EEVBlog 121GW Discussion thread

[Hydron]

Megger annoyingly do the middle-OFF thing too, but ugh, I think that meter above would win a prize in several "worst meter" categories.

[1anX]

Here's one that turns off on the right hand side 

http://www.dx.com/p/bside-acm03-auto-range-digital-clamp-meter-multimeter-blue-black-302517#.WoP-K-eYNPY

[Brumby]

For me personally I will always turn it off to the left because I’m used to turning my meters off to this direction. I do own one meter that has a dual off just like the 121GW (Digitek DT-4000ZC) and it always goes off to the left. Even if I use a mode on the right side of the range switch it still gets turned off to the left. If I had bought a meter that only turned off to the right and didn’t have a left off option, this would probably annoy me to the point of returning it.

Same.

Now I need to know if there is or has ever been such a meter?

I picked up two of these from the "crap bin" at Jaycar many years ago.  They had problems with the rotary switch.  One I was able to sort out and it has been pretty reliable.  The other was not so inclined - and is buried somewhere.




(Sorry about the transistor tester)

[Scottjd]

I have not seen that, but some meters has off at the center.

Do clamp meters count?  Well I have both (left and right), left, top (up), bottom (down), and push button. I can’t find my greenlee meter and I used to have a southwire, but I gave it away. I had to check my old BM235 review video to see what that one was. Now I also wish I never gave away my first RadioShack meter I bought when I was a kid.
But I still didn’t realize until tonight I had this many, and I left out the other 3 harbor freight free meters that are just basically battery testers.
Most of them were given to me, one was found, one was $1 yard sale buy, and the others I bought. One more still on the way that I’m waiting on. I think I have a multimeter problem. But surprisingly no right off switch meters. Even the bottom meters have the power button on the left side.

[EEVblog]

Have you checked to make sure you were getting a full cycle with that coupler?

Yes.

[ChrisG]

I'm puzzled now that with my 121GW which I use 2-3 times a week for let's say 20-25 cycles I had gunk, abrasion or wear after a couple of weeks already. Perhaps I should clean it now and then take picture and re-take after a month or so. Btw when switching to Ohms range I have to depress the selector switch in order for the meter to switch on otherwise it beeps and then goes dark.

[1anX]

I'm puzzled now that with my 121GW which I use 2-3 times a week for let's say 20-25 cycles I had gunk, abrasion or wear after a couple of weeks already. Perhaps I should clean it now and then take picture and re-take after a month or so. Btw when switching to Ohms range I have to depress the selector switch in order for the meter to switch on otherwise it beeps and then goes dark.

Sounds like a good idea to me, take pictures now with cleaned contacts and again later to compare.
Probably a waste of time though, if you consider that you will be receiving new contacts and selector switch in the near future?

[ChrisG]

I'm puzzled now that with my 121GW which I use 2-3 times a week for let's say 20-25 cycles I had gunk, abrasion or wear after a couple of weeks already. Perhaps I should clean it now and then take picture and re-take after a month or so. Btw when switching to Ohms range I have to depress the selector switch in order for the meter to switch on otherwise it beeps and then goes dark.

Please don't clean it or even take it apart.  Just keep using it until you get your replacement parts.  Then take some new pictures so we can get some feel for how the wear was progressing, if at all. 
 

I will not take it apart anymore althought the selector switch is behaving less well every time I use it. Selecting from left to rigth to the Ohms/Diode range it just dies and have to fiddle the switch to make it work. From right (off) to left it tends to work nearly perfect every time.

[Insatman]

Here is a post from left field....is the name of this meter the 121GW, some reference to Back to the Future...as in 1.21 Gigawatts?    Just thinking...

[Fungus]

Here is a post from left field....is the name of this meter the 121GW, some reference to Back to the Future...as in 1.21 Gigawatts?    Just thinking...

There's also a flux capacitor inside...

[tautech]

Here is a post from left field....is the name of this meter the 121GW, some reference to Back to the Future...as in 1.21 Gigawatts?    Just thinking...

Yes, be very careful not to take it past 88 mph !

