Author Topic: Bluetooth capable DMM (Read 10648 times)

skyjumper · « **on:** April 03, 2015, 07:11:39 am »

Hi all...

I'm considering getting a new DMM but I would like one with blue tooth capability and an Android app for my tablet. I checked out TEquipment.net but their search does not ha way t search for BT capability. I opened a chat and asked, and they sent me a quote for a meter that cost > $500! Yikes!

Do I really have to spend that to get this capability? Or can it be found in a lower end meter?

Thanks...

ivaylo · « **Reply #1 on:** April 03, 2015, 07:19:49 am »

All of the newer Agilents do it with an extra adapter, even the ~$100 ones...

skyjumper · « **Reply #2 on:** April 03, 2015, 07:51:38 am »

Quote from: ivaylo on April 03, 2015, 07:19:49 am

All of the newer Agilents do it with an extra adapter, even the ~$100 ones...

Ah thanks!

Doing some quick reading, the two Agilents I might be able to afford right now are the U1241B and the U1242B. The second one seems to be the same as the first, except with data logging for $20 more, for a price of $223.74. The IR to BT module is another $90! Of course I could add that at any time in the future.

Seems to be a pretty solid meter from what I read, but I'll keep hunting around to see what the best deal might be. Mostly I want something basic and hard to blow up, but 10,000 counts and the extra features are nice.

ivaylo · « **Reply #3 on:** April 03, 2015, 08:10:19 am »

I meant something like this http://www.transcat.com/keysight-technologies-u1231a-u1231a?gclid=CJOzjOvW2cQCFYVqfgodUboABw
Man, that IR adapter got pricey... I got mine while they were running the initial promotions and were giving them away for free.

HKJ · « **Reply #4 on:** April 03, 2015, 08:23:35 am »

Depending on what you need, you can also get a bluetooth only meter:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/crowd-funded-projects/mooshimeter-wireless-smartphone-multimetre/
https://moosh.im/mooshimeter/

I will not call it a replacement for a normal DMM, but a nice supplement.

tszaboo · « **Reply #5 on:** April 03, 2015, 08:33:09 am »

I have a U1241B at work, it is an OK meter. I wouldnt use it on the field, it is not as rugged as Flukes. Also, the leads it came with are worthless. I had to send beck one to replace the buzzer (or do whatever with it) under warranty. And the latching is a bit slow. The Bluetooth is not that great, definitely not 10m range.
It obviously has benefits though, if you spend some money on the extras, it is a nice second setup.

Muttley Snickers · « **Reply #6 on:** April 03, 2015, 08:42:52 am »

If you can afford it the Keysights are very good, I have a couple of U1272A's and they are a bit like nervous accountants, a bit twitchy even with smoothing whereas the Flukes are cool calm and collected, I like both.

I think that Agilent / Keysight now have a long range BT adapter.

Otherwise CEM also do a bluetooth compatible meter, I have a couple of CEM's sold here as Digitech, slow refresh rates but ok for someone starting out or a second meter but that's all. Search Google for CEM if you like, I'm not a big fan of their stuff.

Muttley

LaurentR · « **Reply #7 on:** April 03, 2015, 03:41:34 pm »

Quote from: Muttley Snickers on April 03, 2015, 08:42:52 am

I think that Agilent / Keysight now have a long range BT adaptor.

I have a U1273A with the new long range U1117A adapter. Works well. The meter is excellent (see Dave's review on the blog). The PC software is ok (and free). They also have Android/iPhone apps for it (one for displaying, one for logging). They do the job.

On the Windows sw / Mobile apps, you get a 1Hz refresh rate, but if you talk to the DMM over the BT serial port directly, you can get the whole 7Hz that the display gets.

The U1117A is fairly new and I haven't seen any range tests sofar. It is a BT class1 device (supposed to be good for 100m open space vs. 10m for the more traditional class 2), so you'll need a BT class 1 dongle on the PC (and you're generally out of luck on mobile) to get the extended range. A quick range check doesn't show nearly the advertised range, but I need to gather more scientific data and will report back at some point.

Keysight also has a U1115A remote logging display, which is basically a small tablet dedicated to communicating with their logging-enabled DMMs using the U1177A (class 2) or U1117A (class 1) BT adapters.

Zbig · « **Reply #8 on:** April 03, 2015, 04:37:51 pm »

Quote from: ivaylo on April 03, 2015, 08:10:19 am

I meant something like this http://www.transcat.com/keysight-technologies-u1231a-u1231a?gclid=CJOzjOvW2cQCFYVqfgodUboABw
Man, that IR adapter got pricey... I got mine while they were running the initial promotions and were giving them away for free.

