EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: SimpleOne on October 08, 2014, 04:11:03 am
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Hi All,
I'm looking for something handheld to supplement my existing DMM (ADM5201). Specifically, I'm after something with True RMS AC+DC and good data logging capability. I'm looking for something with a high sample rate when it is logging, and ideally where i can view the data on the device itself, or else remotely via Bluetooth to a phone or PC etc. If it has a current clamp (or one is an option for it) that's a bonus. My principal uses are:
1. Automotive and basic electronics in the 5-24V DC range, currents up 20A (but generally below 10A)
2. General household stuff on single phase (240V 50Hz)
3. General household stuff on the solar system
4. Infrequent use on three phase for motors (air compressors principally, 415V 50Hz)
I don't want to break the bank if I don't have to, but its not the end of the world; my main focus is buy once, cry once - but get it right the first time.
At the moment I'm thinking Fluke 289, Agilent/Keysight U2513B (or 2152B) , Agilent/Keysight U1273A (or AX) or Brymen BM869 Brymen BM525. Anyone with some experience or state of the market type knowledge want to chime in on these or other options?
Edit: Changed list due to suggestions from others, thanks.
Thanks
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Uni-T UT181A is another option, but sampling rate is probably low. However the shortest sampling interval on the considered Fluke 289 and Agilent 1273 is only 1 second .
The BM525 is a better option for data logging than the 869, with internal memory and high sampling rate.
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:-+Wytnucls has it right. I have the BM525 has an update rate of up to 20 times per second in single display mode and 10 times per second in dual display mode. It will also store over 87000 records in single display and over 43000 in dual display. It is also CATIV 1000V rated so safe to use on almost anything you might have in mind.
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Thanks gents, I appreciate your input.
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More reading and research has really got me wondering whether or not to drop the cash on a good data logging DMM...Maybe a good DSO is the way to go?
Has any got some suggestions for suitable things in the automotive domain?
Some of the PicoTech DSO's look good, but a bit on the painfully pricey side for a hobbyist like myself.
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Another logging meter, that may soon be interesting, is the mooshimeter. It is supposed to be shipped this month.
It has no display, but can log to SD card and/or show data on a smartphone.
The specifications say logging with up to 8kHz.
See more here: http://moosh.im/ (http://moosh.im/)
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A DSO is not very similar to a DMM. If you intend to design your own circuit boards or your own circuits on a breadboard you will want a DSO but the DSO will not make a very good datalogging tool.
The Agilent/Keysight meters are nice but there has been a lot of talk on this forum about the OLED version being bad for some reason. I have the U1272A and it is a really nice meter with datalogging. It uses bluetooth so you need an Android phone to be near it. I use an old, discarded Galaxy S for this.
Fluke has some new meters with wireless that would make good dataloggers but I have not looked closely enough to understand them well.
The current sensing is an important consideration. It takes a lot more money to do this well with a clamp.
[late update - just saw the post on the mooshimeter. I bought one of those to try and await its delivery : ) ]
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Thanks for the mooshimeter suggestion, I'll look into. Part of what I get up to is tinkering with existing electrical systems in various mechanical devices, things like fuel injection, abs etc. Sometimes these systems are well documented, sometimes as I have found, especially on motorbikes, they're not. I was thinking a DSO with good (well, sufficient at least) single shot ability might be very good for helping to 'reverse engineer' these systems to understand how they work under different conditions. Initially I thought a data logging DMM would be the best way to approach this, but the more I have read about DSO's, particularly the PC based ones, the more suitable they appear to be. Having said that, I've only just started looking down that path and I'm struggling to distinguish the practical application of some of the advertised 'features and capabilities,' from the advertising itself.
I do prototype some boards, but they're normally very simple interceptor type arrangements with the simple purpose of allowing user adjustable alteration of the input/output to/from an existing circuit. This though is normally a smaller and simpler task than working out the adjustments that you would like to make in the first place, based on the systems existing behaviour. I figured a data logging DMM is a very large overlap in capability with my existing DMM, without offering any substantial change in the method or tools available to go about the interpolation and understanding of the circuits behaviour.
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Part of what I get up to is tinkering with existing electrical systems in various mechanical devices, things like fuel injection, abs etc. Sometimes these systems are well documented, sometimes as I have found, especially on motorbikes, they're not.
Picoscope has some special DSO's for that: http://www.picoauto.com/ (http://www.picoauto.com/)
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That little mooshimeter looks like a great starting point for the basic sort of stuff I want to do :-+
At least I'm not going to be massively over-capitalised in something only to found out I went down the wrong path altogether. The Pico DSO's look very good, but the price is a bit high as a starting point (but maybe one day; you can never have to many toys!)
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Moosh.im look pretty good, but just pre-order without any ETA and price information
look for Hantek, may be it help You
356D - USB http://www.hantek.com/en/ProductDetail_132.html (http://www.hantek.com/en/ProductDetail_132.html)
365F - iPad http://www.hantek.com/en/ProductDetail_156.html (http://www.hantek.com/en/ProductDetail_156.html)