OWON B41T+ DMM Review & Happy Holidays

[@tjasont1]

Lol they didnt know what PTCS were LOL.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I watched them at different times before ordering this meter. I kept thinking, did I hear that right?

[@inductorbackemf7204]

@@joesmith-je3tq Hey Joe,hope you are doing well have a great holiday/whatever you may do! Alex. Ps great video as always,i may blow some meters up for xmas!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Post a video if you do!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Pinned because I found this part of the review to be very funny as well.

[@tjasont1]

I have to Admit brother You know your Meters my friend. I enjoy these in depth dives into these meters makes you appreciate the engineering that goes into a meter. And educates people to make a more thoughtful decisions and understand what you are getting for the money or the bargains you get for the money very useful source. Oh and Just to clear the Air for these guys LOL:---- (PTC) Positive temperature coefficient thermistor- the resistance increases with increasing temperature, and the device is called a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor MOV- The Metal Oxide Varistor or MOV is a voltage dependent, nonlinear device that provides excellent transient voltage suppression. Just for good Measure. (NTC) Negaitive temperature coefficient thermistor- the resistance decreases with decreasing temperature, and the device is called a (NTC) or Negaitive coefficient thermistor Also google also doesn't know what a Varistor or thermistor is because it thinks its a misspelled word lol. I guess these are not the most common components but they are pretty common lol.

[@thecombatengineer7069]

Brotha, you deserve 800K followers. Huge thanks are owed to you for the time and effort you spend making these videos. I couldn’t imagine a more complete test.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Thanks and I'm glad you are finding them helpful.

[@pyromen321]

I ordered one of these on sale for $50 a few days ago. I figured that even with all the flaws you’ve demonstrated, for $50 shipped, I certainly wouldn’t be able to find a better meter. Amazing, thorough, video as always. I ended up watching most of it a second time today when I remembered what got me thinking about getting one of these in the first place. Hope you’re doing well!

[@magicscorner]

I thought the video is too long, but no - just fine and I watched it all. Very educational indeed. It reminded me one Top Gear episode where they were trying to kill a Toyota pickup, then resurrected it every time . Thanks!

[@MrRfaass]

The + model does do logging over along time without running in a time out, one of the most affordable out there. Used for testing discharge curves of batteries or monitoring car batteries over night .Also, the remote monitoring via Bluetooth is great, I measure stuff under the hood while at the fuse panel, great function.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I never did get it to work with my desktop PC running 10. Had they documented the protocol, I may have done more with it but the meter had far to many problems for me to invest any more time with it.

[@hightttech]

Joe, really enjoy your videos. I cannot stand DMM reviews on other channels. Even DJ and MJL DMM reviews are so lacking due to they ultimately say something like, "Well, 5 volts is spot on, feels fairly good in the hand, but of course it's not a Fluke..." Please poison me if a YT DMM review marathon is announced. They don't hold a candle to your thorough and systematic style. And your narration allows me to work and listen simultaneously. Cheers

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Thanks. I've never seen much point in all the swimming with the meter and dropping it off the bridge. For the mechanical part, I want a reliable switch and connectors. Beyond that, I am after something electrically robust.

[@SIXSTRING63]

Could not agree more. I only watch Joe's reviews if I'm interested in a meter. I purchased my Brymen BM869s, BM235 and Fluke 189 based on Joe's test videos.

[@nageshji8771]

perfect practicall review...god bless us all thank u sir salute to you for hard and deciplined work

[@donpaublo6133]

I revisited how these meters connect. The BT dongle is from Amzn, description specific to Owon DMMs. Dug out a HP el cheepo running win 8.1. Opened device manager. Plugged BTd in, it lists as unknown. I know it's a TI CC2540. Downloaded BLE-STACK V1.4.1 from Texas Instruments. Direct device manager to install driver from the TI folder. The BTd is now listed as TI CC2540 USB CDC. Restarted pc. Double checked device manager for correct recognition of BTd and noted assigned com. Opened software, it takes a minute for it to populate the coms. Select the appropriate com, click ok, give it a minute. If the gap message appears, click ok, give it a minute. The circle with the + turns blue, click on it. Select the meter, the connect box appears click connect. Worked with win 7 home, win 7 pro, and win 10 pro had no issues with detection. Note: works in both 2.0 or 3.0 usb

[@darkobul1]

There is code on github for b35 version it might work with this one as well.

[@spronkey]

I too don't know what I'm doing here, but I find it extremely interesting, haha!

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

Thanks Joe. I love my BM869s!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Same here.

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

It has become my favorite meter. Before when I would mess with mains power I would always grab my 87V. But now I have no problem using my Brymen for mains power. Thanks for the nice reviews.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@robertcalkjr.8325 Merry Christmas to you and your family as well.

[@SIXSTRING63]

Me too!!!

[@Mrhvac]

Dave, do you have any specific recommendations on meters? Your reviews are very detailed. Unless I have missed it, I don't see any narrowed down recommendations. Updated: I read further down and now realize that you don't make specific recommendations. I completely understand. Please disregard.

[@thetechgenie7374]

Love your reviews you unlike others know your stuff and what I like to see. You earn my subscription. You sure have way more subscribers with the detail reviews you do.

[@TheRealChetManley]

Love your videos, you not owning a cell phone is the best thing ever. Don't give in 😁 (comment posted from my mobile, which causes me to waste way too much time)

[@joesmith-je3tq]

LOL! I still don't own one.

[@Dennis-mq6or]

I have one and was never able to get it to work with my Windows computer, (any version) I also have a UNI-T UT61E and a UNI-T 181A. My go-to meter is the 181A only because of no backlight in the 61E and I like the display on the 181A.... ( I work in poorly lit areas a lot... ) The poor OWON sits on the bench never used, kind of like me when I played high school football.... When I am not sure of a connection, I use the Aneng 8008 which is an fairly accurate throwaway. Recently I purchased a Hantek Scopemeter., the cheapest one. (2C42) The digital meter is not very good in the scopemeter, but very easy to see in dark places, and the oscilloscope feature works really well for everything I need to do. I enjoy watching your meter testing more than any of the other so called evaluations I see some other really dumb technicians try to do. (how can a person attempt to evaluate something they don't know how to use?) I looked for an evaluation of the Hantek product on your site but couldn't find one. Maybe I missed it? I hope you watch you do one some day....

