Sanwa PM300 Pocket Multimeter Review Teardown

[EEVblog]

[Rbastler]

How well does it fit in a shirt pocket or jacket/trousers pocket ?

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

[Electro Detective]

Nice meter, nice price and TRMS to seal the deal, me likes it     

The case could be hacked up a bit to serve as a right angle tilt stand thingie for poor mans bench use...   

If the cables ever break at the entry point, it's not rocket science to solder up a new pair
or shorten and re-solder the old ones as cheapskates like me would do 


Someone has to ask..    Is there room in the case to squish in a spare battery and mini screwdriver?

[stmdude]

This video triggered my OCD.  Dave forgot to turn it off before he closed up the case.

( I'm sure it has auto power-off, but still.. )

[Fungus]

What's the dimensions of the case when closed?

The way the leads are connected it looks like if they ever break at where they meet the case (the weak point, I assume) you could just chop them off after the break and resolder them. You'll only lose a few cm, no big deal...

PS: Could barely hear the buzzer on the video.

[Lightages]

So it is CATIV rated, but has no third party certification? How does that get a pass?

[Fungus]

So it is CATIV rated, but has no third party certification? How does that get a pass?

I don't think any of Fluke's "Asian" meters have 3rd party certification either. You have to trust Fluke that (eg.) their 101 is really CAT rated. 

[bjcuizon]

Really nice pocket DMM. The build quality is what you get for the price. I like it.
One question...
Do the listed prices on the EEVBLOG store include the shipping?

[jancumps]

You can rate yourself, the rules and requisites are known. It doesn't change anything in liability if you used one of the popular test labs or not.

[Muttley Snickers]

PS: Could barely hear the buzzer on the video.

I played the video back a few times on two separate devices and could not hear the continuity beeper at all, I initially thought there must be some type of filter enabled muting that particular audible frequency or something.   

[joeqsmith]

So it is CATIV rated, but has no third party certification? How does that get a pass?

I don't think any of Fluke's "Asian" meters have 3rd party certification either. You have to trust Fluke that (eg.) their 101 is really CAT rated. 

Left, made in USA, right made in China.    Attached is also the recall for the Chinese made Fluke.  Take the time to read the last remark.   

[Fungus]

Left, made in USA, right made in China.    Attached is also the recall for the Chinese made Fluke.

I meant "Only for sale in the Asian market", not "Made in China". My bad.

I don't think the 101, 15B/17B, etc. are officially available outside of Asia, hence they aren't 3rd-party certified. The 11x series are available in other areas, hence they are.

Take the time to read the last remark.   

Thus proving that it's impossible for a Youtuber (or anyone else) to simply look at the insides of a meter and proclaim a CAT rating.

[Eric_S]

So it is CATIV rated, but has no third party certification? How does that get a pass?

I hope that Dave will simply state that it's only for poking around in low voltage/ low energy electrical circuits.

[Fungus]

So it is CATIV rated, but has no third party certification? How does that get a pass?

I hope that Dave will simply state that it's only for poking around in low voltage/ low energy electrical circuits.

Are you accusing Sanwa of lying about their CAT ratings?

[Rbastler]

I hope that Dave will simply state that it's only for poking around in low voltage/ low energy electrical circuits.

Is say the meter looks it will meet the specs. Plus Sanwa has a good reputation. Like the cheap Flukes(for the Chinese market, but still Flukes!), so wy should Dave say its only good for low voltage/energy ? What makes you think that ? Because its not third party certified ? Youre welcome to proove Sanwa wrong and sue them then.
If a company has a good reputation and they lie about CAT ratings they would not only be sued, but afterwards loose a lot of credibility and market share.

[Lightages]

It isn't a matter of anyone lying, it is about proper confirmation with testing to show the design and construction does actually perform to the standard claimed. Without evidence of any real testing being done to confirm performance, it is an open question as to whether it will actually meet the claims.

[Rbastler]

It isn't a matter of anyone lying, it is about proper confirmation with testing to show the design and construction does actually perform to the standard claimed. Without evidence of any real testing being done to confirm performance, it is an open question as to whether it will actually meet the claims.

I think Dave mentioned Sanwa tests it according to some ISO standart. That would be the evidence.

[Fungus]

It isn't a matter of anyone lying, it is about proper confirmation with testing to show the design and construction does actually perform to the standard claimed. Without evidence of any real testing being done to confirm performance, it is an open question as to whether it will actually meet the claims.

