EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: dadler on February 25, 2015, 10:04:56 pm
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Hi there-
I purchased both of these meters recently, and thought I would post some pictures of each and some comparison photos. Edit: Added teardown photos of both meters.
Brymen BM27s
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/horwdv3nj9g7czc/BM27s_pcb_front.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ebsiswf4h3t1i1n/BM27s_pcb_back.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/t22sko58lztct5z/BM27s_pcb1.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/nr32oovig5wbmha/BM27s_pcb2.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/t4ga6mzp5rwezfy/BM27s_pcb3.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ecxdlwaknrxjnf2/BM27s_pcb4.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/uo9m8pzxezpkra7/BM27s_pcb5.jpg)
DER EE DE-19S
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/fu81cj4d17aygew/DE-19s_case_spacer.jpg)
The meter could have been much smaller-you could park a small bus in there. I imagine this is for the current probe version of this meter.
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/2s5fvhcuoqo2vyg/DE-19s_case_open.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/xmbp1itvq6s9eip/DE-19s_pcb_front.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/e9o5e5je2o0gbka/DE-19s_pcb_back.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/k9g9s0a844xbc12/de-19s_pcb1.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/cohbkffycyk2qba/de-19s_pcb2.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/icpeh1kdlrv6b8e/de-19s_pcb3.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/1orlf14ouia06cr/de-19s_pcb4.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/yyxkcgw2f4jcgcg/de-19s_pcb5.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/jb7jb0y9gcqip3n/de-19s_pcb6.jpg)
Misc photos:
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/dod245a2w91ne6c/de-19s_vs_bm27s_2.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/yzbtgj2b3ijkj4b/de-19s_vs_bm27s_3.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/7oxsfpkyj54addn/bm27s_2.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/73wu8rxchcx6ktg/bm27s_1.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/sar3fgsw7vv0pbs/de-19s_vs_bm27s_4.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/jqn08xwsgb74q70/de-19s_vs_bm27s_1.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/9jr20865qckgkee/de-19s_vs_bm27s_5.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/50iudvpe80b2nzp/de-19s_vs_bm27s_7.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/ylz4ukrm2udzeff/bm27s_3.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/kpp5nd3m2gz8zy8/de-19s_vs_bm27s_6.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/m9v8l64oj0wbm7m/bm27s_4.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/9b1z2zoz5d7e7kd/bm27s_5.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/fi3gmjn7wbz6nfz/bm27s_6.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/iwkk9ca3vc5kyuj/bm27s_7.jpg)
(https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/yq0vne4hegjqd1g/bm27s_8.jpg)
I have not yet fully torn either of them down, but will soon.
Overall, I like both of these meters a lot. They have different strengths and weaknesses and complement each other.
The DER EE is clearly higher quality, but it is almost twice the cost of the Brymen. It has true RMS and a nice backlight.
The Brymen has excellent NCV and (almost useless, but still cool!) low-range current measurement.
They both have great continuity testers. The Brymen is a bit "scratchy" but I actually like it, as it gives a good feel on say the engagement of switches, etc.
Getting the leads wound back up into the DER is quite a task. I spent more time getting the leads back in than actually testing the meter :P Maybe the leads will stretch in time and make this easier.
Dustin
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Thanks for the comparison. I like the BM27s, but it is not what I would recommend for general electronics use. I think the BM22s is a better choice. That DER EE looks huge in comparison.
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Thanks for the comparison. I like the BM27s, but it is not what I would recommend for general electronics use. I think the BM22s is a better choice. That DER EE looks huge in comparison.
Yeah the BM27s has become my my automotive/garage meter now. The BM22 just doesn't have as high of specs, which is why I went for the 27s. Once Dave vouched for the DER, though, I decided I 'needed' yet another meter :P
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Any chance you can give us a picture of the other side of the board?
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Yeah when I get home from work I will take full internals pics of both, and post them in this thread.
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Nice pictures, thanks for that. :-+
By the looks of it, you could use one of my voltage standards/multimeter tester :P
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Off-topic: Hehe-I saw your pics in the 40+page "thread of assassination and electronic prophecy revealed from the most high" (my description). I didn't realize you were selling them?
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Is that probe holder thing on the DER-19S detachable? It would be great if it was. I suppose it could be cut off somehow if not. It just seems to add to much bulk for something that might not be needed most of the time. A small carry case would have been better I think. I like that it runs off AAA batteries, assuming NiMH would work that is.
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Off-topic: Hehe-I saw your pics in the 40+page "thread of assassination and electronic prophecy revealed from the most high" (my description). I didn't realize you were selling them?
[offtopic and shameless plug]
Yeah .. I made a first serie of 10 pcs, and I have sold 9 :)
I am working on the B revision, see this thread: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/behind-the-scenes-working-on-the-b-revision-voltage-standard/ (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/behind-the-scenes-working-on-the-b-revision-voltage-standard/)
[/offtopic and shameless plug]
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Is that probe holder thing on the DER-19S detachable? It would be great if it was. I suppose it could be cut off somehow if not. It just seems to add to much bulk for something that might not be needed most of the time. A small carry case would have been better I think. I like that it runs off AAA batteries, assuming NiMH would work that is.
It is not detachable but could easily be cut off and sanded down.
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Any chance you can give us a picture of the other side of the board?
Added teardown photos to OP.
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Added teardown photos to OP.
Thanks for sharing those teardown photos! :-+
Both seem to have PTCs, spark gaps, power resistors and isolation slots. Some of the soldering on the Brymen could be a bit better near the input protection.
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Is that probe holder thing on the DER-19S detachable? It would be great if it was. I suppose it could be cut off somehow if not. It just seems to add to much bulk for something that might not be needed most of the time. A small carry case would have been better I think. I like that it runs off AAA batteries, assuming NiMH would work that is.
The DER-19s includes the housing for the probes, so is even bigger. The BM22/BM27 doesn't so you can tear the probes out. See the Brymen bag BM27-F
http://www.tme.eu/en/details/bm27-f/bags-soft-cases/brymen/# (http://www.tme.eu/en/details/bm27-f/bags-soft-cases/brymen/#)
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Thanks for the comparison. I like the BM27s, but it is not what I would recommend for general electronics use. I think the BM22s is a better choice.
What are the specs that make the BM22 better than the BM27 for electronics?
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The BM22 has a peak hold, higher maximum on ohms, and a higher range on frequency. You give up an almost useless current measurement function, higher count, NCV, auto test, and faster updates. It costs less too.