[@davesimonis1476]

I have had mine 5 years and it quit reading resistance correctly. SHows a high resistance w/o leads plugged in. I opened it up to make sure nothing was caught/bridging the gap...only good for voltage now...now onto a Klein or FLuke, no more of these cheap ones.

[@wktodd]

No idea why I just spent over an hour watching you break another meter (I found your channel while looking to buy one) . It is ,at least ,an escape from work and Christmas non sense , so cheers Joe , I appreciate the effort you put in to making the videos . Have a good Christmas break (bah humbug an' all that). Addendum: Just thinking how you could have saved me and others , 70 + sobs* and a countless amount of grief , if we'd have brought this POS and had it blow up on a job. (* UK expression - universal currency unit) Thanks for your efforts Joe:-)

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I feel that way with some of the channels I watch as well.

[@keithcoltron3171]

DON'T let anyone say other than your vid's are simply the best, cannot thank you enough, SUPERB!!!!!!

[@vincei4252]

Happy Holidays, Joe!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Thanks and to you and yours as well.

[@jtveg]

Thanks so much for such a thorough test and review of this meter. 😉👌🏼 I'm thinking of buying this meter just because I can use the bluetooth data logging feature with my Android phone. I'll just make sure not to change ranges while the leads are still in circuit. 🔌⚡

[@regscriven]

Merry Christmas to you and your family , best wishes from England

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Thanks. Merry Christmas from the USA.

[@avejst]

Thanks for sharing :-) Happy holidays :-)

[@edku8565]

Great review and testing. I was planning to buy this meter. Valuable info. Thank you.

[@sorinmiliescu]

@Joe Smith, if you need the Windows software, let me know

[@pyromen321]

I’ve had this meter for about 6 months, and my only gripe is I was never able to get it working on windows, but I have started reverse engineering their software and have been able to connect to it from any BLE device! No stupid dongle needed! I’ll post a link for others once I put more work into it and get my code cleaned up. Also, luckily Owon wrote their software in Java, so it’s absurdly easy to decompile.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

You should start a thread up on EEVBLOG about this project. I'm sure there are people who would like to see it. I've not done anything more with the meter since the review but it does seem that someone had posted about getting it to work with Windows. If you wrote a decent document for the software interface, I may try to get it working but the meter had so many problems I couldn't see investing any more time with it.

[@pyromen321]

@@joesmith-je3tq, I think my reply got deleted because I linked to my EEVBlog forum post. I finally got around to working on this project and got all of the core functionality up and running. In my deleted comment (which might be held for review by you, I'm not entirely sure how that works) I asked what sort of interface would make it easy for your to integrate with? I probably spent about 25 cumulative minutes making the software interactive, so all that is subject to change based on feedback.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@pyromen321 I checked the YT filter and nothing from you was there.

[@KaMyKaZii]

Hello friend. Can you send the link to your project?

[@OneBiOzZ]

I have used those little condoms before, but entirely to prevent someone or something from touching the fuses or in case its too close to a piece of metal it might arc over to or a connector someone might try and mess with i dont think they are sold or ever intended to be a failsafe in case of fuse failure, nor do i really think it would do a good job at helping keep in the fuse not sure why they would choose to use them in this application Also happy holidays to you too

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I've seen heatshrink tube being used with them before but this was a first for me. I would rather see a proper design.

[@nageshji8771]

silicone sleeves on fuse terminals may be to avoid high voltage input causing transient damage to exposed components on pcb

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Possible but keep in mind that they are open on the bottom side facing the PCB. I suspect it's more to limit the shards of glass.

[@SinLucas]

Wow, man. I apreciate your extensive and well making rew. I dind't know Owon would have almost many good features but the fuses, a disarter. I think, by the way, look for a UNIT UT171A, Hope would be a good choice. Have a good holidays, too.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I have looked at a several UNI-T products. They never perform very well in these tests. I see no reason to look at another at this time.

[@btouw8558]

Have a good 2019 Joe, If i need something to know about multimeter protection, your channel is the place i go.

[@mexykanu]

Thanks for the video ! Happy Holidays !

[@МихаилМихаил-х5ц]

Greetings. Please measure the input resistance of the Owon B41T + multimeter at the mV limit when measuring AC and DC voltage. Many thanks.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Assuming you watched the video and know that the meter was damaged, repaired and the input may no longer represent a new meter? If you would like to know what a new meter reads and it's not in the manual, you may want to ask up on EEVBLOG.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

The AC and DC are shared and will not effect the resistance. I measure 9.4Meg on this meter. Again, I suggest you have someone verify this with a virgin meter.

[@МихаилМихаил-х5ц]

At one forum I read that OWON B41T + at the mV limit in the AC and DC range has an input impedance of 4.7 MΩ, instead of 10 MΩ. Therefore, I asked you to take a measurement.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@МихаилМихаил-х5ц That's fine, but again with the meter having been damaged and repaired, the measurement may not represent a virgin meter. But yes, you will find all sorts of people giving all sorts of expert opinions in the forums.

[@МихаилМихаил-х5ц]

Please give a link to the video where you restore the failed OWON B41T +

[@vpila169]

Your video looks like is an advertisement of OWON B41T+. It made me more confident to go and buy it, regardless the intention to kill it at the end.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

LOL

[@willyrivero470]

Thanks Joe. I enjoyed watching my old Fluke 189 among the competition still holds on. Would you recomend buying that Uni_t that looks like the 289? Or just go for the 289? Thanks for everything! Happy Hollydays!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Sorry but as I have written several times, I don't make recommendations. Check the FAQ in the description. I will say that I don't own a 289 but if I needed to buy a brand new Fluke, that would be the meter. For my own needs, the 189 is a better fit. And as I said during the video, the Brymen BM869s is still my favorite meter of the the ones I have looked at.