LaurentR mentioned it already but let's reiterate: it's the U1117A (Class 1, 100 m, grey-orange case) which is expensive. The U1177A one (Class 2, 10 m, orange-orange case) - not so much. Yeah, talk about confusing model numbers.

skyjumper · « **Reply #9 on:** April 05, 2015, 10:21:38 pm »

Thanks everyone, this is all very helpful. I started to watch Dave's review of the Aligent, but got halfway through a d fell asleep. I really have to stop watching you tube in bed when i!m dead tired. From what I saw that meter offers quite a bit of functionally, more than I need but you never know when something extra will come in handy.

On the Bluetooth range, I don't need much, just enough to get the data into my tablet or laptop for analysis.

I got two important (to me) things from the review, first, it does a poor job measuring capacitors. Next, its very resistant to being destroyed. I'm not too concerned about capacitor measureing, but I am concerned about blowi g up. I have a talent for destroying DVMs!

So thanks again, I'll continue my hunt. Sorry for any typos, my tablet has a tiny keyboard and smaller font...

saelig · « **Reply #10 on:** April 13, 2015, 07:18:44 pm »

Owon has a new BT DMM

MT · « **Reply #11 on:** May 09, 2016, 08:37:14 pm »

Conrad sell something called VC810 an BT adapter for VC830, VC850, VC870, VC880, VC890 DMM's.

joeqsmith · « **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2016, 12:31:04 am »

It's an old post but surprised no one suggested a UNI-T. Maybe they did not have the BT option back then. Or maybe it was OPs comment "I'm not too concerned about capacitor measureing, but I am concerned about blowi g up. I have a talent for destroying DVMs! "

billfernandez · « **Reply #13 on:** May 10, 2016, 01:03:04 pm »

The $120 Mooshimeter is an interesting option: https://moosh.im

EEVblog · « **Reply #14 on:** May 10, 2016, 01:11:28 pm »

The upcoming 121GW has Bluetooth

linux-works · « **Reply #15 on:** May 10, 2016, 03:10:39 pm »

if you can do scpi or regular ascii (ie, if your meter does that), and if it has serial TTL output, you could add bt via this kind of module, the hc05:

you may not even need a pair of them (I send data from one system to another and I don't want to bind the sink host's BT to this data stream; I use a 2nd dongle and feed serial usb to the host).

if you have a phone that speaks BT (almost all do, lol) then you can bind with that and see your output on a blueterm window or similar. I'm sure it can be datalogged, too.

I like it this way. I can run a hardwired connection (maybe I have lots of test gear and lots to log). I can connect to bt via dongles and I can connect to bt via native pc/mac/phone bt. hell, I could use any pair of radios to send the data across.

but if you buy something that has bt built in, you have much less options if you wanted to switch to a different transport.

jpb · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2016, 05:45:35 pm »

The Gossen Metrawatt Ultra comes in a BT (blue tooth) version. It is quite pricey though. The BT option has the advantage of being cheaper than the wired IR interface but the disadvantage of using quite a lot of power and thus eating batteries.

Overall on any DMM, the power consumption is probably the major drawback of BT if you're doing battery powered logging for instance.

https://www.gossenmetrawatt.com/english/produkte/metrahitultra.htm

linux-works · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2016, 06:44:48 pm »

wonder if anyone is using BLE (low energy) yet for T/M?

its an entirely different protocol from BT classic, so apps and stuff need to be redone (sigh).

Jon.C · « **Reply #18 on:** March 18, 2017, 07:02:12 pm »

Quote from: EEVblog on May 10, 2016, 01:11:28 pm

The upcoming 121GW has Bluetooth

approximate date ?

BMack · « **Reply #19 on:** March 20, 2017, 05:09:37 am »

Southwire has Bluetooth DMMs, I think they're OEMed by CEM...which obviously has a BT DMM.

I am unsure of the cost of either of those meters.

kwass · « **Reply #20 on:** March 20, 2017, 05:27:14 am »

The OWON B35 series has bluetooth and is very inexpensive. There's a new thread discussing it here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/owon-multimeters-opinions-likesdislikes-problems-hacksmods/

escape · « **Reply #21 on:** October 10, 2017, 08:44:57 pm »

Quote from: BMack on March 20, 2017, 05:09:37 am

Southwire has Bluetooth DMMs, I think they're OEMed by CEM...which obviously has a BT DMM.

I am unsure of the cost of either of those meters.

I just ordered a Southwire 16040T with BT to try... currently $40 from Amazon. Anyone know anything about it?

The Southwire mobile app for Android has mixed reviews though. Wonder if there is some third party mobile app that could work with this DMM... anyone know?

Thanks!


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Author Topic: Bluetooth capable DMM (Read 10648 times)

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