Purchasing a Multimeter

[rdelpellegrino]

I recently found that my super-cheapo-rubbishometer was no longer cutting it (You know the kind of meter I'm talking about - the ones that come 'free' with you Cornflakes or something). As usual, this realization comes in the middle of a something and so there is a degree of urgency added. Being something of a cash-strapped ignoramus, when it comes to purchasing electronic instrumentation - but a keen viewer of EEVBlog. And also being aware that the selection of a meter is a bit of a novice's minefield, my mind turned to Dave's BM235 as a safe and financially achievable option. I'm not a professional - well not a home anyway - so I don't need expensive brands. (In fact anything that would reasonably measure milli-whatever's would probably do - at least right now). But it is evidently time to get something better than I currently have. Dave's is a little over ten times the price of the last one, but you get what you pay for - sometimes.

Unfortunately - being in the UK - the cost and time for shipping, make buying Dave's product impractical.

However, due to Dave's openness about his product, and its sourcing, I felt that opting for a 'straight' BM235 would not go far wrong. To my surprise I was able to get my hands on one - at a very reasonable price - with next day delivery here in the UK.

Based on his discussion around this meter and generally in his many blogs. I believe I am unlikely to have wasted my money.

It would have been nice to buy Dave's version - as an additional gesture of support (and for bragging rights  ) and it is a shame that Dave does not get $credit for this sale - and I would guess  - many others. This has been purchased not so much on his recommendation as upon his explanation. Which  - to my mind - is the best sales pitch of all.

I guess he can just bathe in our collective gratitude instead...

(Generally I would prefer to be able to choose equipment based upon a bit more knowledge than I currently have. So I would not recommend this approach. However, when your in a pickle, what do you do?
 
  Ask Aunty Dave!!!   

)

Anyway, sorry if this is not a terribly interesting post; just wanted to reach out and express my thanks to Dave for his helpful and entertaining content - and rest of you on these blogs. Damn useful stuff.

[Mark Hennessy]

There appears to be plenty in stock here:

https://simonselectronics.co.uk/product-category/test-equipmant/

Simon is a moderator of this forum, so buying from him doesn't just support Dave, but also supports someone who works hard (and presumably voluntarily) for Dave (speaking as someone who knows how hard it can be to help run a forum).

[Gromitt]

You can buy it here to https://www.welectron.com/Brymen-BM235-Multimeter_1.
They have both the EEVBlog version and the Brymen original.

And its free postage within the EU.

[Mr. Scram]

You may want to consider the BM257S, as that adds a bar graph and a PC communication option.

[Doctorandus_P]

You can hush your conciene by buying Dave some choclate from the price difference.
See the bottom of the creen on:
http://www.eevblog.com/merch/

[GeoffreyF]

My view of purchasing a multimeter or any piece of test gear is to consider what you wish to do with it.  Try to separate fantasies from reality too.  Make a list.  Accuracy may not be as crucial as various functions that you will find useful.  The bar graph feature can be especially useful for example if you expect varying signal strengths.    CAT ratings should be gauged against reasonable expectations. If everything you do is with a battery or reasonable power supply, does that really matter?  Other features are convenient and essential if you are really getting paid by the hour or under pressure to produce a result but one can obtain some measurements with just a bit more effort.   We all want the most accurate, the most fully functional - but there are also other wonderful things to spend ones money on too.

[Wolfgang]

... I bought my Brymen EEVBlog 121W here in Gemany with no issues at all.

[Electro Detective]

Now that OP has a real deal meter, a second will be needed to play the voltage vs current game, and  keep it company 

A few semi-impoverished members here may know how that sorta works... 

[jeroen79]

Now that OP has a real deal meter, a second will be needed to play the voltage vs current game, and  keep it company 

A few semi-impoverished members here may know how that sorta works... 

Another two will be needed so you can measure U and I on the input and output side.

[Wolfgang]

Right ! If you think of any circuitry, it has an input and an output side, normally. So we need 4 meters for input and output current AND voltages.
One in spare does not hurt either. So the magic number is 5.

I chose Fluke 87 V after tracing a bug for a day that was no bug but a broken cheap chinese meter. I widlarized this one and bought the magic number. No everything works fine. 

[Mr. Scram]

You guys realize multi channel multimeters exist, right? No dicking around with different calibrations either.

[Electro Detective]

No thanks to multi channel multimeters, great concept till they break, misbehave
or the halfassed firmware awards the user with a bright LED/OLED SOD      

FWIW: Re the magic number '5'

The fifth meter works great as a rover for doing assorted checks with DUT on or off

without disconnecting the other four meters in one of those occasional snafu scenarios   


Some of the gents here will be familiar with that deal... 


 

[Cnoob]

I have a bryman bm257s  as my general purpose meter (due to size),
 which I bought from TME in Poland and paid £109 including shipping.


The PC link is pointless, the stand/bail is a joke, Bryman could have easily made a better one without trying that hard and the diode test only outputs 1.5V.

Apart from that it's a great little meter with quality leads.


How that stand/bail, passed the design stage is beyond me, they must have been pissed up.

 

[Wolfgang]

You guys realize multi channel multimeters exist, right? No dicking around with different calibrations either.

for multi-channel stuff I have a 6 1/2 digit Rigol M300 that also does the logging (20 channels). Dont like other multi-channeel meters so much due to potential restrictions and isolation.