[@willyrivero470]

@@joesmith-je3tq Thanks Joe for your answer. And I get your point. I bought my Fluke 189 and have it for about 10 years now and it is still the gem of my lab. But ever since the rotary switch just got broke just like that (I guess of too much use) I realized it's probably about time to consider and upgrading to the 289. The funny thing is that I bought it with the intention to get the best Fluke multimeter, but just two months after I got it, the 289 showed up and the 189 got discontinued. Now I hope it doesn't happen again if God willing I'll get the 289 soon. Just a thought. Because the 289 has so many years without Fluke improving it.

[@jeffsmythe2653]

What about EEVblog Brymen BM235 Multimeter

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I made a review for it. Let me know if you have and specific questions.

[@yambo59]

weak protection aside, its a decent bench meter for reading very low values in resistance and capacitance

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Depends how you define "decent" and "very low values".

[@tech29X]

The CE mark on the back of this meter stands for China Export, and should not be confused with CE Conformité Européenne mark. They're both "official" designations and we all have an idea which one serves what purpose. I guess this is what could happen if you connect B41T to 600V. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXbSkq2HZt-oi68

[@Stelios.Posantzis]

03:33 : Another pitn battery compartment. I think there is a secret competition going on between handheld meter manufacturers over who will make the most cumbersome, dysfunctional battery holder. Maybe they reckon they've been too soft on consumers ever since they abandoned the 9V cells in favour of AAs. 12:40 ; Yikes! Sounds like a rusty salt grinder! 18;30 : Ha! A Fluke 189 for 50$ on ebay! That will be the day... not sure how long I'd have to wait for that though.

[@JackZimmermann]

Extensive testing. Won't show up on my "want" list any time soon. And as always there's a spectacular ending! Haha! Happy Christmas!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Merry Christmas to you as well Jack. I was surprised when I saw that shunt resistor blow with the fuse on the first transient. Then I saw they had nothing there to protect it like most meters. This is partly why the burden voltage was so poor as well.

[@JackZimmermann]

It's unfortunate that they did such stupid decisions on the input protections. Otherwise, it has nice features.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@JackZimmermann I fully agree. I would have targeted the group buying the UT61E with this meter. That last cheap meter (METERK) I have looked at was loaded with problems. I wasn't sad to see that meter do so poorly with the testing. This meter on the other hand really had no major functional problems and it has features that are missing on the 61E.

[@RobXMusic]

Thanks Man

[@DimAsWizard]

Backlight time can be increased to 3 minutes simply by connecting two pins together at PCB.

[@Alasdair-Morrison]

Merry Christmas

[@pyromen321]

I got one of these recently, and it was actually a newer board. The PCB was labeled “B41T_V1.4 2018.02.07”. Mine did not come with the fuse condoms, but everything else looks about the same. I’ll have to find some good pictures of the V1.3 to compare to mine. I’m curious if they changed the input protection at all

[@mushtaqobaray7529]

Apart from no back light and no temperature range in uni t ut61e. Is ut61e still a better overall choice to go for?

[@ergunguler3981]

merhaba Joe. video için çok teşekkür ederim. süre 7:30 daki continious buzzer test gerçekten bu kadar hızlı mı? youtube da başka videolarda oldukça yavaş duyuyorum. sebebi nedir? özel prob mu kullandınız?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Normally I will measure these using a function generator and a special driver (FET buffer) that I made for this purpose. I record the data I collect in the spreadsheet that is linked in the description. It does not appear that I tested this particular meter.

[@neiliewheeliebin]

Love the ambient backlight mod the UNI-T UT89XD has that function standard i really liked it i'd like to see that feature in Brymen meters

[@MalagasOnFire]

Very detailed review.. until it meets the transient generator... and pops with rubber explosion containers... Did not make far on the robustness , but it provided a light show :P

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Rare to see a meter get damaged by this test. A bit strange in this case as they spec the meter to handle what I did to it.

[@MalagasOnFire]

​@@joesmith-je3tq The quick manual claims 250VDC or RMS for the range where it fail but they always cover their skin : photos.app.goo.gl/sW3bsLwLcJ9eenUz5 "Before changing functions, disconnect the test leads from the circuit under test."

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@MalagasOnFire Its pretty standard to see good practices like this in a manual. Do you actually feel that changing the switch while it had this signal applied is why it was damaged? Not that it really matters as I test the meters the same and as I stated in the video, very few have been damaged this way.

[@MalagasOnFire]

@@joesmith-je3tq No more editing. Sorry if talked in a way that question you're method , no that intention, just to say that the warning can be interpreted different for good pratices or company skip warranty in case of damaging by that event, which should not because it is protected in the spec...Happy holidays

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@MalagasOnFire Feel free to question the methods. I stated early on that this particular test, I had taken from an EEVBLOG video. I have never tried to have any of these meters returned under warranty or otherwise. If I can't repair them, they get recycled.

[@jeffsmythe2653]

owon B41T or cem dt9989 witch is best

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Define "best"

[@yukhnevich]

Hi Joe, give advice on which device to buy. Uni-T UT61E (Cyrustek ES51922 + AD737) - for $50 or B41T+ (Cyrustek ES51932 + AD8436) - $55. I can make any modifications. Which device should I choose to get the best after modification?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

One of the dumbest things I see people post about is modifying a safety device. My advice is this should never be done because of the potential risks. You would be far better off buying the right tool to start with. As for which tools you need, that's something only you can answer. You may find the FAQ helpful.

[@yukhnevich]

@@joesmith-je3tq I did not mean a modification of the protection, but a modification of the backlight, temperature on the UT61E. Now the price is equal. But which one to puzzle over. 61E maked better, while Owon 41 has a newer main chip and true rms chip.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@yukhnevich ANY modification to a safety device adds risk!!! You add your seemingly safe backlight circuit you mention, and end up eating into some critical spacing and Dawin is there to step in. Worse, you loan the device you modify to someone who doesn't understand that you have placed them at risk. Keep in mind that there are several flavors of the UNI-T UT61E. Do your homework before you send your money.

