EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: ez24 on July 06, 2016, 06:30:36 pm
-
Hi
What are some options for recording (non-propriety) onto a PC (Windows) (maybe CSV) with a multimeter?
This one says "optionally" with cable and software but I do not know how much the cable and software costs:
https://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-DM-830A-Digital-Multimeter-1000/dp/B003TO5YUU/ref=pd_sim_sbs_469_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=41jZ7xbP5wL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL320_SR174%2C320_&psc=1&refRID=09A5YJT7CAYXTRW1N3XY (https://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-DM-830A-Digital-Multimeter-1000/dp/B003TO5YUU/ref=pd_sim_sbs_469_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=41jZ7xbP5wL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL320_SR174%2C320_&psc=1&refRID=09A5YJT7CAYXTRW1N3XY)
So what are some of the low cost meters to get this ability? I know "low cost" is a relative term, especially to the Tesla owners, so how about around $200 ?
I assume the low cost ones will be SD card, which is ok. Dave said that his new meter will have an SD. Does this mean it will record readings at certain intervals on it? (since no mention I assume no)
What would be the "normal" lowest voltage I could expect to record (using the leads and without shielding) in a normal environment? Any problems with 5 mv?
One more dumb question - in the spreadsheet - does "PC" mean it can record to a PC or just a firmware upgrade ? :palm:
It is very hard and sometimes impossible for me to read the sheet because of the colors and I do not have Excel.
TIA
-
You were advised before to get the Excel viewer:
Quote: I cannot afford Excel
MS Excel viewer is a free download:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=10 (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=10)
PC on the spreadsheet means it can record to PC. Often, on high-end meters, communication is bidirectional, making software upgrade possible.
-
You were advised before to get the Excel viewer:
Quote: I cannot afford Excel
MS Excel viewer is a free download:
Open Office is free and does almost the same job as excel.
-
What are some options for recording (non-propriety) onto a PC (Windows) (maybe CSV) with a multimeter?
UNI-T UT61E will do it for about $50. Cable and shipping included.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=UNI-T+UT61E (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=UNI-T+UT61E)
-
Hi
One of the cheap meters that has a PC link is the UT61e, though it is not recommended for working with high voltages.
There are some medium to expensive meters that can log to internal memory, eg ut71d I think.
What would be the "normal" lowest voltage I could expect to record (using the leads and without shielding) in a normal environment? Any problems with 5 mv?
Anything the multimeter can measure will be sent down the link. The pc link software will have to do the log to file.
I would be interrested to find out if there are any DMM that have log to sd card as well.
-
I would be interrested to find out if there are any DMM that have log to sd card as well.
If your meter has RS232 then get an Arduino with SD card adapter.
-
The Mooshimeter is kind of an odd duck, but it does do datalogging to an internal micro SD card and only costs about $120.
https://moosh.im
-
I assume the low cost ones will be SD card, which is ok. Dave said that his new meter will have an SD. Does this mean it will record readings at certain intervals on it? (since no mention I assume no)
Yes, that's the whole idea, interval data logging.
-
The interface kits for Greenlee meters is pretty pricey ($75-100 and up).
Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=greenlee+dmsc)
Digi-Key (https://www.digikey.com/product-search/en/test-and-measurement/accessories/2293844?k=&pkeyword=&pv47=19495&FV=fff40023%2Cfff80054%2Cfffc0083&mnonly=0&newproducts=0&ColumnSort=0&page=1&quantity=0&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=25)
Perhaps the Brymen ones would work?
-
What are some options for recording (non-propriety) onto a PC (Windows) (maybe CSV) with a multimeter?
UNI-T UT61E will do it for about $50. Cable and shipping included.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=UNI-T+UT61E (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=UNI-T+UT61E)
OH BOY How did I miss this one? I almost ordered this
https://www.amazon.com/Signstek-UT61E-Digital-Multimeters-Multitester/dp/B00Y0C4G9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467868733&sr=8-1&keywords=UNI-T+UT61E (https://www.amazon.com/Signstek-UT61E-Digital-Multimeters-Multitester/dp/B00Y0C4G9U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467868733&sr=8-1&keywords=UNI-T+UT61E)
BUT none of my computers have a RS-232 (serial port). So will would there be any problems with something like this
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Serial-RS-232-Converter-CB-DB9P/dp/B00IDSM6BW/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1467869403&sr=1-5&keywords=rs232+to+usb (https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Serial-RS-232-Converter-CB-DB9P/dp/B00IDSM6BW/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1467869403&sr=1-5&keywords=rs232+to+usb)
thanks everyone :-+ :-+ :-+
-
I vaguely recall some people having issues and others not, depending on the converter used. Uni-T has a USB version, sold separately, for around $15-20. Kind of odd.
