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

[Fungus]

Peaktech is only rated at Cat II at 250v.

Now that is a spec I trust 

...except there's no such rating! 

CAT ratings go 150V, 300V, 600V, 1000V.

I went to LIDL and there was a meter out of the packet. I hefted it a bit and turned the dial while going "hmmm". Very lightweight, hard red plastic (not a rubber boot). I wouldn't buy it myself but I suppose it's a big step up from an 830B. I know lots of people who'd think it was a quality meter (not EEVBLOG readers).

It comes with a Mitsubishi 9V battery and a little black phillips screwdriver to open the battery door and install it - just in case you're the sort of multimeter buyer who doesn't own any screwdrivers.

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.

[bd139]

A tenner is a bit expensive for that turd.

I'm a firm believer that there is no such thing as a bargain in Lidl or Aldi.

Delivered to your door free in 2-3 days...

http://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d03048/multimeter-digital/dp/IN07222

But why would you when you can have three of these delivered to your door for less!

http://cpc.farnell.com/duratool/d03046/multimeter-digital/dp/IN07220

The £3.11 Duratools have proper fuses (!) and solid tubular sockets (none of those bent bits of metal)

[Specmaster]

Peaktech is only rated at Cat II at 250v.

Now that is a spec I trust 

...except there's no such rating! 

CAT ratings go 150V, 300V, 600V, 1000V.

I went to LIDL and there was a meter out of the packet. I hefted it a bit and turned the dial while going "hmmm". Very lightweight, hard red plastic (not a rubber boot). I wouldn't buy it myself but I suppose it's a big step up from an 830B. I know lots of people who'd think it was a quality meter (not EEVBLOG readers).

It comes with a Mitsubishi 9V battery and a little black phillips screwdriver to open the battery door and install it - just in case you're the sort of multimeter buyer who doesn't own any screwdrivers.

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.

According to this video there is as the meter here proudly claims CAT II @ 250V whereas the one referred to in the link claims CAT III @ 300v so they can't even agree which standard they adhere to.

[Fungus]

Watch the guy connect the meter first thing with a mains  socket  and the  meter in VDC range (near the end).

I must be doing multimeter videos wrong. This idiotperson has more views that I do. 

Maybe I need to adjust my worldview to one where the first thing anybody wants to do with a piece of test gear is connect it to mains AC.

So far I've been telling people not to. It usually makes me unpopular.

[Specmaster]

Peaktech is only rated at Cat II at 250v.

Now that is a spec I trust  (It is also TUV certified). So what makes the Lidl PDM 300 B1 DMM that special. Can't be sure without one taken apart and tested.

There is already an unboxing/opening video of the previous pro model (PDM 300 A1):


Watch the guy connect the meter first thing with a mains  socket  and the  meter in VDC range (near the end).

Lidl's is also supposed to be TUV rated.

[Fungus]

Lidl's is also supposed to be TUV rated.

He even managed to connect the red wire to the COM socket: 


Still, he owns a 4V video camera so he must know what he's doing...

I'm thinking I should get one of these meters just so I can do a video showing how to put the battery in and poke the probes in a mains socket. Maybe I could make it go beep and measure a few batteries as well.

The target demographic will love it.

[bd139]

I did a review of the free one that came with my Rigol which is of the same class a while ago:

[Specmaster]

Lidl's is also supposed to be TUV rated.

He even managed to connect the red wire to the COM socket: 


Still, he owns a 4V video camera so he must know what he's doing...

I'm thinking I should get one of these meters just so I can do a video showing how to put the battery in and poke the probes in a mains socket. Maybe I could make it go beep and measure a few batteries as well.

The target demographic will love it.

Maybe you ought to do a video of a head to head between, Duratool, Peaktech and Lidl and see which one is the clear if there is one at all.

I expect that in the right hands, they are all capable meters up to a point, problem is though that most of the people buying any of these are not what I would call a capable pair of hands, they are going to make mistakes and there will be accidents, magic smoke at best, worst flames etc escaping, just hope that there wont any injuries.

EDIT

The meter in this video is not the current one on offer at Lidl, I thought I should make this point in fairness, until someone actually gets a current meter from Lidl, we don't really know how it stacks up against previous models or the competitors.

[Fungus]

Maybe you ought to do a video of a head to head between, Duratool, Peaktech and Lidl and see which one is the clear if there is one at all.

