Author Topic: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good  (Read 164683 times)

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Offline BU508A

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #75 on: July 16, 2017, 12:56:32 pm »
If you want a safe meter for electrical work, pay double (still under $50!) and get a Fluke 101.

I've read here in the forum a lot of recommendations of this Fluke 101.
I had a look at ebay and found this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/351230522178


These aren't real Fluke's, are they?
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Offline kalel

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #76 on: July 16, 2017, 12:59:59 pm »
If you want a safe meter for electrical work, pay double (still under $50!) and get a Fluke 101.

I've read here in the forum a lot of recommendations of this Fluke 101.
I had a look at ebay and found this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/351230522178


These aren't real Fluke's, are they?

Those go for about $38 on Ali. I don't know what they are exactly. Fluke for the Chinese market?
 

Offline Rbastler

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #77 on: July 16, 2017, 01:01:10 pm »
If you want a safe meter for electrical work, pay double (still under $50!) and get a Fluke 101.

I've read here in the forum a lot of recommendations of this Fluke 101.
I had a look at ebay and found this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/351230522178


These aren't real Fluke's, are they?
They actually are, but made for the chinese market only. They are lower quality and have only 1 year of waranty inside China. But still very good. I own one a Fluke 101.

Edit: Lower quality compared to those made in 'Murica, like the Fluke 177 for example.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2017, 01:02:50 pm by Rbastler »
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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #78 on: July 16, 2017, 01:08:10 pm »
If people want a safe meter for electrical work, the Fluke 101 is $40 including delivery on Aliexpress!
UL certified and guaranteed consistent Fluke quality.
 

Offline amspire

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #79 on: July 16, 2017, 01:12:16 pm »
Jep. In my humble opinion safety is not alone about personal safety. It is also dedicated to circumstances and other people.
That  is one of the things I've learned since I was 12 years old and joined the voluntary fire brigade in my home village.
If you were buying this meter for use by others or for use in a company, it would make sense to grind off the AN8008's suspect safety ratings and engrave "50V DC/AC Maximum".

For professional use, I would be getting something like a Fluke anyway. I think most people here are getting this meter for personal use and probably for low voltage use.

Just remember that the safest multimeter is not safe. I would not like getting stabbed by a multimeter probe, particularly by one of those really sharp Fluke ones. I wouldn't like being hit on the head by one knocked of the roof of a skyscraper. On the other hand, I would feel extremely safe with an AN8008 at 1000V if it was behind a blast shield.
 

Online tautech

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #80 on: July 16, 2017, 01:17:04 pm »
Flukes that I've sourced from China have ONLY English externally on them. Under the yellow holster on the back of the meter are some Chinese characters that specify ratings.
Any that have Chinese on the face I'd be suspicious of.
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Offline TheAmmoniacal

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #81 on: July 16, 2017, 01:19:55 pm »
Do us all a favor and get one for teardown, $38 shipping included Fluke 101. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/FLUKE-101-portable-handheld-digital-multimeter-F101/32791856013.html

And side-by-side comparison with the US made logo 101.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2017, 02:26:52 pm by TheAmmoniacal »
 

Offline Rbastler

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #82 on: July 16, 2017, 01:35:05 pm »
I bought mine for 50€ delivered from a Alikexpress seller that has/had stock in Germany.
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Offline Muttley Snickers

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #83 on: July 16, 2017, 02:02:52 pm »
I think most of us here would agree that unfortunately stupidity seems to trump safety every day of the week, reminding people of this won't do them any harm. This recently posted video below is a prime example of how a multimeter should not be used or tested under any circumstance, it is dangerous and serves no useful purpose to anyone, I believe the meter is a rebadged CEM of all things, madness. 

Bowls are for goldfish, or salads.   :o ::)

 

Offline TheAmmoniacal

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #84 on: July 16, 2017, 02:07:08 pm »
What's wrong with that? What if your basement is flooded and you still want to finish your project!
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #85 on: July 16, 2017, 02:15:07 pm »
Do us all a favor and get one for teardown, $38 shipping included Fluke 101. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/FLUKE-101-portable-handheld-digital-multimeter-F101/32791856013.html
And side-by-side comparison with the US made 101.

When has there ever been a US made 101? or any of those low end Chinese market Flukes?
Fluke's experiment with making meters in China started with the (infamous) Fluke 19 maybe 15 years ago now?
 

Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #86 on: July 16, 2017, 02:19:06 pm »
These aren't real Fluke's, are they?

