Test leads for SMD

[youthsonic]

Hey guys;
I’ve got a Fluke 87v meter, but just have the leads that came with it. I was doing some continuity testing on some surface mount devices the other day, and realized the included leads probably weren’t the best for this purpose.

Any recommendations? I’ve looked at a few of the Fluke kits out there, and they’re pretty pricy. Would third party leads be as good? I’m mainly just dealing with low voltage stuff.

Thanks!

[RomDump]

I’ve got a Fluke 87v meter, but just have the leads that came with it. I was doing some continuity testing on some surface mount devices the other day, and realized the included leads probably weren’t the best for this purpose.

Any recommendations? I’ve looked at a few of the Fluke kits out there, and they’re pretty pricy. Would third party leads be as good? I’m mainly just dealing with low voltage stuff.

Thanks!

I believe the Fluke 8845A-EFPT Extended Fine Point Tip Adapter Set (Red and Black) is supposed to clip on your probes for SMD probing. The unbranded Fluke version is the Pomona Extended Tip Adapter For 5519A Style Test Probes (Model 6262). This is way cheaper.

[youthsonic]

I’ve got a Fluke 87v meter, but just have the leads that came with it. I was doing some continuity testing on some surface mount devices the other day, and realized the included leads probably weren’t the best for this purpose.

Any recommendations? I’ve looked at a few of the Fluke kits out there, and they’re pretty pricy. Would third party leads be as good? I’m mainly just dealing with low voltage stuff.

Thanks!

I think this may be a good solution for me. Thank you!

I believe the Fluke 8845A-EFPT Extended Fine Point Tip Adapter Set (Red and Black) is supposed to clip on your probes for SMD probing. The unbranded Fluke version is the Pomona Extended Tip Adapter For 5519A Style Test Probes (Model 6262). This is way cheaper.

[youthsonic]

TL910. They are expensive, but they are the best (IMHO) leads ever for fine electronics use.

Thank you. I’ll probably pick up a set of these in the next few months!

[RomDump]

I believe the Fluke 8845A-EFPT Extended Fine Point Tip Adapter Set (Red and Black) is supposed to clip on your probes for SMD probing. The unbranded Fluke version is the Pomona Extended Tip Adapter For 5519A Style Test Probes (Model 6262). This is way cheaper.

I think this may be a good solution for me. Thank you!

Make sure you check the probes that came with your Fluke 87V. I have only tested the probe tips with the probes that came with my Fluke 289.

[youthsonic]

Make sure you check the probes that came with your Fluke 87V. I have only tested the probe tips with the probes that came with my Fluke 289.

Totally. In hindsight I think I should have gotten an 287/289 vs. 87v, as I am doing pretty much exclusively electronics work

[D3f1ant]

TL910 are sold rebranded by many brands induing Keysight and Pomona, there are probably others too. Shop around for the end deal. Not sure who the OEM is.

They are delicate but the tips are very good, spring loaded castle style, very sharp and grip onto even fine 0.4mm pitch pins securely so reducing risk of shorting. If the resistance gets a bit higher than usual pull the pins out, clean them and reseat. They come with spare different tip types.

They are quite delicate, I've killed a few sets over the years. The strain releif at the end of the probe is pathetic, and presumably that's where they fail.  But I couldn't work without them so now I always have a brand new set as a backup.

[tooki]

Pomona (which is a subsidiary of Fluke as of some years ago) is the OEM.

But as you say, by many accounts the TL910 is not durable. (IIRC, failure where the wire attaches internally.) Probe Master makes an alternative, the 8150 series, which is awesome: http://probemaster.com/spring-loaded-micro-tip-test-lead-kit/

(D3fiant, if you’ve had to resort to keeping spares around, you should really try a set of the Probe Master ones!!)

That said, I recommend Probe Master's regular probes, too: http://probemaster.com/8000-series-standard/

They’re insanely sharp, and for the vast majority of probing, even smd, they’re great, and more durable than any micro probe. These are my everyday probes.

[Terry01]

Before you go spend £££'s on expensive probes invest a sky diver in these..... 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thin-Needle-Universal-Probe-Test-Lead-Cable-Multimeter-Meter-Tester-1000V-20A-UK/311732314280?hash=item4894b1a0a8:g:p90AAOSwal5YGEas

I use these and have tested them against the proper fluke leads (3 diff types) and they match up fine. I ordered another set right after using them for 5 mins! They are great "cheap" leads and very sharp! Well worth a fiver and one of the few proper bargains to be had!

[tooki]

Before you go spend £££'s on expensive probes invest a sky diver in these..... 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thin-Needle-Universal-Probe-Test-Lead-Cable-Multimeter-Meter-Tester-1000V-20A-UK/311732314280?hash=item4894b1a0a8:g:p90AAOSwal5YGEas

I use these and have tested them against the proper fluke leads (3 diff types) and they match up fine. I ordered another set right after using them for 5 mins! They are great "cheap" leads and very sharp! Well worth a fiver and one of the few proper bargains to be had!

Those look good, but I’d hardly call Probe Master “£££ expensive”!

[Terry01]

Before you go spend £££'s on expensive probes invest a sky diver in these..... 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thin-Needle-Universal-Probe-Test-Lead-Cable-Multimeter-Meter-Tester-1000V-20A-UK/311732314280?hash=item4894b1a0a8:g:p90AAOSwal5YGEas

I use these and have tested them against the proper fluke leads (3 diff types) and they match up fine. I ordered another set right after using them for 5 mins! They are great "cheap" leads and very sharp! Well worth a fiver and one of the few proper bargains to be had!

