EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: CHexclaim on February 20, 2015, 10:22:39 pm
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Hello
I can see that the BK Precision 391 has good accuracy for the price (0.05% Basic Accuracy according to the brochure at 160 US in Amazon).
I know it is a manual range unit and does not have all the bells and whistles like other meters but, as I am looking for a second accurate meter for the bench beside my Fluke, I started considering this option.
Your advice is always appreciated, comments on experience and other options.
Thanks, Charlie.
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BK Precision gets others to make most of its test and equipment stuff.
If you know the ODM, you might get it for cheaper? So instead of $160 USD, you might be able to get it for less than $44 USD in ebay.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/131366244561 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/131366244561)
http://www.bkprecision.com/products/multimeters/391A-test-bench-true-rms-dmm-with-protective-rubberized-case.html (http://www.bkprecision.com/products/multimeters/391A-test-bench-true-rms-dmm-with-protective-rubberized-case.html)
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BTW, I just talked about BK Precision and CIE last week.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/bk-precision-393-continuity/ (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/bk-precision-393-continuity/)
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That is a pretty good meter, but.....
It would rive me crazy to have a manual range meter for every day use. I have a couple and they stay "on the shelf". $170? Well for a little bit more you can get much better IMHO. Actually unless you need that 0.05% basic DC spec then less would be better. I recommend you look at the Amprobe AM-270, or the AM-570, or the 37RX-A, or the AM-140, or the Brymen BM257s, or the Brymen BM857s, or the BK 390A, or BK393.
If you just want a second cheaper meter that is good enough then look at a Fluke 17B+ (no warranty in NA) or a Uni-T UT139C.
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I don't know what purchasing options are in your country, but if this meter is for the bench, then maybe an used Fluke 8050A bench meter might be an option? It is 20000 count and 0.03% + 2 counts basic DC accuracy, which on paper, is better than the 87V at 0.05% +1 count.
There are plenty on ebay.com.
edit: You can even convert the lcd into a led.
http://mrmodemhead.com/blog/gallery/fluke-8050a-led-conversion/ (http://mrmodemhead.com/blog/gallery/fluke-8050a-led-conversion/)
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Uruguay faces the same problems I do in Chile. The prices are inflated and availability locally is almost non-existent. I can sell Brymen in Chile but I am not sure if I can sell to Uruguay. I will ask my Brymen contact. Other than that, iloveelectronics on the forums here can ship you one from Hong Kong, and he also has the Uni-T UT139C. It is a good value too. The 17B+ would also be a good choice for Fluke fans.
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Many of the old bench meters from the 1980s like the Fluke, Keithley, HP are all in that same ballpark of 0.03% to 0.05% +2 digits for basic DCV accuracy.
The nice thing about the older bench meters are they usually have schematics, well written technical manuals with theory of operation and a bill of materials for the DIY fixer.
So keep an eye out for them on ebay, local ads, ham fests, etc.
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Thank you all very much for your advices.
I have been looking into Brymen meters a lot also. In case I manage to buy one, which model would be most fitted for a good accuracy/price ratio?
Thnks Charlie.