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UNI-T UT61E Multimeter teardown photos.

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exxocet:

--- Quote from: joeqsmith on October 05, 2016, 10:17:24 pm ---I do like the 
--- Quote --- it's a great DMM if you're not dealing with industrial voltages/currents, as most of us never do.
--- End quote ---
.    I understand that lack of robustness may be considered a desired trait as the meter being damaged easily provides the user with an indication that their meter was exposed to something that may cause it to fail later on.   For these people, it will be hard to beat the UNI-T brand!!   :-DD

So three capacitors in parallel?   This sort of makes sense.  Labor is cheap.  Start with the large part, add trimmer one, then a fine trim.  Does not look great but gets the job done.

--- End quote ---

  A DMM that pass your test (by the way, awesome job) it's great DMM? No, it's safe DMM. It plays well outside of it's specs. That safe meter may measure 10.7v on a 10v reference source and that makes it a shit DMM, even if it's safe. Why? Simply because it's not doing what it was designed to do.
  UT61E it's a $50 meter that does most of what $500 Fluke does. Now I know that Americans have a fetish for Fluke, but there are hobbyist that don't afford to pay $500 for a DMM, while they don't make any money from it. Oh, you run a business or your incoming allows? Go for Fluke, it's a reliable and rock solid meter. But I tell you, it's still way overpriced. Cool PCB alignment, fine soldering and adequate V/A protection still don't make for 10 times the price of the Chinese meter.

  Anyway, you're right here, cheap DMM shouln't be cheap on security, especially on input protection. I mean, it's so easy to design a proper one and won't add more that $0.5 on the  production cost, but what you gonna do... guess that's the Shenzhen way.

ProBang2:

--- Quote from: exxocet on October 06, 2016, 06:26:11 am --- Now I know that Americans have a fetish for Fluke
--- End quote ---

Honestly, you can“t joeqsmith call a fanboy of Fluke. At least not for the 87V.
He obviously prefer the Brymen869. A DMM outperforms the Fluke87V in CAT-Ratings (Cat IV 1000V versus CAT IV 600V) and some other functions for half the price...

exxocet:
  I'm not talking specifically about joeqsmith. He is a pro, he knows his equipment and use what's the most efficient for his job. Doesn't really matter if the DMM costs $200 or $500 as long as it's a tool to perform your profession.
  I'm talking about the joe-q-average, that use a DMM for hobby or occasional works. You don't make money from using that DMM, you pay money to enjoy your hobby. Why would you pay $500 for a tool that should cost at most $300, including the "Fluke brand name aura"? You're right, it's twice as much as it should be. Anyway, guess I'm offtopic, back to our little chinese friend.

joeqsmith:

--- Quote from: exxocet on October 06, 2016, 06:26:11 am ---  A DMM that pass your test (by the way, awesome job) it's great DMM? No, it's safe DMM. It plays well outside of it's specs.
--- End quote ---

  :horse:  :-DD  Dead horse with and a parrot would have been my choice.   I wonder how much of the confusion comes from the language.  So to be clear, you feel if a meter survives with transient that has 10 to 20 Joules available that means it's safe?

Pretty much all the meters I look at are CAT III 600V rated per IEC 61010.  That's the spec.  Now what that means as far as their ability to survive the transients I supply is up for grabs. 


--- Quote from: exxocet on October 06, 2016, 06:26:11 am ---That safe meter may measure 10.7v on a 10v reference source and that makes it a shit DMM, even if it's safe. Why? Simply because it's not doing what it was designed to do.
--- End quote ---

Yea, if you bought a meter that was spec'ed this loose, that's on you.  If the meter is outside it's spec'ed accuracy and it was shipped to you this way, you may want to return it.   Most of the meters I have looked at work when they arrive and are in spec.  The last CEM I looked at and the free meters we get from Harbor Freight were dead out of the box.  Pretty rare.   


--- Quote from: exxocet on October 06, 2016, 06:26:11 am ---UT61E it's a $50 meter that does most of what $500 Fluke does. Now I know that Americans have a fetish for Fluke, but there are hobbyist that don't afford to pay $500 for a DMM, while they don't make any money from it.
Oh, you run a business or your incoming allows? Go for Fluke, it's a reliable and rock solid meter. But I tell you, it's still way overpriced. Cool PCB alignment, fine soldering and adequate V/A protection still don't make for 10 times the price of the Chinese meter.

  Anyway, you're right here, cheap DMM shouln't be cheap on security, especially on input protection. I mean, it's so easy to design a proper one and won't add more that $0.5 on the  production cost, but what you gonna do... guess that's the Shenzhen way.

--- End quote ---

The UT61E is pretty low end but you are right, the Fluke 101 does not have a backlight just like the 61E.   :-DD  And sure, you touch it wrong and static zap it, it may very well suffer permanent damage.  And sure it's not certified to meet the safety or EMC standards.   Sure, it is supplied with crap fuses....

It would be interesting to see some data showing handheld meter purchases in the USA by OEM and cost.  I really have no idea.  I doubt Fluke is the brand that the average person finds at the hardware store. 
 
Again, for my normal use where I need a handheld I still use $50 meters.  But my $50 meter can take some basic ESD.  I also have a backlight, which I use.   This is mostly for working on cars, bikes and such.  So I just don't need much for a meter. 

I really don't know what it would cost UNI-T to roll a better version of the 61E that passes both the EMC and safety standards and maybe adds a backlight.  I did not have a 61E at the time I did the temperature drift study but I hear it is pretty bad.  Maybe improve this as well.    The cost of scrap, new layout, parts, setup, testing, certification... How many they sell...   Yea, I have no idea.  The GS version looks to me more like $20 - $40 higher, not $0.50.     



igi:
Guys, I killed my brand new UT-61E. Tried to measure voltage on a microwave transformer and device turned off forever. Yes, that was dumb, I know. But any chance to get it back? Can't justify myself to throw new shiny device into a trash bin. Nothing happens when I rotate the dial, screen remains off. Battery is fine. I see no visible damage to internals. The only thing happening inside is W1 (linear voltage regulator 7201U30 is becoming warm). I desoldered and checked this LDO and it works fine itself. So i guess there is some kind of short circuit somewhere down the road. Any hope it is not a main chip? Should I check something else? The schematics of the device is a bit too complex for me, I am a newbie. Thanks!

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