Gold plated test probes - any good ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2016, 11:38:04 am
content: HiI notice in another thread blueskull mentioned gold plating multimeter test probes.Does anyone have any experience of bought ones?I am getting a 6.5 digit voltmeter and wondered if it was worth getting these :https://www.amazon.co.uk/DAOKAI%C2%AE-Banana-Universal-Multimeter-Digital/dp/B01E49MT7Y/ref=sr_1_140?ie=UTF8&qid=1472124866&sr=8-140&keywords=gold+test+probeorhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01H71TMK8/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3MTO9QJ3ITEHU&coliid=IKTWAFH894RTLDoes anyone know if these are any good please?

author: Keysight DanielBogdanoff
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 26, 2016, 03:27:11 am
content: This seems like it might be a gimmick, but I'm not aware of any side-by-side objective testing. I'd also be interested to hear if anyone's done any testing.

author: Mr.B
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 26, 2016, 03:31:02 am
content: Quote from: Keysight_DanielBogdanoff on August 26, 2016, 03:27:11 amAgreed.I would have thought gold would be too soft to last any reasonable amount of use.

author: jjoonathan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2016, 04:13:23 am
content: Quote from: Mr.B on August 26, 2016, 03:31:02 amENIG edge connectors seem to do pretty well.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2016, 05:03:05 am
content: Quote from: MosherIV on August 25, 2016, 11:38:04 amYes, with my Probemaster leads (my Fluke stuff is stainless, and Agilent/Keysight is nickel plated brass). As mentioned, the nickel beneath the gold allows it to adhere very well, which allows it to last a long time (gold is used as it prevents oxidation). Had mine for years, and still no issues thus far (not abusing them though, such as putting them to a grinding wheel).Can't say for what you linked, but given the low price, I'd be a bit wary of it being a quality plating (either not actually gold, or it's too thin). That said, they are cheap enough to buy a set to try out.

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2016, 05:29:39 am
content: Quote from: jjoonathan on August 26, 2016, 04:13:23 amThat's apple to oranges in almost every relevant respect: edge connectors are only ever used a handful of times, while probes are used repeatedly; edge connectors have a small, controlled, spread-out amount of force whereas probes have all the pressure concentrated on a point; etc etc.

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2016, 11:13:43 pm
content: Well, I pressed the purchase button, so I will update you when it arrives from China.Also bought some cheap Kelvin Clamps to do 4 waire resistance measurement.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2016, 12:51:00 am
content: I also have ProbeMaster probes, which are gold plated. Holy crapballs they're amazing. The difference on a meter without latching continuity is just day and night. Essentially zero scratchiness when rubbing the probe tips together in continuity.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2016, 12:54:31 am
content: Quote from: tooki on August 27, 2016, 12:51:00 amYep. They're also quite good at drawing blood too (especially the spring loaded versions).

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2016, 01:22:11 am
content: Quote from: jjoonathan on August 26, 2016, 04:13:23 amNot aware of any ENIG for edge connectors. The gold in ENIG would wipe off after a handful of cycles. Fingers are made with a much thicker layer of electroplated gold.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2016, 11:50:55 am
content: Quote from: nanofrog on August 27, 2016, 12:54:31 amYeah! (I have those, too) For real, don't casually press on those tips with each thumb in ohms mode -- with broken skin, the test current can kill! (As we know thanks to a navy electrician who managed that...)

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2016, 12:43:54 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on August 27, 2016, 11:50:55 amSeriously? Somebody killed himself with a multimeter?Nah, it seems to be an urban legend:https://encrypted.google.com/#q=navy+man+killed+by+multimeterMultimeters supply very limited current in ohms mode, they don't simply connect the 9V battery directly across the probes (because that would fry components). Limited current availability plus the body internal resistance from thumb to thumb? Not gonna happen.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 10:51:56 am
content: If you look at those discussions, nobody has actually debunked it conclusively. Given the microscopic amounts of power emitted by a pacemaker, whose battery must last for years, it seems entirely plausible that a 9V battery could kill -- the key is that it must be in contact with body fluids, since intact skin has high resistance. Hence not stabbing yourself with needle sharp probes!!

