Since my old Fluke meter does not have high sensitivity in the uA tests I decided it was time to get a new meter. The decision was also influenced by an element of doubt about the accuracy of my 25 year old Fluke meter.
Initially I was going to go with Fluke again, but after reviewing their models I realised that they do not really offer good value these days, and I'm not really brand-loyal. The Fluke 18B+ was tempting, but only seemed to be available from China which is its intended market. That throws up the risk of getting a cloned meter instead of a genuine one, so I looked at alternatives.
The Extech meters were interesting, although Dave of EEVblog wasn't so impressed. That said, I thought he was being a bit too harsh, but then he is a meter aficionado.
It soon became clear that the ExTech is available under many other "brands" and I saw a UK seller with a version that had a good range of functions, proper class 4 input protection, true RMS and a high quoted accuracy on all ranges.
One of the things that swayed me was that the company that had branded these meters was an equipment test and calibration company, so I had a feeling they would have assessed the meters well before putting their name on it.
So far I'm very happy with it indeed. Interestingly when I did a side by side test comparison with the 25 year old Fluke meter they both came within about 2 digits. That says a lot for the long term stability of the Fluke and the potential accuracy of the new meter despite my lack of proper calibration test standards.
Inside the input protection looks more than acceptable. Proper HRC fuses with particular emphasis on track length and size on the 10A range, There's a wire linking the common terminal to the high current measurement shunt on the PCB that EEV-Dave didn't care for, but I absolutely agree with its use to provide a good solid high current link to bring the HRC fuse away from the terminal area to allow the space for the local PTC/MOV input protection.
The meter is rated not just for modest impact with a fairly solid rubberised case, but also has a high IP ingress rating. Part of that is the very deep lip that joins the two case parts together. That also doubles as containment for any internal electrical failure.
I'm not impressed by the inclusion of a cheap PP3 battery, which is probably zinc chloride. It got replaced with an alkaline battery immediately.
During the video I express my contempt for an organisation in the UK called the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contractors). Despite its grand sounding title, this organisation is not a government body. It's a private, profit motivated organisation that in my opinion was originally founded to protect the financial interests of large electrical contractors. In its early days it used heavy promotion to present itself as an official inspection body that contractors should be approved by. But at the same time they used two catch-22 situations to make it hard for smaller companies to get work. I unfortunately experienced this when I first went self employed and found that the work I was intending to do required NICEIC registration. When I applied I received a letter telling me that I would need to be trading for two years before they would consider me for approval, and that I would also need be based in a full industrial premises. Obviously I can't trade for two years when I can't get the work that requires approval in the first place, and most self employed contractors start out working from their home/garage/van because of the high costs associated with commercial premises. The only way I could get around this situation was to work as a freelance contractor working directly for other companies where I was "miraculously" NICEIC approved when I stepped through their door and then unapproved when I finished working with them.
Latterly the NICEIC was instrumental in encouraging the Part P fiasco in the UK, which follows the American model of requiring anyone doing work in a home environment to be Part P registered with an ongoing cut being paid to the approving bodies. This applies to kitchen fitters, handymen and other trades that do a lot of residential work. To get their Part P approval they basically sit a simple "open book" multiple choice test and hand over cash. Consequently most Kitchen fitters and handymen are now apparently fully certified electricians...... On the other hand, time-served and seasoned veterans of the electrical industry (over 30 years) who do not normally do residential work and therefore can't justify an ongoing registration fee, are not actually "permitted" to do electrical work in their own home.
Initially I was going to go with Fluke again, but after reviewing their models I realised that they do not really offer good value these days, and I'm not really brand-loyal. The Fluke 18B+ was tempting, but only seemed to be available from China which is its intended market. That throws up the risk of getting a cloned meter instead of a genuine one, so I looked at alternatives.
The Extech meters were interesting, although Dave of EEVblog wasn't so impressed. That said, I thought he was being a bit too harsh, but then he is a meter aficionado.
It soon became clear that the ExTech is available under many other "brands" and I saw a UK seller with a version that had a good range of functions, proper class 4 input protection, true RMS and a high quoted accuracy on all ranges.
One of the things that swayed me was that the company that had branded these meters was an equipment test and calibration company, so I had a feeling they would have assessed the meters well before putting their name on it.
So far I'm very happy with it indeed. Interestingly when I did a side by side test comparison with the 25 year old Fluke meter they both came within about 2 digits. That says a lot for the long term stability of the Fluke and the potential accuracy of the new meter despite my lack of proper calibration test standards.
Inside the input protection looks more than acceptable. Proper HRC fuses with particular emphasis on track length and size on the 10A range, There's a wire linking the common terminal to the high current measurement shunt on the PCB that EEV-Dave didn't care for, but I absolutely agree with its use to provide a good solid high current link to bring the HRC fuse away from the terminal area to allow the space for the local PTC/MOV input protection.
The meter is rated not just for modest impact with a fairly solid rubberised case, but also has a high IP ingress rating. Part of that is the very deep lip that joins the two case parts together. That also doubles as containment for any internal electrical failure.
I'm not impressed by the inclusion of a cheap PP3 battery, which is probably zinc chloride. It got replaced with an alkaline battery immediately.
