PROVA 903 Discussion - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2012, 02:12:24 pm
content: http://www.tes-meter.com/p901.htmMost impressive meter i have seen in a while (The picture is a bit wrong, the 901 doesn't have data logging)What do you think of it?

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 11, 2012, 01:31:14 pm
content: not bad, dual channel.... but how you can measure with this thing?then, should be awesome if the meter could be a watt meter or could measure the power factor....anyway, it's a bit impressive, how much is it?

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 11, 2012, 06:02:19 pm
content: Made in taiwan and costs roughly around 150 odd USD. Not bad for a 0.02% +-3Digits DC accuracy meter with data logging

author: Amarbir[Lynx-India]
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2012, 02:43:31 pm
content: Quote from: T4P on September 10, 2012, 02:12:24 pmSir ,I Had a TES Analog Multimeter Many Years Ago ,That Was One Meter i Could Die For So Nice Needle Movement Woow .I Do Say TES Makes Good Stuff Sir

author: LaurenceW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2012, 09:30:21 pm
content: OK, dual channel is useful, one to measure amps while the other measures volts, BUT you are stuck with a common negative, which could be an issue. It doesn't appear to take advantage of "knowing" two readings, such as volt x amps = power, so TBH I am struggling to see how it scores over two discreet meters. Good resolution though (but that is quite common, these days), and true RMS.Do they do them in bright colours, by any chance?

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2012, 08:07:38 am
content: Bright yellow, REALLY bright yellow, like a notch bright than fluke's yellowBut hey it's a datalogging meter (803/903) and the 903 has like 0.02%±3d from 600mV to 600VCompare that with the 287 i know i want toBut ch2 is 0.27% if you use both channels together, but hey. This is so far i've seen the only actually dual channel with excellent accuracy but common negative.And i won't forget something though,QuoteQuote from: Amarbir[Lynx-India] on October 01, 2012, 02:43:31 pmAh, that's good to know

author: Paul Moir
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 04:01:31 am
content: May I ask where you see it for that price? The locals want around $500 for it.I'm in the market for a home/hobby electronics multimeter to replace my aged Micronta (Radio Shack). For real work & field I have a Fluke 175 which I'm totally pleased with.There are a couple of TES instruments at work: a thermocouple thermometer and an AC clamp meter. I'll have a quick look inside at those and see what they're like. It's hard to compare though since neither is a DMM.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 03, 2012, 09:27:04 am
content: China pricesThey bring them in from taiwan

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2013, 09:12:15 am
content: Quote from: T4P on October 03, 2012, 09:27:04 amDidn't see this thread until just now...Your price is more like the 803 (non-true-rms, unlike 903) price even from China. Anyway, I went ahead and ordered one (803) just to continue my quest of finding another quality DMM from China/Taiwan

author: ciccio
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2013, 12:36:37 pm
content: Quote from: Amarbir[Lynx-India] on October 01, 2012, 02:43:31 pmI'm sorry, but the analog meter you had was made in Italy by a Company named TES, now defunct, who manufactured many types of test instruments.This (really nice) digital meter is made in China (not Taiwan, the contacts on their site are in Beijing and Shanghai), by another Company called TES-instrument.Don't know of any relation between the two companies.Best regards

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2013, 05:22:11 pm
content: Quote from: ciccio on January 06, 2013, 12:36:37 pmI believe the meter IS made in Taiwan (well, pictures I've seen have a "Made in Taiwan" sticker on the back anyway). The mother company is Taiwan based,www.tes.com.tw. The website posted by the OP is probably just their Chinese branch/distributor.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2013, 08:18:45 pm
content: It's been several weeks since i last returned and wow!I hope ya get your 803 soon because i won't have anything much to review in the upcoming weeks because i'm getting me self a balling PC but i did just get a updated (and rebadged lol) Atten 858D with a case that feels like sandpaper (Not really that rough but hell it's solid)

author: blackknife
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2013, 07:01:44 pm
content: I hope that someone will do a review about this meter soonif the specs are real i'll buy it!Right now i have a "prova cm-05" wich is a current probe from the same factory and it works really well...

author: mAJORD
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2013, 01:18:08 am
content: I got one of these (803) not long ago, as a work meter as I thought it looked interersting.I can post some internal pic's a bit later..Can give a quick rundown though:Pro's:it's quite well built indeed. There's a couple of cable runs internally, which some would dislike, but they're neat, glued down and double insulated iirc.Range switches are very nice.The the dual channel functionality I've used twice so far, so not too gimmicky.No replacement for a 2nd meter entirely, but consider it a bonus 1/2 a meter extra.Datalogging is good. USB itnerface and Software OK. you can do power measurment using software utilizing the dual channelBiggest con's are:Slow display update (2/second) - However whilst it's hard to explain , the meter stabilizes very quickly, which makes the seemingly bad update rate not so painfull. IT's really a better situatation than a fast update meter that's slow to stabilize in a lot of cases.I think this is becuase the measurment IC is actually quite fast. It's the secondary CPU processing that is responisble for the slow display rate.Secondly, the button's appeared to be polled at this same 2Hz rate.. this is pretty retarded! it means you need to hesitate on the button until it beepsI don't know what the CPU is, but it must be slow, and they seem to be doing everything on a 2Hz timer inteval or something.

author: iloveelectronics
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2013, 02:45:31 am
content: I haven't tried the software and haven't cracked it open yet, but I agree with the other comments about the 803 above. I would like to add the following:1. This thing is really bulky! Too large and heavy for my taste.2. The rubber holster is very thick and I'm sure it does its job as a protection layer very well, but by taking it off and putting it back on a few times I already see some wear at the corners where you need to squeeze the meter through.3. The hit or miss button response as mentioned in the last post is really quite annoying!4. Although the screen update rate is slow, it does offer a very fast continuity tester.5. Fuses are accessible without opening the cases. And those are really beefy looking fuses. I like them!6. Accuracy seems very good.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2013, 06:31:52 am
content: Are they 10x38s? That's some good news i'm hearing.Hit-and-miss buttons on the other hand ...I decided to look for a 903 at a more decent shop and i found 1,350 CNY. Not bad a price for something like thisProbably better worth the extra money than a UT71D

author: mAJORD
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2013, 12:17:42 am
content: Sorry these are not very good quality.

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 16, 2013, 04:17:42 am
content: Very strangely built that thing. I guess there is no other way to build a strange multimeter. The fuses are certainly in the right direction but the input protection for the voltage input is a bit wimpy. How easy is it to remove the fuses with the case together? They also look a little close together for proper clearance.One thing I noticed too is that the data connection port is very similar to the Brymen design, if not exactly the same.