I think Dave mentioned Sanwa tests it according to some ISO standart. That would be the evidence.

ISO 61010 is where the CAT ratings come from.

(no, you won't find a copy online, you have to pay to read it)

CAT IV 300V is a lot lower than (eg.) a Fluke 87V's CAT IV 600V. It's not an "industrial electrician" rating, you can't use it on three-phase supplies or anything like that.

There's no low impedance path through the meter, it has plenty of input protection, there's obviously huge gaps between the tracks on the PCB, etc. I wouldn't put any money at all on it not meeting the claimed rating.

It isn't a matter of anyone lying, it is about proper confirmation with testing to show the design and construction does actually perform to the standard claimed. Without evidence of any real testing being done to confirm performance, it is an open question as to whether it will actually meet the claims.

Why should a Japanese company who doesn't sell this meter outside of Japan use a western standard of "conformance"?

[Fungus]

PS: Could barely hear the buzzer on the video.

I played the video back a few times on two separate devices and could not hear the continuity beeper at all

It's definitely there. 

I initially thought there must be some type of filter enabled muting that particular audible frequency or something.   

Not particularly high pitch, either.

[EEVblog]

It isn't a matter of anyone lying, it is about proper confirmation with testing to show the design and construction does actually perform to the standard claimed. Without evidence of any real testing being done to confirm performance, it is an open question as to whether it will actually meet the claims.

The meter was tested by SGS-CSTC Standards Technical Services Co., Ltd.
I have the 80 page test report.

[EEVblog]

Short form report
http://www.eevblog.com/files/PM300-SHEM1610006729IT-RPT.pdf
It also passes the ESD standards

[Eric_S]

@Fungus

Are you accusing Sanwa of lying about their CAT ratings?

I'm saying that Dave should exercice due diligence. Thats not being mean spirited, it's actually caring about him not getting into any undue trouble. The design looking good or not, it's just being wise.

That being said, there are better ways to dispell concerns:

The meter was tested by SGS-CSTC Standards Technical Services Co., Ltd.
I have the 80 page test report.

Short form report
http://www.eevblog.com/files/PM300-SHEM1610006729IT-RPT.pdf
It also passes the ESD standards

Thank you Dave/EEVblog!

Going back to "sleep" now on this.

[noidea]

Hopefully I can help answer a few of the questions that have come up as mine arrived today.
The beeper is pretty quiet especially with the meter on the case as it surrounds the meter pretty well.
There's a little spare room in the lead holder but a battery would possibly fall out and the screwdriver would have to be very short. I managed to fit a set of Frankys IC grabbers, with the 2mm slip on sockets in and close the case. They will be a work in progress for this meter as, there's a bit of uninsulated probe showing. Also anything rattling around in the case will probably end up scratching the screen.
Pocketability is not bad, it fits in a jeans front or rear pocket but you wouldn't want to sit down with it in your pocket and it's probably a little big for a business shirt pocket. I wanted something that could live in a small computer satchel, was suitable for a CAT III environment and had diode test, true RMS is a bonus.
A pack of sticky notes, worked OK as a makeshift stand, a screwdriver placed between the halves of the case would do the same.
Downsides, the probes are a little blunt for my liking and the gold plating puts a kybosh on filing or grinding them to a different profile.
The lack of Beep on diode function is also a pet peeve of mine and backlight would have been nice but it's only powered with a coin cell so understand why it doesn't have it.
The built in leads are only PVC so longevity where they get bent from the case closing will be something to keep an eye on, as that's the most likely place they will break.
I think I might investigate alternative probes leads down the track.
Here's a few photos

[nixfu]

Couple of observations. 

1) Just had to stop and appreciate how good Dave is now at these single take videos now.  I give him credit for being able to do these and be fairly good videos. 

2) Frankly I trust the opinion of Dave and the EEV community more than I trust and CAT or other markings printed on a case. 

3) I like the leads. Those pocket meters with plugin leads seem silly on a pocket meter. 

[joeqsmith]

Take the time to read the last remark.   

Thus proving that it's impossible for a Youtuber (or anyone else) to simply look at the insides of a meter and proclaim a CAT rating.

That would be something.  There would be no need for test houses.  Products could be sent to the YT expert to have a look at and get their cert.    Best you could do is look at one and see something obvious where it may not meet their proclaimed rating.