During the video I express my contempt for an organisation in the UK called the NICEIC (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contractors). Despite its grand sounding title, this organisation is not a government body. It's a private, profit motivated organisation that in my opinion was originally founded to protect the financial interests of large electrical contractors. In its early days it used heavy promotion to present itself as an official inspection body that contractors should be approved by. But at the same time they used two catch-22 situations to make it hard for smaller companies to get work. I unfortunately experienced this when I first went self employed and found that the work I was intending to do required NICEIC registration. When I applied I received a letter telling me that I would need to be trading for two years before they would consider me for approval, and that I would also need be based in a full industrial premises. Obviously I can't trade for two years when I can't get the work that requires approval in the first place, and most self employed contractors start out working from their home/garage/van because of the high costs associated with commercial premises. The only way I could get around this situation was to work as a freelance contractor working directly for other companies where I was "miraculously" NICEIC approved when I stepped through their door and then unapproved when I finished working with them.
Latterly the NICEIC was instrumental in encouraging the Part P fiasco in the UK, which follows the American model of requiring anyone doing work in a home environment to be Part P registered with an ongoing cut being paid to the approving bodies. This applies to kitchen fitters, handymen and other trades that do a lot of residential work. To get their Part P approval they basically sit a simple "open book" multiple choice test and hand over cash. Consequently most Kitchen fitters and handymen are now apparently fully certified electricians...... On the other hand, time-served and seasoned veterans of the electrical industry (over 30 years) who do not normally do residential work and therefore can't justify an ongoing registration fee, are not actually "permitted" to do electrical work in their own home.
Ask for a source for those fuses, they are a safety item and may be inobtanium down the road.
Nice looking meter, and a decent price. I have to say though I would even be tempted to take a new meter apart , an old one yes why not, but no not a new one.
Interesting though
Great video as always Clive .
By the way have considered meters from UNI-T . Maybe you could do a review on one or two of those?
I use a Klein meter at work but I have my fluke cnx 3000 here as well nice bit of kit.
Away with you, Clive, you know as well as I do that screws are there to be unscrewed! Even as a nipper, I couldn't resist undoing the screws holding the backs on radios, televisions and almost all domestic appliances!
I might have to have a look at one of these meters, but first of all, I need a new clamp meter. My old Fluke one has finally bitten the dust. After all these years, the plastic has become crumbly on the pivot of the moving arm of the clamp.
My only "whine" about some DVMs and the AMECaL meters, is the auto-off function that cannot be disabled, you can only alter the duration before it switches off (there is not a 0 or off function)!
I have an AMECaL ST9929 and AMECaL is looking into how to disable the auto-off function for me, but I have my doubts if it will be possible.
It's a pain when taking measurements over a long period of time that the meter switches off, and I'm very reluctant to just move the dial to off and back to the range I want again in order to switch the meter back on, on the grounds it might damage the AMECaL ST9929 meter sticking a couple of hundred volts into a range that it is not meant for or an amp or two or into a range that isn't meant for current.
I do like Clive's older AMECaL non-auto range meter where you just press the on/off button to bring it back to life again, so much so that I'll probably get an ST9905 if AMECaL says the auto-off function can't be disabled on the ST9929.
I forgot to mention, the first meter I blew up was a Fluke, I can't remember the model, but it was a fantastic meter and cost me about 4 months' wages as an apprentice electrician, I loved it. However, one day I wanted to test the voltage along a Cockcroft-Walton multiplier and stepping along each stage until there was a BUZZ from the Fluke and the Fluke was no more.
I couldn't find a company to repair it back in the early 1980's when there was no internet and inquiries had to be all done by phone using the "Yellow pages" phone book!
To say that broke my heart was an understatement…… I don't think I made a mistake because the multiplier output should have been under 1000 volts and that was the Fluke's highest voltage range, it didn't help console me though at the time.
K watt.
MPR, Is that not for receiving Modulated Public Radio? I got a zetec 10709. It has non contact voltage, cat 2 high voltage and a momentary back light. Covers both ac and dc via a push button switch. My thurmister cable does not work,
I followed along with you and it seems to cover just about everything that you said for it to cover.
Today it costs £89
Love the channel and gonna get one of these for myself if I can. I wouldn't have minded waiting for you to get the right socket for those post bindings. People can always press l (lowercase L) a few times to skip. (I think youtube rewards longer videos?)
Change your leads .Get good leads and whatcha the difference in readings .Silicone jacketed 12 gauge wire no longer than 1 meter .
Dave is a twat
I worked as an aircraft mechanic for over 21 years and my Fluke was calibrated every year till 2014 and was always in tolerance. So those Fluke 23 meters are very reliable. Quite a few of us had the Fluke 23
I have that same model 23 Fluke meter you have since about 1994 and it has been and still is a great meter. I do with it measured capacitance.
If you’re happy Clive, them I’m happy Clive -;)
NIC/ McDONNALDS comparison
correct mr c
So strange. Just looked at my BK precision meter, which I won from an electronic supplier, and it had the same weird golden power or w/e 9 volt battery. Weird. And it's from like 2-3 years after this video. Must be some sort of cheap Chinese one…
don't switch it on … take it apart