Like many on this forum, we accumulate measuring devices over the years, always claiming that the last one brings a plus !
There is a time when you turn on your appliances just to maintain the capacitors, it's time to make room (for the satisfaction of wife as well). 😉
So I intend to swap two or three units to only one bench multimeter. Criteria is precision, 4 wires and visible display (with age !)
HDM3065B seems attractive but I don't know Hantek brand...
Any advices ?
Thanks.
There is a time when you turn on your appliances just to maintain the capacitors, it's time to make room (for the satisfaction of wife as well). 😉
So I intend to swap two or three units to only one bench multimeter. Criteria is precision, 4 wires and visible display (with age !)
HDM3065B seems attractive but I don't know Hantek brand...
Any advices ?
Thanks.
Hantek are mid range and competitively priced. They tend to have many goodies that are never used by the average tech. Their warranty can be sketchy, depending upon where and how you purchased it. https://hantek.com/products/detail/16176
I would go for a Fluke. 8808A https://www.fluke.com/en-us/product/precision-measurement/bench-instruments/fluke-8808a
With a Fluke the warranty and they are very accurate indeed.
However, they are not good when one has a job and the test leads won't reach!
I would go for a Fluke. 8808A https://www.fluke.com/en-us/product/precision-measurement/bench-instruments/fluke-8808a
With a Fluke the warranty and they are very accurate indeed.
However, they are not good when one has a job and the test leads won't reach!
Fluke tend to be expensive, may be overkill for usual house / personal maintenance work.
There may be available in surplus meters from other reputed makers. Sometimes forcibly sold by military as outdated.
Clamp meter is handy at times.
There are available mains analysers, meaning 96 x 96 multi display meter, V / A / Hz, quite cheap, large displays...worth checking out, and suitable for bench mounting in a small housing.
There may be available in surplus meters from other reputed makers. Sometimes forcibly sold by military as outdated.
Clamp meter is handy at times.
There are available mains analysers, meaning 96 x 96 multi display meter, V / A / Hz, quite cheap, large displays...worth checking out, and suitable for bench mounting in a small housing.
I have one of these: https://meters.uni-trend.com/product/ut612/
and one of these: https://meters.uni-trend.com/product/ut161-series/
Uni-T does good work at a fair price. However, I'd snap them up right quick before Maximum Leader Genius's tariffs take hold on new inventory.
and one of these: https://meters.uni-trend.com/product/ut161-series/
Uni-T does good work at a fair price. However, I'd snap them up right quick before Maximum Leader Genius's tariffs take hold on new inventory.
OP is in France, well away from random tariff and policy fluctuations, I hope.
He wants a bench unit with a big display.
He wants a bench unit with a big display.
A very good, if expensive choice. But it's one of those "buy quality, buy once" deals.
I've never regretted buying a Fluke product and that cannot be said for cheaper products, particularly DMMs. The thing about a Fluke is you can bet your life on it. (I sound like a shill) 🙂
As I live in BOC (burocracy over citizen ) zone, prices also get high especially when money is already spent any way before workers earn it ! Imagine (John Lenon) people can live in peace in united state of Eurasia (Muse) 🎹
I have Fluke, HP and others. I'm very satisified usually with theses products. It's silly but for privates, calibrating services cost to much now. So for me better to buy new products from time to time. But I make exception like this frequency meter with trigger 😉
One of multimeters I want to replace :
Thanks friends for your contributions 🙏
Hello Naresh,
Not bench products as expected, but interesting for a main line testing box for amplifier project 😉
Not bench products as expected, but interesting for a main line testing box for amplifier project 😉
You can get a used HP 34401A for $300-$400. They hold cal very well for very long times and are more capable than most techs would ever need. There are other similar used instruments that you can rely on. Or a new Siglent 4 1/2 digit meter is around $400. Siglent has proven to be a good source.
I own a low cost DMM with many nice features like L , C , F , but its true RMS voltage only extends to about 700Hz 😕
PS.
I would be fascinated to hear about the 'true RMS' frequency range of other multimeters !!!
[ my 'classic' Sanwa N-501 doesn't have this frequency limitation ]
PS.
I would be fascinated to hear about the 'true RMS' frequency range of other multimeters !!!
[ my 'classic' Sanwa N-501 doesn't have this frequency limitation ]
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If you dont mind the price, depending on application.
no bench tool, but better then Fluke in most ways.