"Hey, we include the PC interface for free! Oh, yeah, well, uh, it requires an obsolete serial port. But no worries, you can buy the USB version from us." >:D
It's still cost-effective, nonetheless.
-
BUT none of my computers have a RS-232 (serial port). So will would there be any problems with something like this
https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Serial-RS-232-Converter-CB-DB9P/dp/B00IDSM6BW/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1467869403&sr=1-5&keywords=rs232+to+usb (https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-Serial-RS-232-Converter-CB-DB9P/dp/B00IDSM6BW/ref=sr_1_5?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1467869403&sr=1-5&keywords=rs232+to+usb)
I can't comment on an individual Chinese-brand cable but that's the general idea, yes.
-
Uni-T has a USB version, sold separately, for around $15-20. Kind of odd.
"Hey, we include the PC interface for free! Oh, yeah, well, uh, it requires an obsolete serial port.
Gotta find a way to get rid of the stockpiles of serial adapters nobody wants anymore... >:D
-
I vaguely recall some people having issues and others not, depending on the converter used. Uni-T has a USB version, sold separately, for around $15-20. Kind of odd.
"Hey, we include the PC interface for free! Oh, yeah, well, uh, it requires an obsolete serial port. But no worries, you can buy the USB version from us." >:D
It's still cost-effective, nonetheless.
The UT71 series comes with the RS232 USB interface cable included. The meters can record at ten samples per second in LoRes mode, instead of one on the UT61E.
-
My UT61E came with serial cable, and I think pretty much all UT61E multimeters come with serial cable. There's plenty of serial to usb adapter boards and most of them work with the multimeter, it uses a very simple format, the data is not encrypted in any way, it's easy.
The communication protocol (data format) is very well explained in the chipset datasheet which is also available, you can just read the bits and convert that to the information you want.
So if you want you can get a tiny microcontroller with uart / rs232 built in (pretty much anything from around $0.50 and up) or add a rs232 to spi/i2c chip to shove data into the microcontroller and pair it with an eeprom memory or feram or some other kind of memory and you can log days' worth of data.
The only negative of UT61E is that it has only two updates a second, newer multimeters update more often.
-
Hi
BUT none of my computers have a RS-232 (serial port).
The UT61e is very popular with the hobbiests and they have been moddifying it.
I seem to remember some have modified the data cable.
In any case, it should fairly easy to a add an infra red receiver to a usb rs232 adapter.
http://blog.avrnoob.com/2014/03/uni-t-ut61e-rs232-serial-interface.html (http://blog.avrnoob.com/2014/03/uni-t-ut61e-rs232-serial-interface.html)
-
The UT71 series comes with the RS232 USB interface cable included. The meters can record at ten samples per second in LoRes mode, instead of one on the UT61E.
The UT61E delievers two samples per second. Except this, you are right.
-
It is possible to log from 2 meters at the same time via USB with 71B and 71D models (version 3.0 software Win10 compatible):
-
The Mooshimeter is kind of an odd duck, but it does do datalogging to an internal micro SD card and only costs about $120.
https://moosh.im
You might want to have a close look at the specification to determine, whether it suits your purpose. Also keep in mind, that the developers had only operation via smart phone (one with reliably working BTLE stack, i.o.w. an iPhone) in mind. While it can log its data to a SD card, you need a smart phone in order to instruct the mooshimeter to do so. Support for BT LE in Linux and Windows is still poor, so that would be a bit of work.
Are you looking for a portable solution? If not, there are plenty of bench DMM on eBay. The older ones can be had for a reasonable price. Those might offer connectivity to a PC (or "calculator" :-DD) only via GPIB, if you get lucky you might find a not quite so old one, which (also) offers RS232. There are of course plenty of data logging tools out there too, they used to be quite expensive, but older, still perfectly working, gear can be had for less than the limit you stated.
-
The Mooshimeter is kind of an odd duck, but it does do datalogging to an internal micro SD card and only costs about $120.
https://moosh.im (https://moosh.im)
.... Those might offer connectivity to a PC (or "calculator" :-DD) only via GPIB, if you get lucky you might find a not quite so old one, which (also) offers RS232. There are of course plenty of data logging tools out there too, they used to be quite expensive, but older, still perfectly working, gear can be had for less than the limit you stated.
