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new candidate for world's worst DMM

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Pfriemler:
ongoing from this old thread: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/world_s-worst-dmm/25/
and some other cheapos I think I got a new version. "They" call it DT830B.3 (see pics below).
Unlike Fungus, I did not have to buy three at once, just grabbed it for 4,49 Euros from the local dutch "ACTION" market (and will return it, maybe).
They sell it as "VARO VAR10076/23". Do not look and search on the web site, the photes are not up to date.

So, here's another famous DT830 clone:

First: it has a seperate power switch. Battery is included, so it works out of the box.
Connected to my AD584, readings are 2.49, 4.98, 7.47 and 9.97 volts. Not that bad.
What it lacks on the voltage side, it gives up to the currents: 98 mA are read as 100.x. OK...
Resistor measurements are usable. Tips together, I get 0.3 ohms.
hfe ... :palm: ... well, it works, compared to my GM328.
and now ... drums please ... the 5A socket: 1 A becomes 1,51 A. WTF? ... 5 amps are read as 7,56. 50% error.

Time to get inside:

This is almost a known view inside. The very poor sockets, the ridiculous insulation spaces between them.
Unlike other versions, we have fuses! SMD fuses, melted to the pcb, rendering the device useless in case they are blown up.
The 5A shunt is a 0.01 smd one, the second footprint is not populated. No idea why we have the 50% error, but here's an opportunity to fix it.

But now, Ladies and Gentlemen, we get to the best: The battery checker.
See the printing on the front side. 4 mA @ 1.5 volts, 20 mA @9 volts. Looks like a 360 ohms load inside, and it is. Should be vice versa - some mA with 9 V blocks and 20 mA with 1.5V cells, but hoiw to get it without separate switch positions? But if you expect a voltage reading here from the loaded battery - NO, IT'S THE CURRENT!  |O



wraper:
It actually has fuses inside. So in no way it beats usual 830 type clones.

antenna:
Makes a good RF field strength meter :)

Pfriemler:
Just read that the battery tester is not new: the linked one above has a 42 ohms load and reads current, too.

I forgot a detail: open tip voltage in 200 ohms resistor range is 2.95 volts, and a white LED is lit. Applause!

The main reason why I got this: I had to examine one before I suggest some people to buy this. A very poor DMM is better than no DMM in some situations. Despites the 5A error and the rather useless battery load current it does the job when telling good from bad batteries, searching for a shortened or broken cable or even check the mains voltage. The leads are cheapos as well, but without any obvious life danger.

Fungus:

--- Quote from: Pfriemler on September 08, 2023, 02:12:23 pm ---and now ... drums please ... the 5A socket: 1 A becomes 1,51 A. WTF? ... 5 amps are read as 7,56. 50% error.

--- End quote ---

So... you got a broken one?  :-//


--- Quote from: Pfriemler on September 08, 2023, 02:12:23 pm ---But now, Ladies and Gentlemen, we get to the best: The battery checker.
See the printing on the front side. 4 mA @ 1.5 volts, 20 mA @9 volts. Looks like a 360 ohms load inside, and it is. Should be vice versa - some mA with 9 V blocks and 20 mA with 1.5V cells, but hoiw to get it without separate switch positions? But if you expect a voltage reading here from the loaded battery - NO, IT'S THE CURRENT!  |O

--- End quote ---

Testing batteries under a small load is the correct way to do it. OK, they did it a bit strangely (firmware space is very limited in those chips) but if the instructions are printed on the case then I don't see a problem.

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