Brymen BM789 DMM

[@EEVblog]

Great work Joe

[@xlite4999]

Does the EEVblog BM786 have the new shield covering the beeper to deal with the magnet issue? I am interested in buying one.

[@Cymaphore]

Thank you for another great video. It really shows how much effort you put into the reviews. You're making by far the best reviews of DMMs. The BM789 that I bought after watching your BM786 videos quickly became my most favorite meter.

[@sorulviral3482]

Thank you for this feedback, it helped me a lot in my choice of multimeter. All your measurements and tests are a mine of information, I admire this work.

[@khuongathebounga4141]

Thanks for the excellent video Joe. I've been hanging for a new video of yours that involves testing and reviewing meters for a while!!. I've learnt so much through your channel and I really appreciate all the hard work and hours that you put into it. Hoping to see more videos like this from you soon (anything to do with multimeters). These videos are helping me stay occupied while in lockdown in Australia.

[@vuquangtrong]

I was about to order EEVBlog BM786 from Australia, but after seeing this video, I ordered a BM789 from EU. Have you got your BM?

[@amham48]

I'm a retired calibration tech (metrologist) and always found the Fluke meters to be the most reliable, accurate and responsive with very few not passing spec even over longer periods of use/time (I've calibrated/tested thousands!). However they are expensive. Your Brymen reviews have convinced me that Brymen maybe it's equal at a more attractive price point. I've purchased a couple after your reviews and have not been disappointed. Note, they test well using the sophisticated (and very expensive) Fluke 5520A calibrators.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Thanks for the insight. At least from a robustness standpoint, they appear to be on par. I expect most will have a very long life. Fluke really doesn't offer what I would consider a decent general purpose meter for electronics. I like the obsolete Fluke189. Brymen has the BM869s which is is my meter of choice until I find something better.

[@amham48]

@@joesmith-je3tq The techs primary portable meter was the Fluke 189 until the 287/289 was released and then they upgraded. The cal lab is a large international organization that went on a buying spree and purchased many of the small mom and pop cal labs in the US and internationally.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@amham48 The 289's boot times, small fonts, poor contrast and slow graphics turned me off of it. I compared it with a Chinese knock off. They copied the menu structure so its a no brainer to drive.

[@АндрейЛазарев-е9щ]

Thank you for the titanic work done, patience, professionalism. Thanks to you, I have decided on the model of the multimeter. Good luck.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Thanks and enjoy your new meter.

[@grahamhall2662]

Absolutely fascinating and thank you for the excellent reviews and hard work. Just bought the BM869s which is far beyond my capabilities but just got sick of buying cheap meters that packed in on me after short time. Always something to learn in this hobby, regards and best wishes from UK.

[@davidjames6774]

Very impressive and thorough head to head review on performance only, not just someone’s opinion! Great job from start to finish, well done and thank you.

[@johncunningham5435]

This has been most informative when selecting a digital meter, (impressive).

[@reveal1693]

Thank you for the video Joe! Excellent as always. Just bought one from Welectron. Edit: 78908 firmware installed. Edit/20220510: Bought a second one from Welectron. Firmware 78908 installed.

[@Djmatrane]

78913 firmware now.

[@panagiotismavrommatis8917]

From Fluke's calibration manual there is a paragraph that states: "For better accuracy when measuring the dc offset of an ac voltage, measure the ac voltage first. Note the ac voltage range, then manually select a dc voltage range equal to or higher than the ac range. This procedure improves the accuracy of the dc measurement by ensuring that the input protection circuits are not activated.". What I see from the video at 21.45 the scale is 6.00 (auto scale from AC measurement) and this scale should be set manually for the DC offset for precise measurement (as it is done when you select manually the scale, showing the correct measurement).

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Indeed, all autorange problems can be solved with manual range and manual range meters do not exhibit autorange bugs unless the human screws up.

[@johnboyd1167]

Awesome job, very informative and through. Thanks for the update

[@paulsto6516]

Thanks for posting your reviews.

