#91 - $50 Multimeter Shootout - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 06:23:18 am
content: The $50 meter shootout is now up. Still need to get the comparison spreadsheet up, soon.Wasn't entirely happy with the overall result, it's a bit of hotch-potch, and I didn't cover everything, but hey, here it is.Comments and ideas to make the $100 shootout better are invited.Dave.

author: TheWelly888
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 09:44:38 am
content: Drop the Global Specialties one on your toes in the next shoot-out, that will give them some consolation!Then blow it up with Doug's machine! Or drown it in your favourite pot-hole!I thought you were too hasty in pulling the bails out of the backs of each meter - no-one should be in such a hurry to get the meter stood up.Great shoot-out! Thanks mate!

author: Polossatik
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 09:54:57 am
content: coool, bored @ work, at least something worth doing...booting up pc outside the corporate network....

author: safarir
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 02:13:16 pm
content: In each shout-out, you should destroy the worst one.

author: KTP
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 03:26:12 pm
content: The ohms autorange on my new Fluke 289 is about as fast as the worst of the $50 meters, but it does have an analog bar graph display which is super fast. Well, ok it doesn't flip through all of the ranges when you go from open leads to shorted leads but it does take about 2 seconds to go from OL to 0.09 ohms when you touch the leads together.What do you think of calling out thumbs down on a $50 meter for being slow to autorange when a $500 meter is just as slow?(The fluke does have the nice feature that when it does settle on a value, I trust it)

author: KTP
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 03:58:41 pm
content: Thinking about it a bit more, when you go from an open circuit to short circuit condition in the ohms mode it is like applying a step voltage to a RLC series circuit, with L being the inductance of the meter leads, R being the series combination of the meter lead resistance, probe tip contact resistance and internal meter resistance, and C being the capacitance of the leads and whatever else in the meter. This will produce a damped oscillation, which may be what the meter waits to settle before displaying the value. I have to finish up my EE lab but if I thought about it more and plugged in some numbers I could figure out about what amplitude this oscillation would be and how long it would take to decay to a small value. If you add to this some number of cycles of processer time you could come up with a reasonable delay figure which if a meter does not exceed by too much should not get a thumbs down.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 05:44:35 pm
content: How about illustrating the difference in fuse types, leads and sockets form a safety point of view - 600V across the 10A range please....! Or at the very least 230v mains..

author: TheDirty
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 06:34:28 pm
content: On the closeups when you are holding the products, try to slow down a bit. I played the thing full screen and started to get a headache since the meter fills the whole screen and shakes around like crazy.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 08:07:04 pm
content: Congrats Dave , you did a good job ....But you had kick their tiny ass a bit hard .. No one of them claims Military specs !! about free fallThe impressive was that all, are well adjusted about accuracy , so no major worries about that.The probes test , never was important to me , but the display speed, it is.The light weight meters , haves always issues about standing right , so I do not count this factor." Pushing the display glass " it was a smart move ... anything sensitive to pressure ,will have issues , at high or low weather temperatures too ..As an professional , I have no interest at all , in the low-end meters , but its good to know , how well the " modern " cheap offerings stands ..Lastly , this offerings does not belong , at the European region , it can come, only as "marketed from ebay",so factors like warranty and parts coverage ...can be totally discarded .I will only disagree at one point , the readability of the "Vichy 99 " are tremendous , the most clear display than all , with well shaped digits ..I tried very hard to not be effected by your tone of voice, feelings and remarks ..So I vote for the " Vichy 99 " as an nice meter to have ,for a student who does not drop his stuff on the ground ..

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 11:54:37 pm
content: Quote from: safarir on June 04, 2010, 02:13:16 pmSounds good!Actually, I really want to destroy all of them, just for fun.Maybe another time...Dave.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 11:57:38 pm
content: Quote from: KTP on June 04, 2010, 03:26:12 pmAll the tests have to relative to the group being tested. If there is a fast one in the $50 group then the slow ones get the thumbs down for that feature.Dave.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 04, 2010, 11:59:53 pm
content: Quote from: TheDirty on June 04, 2010, 06:34:28 pmYeah, I noticed that on the playback, sorry!Will try and slow down next time.Dave.

author: safarir
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2010, 12:39:26 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on June 04, 2010, 11:54:37 pmYou can also give them away ...