[@yukhnevich]

@@joesmith-je3tq Well, if there were only two devices Unit UT61E and Owon B41T+ left on the planet, which one would you choose for your work. First or second? The choice is only between these two and no Flukes ))

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@yukhnevich Certainly that's not the case and there are many handheld DMMs to choose from. Keep in mind, I have been using a bench meter for many years. I bought an HP3468A brand new many years ago and latter bought the HP34401A when it was first released. Both meters have served me very well. It's been fairly rare that I would have had a need a higher end meter than the 34401A for my hobby use. However, when I first started learning I had an old VTVM given to me. This video shows my first DMM. kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZOuoKCrgbGki5o I would imagine that in many cases the free meters from Harbor Freight would be good enough. Hard to say in your case. This is really something you need to answer for yourself.

[@tech29X]

Wow this was an excellent review, very comprehensive. However after watching the video I'm not sure if i should get this unit or not. I want something with data logging function sub $100. Some reviews claim continuity test on this unit is slow to respond, however on your video, @7:30 the continuity test response time looks normal, just not as loud. Is there anything else comparable in this price range? I mean some of these units are almost cheaper than the replacement fuse inside.

[@tech29X]

Hello Joe, do you think there maybe a confusion or mix up on behalf of the person who wrote the spec sheet for OWON B41T+? At @7:15 of your video, resistance measurement specification is listed as 220 Mega-Ohms and @40:15 Frequency specification is listed as > 220 MHz (although stated "UNDEFINED - UNDEFINED for margins.) Do you think it's a coincidence that resistance measurement specification and frequency are both is listed at 220? From your tests and spec sheet of margins listed, maybe, just maybe this meter's frequency was supposed to be around 22Mhz?? And some clerk made a typo, or is illiterate to know the difference between Ohms and Hz. For its price B41T+ looks like a very nice meter for low voltage/electronics work (with the exception of burden voltage), especially when we compare it to EEVBLOG 121GW meter. I mean 121GW over $200, is plagued with slew of problems (hardware/software) according to the forums that I've been reading. It can't even log data consistently and lack of timestamp in log file makes interpretation of data impossible when the log intervals are unpredictable due to dropped measurements. It was supposed to be "hackable" whatever that means, some people seems to interpret that as the firmware will be open source, etc. I watch your videos (to the extent that I can comprehend) and love it. I'm just saying maybe you got frustrated towards the end because off very poor input voltage protection of B41, and the device driver for bluetooth did not work for you in Windows after you invested considerable time on the review and maybe you got hungry and tired towards the end :-) . I understand you don't have and care for a cellphone, but maybe it's time to get a used, cheapie Android tablet. If you watch the first 40 minutes of your video things were going reasonably well :-) I mean, I get it, this meter is definitely not for industrial environment. With those glass fuses, hardly a CAT II meter and maybe barely good enough for 110V. Thank you again for your detailed work, still learning from your videos. -73

[@joesmith-je3tq]

You would need to contact the manufacture if you are concerned with their documentation. I'm sure every meter I have looked at look nice to some people. Obviously I have used the 121GW to log a lot of data using both the card and BLE and it's worked fine after I had moved away from the original firmware. I do find it odd that you would waste your time continually harping on about the 121GW. Just move on and find something you like. If you feel this Owon has your name on it, get one. Just don't expect me to justify your purchases for you to make you feel better. I won't. From the data I collected and the problems I found, I would never have a use for this meter. Normally these videos are shot over the course of a few days, not an afternoon. Running these tests takes a long time. So, no I wasn't getting hungry and decided to call it quits. The meter just wasn't worth investing any more time on. I have never had case where using a cell phone to log data would have been any benefit to me. I surely wouldn't buy one just to play with handheld meters. This is the job for a PC and LabView.

[@tech29X]

@@joesmith-je3tq Joe, I sort of consider this like rag chewing, a little friendly chatting and learning from you. Well, it appears I'm not able to fully comprehend what you're saying during your recordings, because the first 38 minutes looked "good" to me about OWon. And I just ordered one, if I don't like it, que sera, I won't shed any tears on it... Why am i harping on 121GW; I guess I wanted to have finally found a meter where most enthusiasts would agree on. When I see a feature where something that even a "cheapie" Owon can do better at quarter the price, but the "one" designed by "The Man: Dave Jones" who had been teaching the whole community what features are good/bad, his "design" is struggling/failing is very disappointing to me. During the first 38 minutes of your video, I don't know I lost count how many times you said "looks good" "impressed" regarding Owon. I guess, I have a comprehension problem. I also looked into Brymen 525S, but for some reason it's not available on Amazon or Ebay where I can click buy and don't wait long. I suspect the same meter is rebranded here under other names such as "Greenlee DML-430" and they're not selling direct here. Also just the data sync cable is more expensive than the Ow-ther brand. I wish I had know data logging with 121GW worked satisfactory for you (to SD card I hope). Bottomline; maybe I get educated a little more with this OWN and by that time there might be something new and shiny. Right now I'm looking into ordering a cheapie picoscope and some signal generator just to play 2204A, 2205B is "only slightly" better almost double the price. I'm trying to figure out how and if it's worth it... Cheers.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@tech29X I'm not much of a fan boy. Even if everyone agrees and posts about a product being the best thing every, I will stand on the data. The OWON starts out with a poorly designed battery cover. The the -DC bias caused it to have problems. Then the RF causes it to reset. Then it has an undocumented protocol. The 121GW is well documented allowing people like me to write their own code for it, which I have done. The OWON would require more wasted time. The OWON has the typical cheap contacts I see in these low end meters. It also has pretty much what I would expect for a front end and fuses with a low end meter. It's rare that I see a meter damaged with that AC line voltage test. Only the really low end meters will fail with this test but of course, the OWON not only resets but is also damaged during it. It's just a low end cheap meter with a worthless closed source Bluetooth interface. People tend to hear what they want to hear. There is a spreadsheet that you can download and it will show at what levels the meters survive. The OWON didn't get out of the starting gate. Again, the 121GW was not designed by Dave. It's too bad you have no desire to look into it as I think the history is fairly well documented. Many kickstarts end with you getting nothing. In this case, they obviously put a product together. That in itself is impressive. If UEI ever releases new hardware, I will have a look. We are rapidly approaching two years....

