[Q]Upgrading to auto range DMM

[Kenjutsu]

Hello everyone,

I am a hobbyist and have been using a simple TestMate 308 DMM for many years now. I am looking at upgrading to an auto range DMM. I do not foresee working with AC voltages, and unfortunately, my budget is limited to about US$60-70. Currently I am looking at the UT61E. I do not really know what other good meters are available in my price range, so any suggestions would be highly appreciated.

I am from South Africa, so finding good meters at good prices are very difficult. For example, I can get the UT61E locally for about US$120, so buying suggestions will also be appreciated.

Thank you

[mariush]

You can get UT61E much cheaper than that.

A member of this forum has an eBay store and sells the UT61E at around 60-70$, here's his eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/99centHobbies/Multimeters-/_i.html?_fsub=3795558014&_sid=12141904&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

He is very appreciated and has good reputation here so you can buy from him with confidence.

UT61E is a very good meter for the price (not the African price). Over let's say $80 or so, there may be better multimeters but I'm not up to date on them so I couldn't tell you.

Considering you managed to not kill yourself with that Testmate 308 so far, the UT61E should be a very good upgrade and probably more than enough - I'd spend the difference to 120$ on other things that may help you like a good soldering station or something like that.

[chibiace]

If your tight on cash u could get the digitech/tekpower meter from the same seller as above. Mjlorton on youtube has a review of it. i have the same meter but different model number which has worked fine for me on mains ac and projects on the bench.

[rsjsouza]

If you have access to some of the budget DMMs that Lightages reviewed, they are worth taking a look (you can always get more than one to do simultaneous measurements). Check it out:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/uni-t-ut10a-review/
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/review-uni-t-ut136b-tired-of-the-multimeter-snobs-a-very-nice-budget-meter!/
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/review-digitek-dt-2843r-trms-for-less/

[Wytnucls]

Rabtron in South Africa sells the Velleman DVM9912 for R590.00 (60.00 USD).
I own the same meter, which is probably made by C.E.M in China to Velleman's requirements (Belgian company).
Not as good as the 61E, but quite useful for low power work on the electronic bench.
4,000 count, auto ranging, uA/mA/10A. It also has temp measurement, which the 61E lacks.
I've owned it for a couple of years and haven't had any problems with it.
Well worth a look, if nothing else crops up.
http://shop.rabtron.co.za/catalog/dvm9912-digital-multimeter-autorange-p-5373.html

[Lightages]

Franky Tong, aka iloveelectronics on the forums here, can sell you a UT61E directly for $55 including shipping to you if you PM him from the forums here. He also sells the Digitek DT-2843R  and the DT-4000ZC which are also other good choices in inexpensive meters.

The Uni-T UT136B and UT136C are the lowest budget meters I can recommend right now but you could get two for less than $45 shipped to you from dx.com. If you do this, get one UT136B for the capacitance measurement and the UT136C to get the temperature measurement. This way you have two meters to make simultaneous measurements and you get capacitance and temperature too.

IMO, if you want just one meter and you don't care if you have temperature measurement, then get the UT61E. If you need temperature then consider one of the Digiteks mentioned. The DT-4000ZC ($37 shipped) is a really nice all round do it all meter with PC connection included for the price but I hesitate to recommend any multimeter that shares the current measurement and voltage measurement on the same input jack. This is asking for many blown fuses at best, and a burned hand or other harm at worse. The DT-2843R ($46 shipped) is TRMS but has no PC connection.

[true]

I second the UT136B.

I bought a 136B (capacitance) and a 136D (non-contact voltage, 220V only) after seeing the review from Lightages. The UT136D is at work, and in a month I have beaten the hell out of it and kept in a vehicle with daily internal temps above 55C. The meter still works great and feels like it'll keep together better than the Harbor Freight $3 DMMs I used to use.

[Kenjutsu]

Thank you for all the feedback. Seeing that I can get the UT61E for about the same price as the locally available Velleman DVM9912, I think I will be getting the UT61E  It is more expensive than the DT-4000ZC, but I feel that since the UT61E is within my budget, I should get it, as it is the better meter of the two.

Just one final question: has anyone from South Africa bought a meter from Franky Tong, aka iloveelectronics? I would just like to get an indication of what the customs/import tax would be.

Again, thank for all the help and advice 

[ve7xen]

Just one final question: has anyone from South Africa bought a meter from Franky Tong, aka iloveelectronics? I would just like to get an indication of what the customs/import tax would be.

I believe Martin (mjlorton) has had quite some dealings with Franky while he was in South Africa. He's got his own forum or you can find him on YouTube, I don't think he comes over this way much anymore. Franky himself might be able to give you some idea as well.

[iloveelectronics]

Thank you for all the feedback. Seeing that I can get the UT61E for about the same price as the locally available Velleman DVM9912, I think I will be getting the UT61E  It is more expensive than the DT-4000ZC, but I feel that since the UT61E is within my budget, I should get it, as it is the better meter of the two.

Just one final question: has anyone from South Africa bought a meter from Franky Tong, aka iloveelectronics? I would just like to get an indication of what the customs/import tax would be.

Again, thank for all the help and advice 

Hello. I just sent you a private message with some info I gathered from some of my South African customers, please have a look.

[SeanB]

The customs charges were around R150 for one parcel, another was around R120, a third came in free of duty. SAPO is definitely a YMMV operation.

[Kenjutsu]

The customs charges were around R150 for one parcel, another was around R120, a third came in free of duty. SAPO is definitely a YMMV operation.

Very true. SAPO seems to do whatever they want whether they want Still, even with the duty charges, it is still cheaper to buy from Franky

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[Kenjutsu]

Hello. I just sent you a private message with some info I gathered from some of my South African customers, please have a look.

Thank you for the PM with the valuable information. I sent you a reply back )

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

[SeanB]

They seem to be consistent at the 6 week mark though for delivery. 2 days from wherever else on the planet till it disappears into the black hole that is SAPO Track and trace. At least they are better than the late unlamented PX.

[Kenjutsu]

Sorry for reviving this post, but I just wanted to post and update.

I contacted Franky on 2013-10-18 for a quote on the meter and the corresponding bag. I made the payment, and he shipped the parcel which left Hong Kong on 2013-10-22. It got to South Africa on the 25th, but was only cleared by customs and delivered to me on the 8th of November 

The meter arrived in a perfect condition and works like a charm 

Thank you to Franky for awesome service and price. Fellow South Africans be warned: SAPO takes ages to process international parcels, and in my experience, if the parcel has a tracking number, it takes longer, and you have to pay fees. Franky gave me the option to send the parcel without the tracking number, but then there is the risk of the parcel being "lost" and then you can not prove anything to SAPO

[Lightages]

I am glad you got your meter and that you are happy with it.

[SeanB]

SAPO, bending you over ever since they were the POST OFFICE. Still have a few GPO manholes left around that have not been nicked by the scrap metal swine.