[@xephael3485]

Okay you had me subscribing after not giving me BS in the into

[@joesmith-je3tq]

welcome abord

[@bikerman54]

Joe, You are the Maestro of meters...

[@janeklof2769]

Many thanks for a very interesting video !

[@jstro-hobbytech]

Joe. I love my eevblog bm786 so I'm about to pull the trigger on the bm869s off elecktor on ebay. It's quite cheap. I was given a tektronix dmm916 recently. Very nice responsive meter. I'm tempted to mod it with 2 leds. 1 on each side of the screen. I'll run them right from the battery when the meter is turned on. It's going to be a non destructive mod

[@MihaiDobrin88]

in uk is quite difficult to get a specific multi-meter model from brymen or other decent or major manufacturers or anything else than a fluke. but i recently discovered a brand that is basically re-branding brymens and they are quite well known as a brand here in uk for testing equipment and they are called metrel.

[@MihaiDobrin88]

any ideea what is going on?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Sure. They are a business and as such sell products. Rebranding is nothing new.

[@Igor_user]

joe smith, You can measure a current of about 500 mA with a BM789 multimeter in milliAmp mode, take a reading and, without changing the current, switch the limit to Ampere mode (10 A) and also take a reading. For example, it can show 490 mA and 0.500 A, respectively. Will there be such differences on yours or not? Or it will show 500 mA and 0.500 A respectively.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Assuming a constant voltage, the current will change as a result of the different shunts being switched. Look up burden voltage. That said, even if I drove the meter with a perfect constant current source, I expect it will change. Recently someone had posted about their zero drift perfect UNI-T meter to which I created a video for. Nothing is perfect. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqa4eKRpoMmKr9E

[@yannis92preloude]

Hi Joe what is the difference between the bm786 and the BMS 789 , and which will have better precise readings overall .There is only a small amount of difference in price I just want to know which is the better one. Great video you are showing all test done to all the metters. After watching the video I think I will get the BM789.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I recommend you download both manuals and compare them.

[@whill44]

Enjoyed the video as always. Thanks

[@francomarianardini681]

great video as always!!! congrats Joe!

[@zxrjimmy1]

Still use my 869s, still think it's great

[@joesmith-je3tq]

It's still my favorite handheld in the lab. Maybe one day I will find something I like even more.

[@wallyj2000]

Hi, thanks for sharing. Where does the BM 789 fall into category can't seem to find very many KZbin videos on that one. Is it not a good meter? Anyone willing to chime in seems that the 786 and the BM 869 to be more popular is that just because it's cheaper or am I missing something? Thanks.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Fall into category? It's a DMM so I guess it falls under that category.

[@wallyj2000]

@@joesmith-je3tq hi, thanks for your reply. What I meant was I just don’t see that many reviews on the 789 mostly the other two models that I mentioned was wondering why it’s not that popular or is it so that it has not been reviewed that much?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

786 is an exclusive product for EEVBLOG. He may provide these to various channels for review. I really don't know the Brymen's sales figures but could believe the 786 is more popular.

[@khuongathebounga4141]

Hi Joe. When you were doing the high voltage DC tests (around 17min into the video), what kind of cable are you using to connect the meters to the high voltage power supply? Its looks like an orange/red cable going to the banana to BNC adapter. Thanks Joe.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Coaxial.

[@JoseTorres-cc7xf]

this multimeter is obtained with the green lee brand the DM860A, but the DM830A is the same as the fluke 87 v with a little more functions these green lee multimeter are excellent nothing to compare to fluke ok

[@funcool8884]

The 869s is still value for money-quality.

