Multi Meter recommendation please

[MJCM]

I am looking to buy a Multi Meter, but what I am seeing in the Web it makes me go ????

 

Here a Multi Meter for 69 THB (you even can find this one for 56 THB ???? )

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/dt-830b-dt-830-ac-dc-multi-meter-i3051029797-s11174604247.html

 

Here a Multi Meter for 1600 THB

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/1-fluke-101-china-version-digital-multi-meter-fluke-i327680319-s626706801.html

 

Or would a Clamb one be better?

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/habotest-ht208d-acdc-digital-clamp-meter-true-rms-multimeter-anto-ranging-multi-tester-current-clamp-i3680149337-s13894915927.html

 

So please a recommendation!

[Kinnock]

I bought mine from a local DIY shop for about 200 THB, but it's identical to the one below.

 

Used it for over a year, it's robust, has a rubber 'bump cover' and works well.  I didn't expect it to be so good, as it was cheap, and was the only one in the shop, but I needed one quick to diagnose a motorcycle electrical issue. 

 

Gets my recommendation.

 

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.SfkZx

 

[MJCM]

@Kinnock thx

 

====================

 

Another one that makes me go confused

 

Wow look at this

 

This one for 359 THB

 

https://www.lazada.co.th//products/i347732149-s680356665.html

 

This one for 90 THB (same model)

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/digital-multimeter-xl830l-i789540423-s1576888342.html

 

Edit: I think people just try to sell it for that high price and they laugh all the way to the bank when someone does buy it, and they only have bought it for 90 THB ????

Edited August 5, 2022 by MJCM

[The Hammer2021]

24 minutes ago, MJCM said:

@Kinnock thx

 

====================

 

Another one that makes me go confused

 

Wow look at this

 

This one for 359 THB

 

https://www.lazada.co.th//products/i347732149-s680356665.html

 

This one for 90 THB (same model)

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/digital-multimeter-xl830l-i789540423-s1576888342.html

 

Edit: I think people just try to sell it for that high price and they laugh all the way to the bank when someone does buy it, and they only have bought it for 90 THB ????

How is it relevant what  other people paid or what other people think? Just buy the tool you need at the price you can afford!

[transam]

Mr. DIY, multifunction, AC & DC, works a treat, was 109 bht.....????

[MJCM]

9 minutes ago, The Hammer2021 said:

How is it relevant what  other people paid or what other people think? Just buy the tool you need at the price you can afford!

Just wondering! That's all!

[The Hammer2021]

5 minutes ago, MJCM said:

Just wondering! That's all!

If in a quandary work out the average price and make that your buying price.

[MJCM]

Just now, The Hammer2021 said:

If in a quandary work out the average price and make that your buying price.

And if on Lazada do search for the same model number and you find a cheaper one ????????

[Crossy]

I would get one with a current clamp that does DC since you're looking at solar ????

 

EDIT - I have one of these https://www.lazada.co.th/products/uni-t-ut204-600aac-600adc-uni-t-ut204-mini-digital-clamp-meter-i1971178318-s15109530046.html

 

 

[Crossy]

@MJCM be aware that many of the cheaper clamp meters only do AC current.

[Crossy]

A handy-dandy trick for clamp meter users is to make yourself one of these:-

 

 

That's just 10 turns of equipment wire, pass your current through that and clamp the coil through the hole and you magically multiply your reading by 10, so your 0.5A reads as 5A.

 

Great for smallish currents on a 60A range ???? 

[transam]

I bought a multimeter in the UK about 20 years back, it wasn't cheap, the Mr.DIY 109 bht one is an exact copy, I have them both here, the only thing the DIY one hasn't got is temperature readout...

[Crossy]

In my professional life I would never consider anything other than Fluke!

 

But of course my employer paid back then.

 

Now as a lowly consultant I'm not allowed to touch the tools let alone have them bought for me ???? 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/fluke-376-fc-true-rms-1000a-acdc-iflex-2500a-ac-nist-traceable-calibration-certificate-f376fc-i2389524585-s8130685560.html

 

 

 

[phetphet]

17 minutes ago, Crossy said:

In my professional life I would never consider anything other than Fluke!

 

But of course my employer paid back then.

 

Now as a lowly consultant I'm not allowed to touch the tools let alone have them bought for me ???? 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/fluke-376-fc-true-rms-1000a-acdc-iflex-2500a-ac-nist-traceable-calibration-certificate-f376fc-i2389524585-s8130685560.html

 

 

 

That's what all the electricians use to use in my old job.

[bluejets]

15 hours ago, MJCM said:

So please a recommendation!

Just be aware selecting a meter of any kind largely depends on where one intends to use it.

 

Meters are rated in a Cat No. depending on the above.