Just less streamlined with software/verification/traceability.
My 12-13 year old one has survived much more then such a instrument should.
- TRMS AC, AC+DC measurement up to 20 kHz for voltage and current
https://www.gossenmetrawatt.de/en/p...s-for-precision-measurements/metrahit-eu-pro/
- Insulation resistance measurement up to 3.1 GO with interference voltage detection - test voltages: 50 V, 100 V, 250 V, 500 V, 1000 V
- TRMS measurements: TRMS AC / AC+DC for current / voltage up to 10 kHz
https://www.gossenmetrawatt.de/en/p...ance-and-insulation-measurement/metrahit-iso/
- TRMSAC/AC+DC measurement for current/voltage up to 10/100 kHz
https://www.gossenmetrawatt.de/en/p...d-insulation-measurement/metrahit-im-xtra-bt/
Hi altec9440,
1audio knows what he is talking about.
Things to consider. Work out the error budget, many times the last digit is only for show. Fluke and HP will hold their calibration, their RMS converters are often good up to 100KHz in hand held products, 300 KHz in bench meters. Focus on the primary use. Toys are worth nothing, especially if they are not accurate.
Used meters from Fluke and HP are excellent ways to save money. My HP 34401A meters have never been out of tolerance, even my 974A hand held meters were always in tolerance. Fluke 87's hold their calibration as well.
I did work in a calibration laboratory.
1audio knows what he is talking about.
Things to consider. Work out the error budget, many times the last digit is only for show. Fluke and HP will hold their calibration, their RMS converters are often good up to 100KHz in hand held products, 300 KHz in bench meters. Focus on the primary use. Toys are worth nothing, especially if they are not accurate.
Used meters from Fluke and HP are excellent ways to save money. My HP 34401A meters have never been out of tolerance, even my 974A hand held meters were always in tolerance. Fluke 87's hold their calibration as well.
I did work in a calibration laboratory.
Hello friends,
I agree with the fact that a real tool is better then a toy, that know brands is usually a secure option ...etc.
But there is also some economical changes in the world 😉
Today a calibration laboratory ask between 450 to 900€. So buy a used product adding calibration cost may not be interesting. And if you have to recap...
Another point highlighted by Anatech : You had access to a calibration laboratory with measurement standards. You may have keep some tools in order to say that your meters are good. I am not so lucky and I am unable to say if my HP3456A or my Metrix MX547 are accurate. It's easy to check frequency against rubidium or gps. It's less easy to check multimeters. This leads you to buy new.
At this time, siglent SDM3065 and fluke 8808a are on my list but choice will also depend on the money I would get back from the sale of my devices
I agree with the fact that a real tool is better then a toy, that know brands is usually a secure option ...etc.
But there is also some economical changes in the world 😉
Today a calibration laboratory ask between 450 to 900€. So buy a used product adding calibration cost may not be interesting. And if you have to recap...
Another point highlighted by Anatech : You had access to a calibration laboratory with measurement standards. You may have keep some tools in order to say that your meters are good. I am not so lucky and I am unable to say if my HP3456A or my Metrix MX547 are accurate. It's easy to check frequency against rubidium or gps. It's less easy to check multimeters. This leads you to buy new.
At this time, siglent SDM3065 and fluke 8808a are on my list but choice will also depend on the money I would get back from the sale of my devices
Hi altec9440,
Your 3456A is very likely in tolerance. It also has much higher accuracy than any cheap meters have.
It costs money to make things accurate and stable. Cheap new meters just aren't, although they are better than earlier cheap meters. You could buy a 3457A calibrated with a new battery. Then compare other meters against it. There is a cheap calibration that is useful to keep everything else in line. I would still recommend a 34401A. An industry standard, meaning there are tons of them around. Businesses will be updating to a 3446xA series meter, so these should begin appearing.
Calibration costs depend on a couple factors. If you want a "level 6 calibration", you get many more readings plus all before and after readings. A "level 3 calibration" lists only out of tolerance readings before and after, just over 1/2 the number of points. Some places only give a certificate listing in or out of tolerance. Those aren't worth the paper they are printed on. Many labs will rush things through and mark in tolerance even if they are a bit out. Some of their assets are either out of tolerance, or have missed their calibration interval. Labs are not all created equal, some cannot be trusted at all.
