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Quote from: joeqsmith on October 29, 2017, 07:36:49 pmThe UNI-T UT181A was $300. Basically a Fluke knockoff with color and an few other nice features. One strike with the grill starter and it was dead. And as crappy as that was, the ICs that were damaged were available and I was at least able to repair it.By grill starter, I assume you mean ignition? If so, what sort of ignition? A piezoelectric push-button ignition, which only outputs a small ESD level pulse or a ignition coil, such as the type found on a domestic cooker, connected to the mains?
The UNI-T UT181A was $300. Basically a Fluke knockoff with color and an few other nice features. One strike with the grill starter and it was dead. And as crappy as that was, the ICs that were damaged were available and I was at least able to repair it.
Quote from: Hero999 on October 31, 2017, 02:52:54 pmQuote from: joeqsmith on October 29, 2017, 07:36:49 pmThe UNI-T UT181A was $300. Basically a Fluke knockoff with color and an few other nice features. One strike with the grill starter and it was dead. And as crappy as that was, the ICs that were damaged were available and I was at least able to repair it.By grill starter, I assume you mean ignition? If so, what sort of ignition? A piezoelectric push-button ignition, which only outputs a small ESD level pulse or a ignition coil, such as the type found on a domestic cooker, connected to the mains?The thing he uses in his multimeter test videos.
Quote from: Fungus on October 31, 2017, 03:04:51 pmQuote from: Hero999 on October 31, 2017, 02:52:54 pmQuote from: joeqsmith on October 29, 2017, 07:36:49 pmThe UNI-T UT181A was $300. Basically a Fluke knockoff with color and an few other nice features. One strike with the grill starter and it was dead. And as crappy as that was, the ICs that were damaged were available and I was at least able to repair it.By grill starter, I assume you mean ignition? If so, what sort of ignition? A piezoelectric push-button ignition, which only outputs a small ESD level pulse or a ignition coil, such as the type found on a domestic cooker, connected to the mains?The thing he uses in his multimeter test videos.It's only been a few years and fifty some meters. I don't test them with the grill starter anymore, unless someone specifically asks. I was tired of the thumb sucking UNI-T fan boys going on about how I was damaging all their meters and how the test was too harsh. Now days, I run a direct discharge with a gun I built which is much closer to the IEC standards. Sadly, I had not ran any low end meters since.
Cheap meters aren't all that bad, my $30 - $40 (whatever it cost) meter survived 80VDC on the continuity range...several times. OOPS
I started to look at a new meter today and believe I have found a new candidate for the worst meter still available. I've spent some money on some crap meters before but this meter takes things to a whole new level.
Quote from: joeqsmith on October 31, 2017, 09:03:48 amQuote from: Muttley Snickers on October 30, 2017, 09:13:53 pmThe OWON B35 is a complete piece of garbage That looks like a very nice little meter. Yep. Looks awesome for $66. Bar graph, lots of features, data logging via Bluetooth... it even comes in a case.http://www.owon.com.hk/products_info.asp?ProID=181For $66 it's a given that it won't meet CAT ratings, etc., but it would take far more than that for it to be classed as one of the worst meters available.
Quote from: Muttley Snickers on October 30, 2017, 09:13:53 pmThe OWON B35 is a complete piece of garbage That looks like a very nice little meter.
The OWON B35 is a complete piece of garbage
That's pretty much what I thought. The meter is now being life cycled. We will see how this fancy switch holds up.
Are there ANY good really cheap basic meters, (by cheap I mean under $10-15 analog is fine) which are safe, completely ignoring whiz bang features? Decent, safe, no frills at all. One requirement, should have a continuity beeper or LED.