[Brumby]

Here is a post from left field....is the name of this meter the 121GW, some reference to Back to the Future...as in 1.21 Gigawatts?    Just thinking...

There's no mystery about that.  It absolutely is.  The naming of this meter was discussed in the Supporters Lounge - two years ago.  That's when the name was first put forward .... and Dave jumped at it.

Dave is a BTTF fan boy.  (Not sure if I would call him a tragic.)

[Insatman]

Here is a post from left field....is the name of this meter the 121GW, some reference to Back to the Future...as in 1.21 Gigawatts?    Just thinking...

There's no mystery about that.  It absolutely is.  The naming of this meter was discussed in the Supporters Lounge - two years ago.  That's when the name was first put forward .... and Dave jumped at it.

Dave is a BTTF fan boy.  (Not sure if I would call him a tragic.)

I knew he was a fanboy from his video about the BTTF clock.   Thanks for the verification

[1anX]

Heeeeeey Joe...

Ok so theres not much happening with the 121GW! UEi are taking a new years holiday or something?

Lets really go BTTF and I'll provide an insight into what too much time on my hands can do.

I love joeqsmith's meter torture tests, he goes all out and in-depth to provide insights into how accurate and durable a multimeter can be made.

Every time I see a post from Joe I start singing "Hey Joe" in my head but change the words to, "heeeeey joe, where ya gunna go with that meter in your hand, where ya gunna go". Maybe I'm showing my age as probably no one on this forum has ever heard of Jimi Hendrix or his band the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Jimi was also famous for another song, Purple Haze, and it seems to me a direct connection with joeqsmith. Its obvious why, when Joe hits a meter with his HV spike test the meter explodes into a purple plasma haze.

Its a slow afternoon for me, so just thought I'd share a BTTF memory moment that the 121GW triggered.

Lets hope that UEi and Dave have some good news for us soon on how this meter is coming along!

When the production unit finally ships, I'm really looking forward to it being given the JoeQSmith Experience and singing along while I watch him destroy it, just like Jimi used to do to his guitars 

[Brumby]

Maybe I'm showing my age as probably no one on this forum has ever heard of Jimi Hendrix.....

Just how old do you think people are here?

I'm sure a lot of us - if not the majority - will have heard of Jimi Hendrix, many will know his music and some will no doubt have been fans.

[Insatman]

Maybe I'm showing my age as probably no one on this forum has ever heard of Jimi Hendrix.....

Just how old do you think people are here?

I'm sure a lot of us - if not the majority - will have heard of Jimi Hendrix, many will know his music and some will no doubt have been fans.

LOL...I was/am a Jimi fan.   I had the opportunity to visit his grave a number of years ago in the Seattle area.  Still one of the best guitar players ever lived

[joeqsmith]

Heeeeeey Joe...

Ok so theres not much happening with the 121GW! UEi are taking a new years holiday or something?

Lets really go BTTF and I'll provide an insight into what too much time on my hands can do.

I love joeqsmith's meter torture tests, he goes all out and in-depth to provide insights into how accurate and durable a multimeter can be made.

Every time I see a post from Joe I start singing "Hey Joe" in my head but change the words to, "heeeeey joe, where ya gunna go with that meter in your hand, where ya gunna go". Maybe I'm showing my age as probably no one on this forum has ever heard of Jimi Hendrix or his band the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

Jimi was also famous for another song, Purple Haze, and it seems to me a direct connection with joeqsmith. Its obvious why, when Joe hits a meter with his HV spike test the meter explodes into a purple plasma haze.

Its a slow afternoon for me, so just thought I'd share a BTTF memory moment that the 121GW triggered.

Lets hope that UEi and Dave have some good news for us soon on how this meter is coming along!

When the production unit finally ships, I'm really looking forward to it being given the JoeQSmith Experience and singing along while I watch him destroy it, just like Jimi used to do to his guitars 

Heeeeey joe, where ya gunna go with that meter in your hand, where ya gunna go
I'm gunna stuff that old meter
Stuff that old meter into a garbage can
Cause that's where it belongs
Hey joe, I heard you fried your best meter to a crisp
You fried it to a blackened crisp
Yeah
Yes I did, I fried it to a crisp
You know that meter was such a peace of shit
and I gave it the zap
and I fried it
Alright
Zap it one more time again, baby
Yeah!