So for you, a level 3 for your best instrument(s) does make sense. With the better products, you can generally have confidence the instrument will remain in tolerance for a very long time. My HP stuff never needed optimization, some are 30 years old.
So talking about economics. Wasted money is always a dead loss no matter what amount you are talking about. Now if that error costs you in your work, it really adds up. We all believe our instruments are in tolerance, we trust them. How do you function if you can't trust your meter for example? Checking for 12 VDC power in your car is one thing. Setting bias currents or other adjustments are a completely different thing. Only you can decide.
Some electricians here test for AC power with their fingers (stupid !!) instead of using a meter. That's 120 VAC. What kind of guy are you? Like mechanics testing for 12 VDC with a light bulb. Maybe that's all that is important, but it may also hide clues to a fault.
-Chris
Your 3456A is very likely in tolerance. It also has much higher accuracy than any cheap meters have.
It costs money to make things accurate and stable. Cheap new meters just aren't, although they are better than earlier cheap meters. You could buy a 3457A calibrated with a new battery. Then compare other meters against it. There is a cheap calibration that is useful to keep everything else in line. I would still recommend a 34401A. An industry standard, meaning there are tons of them around. Businesses will be updating to a 3446xA series meter, so these should begin appearing.
Calibration costs depend on a couple factors. If you want a "level 6 calibration", you get many more readings plus all before and after readings. A "level 3 calibration" lists only out of tolerance readings before and after, just over 1/2 the number of points. Some places only give a certificate listing in or out of tolerance. Those aren't worth the paper they are printed on. Many labs will rush things through and mark in tolerance even if they are a bit out. Some of their assets are either out of tolerance, or have missed their calibration interval. Labs are not all created equal, some cannot be trusted at all.
So for you, a level 3 for your best instrument(s) does make sense. With the better products, you can generally have confidence the instrument will remain in tolerance for a very long time. My HP stuff never needed optimization, some are 30 years old.
So talking about economics. Wasted money is always a dead loss no matter what amount you are talking about. Now if that error costs you in your work, it really adds up. We all believe our instruments are in tolerance, we trust them. How do you function if you can't trust your meter for example? Checking for 12 VDC power in your car is one thing. Setting bias currents or other adjustments are a completely different thing. Only you can decide.
Some electricians here test for AC power with their fingers (stupid !!) instead of using a meter. That's 120 VAC. What kind of guy are you? Like mechanics testing for 12 VDC with a light bulb. Maybe that's all that is important, but it may also hide clues to a fault.
-Chris
It is not clear what is the intended use of the new meter, nor the time they will be used annually.
That will also affect the decision to buy the model and make.
That will also affect the decision to buy the model and make.
True. Good meter = used a lot, maybe the most and for everything. Cheap meter = in toolbox hardly used. Cheap meter that caused problems = in the bin, possibly destroyed.
Yes, but hobby / personal / service center use?
Personal means OP needs a good meter to keep is (for example) RF equipment within limits, or is part of a maintenance team for a service department inside an organization.
A service center in my language means a center where customers bring in assorted items for service, within the same field like audio or computers.
And the facility is open to the public, in the sense pretty nearly anybody can come in for service requirement.
Personal means OP needs a good meter to keep is (for example) RF equipment within limits, or is part of a maintenance team for a service department inside an organization.
A service center in my language means a center where customers bring in assorted items for service, within the same field like audio or computers.
And the facility is open to the public, in the sense pretty nearly anybody can come in for service requirement.
That's entirely pointless. The meter has to do the job, or it is 100% wasted money.
If you need a tool to do a job, it either can, or cannot do the job. That means you either get the job done, or do hack work. If you get something beyond what you need, that's up to you. Like fixing an amplifier. Either it is done correctly, or it is hacked. There is no "almost right" in this world.
To say a job done incorrectly or unreliably because someone only wants to spend "x" dollars is acceptable, I can't even imagine the logic.
If you need a tool to do a job, it either can, or cannot do the job. That means you either get the job done, or do hack work. If you get something beyond what you need, that's up to you. Like fixing an amplifier. Either it is done correctly, or it is hacked. There is no "almost right" in this world.
To say a job done incorrectly or unreliably because someone only wants to spend "x" dollars is acceptable, I can't even imagine the logic.