[@stanimir4197]

and a dual display

[@funcool8884]

But large sizes

[@francomarianardini681]

I own one. the only disappointing thing is that it misses the beep for diode check, very useful. apart from that, IMHO one of the best DMM on the market

[@raviduprasanna6401]

thanks joe you review, but i need your honest opinion would you still recommond BM869s with missing Autohold, why do you not recommand BM789 and it has all fetures BM869s not included. why is Auto hold function not important as electronic uses point of view

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I don't normally recommend products so I am not sure where the "still recommend" is coming from. Often I just recommend people to do their homework and buy the tools they need to do their job. I do still use the BM869s. It has a few features I want that are not included with the BM789. Mostly, I want the split display but have also found that 500k count mode to be useful.

[@dumdumreviews7436]

I'm a owner of this model, I had UNI-T UT61E and sold it and bought this, by watching this review I'm sure that my brymen BM789 is robust meter. Thanks for the hard work 😘 There is a 5 pins connector under battery cap, is that for updating firmware or just for factory use? Anyone knows?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I would assume for closed case alignment and firmware updates. Factory use only.

[@sefulmare]

Hi Joe, ...Question to you from a beginner in electronics: I was doing an Amperage measurement with this very same meter using an Eneloop AA rechargable battery (1.2 v with 1,900 mAh rated capacity) and the screen showed 9.something Amps. I placed another AA battery in series and then got something like 14 or so Amps and I noticed the test lead tips and battery body were getting warm. Is it possible for a rechargable AA battery to put out that many amps, or could my unit just be faulty? Or if the unit isn't faulty, did I possibly ruin my meter/HBC fuse by going over the 10A limit listed on the body, or does that currently limit only apply at the rated voltage limit for the lead (1kV)? Many Thanks

[@joesmith-je3tq]

You're putting several amps through the lead tips? If so, I am not surprised by them heating up and giving different readings. What's the manual say about how long you can run this sort of current through the meter? While you may have damaged your new leads, it doesn't seem like you have damaged the fuse yet. There is a beginner section on EEVBLOG. You may want to consider joining that and posing your questions there. Most members there try to be helpful and if you post in the beginner section, they should treat you as such.

[@sefulmare]

@@joesmith-je3tq thanks for that. The leads have a 1KV 10 A rated stamped on the handle. With regards to the meter, manual says up to 10 Amps indefinitely can be applied, and between 10A and 20A for less than 30 seconds, with a cooling period of not less than 15 mins, so I guess the meter is fine. Thankfully the application time was brief even for the leads not to get too warm, everything still functions as it should, but def a lesson learned (along with many other future tips on EEV blog😉👍)

[@JohnUsp]

20:00 - what is the explanation? a problem in the autorange? some AC signal together? voltage variation? How can I replicate this problem?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWexnHSFl8iAm8U

[@joesmith-je3tq]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJjQl2ejnKmsfqc

[@rasputozen]

Do you publish the battery life chart anywhere? I really like this meter but I'm wondering if there's something comparable but with 300+ hour battery life.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I sure do. Read the description.

[@rasputozen]

@@joesmith-je3tq Which link has the battery life info included? I only see the one with the stress tests.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@rasputozen That spreadsheet contains ALL of the data I have collected. Tabs are at the bottom of the screen.

[@MihaSun]

Hello, I have the ut17B PRO model and when I measure a voltage around, let's say 5 volts, if I measure with the probes + with plus and - with minus, it gives me 5,3 volts, let's say, if I reverse the probes + with black and - with the red probe, it gives me another type value - 5.7 volts, so a difference of 4 millivolts inverse of the probe in DC (direct current). Do you think it's normal? is it part of the tolerance of the device or is it defective? Why i read diferent voltage if i inverse probes in DC mode?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

The manual should provide you with the accuracy specs. I would start there. Abs(-5.7) - 5.3 is 400mV not 4mV. Double check your results and make sure you have read and understand the manual.

[@seabreeze555]

Just bought one based on your amazing hard work on this and the 786. Firmware version 78910, I wonder what changes they made after 78908?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I believe Dave posted that information on EEVBLOG if you're interested. Enjoy your new meter.