I don't own any of the others.

I expect that in the right hands, they are all capable meters up to a point, problem is though that most of the people buying any of these are not what I would call a capable pair of hands, they are going to make mistakes and there will be accidents, magic smoke at best, worst flames etc escaping, just hope that there wont any injuries.

I'm fairly sure the LIDL one will meet the CAT rating. It might be damaged bu it won't kill you.

It occurs to me that I've never connected a meter to mains AC and spun the dial before. Maybe I could do that to this one. 

It's only a 3 connector meter with the mA range on the main socket so the fuse will need to work.

[Specmaster]

I did a review of the free one that came with my Rigol which is of the same class a while ago:

That's not a review, thats someone knocking a pile of poo of the table 

[Fungus]

OK, I did it. I'm now the proud owner of my very own "multimetro digital" from LIDL. 12.99 Euros.

And, yep, it's TUV and GS certified (on the packaging and the meter) so it's not playing games in the safety department.

Review to follow.

[Specmaster]

I didn't think for a minute that they would be selling something (not knowingly anyway) something did not meet some standard or other, being a German company, they like to stick to the rules. This ought to be an interesting review, nothing earth shattering but I think a reasonable level of performance given its price point.

[Fungus]

I didn't think for a minute that they would be selling something (not knowingly anyway) something did not meet some standard or other, being a German company, they like to stick to the rules.

Yep.

Gotta love the little screwdriver they include in the packet...



The backing cardboard feels about 1cm thick. I'm betting there's a hefty manual hidden in there.

[Specmaster]

There certainly will be a manual in there as always a multilingual one, hence its thickness.

[markce]

..except there's no such rating!

Ok, I was to quick, I expect they used a 250V fuse in it. It looks like a Chinese product, so specs vary....

For the Lidl Pro, Beeing CATIII, will the fuses actually be able to break a >3kA current?

[bitwelder]

Here is the manual:
http://www.lidl-service.com/cps/rde/SID-5188704E-2A74A097/lsp/hs.xsl/product.html?id=1414897263&rdeLocaleAttr=en&title=Digital%20Multimeter

[markce]

From the manual:

This multimeter is not designed for commercial use or installation and operation in a company.

What? It's a Pro meter...

[Fungus]

From the manual:

This multimeter is not designed for commercial use or installation and operation in a company.

What? It's a Pro meter...

I'm guessing that's more to do with the 3 year guarantee than anything else.

Edit: They put that disclaimer on their power tools as well, where it makes more sense.  eg. Their drills are designed for home use, they obviously aren't going to last three years on a building site.

[Specmaster]

From the manual:

This multimeter is not designed for commercial use or installation and operation in a company.

What? It's a Pro meter...

No professional engineer worthy of being called an engineer would consider using this meter under those conditions, it is in my view aimed squarely at the R/C modelers and the Arduino fans out there where high energy is unlikely to be found and the audio enthusiasts for checking cables, low volts and current etc.

The reference to profi is like a piece of audio gear that might have Professional as part of its model name etc. and just applying a little common sense tells you that it is highly unlikely that you would ever see such equipment used in a professional situation.

[bd139]

RC stuff is pretty dangerous. I'd expect it to be suitably rated for that.

[Specmaster]

RC stuff is pretty dangerous. I'd expect it to be suitably rated for that.

Yes I would to, and I think it is aimed at those types of customers which CATIII 300V more than covers.

[Fungus]

RC stuff is pretty dangerous. I'd expect it to be suitably rated for that.

The rating is CAT III, 300V. There's nothing ambiguous about that.

[markce]

Just funny, the 'Pro' in the naming with this restriction.

The fuses in this meter are 5x25mm? Are they actually labelled 300V?

[Diabolo]

Hello,

The portable led lamp sold by LIDL is not bad, and we can also feed it with a 18650 li-ion battery to replace the 3 AAA batteries, and it works very well.


Diabolo

[Specmaster]

Hello,

The portable led lamp sold by LIDL is not bad, and we can also feed it with a 18650 li-ion battery to replace the 3 AAA batteries, and it works very well.


Diabolo

Yep, I have a few of their products , LED lights, Infra Red thermometers, torches, tools, kettles etc and have had no problems with at all, and most of them carry a 3 warranty.