Heads Up : Cheap Multimeter : Lidl UK (08/02/18)

[Electro Detective]

RIP Fungus 

We'll all miss your popcorn indulging  presence here  , and lots of good advice
such as cautioning ****heads not to go sticking their shiny new DSO 1x probes into the mains,
especially if the mancave was recently flooded and using a DIY extension power cord or dumpster IEC cable with 50/50 coin toss   Active<?>Neutral   wiring      


If you can read this from upstairs  or down there    hey I did caution you about these cheapass meters many times 

 "quote" ...only good as car wheel chocs or clay pigeon shooting    

 

[Specmaster]

RIP Fungus 

We'll all miss your popcorn indulging  presence here  , and lots of good advice
such as cautioning ****heads not to go sticking their shiny new DSO 1x probes into the mains,
especially if the mancave was recently flooded and using a DIY extension power cord or dumpster IEC cable with 50/50 coin toss   Active<?>Neutral   wiring      


If you can read this from upstairs  or down there    hey I did caution you about these cheapass meters many times 

 "quote" ...only good as car wheel chocs or clay pigeon shooting    

Hey, I hope that your only joking here and Fungus is OK alive and well.

[Electro Detective]

Hey, I hope that your only joking here and Fungus is OK alive and well.

It's 100%  and joking 

don't want to lose our Spanish Connection to a cheap meter mishap     

he may be in the lab busy doing the olive oil thing they do over there 


or getting an awesome Youtube video review ready on that cheap pesos meter   

[Specmaster]

Good, I expect that is what he is doing and I think that his conclusion might well reveal that this cheap meter while is not going to shatter the earth or even dent it. But I do think that it will prove to be far better then a lot of people would expect it to be given its budget price.

[Fungus]

He's dead 

On holiday, back today.

[Specmaster]

He's dead 

On holiday, back today.

So glad to hear that you are OK, welcome back.

[Fungus]

He's dead 

On holiday, back today.

So glad to hear that you are OK, welcome back.

Teardown/review video is in the can... 

[Specmaster]

Great news, will it be on line?

[MT]

Looks like we didn't get the disc sanders here in Spain. There was a combo belt sander+grinder thing but no disc sanders. Maybe they'll come around in a few months. I figure the way those shops work is the stuff that doesn't sell in one shop/country is circulated to other shops/countries until it does.

Could be so, LIDL Sweden got the disk sander but not the DMM. Speaking of which, i have to go to Lidl to buy some more of their excellent gentlemens underwear!

[Fungus]

I've been on an urgent windfarm design job for two days. 

I'm just off to LIDL, I'll get it all edited when I get back....

[Fungus]

Finally got around to editing the video. It takes ages...



Edit: Video replaced with fixed version where I remembered to switch the meter on.

[chris_leyson]

LIDL Sweden got the disk sander but not the DMM

The disk sander is nice saves having to mess about with a vice and file.

[Specmaster]

Finally got around to editing the video. It takes ages...

Nice review, so I was right, the CAT rating is correct and the meter as a whole is well protected up to the 300VAC and is certainly head and shoulders above the likes of the little D03046 type meters that cost around the £3 mark and the meter would certainly benefit from replacing the leads with some decent silicon ones.

I wont be however buying one as I have an overload of far better rated meters already and SWMBO would probably have something to say about it if I did. 

Thank you for taking the effort to acquire one of these from your local store and putting it through its paces, and well done to any members who also acquired one for their use, I'm sure that you will feel better with the results of this test.   
 

[Fungus]

Nice review

Thanks!

the meter would certainly benefit from replacing the leads with some decent silicon ones.

That would be my biggest complaint about the meter - the horrible leads.

I wont be however buying one as I have an overload of far better rated meters already and SWMBO would probably have something to say about it if I did.

I'm hoping mine won't see this video.

(and technically, I could still return it to the store.  )

Thank you for taking the effort to acquire one of these from your local store and putting it through its paces

[Specmaster]

Somehow I get the impression that the meter is going to find a long term home with you, am I wrong?

[Fungus]

Somehow I get the impression that the meter is going to find a long term home with you, am I wrong?

Nah, I like my ANENG 860B+ too much and I've got an old Fluke 27 for poking at AC mains with.

I'm wondering what to do with the LIDL meter. Maybe I could donate it to a worthy cause or do a giveaway.

I think postage might cost more than the meter though.

[Specmaster]

Somehow I get the impression that the meter is going to find a long term home with you, am I wrong?

Nah, I like my ANENG 860B+ too much and I've got an old Fluke 27 for poking at AC mains with.

I'm wondering what to do with the LIDL meter. Maybe I could donate it to a worthy cause or do a giveaway.

I think postage might cost more than the meter though.

I'm with you on the Fluke 27, I've 2 of them myself along with 11 or so Fluke 25's although a couple need battery compartment covers at least so I'm well off for handhelds 

[bitwelder]

The TÜV certificate number printed on the meter looks also real: https://www.certipedia.com/quality_marks/1419042732?locale=en&certificate_number=50366474
Not much test details, but at least the page reports the fulfilled standards.

[ModemHead]

Wouldn't it be best to turn the meter on for the diode test?

[bd139]

Depends on whether or not you care of the diode is working or not. Back in the 1990s, my father hired an electrician that had a DMM without a battery in it and he was probing everything.    Cargo culting if there ever was any.

[Fungus]

Wouldn't it be best to turn the meter on for the diode test?

It actually makes no difference. 

[Specmaster]

Depends on whether or not you care of the diode is working or not. Back in the 1990s, my father hired an electrician that had a DMM without a battery in it and he was probing everything.    Cargo culting if there ever was any.

So everything showed as being dead, so what happened, did he kill himself then?

[bd139]

Unfortunately no he didn't. My father nearly did though. He wasn't one for tolerating that sort of shit.

[Electro Detective]

It must have been good gunja     to go to a job and take DMM meter readings without a battery

His mistake was not offering the client a puff or two, or three...whoa! 


Next time if he wants to be professional, he'll rock up with an analogue meter that will work in most modes without a battery, a pair of tangled leads to look the part   

and a bag of awesome weed to blow the client away, and call in a straight electrical contractor to sort out the faulty electricals   


Money for jam, too easy   


   

[bd139]

It's basically why you don't go for the lowest bidder. I made the same mistake. Some guy turned up and said "I'll mow your lawn for a tenner". Thought fuck it, why not. Next thing I know there's 3 foot across holes all over it.

Back on Lidl, apparently an older relative has bought me one of these because "I'm into electronics and stuff". I appreciate the naive thought, I think. I'll get my hands on it soon.