[@125brat]

Hi, Interesting you're actually doing some relevant testing, but I dont think you're actually doing the impulse testing in accordance with the relevant Standard EN/ISO 61010-1 which from memory defines the voltage waveform as 50/125us with a specified source impedance depending on the Measurement category. There's also iirc a time between impulses for recovery and 20 impulses to apply for a successful test. When I've done them in the past for compliance testing I've used a Schaffner NSG2050 which allows you to set the source impedence. However, it's one of the better assesments I've seen on youtube that doesn't concentrate on bells and whistles and apparent accuracy.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

In the description, there is a link to a FAQ. I believe everything you have brought up was covered in the FAQ. Of course, had you actually watched the video, it was covered in there as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZrac3VroL6pgK8

[@paulc7798]

Hello. I want a meter that can test start capacitors as well as being a good all round meter. All the Brymen meters have different capacitance ratings and I am just want one that can test start and run capacitors and has the best features for a beginner like me. Thank you for any advise.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Sorry but if you check the FAQ, I do not normally recommend products.

[@johneckert1690]

Thank you for all the testing of all the Brymen DMM's you have done and I have a few questions !!! 1. Do you still consider the Brymen 869s to be a good meter? 2. Have you measured the internal resistance in meters when measuring current? The reason I ask is I noted that when I put my Agilent meter inline I found it loaded down my circuit.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

1) You still see me using it don't you? 2) I do not understand your comment about your Agilent loading your circuit. You would need to provide more details about what you were doing. I have measured the burden voltage (assuming that is what you are asking about) for many meters. That fact that you talk about loading, I suspect this is not what you are asking.

[@stanleywhiteman6450]

@@joesmith-je3tq I believe the question was asked about taking into account internal impedance of the meter when measuring current. For e.g. for small current measurement the internal impedance of APPA iMeter5 on 4mA range when measuring DC current is around 3kOm. One meter had 2682Om internal imedance and another 3628Om. In the manual it says for e.g internal.impedance is around 3kOm. But this is approximate figure and each and every one will have particular internal impedance different from one to another. Therefore the current measurment was different for each particular meter. Hence when it taken into account it allows more precise measurement of the current. All meters have the difference. Would be really interesting to see how much difference Brymen same series have?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@stanleywhiteman6450 So you think they want to know the burden voltage of the Keysight. This makes sense.

[@stanleywhiteman6450]

@@joesmith-je3tqWould be interesting to know what working voltage of their circut they mentioned in that regard for a start to come to some kind of conclusion

[@ntag411]

Just wondering if the low Z setting of the BM789 was tested, I may have not been observant enough. That's one of the features of this model I would appreciate over the BM786.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

How would you propose this mode be tested?

[@ntag411]

@@joesmith-je3tq I think a go/no go test would be good enough. If the low Z returns to lets say 20K ohm after cooling, that would be a pass. Currently have much of the components already to make my own low Z DMM adapter using resistors and fuse(s) in series that would take the line voltages almost continuously. IMO varistors are kind of like thermal fuses. After so many cycles of zaps or heat they eventually will fail. But still would be nice to have a DMM with the low Z for occasional convenient use.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@ntag411 With how many volts applied for how long? You leave a lot of variables open. A MOV is not in any way a thermal fuse. Your comment about cycles and zaps isn't one I have seen in a very long time. You must be new to the channel as I've covered that topic a few times.

[@rokiedecentra9656]

why doesnt anyone cover the brymen 867s which is very close to the 869s with only small features missing but quite a bit of a price gap

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Doing a search for BM867, I see several videos for it. Just use the YT search.

[@rokiedecentra9656]

@@joesmith-je3tq i did look for the 867, does result in more than searching for the 867s. Only found one review for the 867s but i guess the 867 is in another language close enough but older

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@rokiedecentra9656 I would assume the "s" was for the higher safety rating, like with the BM869s. Functionally, I wouldn't expect any difference but you could as Brymen. There were also several discussions about it on EEVBLOG.