Yes, they are real Flukes, designed for the Chinese market primarily.
The first one they ever did was the Fluke 19, and it was sold in Asia/Pacific only. Dick Smith used to sell them here in Oz.
AFAIK there has never been a rip-off clone Fluke on the market anywhere.
 

Offline TheAmmoniacal

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #87 on: July 16, 2017, 02:22:04 pm »
You are of course correct - they are made in China, what I meant to differentiate was the Fluke 101 with the English logo from the one with the Chinese logo. First time I've seen the Chinese logo on a 101, or have these been common too?
 

Offline MK14

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #88 on: July 16, 2017, 02:43:48 pm »
You are of course correct - they are made in China, what I meant to differentiate was the Fluke 101 with the English logo from the one with the Chinese logo. First time I've seen the Chinese logo on a 101, or have these been common too?

The one in the picture, with Chinese writing, appears to be a FAKE to me. I.e. NOT a real Fluke.

I am aware that there are genuine, Chinese manufactured Fluke 101's.

If you compare that photograph, with a real Fluke 101. You can tell that it is apparently a fake, because there are one or more mistakes, in the fake one. E.g. Look carefully at the "HOLD" button. The real one has perfectly centered and correct text, but the apparent fake one has the "HOLD" font towards the top of the button, and looks different.
The seller has at least two of the people they sold them to, complaining, with at least one complaint seeming to imply it is a fake one as well.

But I'm not an expert on possible Fluke fakes, and have little information to go on. So I could be wrong.

I took the following as a genuine example of a real (non-fake) one:
« Last Edit: July 16, 2017, 02:48:58 pm by MK14 »
 

Offline kalel

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #89 on: July 16, 2017, 03:00:01 pm »
It's not exactly the same angle, but here is a little animated gif:
 
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Online ebastler

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #90 on: July 16, 2017, 03:08:09 pm »
Those Fluke 101s with the Chinese brand name on the front panel have been around for a while. See this video from October 2016, for example. (No teardown, unfortunately.)



« Last Edit: July 16, 2017, 03:17:04 pm by ebastler »
 
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Offline MK14

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #91 on: July 16, 2017, 03:27:30 pm »
Those Fluke 101s with the Chinese brand name on the front panel have been around for a while. See this video from October 2016, for example. (No teardown, unfortunately.)

I seem to be wrong as regards it being a fake, and it may well be genuine. Sorry for any confusion.

I think Fluke should have kept their trademarked "Fluke" symbol/text, and added Chinese text if they want. But to miss out on the English "Fluke" text, I think is a mistake on Flukes part.

I presume they did it for business reasons, to minimize sales to the West, of the cheaper Chinese manufactured Flukes and/or to keep the Chinese happy.
 

Offline Fungus

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #92 on: July 16, 2017, 03:35:01 pm »
Sure it's great for compact cheapie $25 meter, but it's hardly some utopia. But people seem to be going nuts over it for some reason.

People mainly see the price.

Also: There's enough positive things in the video that all the negatives are being filtered out (or at least, mentally justified).
 

Offline Fungus

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #93 on: July 16, 2017, 03:37:11 pm »
Jep. In my humble opinion safety is not alone about personal safety. It is also dedicated to circumstances and other people.
That  is one of the things I've learned since I was 12 years old and joined the voluntary fire brigade in my home village.
If you were buying this meter for use by others or for use in a company, it would make sense to grind off the AN8008's suspect safety ratings and engrave "50V DC/AC Maximum".

Are you sure that 50V is 100% safe under all conditions? Have you tested that?

We wouldn't want to take any chances...
« Last Edit: July 16, 2017, 03:41:31 pm by Fungus »
 

Online ebastler

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #94 on: July 16, 2017, 03:38:05 pm »
People mainly see the price.
Also: There's enough positive things in the video that all the negatives are being filtered out (or at least, mentally justified).

And, let's face it, it looks cute.  ;)
Neat form factor and industrial design, very nice display and backlight. Worked for me; I have one on order...
 

Offline Fungus

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #95 on: July 16, 2017, 03:40:56 pm »
These aren't real Fluke's, are they?

Yes, they are real Flukes, designed for the Chinese market primarily.
The first one they ever did was the Fluke 19, and it was sold in Asia/Pacific only. Dick Smith used to sell them here in Oz.
AFAIK there has never been a rip-off clone Fluke on the market anywhere.

Fluke has a lot of policemen watching us.

I'm sure we can all remember when they confiscated a whole shipment of Sparkfun meters because they were too yellow.