Those look good, but I’d hardly call Probe Master “£££ expensive”!

Cool...i'll give you my address and you can buy me a couple sets then...6 should be plenty??   

[Neomys Sapiens]

Look at this thread
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-lead-advice/msg1331991/#msg1331991
and also
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/useful-adaptor-techniques/msg1223935/#msg1223935

Also, you are not done having fine-point test leads, as I would recommend a SMD measuring tweezer too.
(For example Pomona)
SKS/Hirschmann Micro-SMD-Clip is fine too.
https://www.sks-kontakt.de/de/test-measurement/produkte/produkt?nr=9724161
They also have spring-loaded fine probes which fit onto the same 0.64mm connectors, but I consider their springs to be a bit on the weak side compared to the ATE type inserts.

[wpwrak]

I also love the TL910. For a low-cost alternative, I wonder if one could make a halfway decent probe set with pogo pins. E.g., P50 or P75 series contacts with R50 or R75 series receptacles, and put it all in a heat-shrink tube. E.g., aliexpress has P50-B1 at USD 1.97 per bag of 100, R50-1W7 (with 70 cm cable) for USD 5.54 per lot of 100. P50-F1 or P50-Q1 may also be interesting for use as probes. There's also a PL50 series (L = long ?). If P50 is too small, there are also P75, P100, and so on.

(Update: Now I followed Neomys Sapiens' link to the article mentioning ATE-type contacts. The above are also of this type.)

[knotlogic]

I think a few people here have had early failures with the TL910 leads, and the Probe Master version has come up as an alternative.  Apparently the TL910s are much more compact though.  I've never seen one in person so can't comment on that.

[Hydron]

The TL910 probes (or pomona equivalent - see: https://www.pomonaelectronics.com/file/17983/download?token=Tq_OVJ5Y ) are really rather small compared to standard probes. I'm in the opposite position and have only used the Pomona ones rather than the Probemaster option, but from photos the Probemasters look a lot larger.
I can confirm that they aren't the most robust/reliable probes ever - while I haven't seen any outright failures (i.e. from a wire breaking) they do seem to have a habit of going from <1R resistance up to a few 10s to 100s of ohms. Fiddling with the tip and leads tends to set them right but it's not ideal or re-assuring needing to do this. That said, they are just so damn handy (especially the hard-tip non-pogo model 6275 version) that we've just ordered a bunch more at work in full knowledge that they aren't that reliable. Probing with these vs full sized probes is just night and day - they're so much more accurate and convenient for electronics (vs electrical) work.

[tooki]

The TL910 probes (or pomona equivalent - see: https://www.pomonaelectronics.com/file/17983/download?token=Tq_OVJ5Y ) are really rather small compared to standard probes. I'm in the opposite position and have only used the Pomona ones rather than the Probemaster option, but from photos the Probemasters look a lot larger.

I haven't used the TL910, but the Probe Master 8150 is just under 15cm long, so about 4cm longer than the TL910. But 5cm of that is the squishy soft strain relief. Probe Master probes look big in pics, but they're quite small compared to most standard DMM probes.

[Hydron]

What are the pogo-pin tips like on the probemaster? I've never used ones that I've liked more than plain non-sprung tips.

[tooki]

What are the pogo-pin tips like on the probemaster? I've never used ones that I've liked more than plain non-sprung tips.

Well I've never used the TL910, but I imagine they're exactly the same. The Probe Master comes with a bunch of different tips, including non-sprung needle tips, and then pogo needles, crown, and I forget what else. (I'm like you, I like the rigid.)

[joeqsmith]

TL910. They are expensive, but they are the best (IMHO) leads ever for fine electronics use.

I use these at home with the stainless tips and while I do like them, I also use these:

http://probemaster.com/spring-loaded-micro-tip-test-lead-kit/

Before buying the TL910, I was using these

http://probemaster.com/9154-insulated-probe-050-dia/

Of the three, I like the Probemaster micro tips the best. 

[Hydron]

Does anyone here have experience getting ProbeMaster stuff in the EU? I'm not aware of UK resellers and while it looks like the ProbeMaster site will ship internationally you have to enter all your details before getting a shipping quote, and then you need to piss about with customs fees/VAT when it arrives.

Edit: turns out you can get a shipping estimate in the basket (clicked "checkout now" before and it skipped that step and went straight to full address details etc). Still interested in EU options that don't involve dealing with customs.

[tooki]

Does anyone here have experience getting ProbeMaster stuff in the EU? I'm not aware of UK resellers and while it looks like the ProbeMaster site will ship internationally you have to enter all your details before getting a shipping quote, and then you need to piss about with customs fees/VAT when it arrives.

Edit: turns out you can get a shipping estimate in the basket (clicked "checkout now" before and it skipped that step and went straight to full address details etc). Still interested in EU options that don't involve dealing with customs.

Simon, one of the admins here, sells them in UK: https://simonselectronics.co.uk/shop/

Other than that, I'm not aware of Probe Master having any European distribution whatsoever.

[Terry01]

I'm sure one of the "mods" Simon sells Probe Master stuff in the UK buddy.

[Hydron]

Thanks, I'd searched for "probemaster 8150 site:uk" and only gotten crap ebay links. Looks like Simon has the 8152, which is the pointy (i.e. most useful) tip only version without the extra special-purpose tips that come with the 8150 set.

[tooki]

Just to be clear, that comes with the spring-loaded needle tip, but not the rigid needle. That's in the kit only.