Cheap Multimeters Sub $20 All-sun EM420A and Bside ADM01 Teardown

[Mikek400]

Here are a couple of multimeters I got about 6 months ago. They are both auto ranging auto power off and apparently based on the same controller. They both have the same beep sound and auto power off time.  Different displays and one has Hz Mode and other has Temp..

Only think I don't like is the diode test and test beep mode are on the same spot on the dial and it defaults to diode test. So you have to push the func. button to get it to beep when ohming things out.

I think the All-sun EM420A is a better quality meter than the Bside. It also uses 3 AAA batteries instead of a 9V.
Check out the pictures.

[GEuser]

How can you go wrong with that price , i like them , thanks for the Look ...

[Wytnucls]

No 10A fuse on the All Sun. Just a metal link. Classy.

[sleemanj]

No 10A fuse on the All Sun. Just a metal link. Classy.

Unfused 10A range is standard fare for cheap meters.

It's more interesting that the other one is fused.

[Wytnucls]

The PCB caters for a 10A fuse. Some bean counter decided a straight link replacement would be cheaper and thus good for his career prospect with the company.

[Wytnucls]

The Bside is made by Mastech. (MS8233D)
Also HYELEC MS8233D (20$ Amazon)

[Mikek400]

No 10A fuse on the All Sun. Just a metal link. Classy.

That wire is rated for 10A.     

If I had a suitable 10A fuse I might replace that wire.

[botcrusher]

Hmm... This looks awfully familiar...
Oh wait a second!
My first meter, got it at a flea market for $15 CAD. I'm curious if mine omits the 10A fuse.

[GEuser]

Hmm... This looks awfully familiar...
Oh wait a second!
My first meter, got it at a flea market for $15 CAD. I'm curious if mine omits the 10A fuse.

That was a good buy , it does say fused though .

[Fungus]

No 10A fuse on the All Sun. Just a metal link. Classy.

Unfused 10A range is standard fare for cheap meters.

I thought the fuse was inside the test leads.

(ie.  the crappy wire they use for those).

[mzacharias]

Not saying it's a great meter - but I got a Uni-T UT-136B for 14.25 delivered to me in the U.S. from China. I just had to see what an auto-ranging multi-meter in this class would be. Actually not too bad. Accuracy pretty much spot-on. Overshoots for one cycle on DC readings, and slow on resistance autoranging.

Kind of like an escape-pod for my Fluke 289. (or maybe if the 289 took a shit)   

[joeqsmith]

I like the spark gap (marked SG) between the volts and common on the MS8233D.   Most companies try to have lots of clearance here but not these meter.  They want to make sure it breaks down.   

[botcrusher]

Uh oh...

[Edit] first photo shows that the meter only had the 250mA fuse when looking from battery compartment. Second photo shows with back off, that mine is in fact an EM420A and does come with the 10A fuse.