 

Obviously those without any Cat No. displayed or those of a cheap nature would at best be rated as Cat No.1 (lowest)

 

Included below is a pdf file with explanation and diagrams for you to follow ....cheers

 

ABC-meter-safety.PDF

[BritManToo]

15 hours ago, Kinnock said:

I bought mine from a local DIY shop for about 200 THB, but it's identical to the one below.

 

Used it for over a year, it's robust, has a rubber 'bump cover' and works well.  I didn't expect it to be so good, as it was cheap, and was the only one in the shop, but I needed one quick to diagnose a motorcycle electrical issue. 

 

Gets my recommendation.

 

https://s.lazada.co.th/s.SfkZx

 

I've got the same one, works perfectly, had it 5 years. 

[Excel]

32 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I've got the same one, works perfectly, had it 5 years. 

+1

[bluejets]

For convienience ......

 

 

[steven100]

Bought this one on Shopee a year ago and works fine for what I need .....   52 baht  

[steven100]

On 8/5/2022 at 4:34 PM, Crossy said:

In my professional life I would never consider anything other than Fluke!

 

But of course my employer paid back then.

 

Now as a lowly consultant I'm not allowed to touch the tools let alone have them bought for me ???? 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/fluke-376-fc-true-rms-1000a-acdc-iflex-2500a-ac-nist-traceable-calibration-certificate-f376fc-i2389524585-s8130685560.html

 

 

 

Does that particular one have a buzzer ?    years ago we only used the one with a buzzer especially for fault finding .... 

[Crossy]

2 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Does that particular one have a buzzer ?    years ago we only used the one with a buzzer especially for fault finding .... 

 

Yup, both the Fluke in that post and the earlier UNI-T one (the one I have) have continuity buzzers.

[bluejets]

Point being, just because it has high voltage ranges  does not mean it is safe to use on those levels.

Only a corresponding Cat. No. would give one half a chance.

The other half is down to the body protection used while taking any of the higher voltage (mains for example) measurements.

[Crossy]

29 minutes ago, bluejets said:

Point being, just because it has high voltage ranges  does not mean it is safe to use on those levels.

Only a corresponding Cat. No. would give one half a chance.

The other half is down to the body protection used while taking any of the higher voltage (mains for example) measurements.

 

The Uni-t one I have (linked above) is marked as Cat-II / Cat-III (the probes are just Cat-II)

[bluejets]

23 hours ago, Crossy said:

The Uni-t one I have (linked above) is marked as Cat-II / Cat-III (the probes are just Cat-II)

Yes, I have seen that also but point being, for us leckys at least, ignorance is no excuse when the WHS comes knocking.

Also your cat 3 is only 300v level, not suitable for 220v mains.(peak 311v) then again for 240v if that is present and unknown until one "plugs in" is 340v.

Edited August 14, 2022 by bluejets

[OneMoreFarang]

On 8/5/2022 at 4:34 PM, Crossy said:

In my professional life I would never consider anything other than Fluke!

 

But of course my employer paid back then.

 

Now as a lowly consultant I'm not allowed to touch the tools let alone have them bought for me ???? 

 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/fluke-376-fc-true-rms-1000a-acdc-iflex-2500a-ac-nist-traceable-calibration-certificate-f376fc-i2389524585-s8130685560.html

 

 

 

 

FLUKE is obviously good quality. But there is another reason why they are a lot more expensive than others. I found Dave's videos about them very interesting.

 

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

Over the years I bought a couple of cheap (maybe 500B to 1000B) multimeters. They all did the job.

99% of the time I used them for low voltages. So even if the isolation would have been not good my life was 99% of the time not in danger.

 

One problem of cheap multimeters seems to be the high voltage isolation. I.e., they might claim they are isolated up to 1000V. Now would you trust a 200B multimeter for testing high voltage?

 

I bought recently one of these:

https://brymen.co.th/catalog/

They are certainly more expensive than the cheap once. But in the big picture I think spending a few thousand THB on a high-quality multimeter is not a bad idea. 

[VocalNeal]

Because the leads are stored inside the cover.

It has no capacitor setting. If you need to test/check them. Auto ranging is handy.

 

 

This one is very portable but the standard probe tips are wanting, very short.

 

I have both. The latter has a duty cycle setting if one is into fuel injection.

 

 

I also bought one of these from Amorn as it has capacitor settings. But the leads are the tangle variety. 

 

I have a Fluke 747? as it has a 4-20mA range.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2022 by VocalNeal

[lopburi3]

I bought below MS8231 6 years ago on Ebay ($15) and have found it excellent - probes are hard wired and everything automatic.  Do not believe available on Lazada or Shopee but is here (but a bit more expensive now):

https://th.aliexpress.com/item/32800382217.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2tha