Hey Joe,
what meter you gonna run now?
Hey Joe,
what meter you gonna run now?
Which one?

Gonna zap that old Fluke
gonna zap that old Fluke with my ESD gun

Ain't no fan boy gonna
put a stop to me

[geekGee]

"Ode to an 87V"   

[ChrisG]

Gentlemen, as much fun and smiles this all gives it does digress from the topic for me. I would really like to see things from Dave: 1. an overall issue list of all the hardware and software related issues, 2. an update, with tentative dates, on when which issue will be addressed (e.g. I could imagine all to be resolved or some to drop and then re-certification is needed?). 3. how to continue with new issues people will start to find (like say the range-switch PCB tracks wearing down or gunk build-up or .... ). Agree?

[Brumby]

Sorry.  As much as I might like an update - there's little point in pushing.

If anything, I'd rather effort be put into addressing the issues than taking time out to give progress reports.  Reporting is one way to waste time - and pressing for it, when it isn't going to change the timetable, is somewhat counterproductive.

[ChrisG]

Sorry.  As much as I might like an update - there's little point in pushing.

If anything, I'd rather effort be put into addressing the issues than taking time out to give progress reports.  Reporting is one way to waste time - and pressing for it, when it isn't going to change the timetable, is somewhat counterproductive.

Don't think I'm pushing here (a lot). I've not even indicated that my request was a request to change the timetable at all. Taking your suggestion, or perhaps even guidance, it would be great to have a simple list on the issues which are there. If I missed it somewhere here please let me know.

[1anX]

Gentlemen, as much fun and smiles this all gives it does digress from the topic for me. I would really like to see things from Dave: 1. an overall issue list of all the hardware and software related issues, 2. an update, with tentative dates, on when which issue will be addressed (e.g. I could imagine all to be resolved or some to drop and then re-certification is needed?). 3. how to continue with new issues people will start to find (like say the range-switch PCB tracks wearing down or gunk build-up or .... ). Agree?

My understanding is that this is the discussion thread, so the little diversion of "Hey Joe" is really just passing time till we get an update. There is another thread, (Issues) for reporting the issues arising from the production meter.

It is also my understanding that the issues raised on the Issues thread are being addressed by UEi. Dave has said that UEi are/were in discussion with the meter chipset's makers for support in rectifying some issues. He also stated that South Korea were affected by the Chinese new years holiday which has only just finished.

I'm guessing Dave will be in a position very soon to provide the release date for the Johnny B Good backers and to update us on all the fixes. From what Dave has said about the first release of meters with faulty switches, the backers will be contacted and arrangements made to replace the meters or the switches.

We are all waiting for Dave to inform us of the situation and he is waiting on UEi to fix and thoroughly test the meter.

Have I missed anything?

[Brumby]

2. an update, with tentative dates, on when which issue will be addressed

Sorry, this is just not practical.  Dave is one step closer to the problem solvers - but he is not project manager of them.  To get the information you have mentioned would mean bugging the manufacturer - and that would wreck a working relationship.

Don't think for a nanosecond that Dave is not keen to get these issues resolved as soon as possible - but that doesn't mean he is going to shove stuff out just to appease the noisemakers.  That is a suicidal path.


Be patient.  Dave will give us updates when there is something to report.

It takes as long as it takes.

[Brumby]

PS.  As soon as you put a date on something that has one or more an unknown time components, you might as well stick your head in a noose.

[EEVblog]

It has been found that the switch contact issues were ultimately caused by a slight PCB thickness difference between the pre-production and production boards.
Pre-production boards were on the high side of the tolerance allowance, and production boards on the low side. Actually, the production board thickness was actually slightly outside of UEi's board spec.
A 0.95mm shim (as has been found by others) is the fix for existing units and current stock boards (i.e. all Kickstarter ones and for sometime afterwards). Future volume production boards shouldn't need a shim however.
Shims are on the way to me now for cycle testing.