Author Topic: Ideal Multimeters with suicidal temp functions?  (Read 2204 times)

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Offline slipjointedTopic starter

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Ideal Multimeters with suicidal temp functions?
« on: October 11, 2011, 07:45:25 am »
In the $100 meter shootout, I noticed a mention of non-working temp function on the ideal.

I thought this was rather curious, as the thread I started about compact multimeters was due to the fact that my previous compact multimeter, an ideal, lost functionality on its temp setting after less than a year of very light use. It was quite surprising to me, as I only use the temp function occasionally. I have an Omega digital type K thermometer, but I don't like have to cart around extra gear unless I really need it, so I like to have a meter for my portable kit that includes temp.

While I was hunting for a compact meter, I dug up some reviews on the little ideal I had, and to my surprise, I found two more reviews which mentioned a failed temperature function on the meter, or a failed temp function followed by outright failure.

Four seperate accounts of temp function issues on ideal meters really makes me think they have a serious design flaw in their meters. I was also quite disturbed by the pitiful input protection on the meter Dave reviewed, but that's a bit off topic.


The sad thing is, the overall physical construction of ideal's meters seems very good and I like the design (besides the silly bail on the one Dave reviewed), but it's pretty darned hard to trust any reading out of the meter, when ideal's engineers (or whoever they contracted) are putting out designs that can't even seem to read a type K thermocouple properly without self-destructing.


Has anyone else here experienced this or heard of it second hand?
« Last Edit: October 11, 2011, 07:47:03 am by slipjointed »
 

Offline saturation

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Re: Ideal Multimeters with suicidal temp functions?
« Reply #1 on: October 11, 2011, 12:06:28 pm »
Given it used to work, its likely the actual components selected or the assembly process shortened its working life, otherwise the design seemed to be good.   The costly meters suffer less from this kind of defect but it takes months to years of use to find out how durable they are, on cheaper meters durability issues could show itself far beyond the warranty period and now its not returnable.
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