[@tech29X]

@@joesmith-je3tq I completely agree, people tend to hear (or read) what ever they want to believe, for example despite the spec sheet for a product says 220Mhz: UNDEFINED - UNDEFINED some of us interpret that as it fits.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@tech29X I will always push these products to their limits, documented or not. You may not like me pointing out how poorly this OWON performed with these tests. You may even feel that the tests are stupid. That's all fine. The data is just that, data. I have no personal attachments to the brands or products one way or the other. In the end, this meter was one of the worse performers I looked at.

[@aleksiejporiadnyj9059]

Joe Smith, could you display the current value of tests in the right cone of the video?

[@rcarioca]

So what is the final conclusion ?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

After watching, what was your conclusion? That's all that really matters.

[@DoRC]

It always cracks me up when people say ol means open lead.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I had never heard that before but checking Google and sure enough, this is a common answer.

[@marcgoetz4439]

Thank's for the review. I will buy an other one.

[@Escrius]

very good video, I don't know if you will see the message, but I would like you to tell me what modifications you would make to the multimeter to improve it, thank you

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I would never modify any safety device. Buy the tools that meet the requirements.

[@Escrius]

@@joesmith-je3tq Since you modified that uni-t multimeter that you showed at minute 10:37, I thought you would do the same with the Owon

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I really wouldn't have any reason to modify this meter. That said, the reason for modifying the UNI-T was to provide viewers some idea about what goes into a design like this and how some of the choices effect the robustness of the meter. That UNI-T meter will never be used for anything more than demonstration purposes.

[@tech29X]

EDIT: IGNORE this comment; my measurement method was WRONG: It looks like I will be returning B41T after all; I took several low resistance measurements with it, and they're consistently reporting high. I've used the 4 meters I have, including my clamp-on style CM100 and my ancient wavetek 27XT both of which can't measure that low. The Cheapo Klein MM200 is the only one at hand that seems to be able to measure 2.7Ohm 100watt resistor and it's almost spot on reading 2.5 to 2.6 Ohms. B41T consistently reading 2.7 ohm resistor as 3.2 Ohms if I turn the dial from OFF to Ohms setting. Strangely, if I turn the dial counter clockwise from Amps settings to Ohms it reads even higher at around 3.5 to 3.6 Ohms. As far as I can tell none of these meters are rated to measure such low resistance values, but KLEIN did much better. Also, on your video I see you measure 0.5 Ohms accurately with B41T @5:26. That burns me. I knew this was poor input protection but it looked accurate for the basic stuff. I don't get it. I also tried measuring 3x 10 Ohm resistors in parallel (since I don't have any other low resistors at hand) and again MM200 is reading spot on at about 3.3 Ohms, OWON on the other hand measures it at about 4.5 Ohms using the same test leads. So, I'm already handicapped with my knowledge of electronics, I can't tolerate (deal with) inaccuracies and inconsistencies with my equipment on top of that. I can't even assertain the latest status of 121GW (which feals like a GigaFlop, not in computational sense) the other viable option feels like a BM869s which is overseas special order, doh!

[@tech29X]

Never mind what I just typed above; I realized when I touch the test leads together with OWOWN B41T+, it measures resistance value of test leads that float around 0.60 Ohms, even higher with alligator clips screwed on. I had to push the blue button with DELTA symbol on it while touching the leads, and the measurements are coming up within spec 2.75 ohms. I watched your video again and I see that DELTA triangle symbol on the meter when you're measuring that 0.5 Ohm resistor. I didn't even see you adjust anything like that during playback, I guess it got cut out during "editing". I tested 3x 10 ohms in parallel and they're spot on reading 3.33 Ohms. Oh well, I better read up that user manual.

[@Sloxx701]

Good pointing out the confusion with PTCs and MOVs, not sure how much it helped lol. In a new video from one of the guys you showed, I thought he would get it right, but instead he gets it backwards - now calling the MOVs in red the PTCs, when the actual PTC is down next to the precision resistor (which he doesn't point out). Link - kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5KcopaCbdFlmdk Edit - I can understand how it may be confusing, but a lot of multimeter reviews I'm seeing lately, especially when it comes to input protection, seem to be done by people who just maybe shouldn't be doing them. Seeing the insides of the meter and just exclaiming "more parts, bigger parts, Fluke, so it must be better" is a little silly.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

This is the guy who reviewed a UNI-T UT210E current clamp, looks at the quad op-amp and calls it an LCD driver. It was pretty funny. I pointed it out to them, but they chose to delete my comment. lol.

[@trainliker100]

I found that a lot of people don't really know what the "voltage" rating of a fuse is. It is simply the voltage the fuse is guaranteed to stand off when blown. (Such as not arc over or something.) So, it would seem that 250 volt rated fuses don't have a high enough voltage rating for the meters specification. But not sure if there might be some details surrounding this I don't know.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

For high energy circuits, they also have to consider the fault current. This is not the same as the typical rating on a fuse. The safety fuses will be rated to 5kA and higher.

[@1ohtaf1]

Why do meters, even expensive ones, have such a high burden voltage? You said you modded that UNI-T to lower the burden voltage, is there a downside to the modification? If not, why don't meter manufacturers do that to begin with?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I would imagine that most people working with such low currents have other means to make these measurements rather then using a handheld meter. It's also possible that there is very little demand for such a feature. The downside to making ANY modification to a handheld DMM is that it IS a safety device and it may become unsafe. Personally, when I need to measure current, I am normally not using a handheld meter. I did make a video showing an external amplified shunt. Nothing magic or complex. Just a chopper and a few resistors. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpikZ3yflLB0htU

[@matthewslong4273]

Who knows holdpeak this brand?

[@md.mostafakhan4529]

Mostly for BT fanboys I guess.

[@xhivo97]

Only 8k? Guys let's get this MAD LAD to 100k!

[@MonkY2k2]

Nice review! Thank you for all the tests! I was looking to buy a B41T+ (specially for the temperature and bluetooth conectivity), but not anymore. Can you please recommend me a better one that does have bluetooth/pc connectivity and temperature? One that wouldn't ruin my bank account! Thanks in advance!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Sorry but I do not make recommendations. I havn't looked at too many meters with BT. The UT181A with UNI-Ts BLE adapter, the UEI/EEVBLog 121GW and the Gossen Ultra. You could have a look at these.

