Victor VC-97 Multimeter Mini Review

[mrm2007]

Hello everyone,

 As you see ,This is my first post in this forum,but i'm reading this forums for many years. This my search progress and mini-review about Victor VC97 Multimeter (4000 Count). Hopefully it helps someone.
 I had a cheap chinese M890G Multimeter for more than 12 years (for my own personal hobby projects) and this multimeter worked excellent. The most important problem about it was its input protection, which finally caused the death of the multimeter.

 I was searching for cheap multimeter because the highest voltage that i  use , is 220V main voltage and for my hobby projects, i don't need the Agilent, Fluke or ...  I saw these 2  videos on youtube :


Which compare Vichy VC97 vs Victor VC97. After seeing these 2 videos and some other online videos i liked the victor vc97 more. So i decided to buy it. I found their homepage and online store  :http://www.victor-multimeter.com/products/digital-multimeter/victor-vc97-3-3-4-digital-multimeter-676.html
 it seems that they updated this model and it was on sale for 18$.The most important new feature is TRUE RMS measurement, which is very good at this price ! After searching my local shops , i found this multimeter on sale even cheaper for 16.3$! so , i bought it and here it's the mini Review :

I tested this multimeter at my work place with a ESCORT 179 multimeter and a KYORITSU KEW1062.
BTW, in their homepage, they didn't update some info about this multimeter:
1) in website you can only see the TRUERMS in the picture 2) Bandwidth of AC measurement in website is 40-400Hz, but in the manual is upto 1KHZ(which is correct) 3) the battery in website and in the manual  is 2x1.5V ,but actually it is 1x9V!  4) on the site Capacitance measurement is upto 200uf , but in the manual is upto 100mF (100000uF)! 5)on the website there is nothing about the display backlight 6) on the website they say it has bargraph which it doesn't!
This multimeter comes with the normal chinese probes, an adapter for transistor/capacitor measurements and a simple temperature probe and a 1 page manual!

The tests :
1) DC Voltage : I tested from 50mv upto 150V DC. The accuracy was almost excellent.it says 0.5%+4d in manual, but in my tests was about 0.3%.
2) AC Voltage : I tested from 0.5V ... 220V(50 HZ) and 380V (3phase Voltage). Its accuracy was better than 0.8%+10d (according to manual). Bandwidth was about 1100Hz.I tested the bandwidth with function generator @ 1V amplitude.
3)DC A : I tested from 100uA to 350mA. It was well in the range and accuracy was better than 1.2%.
4)AC A : didn't test it.
5)Resistance : accuracy was better than 0.8%+4d (according to manual).
6) Capacitance : Tested it with 1000uF Capacitor and the error was less than 5%.
7)Frequency : tested upto 16MHz. accuracy was better than 0.5%+10d (according to manual).
8)Buzzer : Very fast and also Latched!
9)Diode test : Was very Good! Diode test voltage is around 3V!

I opened it and took some pictures :
You can see it stated CAT IV 600V and Maximum DC 1KV on the multimeter. It has 2 fuses, a 400ma fuse (simple cheap glass fuse) and a 10A fuse (Ceramic Fuse-no brand name). Both fuses are rated for 250V.There is also a PTC on board, but they mounted it under display.

The Negative points :
1)in the mv range : if the probes are open circuit, display is going too high around +100mv or -100mv (which i don't like), but i measure a voltage about 50mv around a 2Mohms resistor and it works fine.
2)if you have AC+DC voltage in AC mode and DC Part of the voltage goes higher than 8 or lower than -8V the multimeter shows wrong.
3)in both AC measurement and Frequency measurement , if your wave for has a DC offset which is more than a certain value (depends on the amplitude of AC Part), the frequency measurement shows 0!

Finally i'm very satisfied with my purchase and hope this multimeter works as good as my M890G!

[joeqsmith]

I just picked up the Vici VC99 to test.  Not a big fan of the glass fuses. 

[Gyro]

2) AC Voltage : I tested from 0.5V ... 220V(50 HZ) and 380V (3phase Voltage). Its accuracy was better than 0.8%+10d (according to manual). Bandwidth was about 1100Hz.I tested the bandwidth with function generator @ 1V amplitude.

Hi mrm2007,

A word of caution, I think you were taking a big risk testing on 380V 3-phase. That internal construction really doesn't look as if it would meet the Cat iV 600V labeling.  Probably not an experiment to repeat and please don't employ it in that environment. 

[Lightages]

Let me reinforce that warning. There is no way I would use that meter on even 220V near the breaker box, let alone 380V. That meter has almost no input protection if it has any. When working on mains, it isn't the mains voltage that is dangerous, its the surges and spikes that can come down the line when you don't expect it. Any CAT ratings that meter has marked on it are all probably made up lies.

[mrm2007]

Hello Guys,

 Thanks for the warning.

 I just used that meter on 380V for testing its accuracy while i was wearing protective gloves and glasses.

 My usual use for this meter is voltages less than 60V DC.

[TheAmmoniacal]

Can you measure the frequency of your mains with it please?

[mrm2007]

Can you measure the frequency of your mains with it please?

Hello,

 Actually i did when i was testing it. in AC measurements by clicking on Hz/Duty button, Frequency was = 50.04Hz.

[TheAmmoniacal]

Try to do it again in Hz mode.

[mrm2007]

Try to do it again in Hz mode.

 currently, i can't do this test , because according to the manual maximum voltage Rating in Hz mode is 250V DC or 250V AC Peak Voltage. Our main voltage is 220V RMS, so the peak voltage will be ~310V which is higher than the maximum rating. I think it will damage the meter.

even if i want to do it,i have to do it at work, wearing protective gloves, ... etc.

[Macbeth]

Try to do it again in Hz mode.

Is there a reason for this? My VC99 is in bits right now, but I have measured 240VAC mains Hz with it no problem before? (sans all that protection bollocks too)