[@HaseebMirza44]

I'm a automotive technician looking for multimeter from long time can't decide which one too buy I was looking brymen bm789 or fluke 179 can you please suggest which one to buy ?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

You need to learn how to make your own choices. I looked at a few automotive meters on this channel. I also uploaded a video for an old Fluke automotive scopemeter. You may want to check those out and see if they offer any features you would need. Most of the people I know working in automotive use the Modis (Snap-On) with the meter feature.

[@remcovantriest4357]

Would be interesting to see how a Testo 760-3 holds up in these tests. Have watched most of your tests a good source of information 👍🏻👍🏻 going to add a Brymen 789 to my collection.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Thanks. I'll add it to the list.

[@peterlents983]

Great review! Thanks! Are you planning to test UEi DM525 (or Kane DM525) multimeter?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

After seeing the 121GW, I would see no reason to look at another product from them.

[@peterlents983]

@@joesmith-je3tq But 121GW was developed by Dave and this multimeter looks like their own product.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@peterlents983 Now that's funny.

[@dr650dualsport]

Tks Joe. Brymen meters are not available in Canada as they look like they are rebranded for Greenlee. Is it safe to say all the new meters and or updates are offered in the Greenlee line?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I really don't know. Amprobe had also rebranded at least one Brymen product.

[@dr650dualsport]

@@joesmith-je3tq ok tks man.

[@AD-xc1qz]

Thanks for your video! If you had such a knowledge or experience, how accurate does calibrated BM789 unit perform over new stock one?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

First, calibration is comparing the instrument with known traceable standards to verify it meets the manufactures specifications. I assume any product when new, meets the manufactures claims.

[@zxrjimmy1]

So the 789 has diode beep, something I use everyday, can you confirm

[@joesmith-je3tq]

If you have a look at the manual for the meter, you will find the differences between the 786 & 789 and what features each meter has.

[@koekoekwarrior]

Hi Joe, I've got an older BM789 that has the beeper issue. It annoys me a bit, apart from that its a fabulous meter. Did you just write to Brymen to get those shields?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I had wrote them when the problem was first reported. When they responded that they had addressed it, I asked for the parts to upgrade the meter for this review.

[@koekoekwarrior]

@@joesmith-je3tq Thanks a lot!

[@vuquangtrong]

Hi, I got one with firmware 06, Is there any way to upgrade firmware to the latest version?

[@MihaiDobrin88]

i have an 829 and i got the newer 789 and it seems to mee that 789 is has some issues in autoV loz while measuring for example a battery the voltage continuously decreases and after using it in this mode when u try to measure the battery in v mode it will take some time for the voltage to settle in this mode the voltage increases for few good seconds maybe 10sec or even more. i really dont know why is it behaving like this. the 829 shows the same in autov and v

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Hard to say not being there watching you. Battery could be something from a car or a button battery for a watch. Of course, we know meters with LoZ accomplish this normally with PTCs. If you were to get these hot, their impedance increases and of course it drops as they cool. My guess is what ever you are doing you are not considering their effects.

[@MihaiDobrin88]

@@joesmith-je3tq i tried new AAA AA and 9V batteries with both 789 and 829 in V mode and in Auto/LoZ and 829 in both cases shows a stable number for all of them while 789 in auto/loz the voltage drops continuously and if switch back to V mode the voltage is increasing slowly. if u check directly in V mode with 789 is ok it gives u the stable number like 829

[@MihaiDobrin88]

can you check your 789 with any AAA AA battery in autoV/loz mode and see if it does the same?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@MihaiDobrin88 Again, you are loading the battery, then removing the load and the battery starts to recover. I've seen people who have tried scams based on this but it's nothing new. You should be able to replicate it with any meter and a simple load. If you feel this is not what you are seeing, make a clip and post it.