[@MrDante195]

Great channel bro, you are doing some interesting work

[@mauricehuinck7381]

Thank you for your good review and testing the multimeter! This gives me a good fealing what the meter can!

[@peregrine1970]

I feel like this was some bait.... to get me to click.... b41t... *crickets* get it? *crickets*

[@joesmith-je3tq]

You know, a friend of mine said the same think (that it looked like it spelled BAIT). lol

[@Tool-Meister]

Joe, the value of your reviews are off scale! I’m not in the market for yet another meter. I do teach an astronomy imaging “Working in the Field” class at the local Jr College. I’m placing the Owen in the mid-range recommended catagory. It’s worth noting, my battery-powered travel Oscilloscope is an OWON SDS7102-V which is approximately 10 years old. It works like new, still meeting all specs. It’s been well travelled, used hard, but well cared for. I can only hope this OWOM meter proves as well built and as robust as my scope.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

If you took the time to watch the review, you are aware how many problems this meter has and are able to work around them. If they are working on mains at all, I like the Fluke 101. No fuse for them to get into trouble with and it's a very robust meter.

[@Tool-Meister]

@@joesmith-je3tq THANKS for the heads-up. I confess I was interrupted several times while watching. I list the year’s recommended meters along with their most offensive shortcomings and most valuable “extras”. For example, I doubt the high burden voltage would affect this community of users s. I’ll watch the review again to see what I missed. Yes, the Fluke 101 are highly rated in my lists, which change with the steady stream of new offerings. I urge these occasional users to avoid manual ranging models as I feel it’s another unwanted complication. Lastly, our team only teaches the series in the spring semester, so there’s plenty of time for refinement. EDIT: This morning I re-watched the "test to failure" area of the video. Then I checked the prices on Amazon. It's no longer a $70 meter, closing in on $100 ($95 today). At $95, it has wonderful features, but seems to be sadly lacking in robustness. With the total defect list and the new higher price it won't be on the "Recommended List". As you've often pointer out, the Fluke 101 can be a lifetime purchase @ $60.00. I doubt that can be said for the Owon.

[@MarcoFranceschini1971]

Great great as usual Joe...What kind of current reference there's in your magic box ?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Home made junk. The box is just used for a sanity check.

[@tech29X]

I'm not an expert, but in absence of MOVs, is it possible OWON employed some sort of spark gap protection on this circuit? Although glass fuses are plain junk, at least we can replace them with ceramic type. Also, do you have any comments about range gap for milliamp microamps measurement?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Oh yea, there is a spark gap alright! The question is if its intentional. lol. In all seriousness, no there is no spark gap. Just the PTCs and the high speed clamps. It's a low end meter and I wouldn't expect much more than this.

[@tech29X]

@@joesmith-je3tq well, at least the display (bar graph) seems to update nicely, better than CEM-9939.. Well, I really wanted a meter with data logging (for low voltage hobby). I better start watching reviews on UT61e, but I got a feeling it won't turn out good. Then again, B41T+ and riding a motorcycle without a helmet might be in the same ball park which I have done more than a few times :)

[@MarcoFranceschini1971]

CATIII 1000 Volt !!!!!! Brrrrrrrr.....

[@karlbesser1696]

I am searching for a schematic and calibration manual for B41T+. It is possible to get it?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Someone like yourself could reverse engineer the design and provide the schematics to the public. Outside of that, you could try asking the company who makes it if they would release it. I doubt it but you never know.

[@karlbesser1696]

@@joesmith-je3tq Thank you for the prompt reply. I tried to get the circuit diagram from OWON, but nobody answered. I don't have the time for reverse engineering. Still, many thanks from Karl.

[@JamieTyson]

An observation as a bench tech that doesn't go near high voltage stuff- it would be perfect as a "poor man's 189." You can datalog and the thing seems plenty accurate. The high meg range is helpful, and the bar graph pretty fast. Thanks for the thorough review!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Odd as a self proclaimed tech, you would compare this meter with the Fluke 189. The 189 is a 50K count, 2X display, supports AC+DC, nS... The OWON does have a 60M range compared with the 189's 500M (and again it supports nS). Well, you can compare the specs. The problem with the 189 is Fluke discontinued it. Most meters I have looked at, including the free ones from HF were accurate at least within their specs. The 189 was pretty easy to get working with Labview. I'm sure if someone wanted to invest their time, they could get Labview working with this meter as well. I have some low cost meters do very well in these tests. The Fluke 101 was less than $50 and has survived every test I put it through. Seeing meters that cost more than $50 get damaged from the AC line test or ESD is not something I would ever expect.

[@JamieTyson]

@@joesmith-je3tq well, I guess that's the tough thing about the internet. When I say something dumb, there's no taking it back! Excellent points, all! Thanks again, love your channel.

[@Motion_0112]

Do you recomend the owon for no more of 220v and electronics use? If no, whats the alternative you prefer?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Sorry but I do not make recommendations. There is a link to a FAQ in the description.

[@Motion_0112]

@@joesmith-je3tq Okey, thanks for all and have a nice day

[@inductorbackemf7204]

Merry xmas Joe (if i have not said on this video) have a great new year! Alex.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Have a Merry Christmas as well.

[@KissAnalog]

Thanks for the in-depth review!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Glad you enjoyed it. Sorry, I didn't dive into the safety side of things too much. lol.

[@Tool-Meister]

After your admonishment, I really studied the video. Saw a lot of good, but some pretty ugly characteristics, especially fusing and input protection, on this other wise attractive collection of features and specs. Question: While testing the frequency, what is the actual fidelity of the signal at the banana connectors? The viewing angle is such I can’t tell if the coax is terminated. Just wondering…

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Its an hour and a half video. Post a time frame so I can have some context what you are asking.

