Tonghui TH1953 5.5 digit Benchtop Multimeter Hands-on review.

[electronx]

As an engineering student, I was recently looking for a 5.5 or 6.5 digit multimeter, and this good thing caught my attention. You know it's good to practice.
I read a few handheld lcr meters from the Tonghui brand, but could not find much information about benchtop multimeters.
I paid a little more than 450 US dollars and I thought it deserved a chance. t the multi arrived in about 2 weeks and I said "wow". I think they did a really good job. Mechanical workmanship is very high quality.
Inside a solid cardboard box, 1 usb cable, 1 calibration file, 2 probe and one power cable and a few spare fuses. Obviously, it is very strange that there is no user manual.
There are display options such as number, bar meter, trend chart and histogram, which is impressive.
The interface is good, there is a precision measurement option up to 100plc. I think the measurements I have taken so far are correct, but the best method to verify this is to compare it with a good device.
I am thinking of doing an internship at a certified calibration center in the city where I am recently.


(the topic is being edited,The details will come as ı have free time)

[HKJ]

If you have some spare time you can try adding it to TestController https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/program-that-can-log-from-many-multimeters/

That would get your a computer logging function.

[electronx]

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[ Specified attachment is not available ]

[electronx]

used 9-volt battery rating

[electronx]

[electronx]

user manual here
 TH1953,1963-manual.pdf (1675.72 kB - downloaded 427 times.)

[coromonadalix]

strange ressemblance with keysight meters ??

[mnsergey]

When I saw it, I wanted to buy the same one: TH1963 - 6.5 digits, but after carefully studying the manual, I didn't see a word about the Histogram and Trend, so Keysight 34465A won. They released a box that measures well and looks similar to the flagship, and maybe later they will add software to match Keysight. By the way, I have nothing against Tonghui, I have a couple of their devices myself and I think to buy more, but in the class of multimeters they are still weak in the knees.

[Mickle T.]

Yokogawa, Iwatsu, Siglent, Tonghui, GW Instek, RuoShui - they all look like Keysight True-Volt series. 

[killingtime]

Hi,

Has anoyone found the calibration adjustment procedure for this meter?  It's not in the user manual although it does say it can be completed from the front panel. I assume it would be in the service manual, but I haven't found a copy.

Thanks.

[ResistorRob]

strange ressemblance with keysight meters ??

For the ultimate Keysight knockoff I am reminded of this...



I like how Tonghui copied the styling from Keysight, but the display from a Keithley DMM6500. I prefer the black/green over the blue/yellow.



I have a hobbyist bench meter right now that looks great, has nice functions, and is super accurate. If I wanted a step up I would definitely be considering this Tonghui. The lack of logging would be the only thing holding me back from pulling the trigger on this one. Other than that looks like a great buy.

[killingtime]

To answer my own question on calibration adjustment; it's not possible to do it on the current firmware (v1.2.42). The feature is missing from the menu options. I checked with the OP of this thread. It looks like they just never got round to finishing the software as earlier model meters from Tonghui have this facility on the System menu. Calibration is every 12 months on this meter.

I've been in a dialogue with the factory rep. in HK and they point blank refuse to send any updated firmware unless you can prove you bought the meter from them directly. No request for a serial number. I find this a bit odd given you can't use the firmware anywhere else. Their products are all over AliExpress so something odd is going on. The reply I received from the distributor after politely requesting firmware is show below verbatim.

Next time buy tester from distributor.
Best regards
LI Fengmin

So, that's 'the deal' with these peeps.

The factory email on the company web page doesn't reply at all (I've tried English and Simp. Chinese), and so has the OP.
The (one and only) official HK distributor does reply and their English is good, but I've had zero service from them. Their emails are shown below and are not well publicised.

thhk@tonghui.com.cn
thhongkong@hotmail.com

If anyone does manage to get hold of newer firmware, this thread would probably be the best place to link to it given the unfinished nature of their website (see below) and the games their distributor is playing.

If you want a giggle, here are the company web pages relating to warranty rights and after sales service channels:

http://www.tonghui.com.cn/en/services_bx.html
http://www.tonghui.com.cn/en/services_sh.html

Regards.

[rsx90]

Hi guys,

BK Precision recently released 5492C, 5493C bench multimeters (see link to datasheet below), which most probably are rebadged Tonghui TH1953 and TH1963 meters.
You could try to request the calibration procedure for 5492C from them, which might work with TH1953 too.

https://bkpmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/downloads/datasheets/en-us/5490C_Series_datasheet.pdf

Best regards,

rsx90

[bdunham7]

The previous batch of TongHui-rebadged-as-BK Precision meters, suc has the 5491B and 2831E, only had a zeroing option in the front panel menu.  For calibration, it was specific PC software that allowed you to enter the calibration and make adjustments via the USB port.  BK supplies the software to cal labs and sometimes to the right people that ask nicely.  Unfortunately, for them these apparently were unit-exchange-serviced items and they didn't have any spare parts nor a service manual with schematics.  BK is a little slow to respond sometimes, but they do try to be helpful. 

FWIW, TongHui was completely unresponsive to any of my requests for service info or parts.  Apparently they don't sell or service here--probably their agreement with BK--so they just ignored me entirely.  I suspect that will be their response in general, as they expect their distributors to interface with the customers. 

[electronx]

Hi guys!
I found some minor software bugs.
For example, when you take a snapshot, a phrase saying "saved to files" appears. I accidentally deleted the file named 'files'.
And then when I took the screenshot it was not saved in the files section and I thought that if I try to open a new file and name it, the problem will be solved, but I could not name the file.
Then I inserted a flash drive and saved the file as files and copied it to the device. The problem was solved.

At the same time, the device has a listed measurement mode. Each time you take a new measurement, it saves the measurements in the list on the screen.
It works very stable when you set it to 10plc mode.
However, when you switch it to 100 plc mode, it does not write to the list.
in normal mode it is measuring in 100PLc mode without any problem.

Obviously these are minor issues. I believe simple bugs and problems will be fixed.
I tried contacting the factory and still got no response.

@killingtime contacted me and asked if there is a calibration menu directly from the front panel. (the customer distributor told him it was available and he(@killingtime) asked me for a check.)
And I have the firmware version (v1.2.42) installed. In the introduction manual it says that calibration can be done from the front panel. And I took a video for this. This firmware definitely does not have a front calibration menu.
 there is no calibration menu on the front panel. I think the SCPI Command Reference is required for calibration.

And @killingtime gave me a fax suggestion, I will send a fax to the factory soon.He (@killingtime)  helped me a lot, thank you for that.

I reviewed the post of a friend @ rsx90, and yes it is definitely the same as the 5492C model of the bk precision brand. And the site says it is $ 780.
https://www.bkprecision.com/products/multimeters#bench
if you want a GPIB port the price is $ 970.

the hardware is exactly the same, the software interface is almost exactly the same, the color of the letters on the screen in the bk precision mark is white, and the color of the protective rubber is different.
I read that Tonghui company is the main producer of the bk precision brand. Brands always do this.
I would like to try and upgrade the BK precision 5492C model firmware on my device, but I could not find any upgraded firmware or software on the site.(I think they are still working on software and firmware.) It would be nice to try.
As a result, I expect many innovations to come with a new firmware.
And as a result the device is exactly the same device. I paid $ 457 for tonghui, bk precision is $ 780.
And I also bought a benchtop lcr meter from the tonghui brand. And this is definitely the same as bk precision, the only difference is the rubber color.

This device will be great if some firmware editing comes.