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 11:27:11 am
content: Quote from: tooki on August 28, 2016, 10:51:56 amIt's a complex situation. Not easy to analyze with a back-of-an-envelope calculationQuote from: tooki on August 28, 2016, 10:51:56 amYes, of course - if you connect it directly across the heart.A 9V battery inside a multimeter? Making contact through approx 1.5m of meat? I say "urban legend".If it was that easy to electrocute somebody there wouldn't be many electrical engineers over the age of 25.

author: WackyGerman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 12:28:11 pm
content: I am using the Brymen PP BM 10A test leads . They have silicone cable , are CAT IV 1000 V rated and have gold plated tips . You can buy these at TME for roundabout 10 € . Best bang per buck

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 12:33:49 pm
content: QuoteWish I had done a bit more research before buying the cheap thing from ChinaAt that price it is only just a bit more expensive than the cheap oneThanks for the heads up though

author: techie1234
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 01:09:50 pm
content: Quote from: nanofrog on August 27, 2016, 12:54:31 amJust bought my set a couple of months ago - they are sweet but sharp. To prevent accidents (esp. with my 3YO hanging around the bench), after use I pop a pair of old wine corks onto the ends. Easy to find when I need to put them back on, nice and soft so as not to scratch the tips, no chance of accidental electrocution.

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2016, 12:43:11 pm
content: HiThey have arrived. Arrived within 2 weeks, so very fast delivery from China.First impressions.......Not as sharp as I had hoped, you can poke them gently with your finger and not feel pain let alone draw blood, see pic (sorry it is a bit blurry Im not very a good photographer).Initally, they were very scratchy when using continuity beeper, cleaned them with nylon scour pad and now they are perfect, instant beep on any contact(Cleaning my other leads with nylon scour pad had same effect)Measured betwwen 80mupto 130mNone gold platedines measure 300mMy conclusion:Was it worth it? Not really, they only give you a very minor improvement in contact resistance.They are only £1 to 2 more expensive than regular cheap probes.From the look of the logo on the other leads along side in my pic, it looks like there is some kind of standard mould and they just put different ends in.You may be better off with the leads from this treadhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/i-tested-a-$2-31-set-of-multimeter-probes-the-results-will-surprise-you-d/Edit: You get what you pay for, if you want decent gold plated probes go for main brand ones, ie Probemaster

author: retrolefty
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2016, 01:23:46 pm
content: QuoteSo did the Kelvin clips arrive also? I've wanted some but without close up and personal touching it's hard to gauge quality and usefulness.

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2016, 01:47:33 pm
content: Not yet, I will post when they do.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2016, 02:11:15 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on August 28, 2016, 10:51:56 amEhm, ever tried to touch a 9V battery to your tongue? Kids do that as a dare routinely. Certainly qualifies as a contact with body fluids and definitely delivers more current than the multimeter circuit. Never heard about anyone dying from that.So yes, 9V battery could kill - if you use it as a projectile.

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2016, 05:58:48 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on September 04, 2016, 02:11:15 pmOh, it can. Don't try this at home, but a Brillo pad across the terminals of a 9v battery is a pretty good incendiary device. When I have 9V batteries around I always have a cap on the -ve terminal to prevent shorts when not actually in use.

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2016, 10:26:28 pm
content: Quote from: jc101 on September 04, 2016, 05:58:48 pmOK, true, starting a fire could be the second option, indeedEven though in that case I would rather use a cellphone lithium battery instead - more energy and higher current capability than a 9V battery.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2016, 07:56:19 am
content: Quote from: janoc on September 04, 2016, 02:11:15 pmBut that current crosses a half inch across your tongue, going nowhere near your heart. Are you willing to connect one terminal of that battery to your tongue and the other to an open wound in your leg?Again: look at how little current pacemakers produce. It doesn't take much to cause fibrillation.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2016, 08:20:45 am
content: Cardiac pacemakers are:1. connected directly to the heart muscle, not simply floating around inside the body;2. designed so that they should not cause fibrillation, even if the pulse fires at the wrong time.But go ahead, keep reaching...

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2016, 07:51:41 pm
content: Just to let you know the Kelvin Clamps finally arrived, it took the 30 daysHere is a quick lookNot had time build the leads and try them.

author: ebclr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 28, 2016, 07:58:39 pm
content: I own this probe , For sure it's worth the valeu, but on amazon is more expensiveDon't expect to be a Fluke class probe,https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Type-A-Digital-Multimeter-Universal-Superfine-pen-1000V-20A-Test-Lead-Probe-Cable-SMD-SMT-Needle/32439343102.html?spm=2114.01020208.3.2.8OdxyW&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_0,searchweb201602_3_10057_10056_10065_10068_10055_10054_10069_10059_10058_418_10073_10017_10070_10060_10061_10052_10062_10053_10050_10051,searchweb201603_6&btsid=45742642-dc38-4716-b2ed-68e942e61a83