[@Tool-Meister]

@@joesmith-je3tq Sorry Joe. My bad. About 37:00 minutes, plus or minus a few minutes, when you're testing maximum frequency capabilities. I think it's the same lash-up you used when all the meters were connected in parallel for testing DC offset, AC at frequency, etc. You are the most patient KZbin host. Sorry to be so thoughtless.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@Tool-Meister Ok, you are asking about the testing with the RF generator and you want to know what that signal looks like with the meter attached? Without the termination, the amplitude will be double vs with. Depending on the test, I will sometimes use a PA to get the levels up higher. In this case, it sounds like I stated I ran it to 10dBm, then to 30dBm or 1Watt or roughly 7.1 volts RMS. You can see the amplifier off to the left. The meter is not normally going to present a good match so when using a PA I will pad them out to 50 ohms. The pad is going to be upstream from the meter. That said... some low end meters will not always follow the typical front ends which can have a big effect on the loading it presents. For example: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jn-1ppmAjbN6f8k Now, if there is something specific you would like to see, I do still have this meter however, it may no longer perform like a stock production part. It has been damaged, repaired.....

[@tecnisdaimondm.g9321]

EXCELENTE

[@tech29X]

I received this meter about 30 minutes ago, and that battery cover is just silly. I guess in the last minute someone in design team said oh wait, we need to put a stand for this meter, lets put it right over the battery cover. However the rest of the meter seems excellent. Already downloaded the app for android and emailed the log file to myself. It has time stamps for each recording. Maximum sampling frequency can be down to 0.5 seconds (2 measurements per second). Looking at the log file there tends to be some drift, but it helps to see time stamp next to each measurement so you can adjust for drift, etc... At least you know thre's no huge gap like sample #57 is not 2 minutes after sample#56. The essential continuity test beep volume is low, but beeps instantly, and continuous bar graph response is also immediate. There's no scratch feel. Thinking about getting a second one, so i can have Volts and Current logging simultaneously. Display update speed, readability, fluid response of bar graph is very nice. At quarter the price of a decent meter this is impressive :-)

[@joesmith-je3tq]

It shows you that we all have different requirements and expectations.

[@tech29X]

@@joesmith-je3tq When i get a chance I'll open this meter up and inspect if the "blue condoms" are over the glass fuses. Do you think it would make any sense replacing them with ceramic fuses considering the size is limited to 5x20mm? I'm also thinking about placing 3M super88 tape over the blue shroud so it doesn't fly off when the fuse blows.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@tech29X I would never recommend making any changes to a safety device. I would use the parts the manufacture calls for. I also would never suggest using any product in an environment it was not designed for.

[@Motion_0112]

What mods you recommend to made to upgrade the security ?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

By security, I assume you are concerned with safety. There are no modifications I would ever recommend making to a hand held meter because of safety concerns. Buy the right tool for the job.

[@jstro-hobbytech]

I was recommended the b35t by a former friend (who falsely claims to be an engineer) who has a very large youtube following and when I took it apart I wasn't impressed.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Dave up on EEVBLOG says anyone who calls themselves an engineer is one.

[@jstro-hobbytech]

@@joesmith-je3tq hahahaha good point man

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@jstro-hobbytech At least here in the USA, I think you will need a bit more going for you than just claiming to be something. Because I do not draw any income from KZbin, ads are turned off, no begging for subscribers or pressing that bell, outside of the EEVBLOG, I have no social sites that I advertise the channel on, the channel will stay small. KZbin has ZERO reason to promote the channel. If my goal were to have a large channel, I would need to change things but that's not something I have ever considered.

[@jstro-hobbytech]

@joe smith I understand that. I'm sorry my friend. I wasn't insinuating anything. This happened to me long ago. I wasn't comparing. He befriended me and grifted me about of alot of money and I have ptst from being in policing for 2 decades. I was just getting my life back together at the time and seeing the meter triggered me to make a comment completely unrelated to you. I watch your videos for entertainment and educational value and if I somehow disrespected you I apologize whole-heartedly. I have no filter and my interpersonal communication with people online has suffered. The only social media I have any presence on is the comment section on KZbin, if that even qualifies. I've only just discovered your channel and I'd hate to be known as a pest. I know you don't reccomend any brand and I had my brymen prior to seeing your channel with plans to get the 869 next anyway. I may come off as weird and ramble alot but I never mean offense or lie. I hope this clears up what I meant as I fear I may have went off track in my retort / apology. Just to add though, even an electronics novice like me (who knows just enough to be dangerous and have fun) has alot to learn as a byproduct of watching your great, entertaining, long-form deep dives.

[@jstro-hobbytech]

@joe smith I just noticed the pinned comment. It's the guy I spoke of in that linked video haha. He doesn't have a health condition either as stated in his more info. I'm a sucker for a sob story but a great investigator and never did my due diligence at the time. I don't mention the channel name as I'm not one throw around accusations but I figured since it's there and just noticed it that I'd tell you haha.

[@Tonyplat98]

50-60 bucks? lol they go for 2-300 not 50,60 but it would be a steal if you can find one that cheap...

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Currently it looks like the Owon can be found for $70 on Amazon, not 2-300. lol.

[@Tonyplat98]

@@joesmith-je3tq I was talking about the fluke 189... 18:23

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@Tonyplat98 Yep, I've stated several times what eBays lists them for and that for such an old meter, I would rather buy a brand new Brymen BM869s.

[@2904carlosleon]

hola , gran video ..te escribo desde españa --no entiendo muy bien el idioma del video ..pero tengo un problema con un medidor fluke nuevo 289 que lo he averiado por una pequeña imprudencia ..me gutaria que me ayudases a repararlo o si puedo enviatelo y me lo revisas ..contestame al correo [e-mail] gracias Y SALUDOS

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I suggest you join the EEVBLOG and post your questions there. I do not own an 289 and wouldn't be much help but you will find people are more than willing to help out. Good luck with it.

[@2904carlosleon]

@@joesmith-je3tq GRACIAS ..Parece un gran aporte el EEVBLOG..he pedido un pequeño componente y cuando lo instale sabre los resultados ..gracias amigo .

[@technologicalsingularity1788]

Can you transient test the UT210E sir??

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I have made a few videos showing this meter but I have no plans to test it. Personally I like the meter for it's current clamp function but have never considered plugging the leads into it. The one I have is about a year old now with some moderate use and the switch has started to go bad.

