Pocket Multimeter Shootout! ANENG AN101 vs. Uni-T UT120C vs. Victor VC921

[Fungus]

Here's my shootout video:

[evava]

 

[joeqsmith]

On the UNI-T, is the device you refer to as a MOV really a MOV?  It looks like a PTC.    The tan colored square part on the right that you studied is the poly switch for the current input. 

Where's the drop test?   

[Fungus]

On the UNI-T, is the device you refer to as a MOV really a MOV?  It looks like a PTC.   

Let me check...

(sound of screwdriver)

Not much gets past you, joe. It is indeed a PTC. 

The tan colored square part on the right that you studied is the poly switch for the current input. 

Which is a type of PTC.

I was thinking of doing another test on the AN101 to see if it really does cut off on the current range if I go above 500mA (some sellers say the input protection on the current range is 500mA even though there's nothing printed on the front).

Where's the drop test?   

Says the guy who did a snow test.

I might do something horrible to the Victor. 

PS: Thanks for sitting through my amateur effort.

[joseph nicholas]

For any one or all of these meters, if the test lead comes apart at the probe end you will not find a replacement.

[plazma]

For any one or all of these meters, if the test lead comes apart at the probe end you will not find a replacement.

Aneng AN101 got replaceable leads.

[Rbastler]

For any one or all of these meters, if the test lead comes apart at the probe end you will not find a replacement.

The you buy a new meter [emoji23] [emoji23]
The cost of replacement leads and time involved are worth 10-15€ Id say.
Im sure u'll find something you can use on Aliexpress.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

[Fungus]

For any one or all of these meters, if the test lead comes apart at the probe end you will not find a replacement.

I bet I could transplant leads between these three meters.

The ANENG would need them to be soldered internally but that's no big deal. I don't think there's much benefit to having detachable leads.

(maybe the benefit is that you can swivel them outwards when it's sitting up on its stand?)

[joseph nicholas]

I think you people are missing the point.  If you search on ebay you will find only may be 10 different types but none will probabily fit the mini profile of these meters.  The DT8xx type meters are covered and of course anything larger probabily could work or be modified to fit.

Hope this helps.

[Fungus]

I think you people are missing the point.  If you search on ebay you will find only may be 10 different types but none will probabily fit the mini profile of these meters.

Space is tight, yes.

The ANENG and Uni-T have a bit of slack but the Victor can barely fit the supplied probes.

These meters are almost disposable products though. A new set of probes will cost you nearly as much as a new meter. I agree that's not a good attitude to take, but it's the truth. If you waste half an hour looking for new probes on eBay then pay $5 for them then you probably lost money.

If you paid more for the meter (and Dave's going to be looking at $50+ meters when his shootout finally appears) then it's another story. I'd like to think Dave's $70 meter could be fixed if a probe breaks.

Best idea: Look after them, treat them with care.

[plazma]

The Victor one can be hacked and add extra buttons and even logging output. It got the DTM0660 IC.

[Fungus]

The Victor one can be hacked and add extra buttons and even logging output. It got the DTM0660 IC.

Yep. I actually mentioned that while I was disassembling the Victor. I even pointed to the extra switch pads on the PCB.

It got lost in the final edit because it took ages to open up the meter (stupid case!!) and I decided to fast-forward that part. 

(there's a few other scenes on the cutting-room floor, too. Making these videos is harder than it looks...)

[joseph nicholas]

I agree with Fungus observation that these meters should be considered disposable.  Looking at it that way, you buy the the cheapies which are pretty accurate and something like the DT 8xxx which is big enough to be used with aux probes.  All the probes on the DT8xxx just came apart on their own.  An yes, you can find replacements on ebay which may or may not last but at least you have a meter for a few years before something else falls apart.

[don.r]

The Victor one can be hacked and add extra buttons and even logging output. It got the DTM0660 IC.

Apart from the obvious personal challenge and joy of discovery, I personally wouldn't waste my time hacking a sub-$20 anything.