Thanks everyone. After reading the responses, I have come to the conclusion that I do not want serial or GPIB. I have several Android tablets and I do not mind getting one for a special application. I have some good $50 tablets. So a $120 mooshy with a $50 tablet stays in my budget
It gets good reviews (but not many)
https://www.amazon.com/Mooshim-DMM-BLE-2x01A-Mooshimeter-Wireless-Multimeter/dp/B011W4L7JA (https://www.amazon.com/Mooshim-DMM-BLE-2x01A-Mooshimeter-Wireless-Multimeter/dp/B011W4L7JA)
Looking at the end of this page I see these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013FBA2UI/ref=pd_cp_0_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=H8EA0QCDXW1FBBJ8YBEY (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013FBA2UI/ref=pd_cp_0_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=H8EA0QCDXW1FBBJ8YBEY)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SGKR9FA/ref=pd_cp_0_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2CPVVW16CG16VR5J6Y3Y (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SGKR9FA/ref=pd_cp_0_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2CPVVW16CG16VR5J6Y3Y)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010Y71G1K/ref=pd_cp_0_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XTD5MXZBZMTG7JKWFJ4F (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010Y71G1K/ref=pd_cp_0_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XTD5MXZBZMTG7JKWFJ4F)
So a lot to go over
-
That's a neat combo. Looking forward to your review once you've had some quality time with it.
-
RS-232 is quite slow in most DMMs I have. => few readings per second.
If you get an USB to GPIB cable ($50), you can pretty much use any old HP/Agilent/keithley DMM and get much faster readings (up to ~300/s with HP 3455/3456A and ~2000 with Keithley 2000/s and derivates)
-
i dont know why nobody has asked the 2 important questions yet.
1: what type of signal needs to be logged?
2: what is the minimum sample rate / captures per second?
-
The cheapest multimeter with connectivity I'm aware of is this one, it costs $35-$40: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digitek-DT-4000ZC-TekPower-TP4000ZC-Data-Logging-Multimeter-with-Temperature-/200912705694?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item2ec754989e (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digitek-DT-4000ZC-TekPower-TP4000ZC-Data-Logging-Multimeter-with-Temperature-/200912705694?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item2ec754989e)
It comes with a USB cable and is supported by sigrok. It's not as hip as a mooshimeter and tablet, of course ;)
-
The cheapest multimeter with connectivity I'm aware of is this one, it costs $35-$40: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digitek-DT-4000ZC-TekPower-TP4000ZC-Data-Logging-Multimeter-with-Temperature-/200912705694?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item2ec754989e (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digitek-DT-4000ZC-TekPower-TP4000ZC-Data-Logging-Multimeter-with-Temperature-/200912705694?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item2ec754989e)
It comes with a USB cable and is supported by sigrok. It's not as hip as a mooshimeter and tablet, of course ;)
Hah ! How could I not buy this
https://www.amazon.com/Tekpower-TP4000ZC-Interfaced-Multimeter-Computer/dp/B000OPDFLM?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t (https://www.amazon.com/Tekpower-TP4000ZC-Interfaced-Multimeter-Computer/dp/B000OPDFLM?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t)
Woops that was RS-232 here is USB :-+
https://www.amazon.com/Mastech-MS8268-Digital-Manual-Multimeter/dp/B00SGKR9FA/ref=dp_ob_title_def (https://www.amazon.com/Mastech-MS8268-Digital-Manual-Multimeter/dp/B00SGKR9FA/ref=dp_ob_title_def)
Look at the link - this is also a Mastech MS8268 :-+
Bluetooth and USB !
Found this one at the bottom of the page
https://www.amazon.com/OWON-multimeter-measurement-Bluetooth-recording/dp/B01C3IQDE8/ref=pd_cp_328_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8APQQW6NP6NYEDNKJ7PR (https://www.amazon.com/OWON-multimeter-measurement-Bluetooth-recording/dp/B01C3IQDE8/ref=pd_cp_328_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8APQQW6NP6NYEDNKJ7PR)
The OWON is in the lead, wonder if it is LoB
THANKS
-
Reviewed by Martin ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXzAD74C5As (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXzAD74C5As)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pbRLom7bNc (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pbRLom7bNc)
Yes, I brought it to his attention, but I get no $$ or have any financial affiliation with amazon, ebay, Franky or Martin. I also mention the battery life below
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/modifying-a-multimeter-to-take-external-power-instead-of-battery/msg639170/#msg639170 (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/modifying-a-multimeter-to-take-external-power-instead-of-battery/msg639170/#msg639170)
-
If you just want to see inside, this'll jump ahead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXzAD74C5As&feature=youtu.be&t=17m57s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXzAD74C5As&feature=youtu.be&t=17m57s)
-
I have both the Tekpower and the Mooshimeter. They're really different tools. Both very good in their own way.
The Tekpower is an excellent value IMO. Good accuracy and features for the price (-just not mains voltage safe). The included software is pretty crude.
QtDMM is much much better and works well with it - though it is Linux or OSX only. I've had it running on an old Raspberry Pi for a cheap, low power logging solution.
It looks like Sigrock supports it now so perhaps that is a Window's solution..
For the price, you really can't go wrong with the Tekpower.