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 05, 2010, 03:10:30 am
content: Quote from: safarir on June 05, 2010, 12:39:26 amI could. But being in Australia means the postage costs me a packet.Dave.

author: MrPlacid
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2010, 04:56:11 am
content: Episode #91, too short!!! Hahaha.... I enjoyed every minutes of it. Thanks Dave. I enjoyed watching the Global multimeter, it was quite comical.

author: kc1980
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2010, 06:37:26 am
content: Thank you for the awesome, sleazy multimeter porn! I'm glad I was able to pick up a used higher end multimeter after watching this video. I've always liked the Wavetek/Meterman/Amprobe meters; they seem to be a value. Can't wait to see the $100 shootout.

author: charliex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2010, 07:27:14 am
content: It was a good vid dave a lot of fun to watch. A+++ will watch again.i wonder if we'll see some of those meters disappear from teqFor the next test, i'm curious about how each of the meters would fair strapped to a smallish model rocket.

author: Polossatik
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2010, 10:46:56 am
content: Quote from: charliex on June 05, 2010, 07:27:14 am+1Or test their "durability" by rocking them in a dryer or soGreat video Dave, I can't wait until the next one

author: cybergibbons
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2010, 10:50:47 am
content: I'd be quite interested to see how they deal with being shorted across a supply - nothing ridiculous like mains, but maybe a car battery? I've had some meters look like the fuse will work, but when they are really abused, tracks lift off the PCB before the 10A fuse goes.

author: dengorius
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 05, 2010, 04:57:26 pm
content: Well if you're ever going to make another puzzle vlog you already have the prizes

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 05, 2010, 11:31:01 pm
content: Quote from: dengorius on June 05, 2010, 04:57:26 pmIndeed!The multimeter situation is getting a bit ridiculous really!Dave.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 06, 2010, 12:17:08 am
content: As one technician who cares to have the right tools , I find the all progress so far as useful.The young ones should be aware of what to expect by those products.By my taste , I would call as " Non interesting " the yields about ... more smoke, and blasts, and harsh behavior over the instruments ..Sorry if I have step over any toes ... but this looks as an worthy review to me , and not as an Circus ,or an dragster racing show.

author: PetrosA
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 06, 2010, 03:37:30 am
content: Dave, that was a great episode (shaking images aside) and it certainly didn't feel too long to watch. I got my Greenlee DMM (electrician's type) and I'll try to use some of your criteria when I make my review of it. First impression is very positive - more to follow...

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 06, 2010, 07:11:35 am
content: I enjoyed it, particularly as i have two of the meters, the AM220 and VC99, the amprobe I knew would do well, the Vichy I'm hardly surprised at, I always thought of it as a piece of crap since i started using it, it's ok as a second meter but i'd never fully trust it. the seller got neutral feedback from me for it and even tried to bribe me with a small amount of refund to change it which I refused to do

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 06, 2010, 05:37:39 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on June 04, 2010, 11:54:37 pmI think mains on the 10A range (with the supplied leads!) would not only be fun, but actually moderately useful in terms of evaluation safety. Results would fall into 3 simple categories :1) Fuse blows, meter still works after replacement.2) Meter destroyed but remains mostly intact & operator uninjured3) Possible injury/death to operator

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 06, 2010, 06:12:15 pm
content: thats a good idea

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 10, 2010, 03:26:49 pm
content: Dave, outstanding, I just saw this today you do a very good job with equipment reviews.It was good to see that in basic accuracy, many of cheapos can hold to about ~< 0.5% reading in various ranges, as you compared it against its peers and then the Fluke 87V. And testing range extremes, from mV to 600V etc., was very appropriate.So it does corroborate what many feel about cheap DMM, they do measure decently, its more faulted towards ergonomics, and you can't go wrong using them in none line voltage work, except maybe in the sub 1V range.You didn't test if they truly were CAT safety related or the extent of physical abuse, but I wouldn't expect anything from these DMM, so your drop test was both appropriate and a good idea, as if ever, most would possibly drop it off a workbench to the floor.Finding duds like the Global Specialties is something everyone wishes to avoid, its probably why its dated 2001, old stock still trying to be sold?

author: Excavatoree
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2010, 07:25:33 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on June 06, 2010, 05:37:39 pmThere's nothing as humbling as wondering why your meter isn't displaying the voltage you expect when you measure your 220V AC circuit and then looking at your meter and seeing the red lead in the 10 A socket. It's humbling and expensive.My Fluke meters never let me down! The fuse was the only component that needed replacing.My dad has a crappy, LED meter that he built from a kit back in the late 70s. Some dumb kid blew the fuse checking voltage with the current jack, then used aluminum foil on the fuse because he didn't have another. Yes, he made the same mistake again! (Perhaps I shouldn't have told that story, but I'm older and wiser, now) The foil lifted off the meter. I thought I'd ruined it. I repaired the PCB with some jumper wires, and the thing still works.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 16, 2010, 07:17:59 pm
content: Looking at safety in less costly DMM, look at the current EEVBlog on the Extech meter to see what can happen.Its not so much the device is poorly made, its looks like engineering oversight in its design.You have only one life to lose, or one hand to burn, why injure yourself with meters of lesser reputation?

author: RQDQ
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 15, 2010, 01:20:27 pm
content: I'm just getting started with electronics (I'm a software geek) and this video was helpful in letting me know what to look for in a meter. Thanks for the heads up on safety on the cheapo meters - I've used them in the past to check mains power - I'll never do that again!