[kalel]

I agree with Fungus observation that these meters should be considered disposable.  Looking at it that way, you buy the the cheapies which are pretty accurate and something like the DT 8xxx which is big enough to be used with aux probes.  All the probes on the DT8xxx just came apart on their own.  An yes, you can find replacements on ebay which may or may not last but at least you have a meter for a few years before something else falls apart.

Yes, those probes really do need some work. If I bought that meter today, before using the probes, I would either modify different probes to fit (unless they do already) or add some glue gun or other to support the joint inside.

There's that new little tiny Aneng though for a similar price, which might come with better probes.

[kalel]

The Victor one can be hacked and add extra buttons and even logging output. It got the DTM0660 IC.

Apart from the obvious personal challenge and joy of discovery, I personally wouldn't waste my time hacking a sub-$20 anything.

Amen, to that.

This depends on your experience, budget and how much your time is worth otherwise, but I on the other hand wouldn't risk trying to modify an expensive device. Expensive depending on the item type. If I do it wrong (which is likely), I damaged an expensive thing.

[plazma]

The Victor one can be hacked and add extra buttons and even logging output. It got the DTM0660 IC.

Apart from the obvious personal challenge and joy of discovery, I personally wouldn't waste my time hacking a sub-$20 anything.

Amen, to that.

I ordered one only for hacking the logging capability. I have use for a one channel voltage logger.

[Fungus]

There's that new little tiny Aneng though for a similar price, which might come with better probes.

FWIW: The mini ANENG's probes fit inside the AN101, no problem. The mini has a standard size banana connector, will take most probes.

I don't think finding donor probes would be a massive problem if the AN101 probes break. The AN101 probes have strain relief things on the probe end so they'll probably last a long time anyway. Overall... I'm not very worried.



PS: I've decided I like the way the leads connect to the AN101. They're not detachable leads, they're rotatable! 

[Rbastler]

The Victor one can be hacked and add extra buttons and even logging output. It got the DTM0660 IC.

Apart from the obvious personal challenge and joy of discovery, I personally wouldn't waste my time hacking a sub-$20 anything.

Amen, to that.

I ordered one only for hacking the logging capability. I have use for a one channel voltage logger.

I ordered a Victor VC921 exacly to play around with the eeprom. If i fail and brick it, not much is lost.
So mostly for joy of discovery.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

[joeqsmith]

Where's the drop test?   

Says the guy who did a snow test.

I might do something horrible to the Victor. 

PS: Thanks for sitting through my amateur effort.

Maybe drop them across a screwdriver or something and see how it effects them?  Or drop a screwdriver on them? 

[plazma]

I received my multimeter. I ordered the Aneng AN8203. Not Victor VC921. I assumed they were the same. Housing is very similar but the PCB got totally different layout.

[Fungus]

I received my multimeter. I ordered the Aneng AN8203. Not Victor VC921. I assumed they were the same. Housing is very similar but the PCB got totally different layout.

You want to swap meters?

[kalel]

I received my multimeter. I ordered the Aneng AN8203. Not Victor VC921. I assumed they were the same. Housing is very similar but the PCB got totally different layout.

Also, it might be that Victor has a larger display font, I couldn't find the same angle.


Other than that, who knows which meter is better.

[plazma]

Victor PCB


versus Aneng PCB

[hughtmccullough]

Plazma, did you succeed with any hacks?  It looks as if the Aneng is designed to do current measurement as an option.  There is space for a fuse, a couple of TVS diodes and a shunt resistor that would give a mA range.  There are links that look as if they could be configured to change the switch function so that the second Off position becomes current measurement (maybe 40mA and 400mA ranges).

Have you tried the data logging?  Pin 20 looks as if it is connected but it isn't possible to tell from the photos if it is enabled in the firmware.  Also, what are those two (?) switches hidden behind the probe leads at the edge near the battery compartment?