM-510A, which is nice because it comes with the limited lifetime warranty and the nicer probes that you showed in your review. Any reason for me to return it and hold out for your version? (besides thehighlydesirable EEVblog logo?No seriously, I want it...)

author: crispy_tofu
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2015, 05:54:50 am
content: Quote from: commie on September 23, 2015, 08:32:41 pmWow, that's pretty horrible. To tell the truth, I haven't calibrated it so I didn't know it did thatQuote from: Lightages on September 23, 2015, 06:23:18 pmYeah, the UT61E is also an offender. It hasn't got on my nerves yet, but I'm sure it will in a few weeks!