[@MihaiDobrin88]

@@joesmith-je3tq ok im will make a video and post it and let you know. my only concern is because i just bought it and just in case if it has an issue i wanna know to send it back for replacement. the fact that 829 doesn't do this testing the same batteries makes me wonder if my 789 is faulty or is something normal for this model like being an extra feature or missing feature compared to 829

[@susmaryosep8587]

Sir I am planning to purchase new DM ,,as of now ,which brymen model recommend ...?Is bm869s still best choice? Thanks and have a good day..

[@joesmith-je3tq]

While the Brymen BM869s and Fluke 189 are still may favorite meters, that does not mean that they would be a good choice for you. Do your own research and make your own choice. If you have a specific question about the BM869s, feel free to ask. You may also want to join the EEVBLOG. That question gets asked a lot and people there are always willing to provide you with their opinions.

[@susmaryosep8587]

@@joesmith-je3tq thanks for swift responce,,really appreciated...

[@fpvart193]

Hello. Please help. What is the best buy in 2021? 789 or 869s????

[@joesmith-je3tq]

If you can't sort out what your need are, how would you expect anyone else to sort out what your needs are? The best for you is what choice you make. Not what choice I make for you. Learn to make your own choices. If you don't have a clue what you need, you may need nothing. Wait until you have a need, then buy the tools that fit those needs.

[@fpvart193]

@@joesmith-je3tq Yes, I understand what you are talking about. Maybe I said wrong. The functionality and accuracy suits me with both multimeters. And in terms of the quality of materials, there is no way to check them before buying. Is the 789 the same quality as the 869? I hope I wrote it correctly ..

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@fpvart193 I am not sure how you define quality. I provided several tests for both meters that go beyond what the manuals cover. They may help you determine if one is better than the other based on whatever criteria you come up with.

[@raphaelsl1082]

Which one is better: Brymen BM789 or BM857s?

[@funcool8884]

857 better

[@raphaelsl1082]

@@funcool8884 Why do You Thank that? BM789 have more usefull functions...

[@funcool8884]

@@raphaelsl1082 New doesn't mean better.Brymen is still working on the bm789 firmware. BM857 has a classic body and ergonomics, despite the functionality is more convenient to work with.

[@redjr16]

Average hobbyist...Brymen 789 or Uni-T UT61E+ ?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

The average hobbyist should be able to make their own choices.

[@redjr16]

@@joesmith-je3tq Ok. Let me ask the question another way, all things being equal what would your preference be and why?

[@OneBiOzZ]

Ill just say Bussman is a great name for a high power HRC fuse manufacturer

[@joesmith-je3tq]

It's a very old company. The name was from the founders.

[@sergesteps1109]

Is 869s better?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

If you can define what "better" means to you, I expect you can compare the manuals for the two meters and determine that. For you, better may mean smaller, lighter weight, lower cost, battery selection...

[@alterator]

Perfecto!!!!

[@RobB_VK6ES]

I can't reconcile Brymen's marketing. Here they are bending over backwards to be accepted into the enthusiast/pro markets yet on the other hand have very little market presence and distribution. it would seem much of their business is OEM for other brands. Come on Brymen lift your game.

[@mikeadler434]

👍👍

[@afroninjadeluxe]

20kV or bust!!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I may run it up to failure to see how it compares.

[@roseelectronics4582]

First and probably the last too

[@jdmccorful]

Any place in the USA that this meter could be purchase? Found this video very intetesting . Thanks for the look.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I don't know.

[@whill44]

Greenlee tools is the distributor for bryman in the US but I don't know what models they carry,

[@jdmccorful]

@@joesmith-je3tq Not a good answer because of your platitudes about this particular instrument.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@jdmccorful Since when is "I don't know", not an acceptable answer? Certainty with today's culture, it's seldom heard but I can't help that.

[@jdmccorful]

@@joesmith-je3tq ended up buying one overseas. Just watched your video on update to "auto" problem. I doubt that I will run into the problem so not too worried . Last 2 digets of my rev are 08.