« Last Edit: July 16, 2017, 03:45:24 pm by Fungus »
 

Offline FrankBuss

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #96 on: July 16, 2017, 04:39:02 pm »
Nice multimeter. The microvolt resolution was the reason I just bought it from eBay, for EUR 17.99, free shipping. Sometimes this is just the shipping fee if you buy other products- Will open it when it arrives to fix the jack soldering :D
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Offline tronde

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #97 on: July 16, 2017, 04:44:15 pm »
People make a lot of noise about false CAT-ratings. Why don't the same people make a lot of noise about what really matters when it comes to electrical safety?

Most countries around the world have a lot of legal regulations about education and long-time experience specifying what kind of work you are allowed to do on almost ANY kind of electrical equipment or wiring.

My humble guess is that only a very few of you are legally allowed to touch anything that will require a multimeter with a CAT-rating.

So, why don't you spend your time telling beginners to stay away from what they are not allowed to do instead of all the scaremongering?

Wrong CAT-ratings are among the least thing a beginner should worry about when it comes to safety.
 

Offline joeqsmith

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #98 on: July 16, 2017, 04:46:58 pm »
I bought mine for 50€ delivered from a Alikexpress seller that has/had stock in Germany.

Good pictures.  I've never had mine apart.  Mine is marked "Fluke" in English as well. 

After testing so many meters, I really appreciate Fluke using that large PTC.  Some companies will put these little piss ant PTCs.  They will typically arc over, damaging the outside layer.  Once they arc, they no longer offer a high impedance path.  Normally when a company skimps like this, they don't have enough protection to save the parts downstream and the meters are normally non-repairable.   One of the first things I did with the UNI-T UT61E, based on my experience was to swap out the piss ant PTCs for some larger parts. 

Then look at how well thought out the layout is on the 101.  I've seen a lot of crap layouts.  Normally it's where they will have loops and when you hit the meter with a transient, there can be enough drops in some of the traces that can damage the meter.  The $300 POS UNI-T UT181A is a great example of this.   In pure UNI-T style, the grill starter of all things killed it on the first hit. 

Sad thing about UNI-T is I am not aware of ANY of their products being certified for safety or EMC.  If they went through this process, they may actually learn how to design better products.   

The solid performer's during my testing from an electronic design standpoint were the Fluke 101/107/115, Brymen BM235s and Hioki DT4252.  Even the Gossen Metrawatt M248B with it's ability to change relay states from the magnetic hanger causing it to read low voltage levels, is still a solid player for robustness.  These meters don't have some supper secret techniques that make them so robust, nor did the companies spend a lot of money on the front ends. 

Once we get to about 4KV, there are very few meter's that survive and really there is little excuse for it IMO.  Of the ones that are damaged,  some designs have enough protection to prevent the IC/s from being damaged.  In these cases, it can be a matter of just changing a few common parts to bring them back to life.  Of the ones I have looked at, this still makes up a very low percentage and most become recycled waste. 

We know Dave's stance on the 121GW from his post:   

I think it's important to also understand Joe's tests in context.
The Fluke 87V, the most trusted meter on the market, fails every single one of Joe's tests. According to Joe's tests it's one of the worst meters on the market. Yet I doubt there is a single 87V owner ever who has seen their meter die due to any ESD or pulse overload etc.

I agree.. most of the tests are a worst case scenarios (black swan events). 87v is a standard when it comes to rugged meters but has failed many of Joes tests. In fact Fluke 101  :) has passed more tests then any of the more expensive meters.

For me it's simply a matter of has a meter passed independent safety testing (UL, ETL etc). If so then it's good enough to recommend and use it on anything it's rated for.
Sure, if a meter is failing ESD testing or something that could potentially be common place, then that may be a cause for concern, but even the Fluke 87V has shown no sign of doing that in practice for the 13 years it's been released as the V series, apart from Joe's test.

Which I agree from a safety standpoint but it's also why I try to inform people to look for meters that not only are certified for the 61010 but also for the latest EMC 61326 standard as well.  Meters that have passed the EMC standard have typically done well in my tests.  The TPI 194II, even though it was UL listed (for 61010-1) never mentions the EMC standard and sadly failed what I consider a very basic test.
 
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Offline kalel

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Re: EEVblog #1007 - Is a $25 Multimeter Any Good
« Reply #99 on: July 16, 2017, 04:54:42 pm »
Sorry to ask guys and I'm sure it must be obvious, but where is the fuse on the Fluke 101? I did notice the PTCs, but didn't see a glass or ceramic fuse in the images.
 


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