[@marcoscano7998]

This seems to be the same than a Promax PD-184. Promax is a reputable brand very valued for its own designed meters for telecommunications (antennas, etc...). However, it seems like they outsource the multimeter business.

[@Motion_0112]

Good review, but I have a question, do you recommend this meter to a beginner and not to expensive electronics lab?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I don't offer recommendations. Perhaps read the FAQ. There is a link in the description.

[@Motion_0112]

@@joesmith-je3tq Okey, thanks

[@albarnabas8666]

Hi.please sir consider in the future testing the voltcraft vc890 and testo 760-3 multimeters .Dave's eevblog tested the testo very quickly and I would like to hear your opinion about the voltcraft. Thank you very much sir

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I was disappointed in his showing of the Testo as well. I've thought about getting one before.

[@albarnabas8666]

@@joesmith-je3tq please do consider.thanks and happy holidays.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@albarnabas8666 Thanks and same to you and your family.

[@NovaEmotion]

@@joesmith-je3tq Does it beep in the diode test mode if you touch each other with the probes? I do not mean in the continuity test mode, but in the diode test mode. Its analog Unit UT 61E beeps in diode test mode and also beeps in continuity test mode

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@NovaEmotion 1:04:00

[@BajoMendez]

frequency like ut61e, but ut61e no have TEMP

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Yes and it was mentioned a few times in this video.

[@BajoMendez]

I whatched ;)

[@BajoMendez]

Say hi from Brazil :)

[@cristianoferreira2052]

Hello, congratulations on your analysis! If you could choose between the OWON B41T and UNI-T UT61E, which one would you choose?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I think what you are really wanting to know is what meter I would recommend you buy. Personally, I have no use for these two meters and lucky for me, there are much better choices. My choice was and still is the Brymen BM869s. If I could buy a brand new Fluke 189, it would be a toss up. They each have their own advantages. I am not suggesting these meters would suit your needs. You need to make your own choices. That's part of life.

[@cristianoferreira2052]

@@joesmith-je3tq First of all, thank you for responding! I don't work with electronics as a professional, I'm just an enthusiast and I really like your analysis. Congratulations! I currently have these multimeters: - Analog: Hioki AS-100D, Sanwa EM7000 and Triplett 630. - Digital: Fluke 87v, EXTECH EX542, Protek 506 and for watching your videos, I recently bought the Brymen BM869s. I'm thinking about buying a Chinese digital and I'm in doubt between OWON B41T and UNI-T UT61E. So I asked the question, based on your experience. I don't speak English, and I usually translate comments to understand your multimeter ratings. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to obtain information from subscribers.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@cristianoferreira2052 From my own experience, my first two meters were analog. I learned a lot of the basics with nothing more than a cheap Radio Shack meter. If you like collecting meters, personally I would try to find something more rare.

[@cristianoferreira2052]

@@joesmith-je3tq Repair technicians in Brazil use analog multimeters to detect micro leakage in transistors. So analogs are used a lot here. Digital multimeters are not efficient for this. How do you go about detecting these small leaks?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@cristianoferreira2052 Analog meters won't be very sensitive, assuming we are not talking about FET or VTVMs. My very first meter was a VTVM but I had no idea how to use it. If I need to measure currents lower than I can achieve with the my HP34401A, I use an old electrometer. Follow this link and you can see me making measurements in nA range. To make these measurements, I have a metal box lined with Teflon. You can see it in this same thread. www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/using-low-voltage-levels-to-test-hv-capacitors-leakage-current/msg1570711/#msg1570711

[@tech29X]

I just got done opening my meter, circuit board version 1.4, dated February 2018. No blue shrouds covering over the fuses. However there's still a blob of solder at the inside corner of the shunt. This seems to be done deliberately for diffusion, resembling Metcalf's M spot fuse.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

They may just not have the quality control in place to make sure they deliver a consistent product. It's not that uncommon with these low end meters.

[@tech29X]

@@joesmith-je3tq I wanted to believe they watched your videos and decided to remove the blue covers over fuses. Maybe if a fuse is in a very confined space (like blue condom) it may result in longer time to arc as the shattered pieces of glass and metal do not have much space to escape. Do you think that blob of solder on the shunt serves to diffuse heat like Metcalf fuse?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@tech29X I would have no way of know what you are seeing without a picture. Start a thread on eevblog and post up some pictures. If you are looking for feedback, others may chime in as well. Hard to say on the blue condoms. It may have just been a miss on your meter or they are trying to cut costs. You could write the company and ask them if you really want to know.

[@tech29X]

@@joesmith-je3tq I was referring to the picture; what you pointed out at 50:22. I have the same blob of solder with my meter.

[@tech29X]

Metcalf fuse; electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/25055/slow-blow-vs-fast-acting-fuse

[@cursedfox4942]

so can I just beef up the fuse to improve the meter? I watched one of your vids on the uni-t where you beefed up some stuff.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Let's assume you actually watched the video and not only saw but understood all of the problems I demonstrated with this meter. How do you plan to address them? Changing a fuse?

[@cursedfox4942]

joe smith maybe not just the fuse I watched the one where you improved the shunt and added mofs and beefed the fuse. Some of the other things you looked at were for different use cases which is why I asked

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@cursedfox4942 This meter has other functional problems which may require changes to the firmware. IMO, I would get a meter that does what you need it to do, out of the box. There is no way you should EVER consider making any changes to a handheld meter.

[@cursedfox4942]

joe smith lol says the guy making changes to handheld meters lmao

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@cursedfox4942 As I have said many times, the meters are modified for education. They are clearly marked and will be disposed of in the future.

[@tech29X]

Joe, I remember a "good and knowledgeable man" on the web said he would recommend using a shunt for measuring current with a DVM. Suppose I have 10ft of 10AWG copper wire. Could I use it to measure DC current by measuring the mV at two ends of the coil of 10AWG 10ft wire in order to overcome the burden voltage defficiencies of this meter. I guess coiling up the wire would not be good when measuring AC current?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Copper is not stable with temperature. There are many more stable materials I would consider. Then again, brand new shunts can be purchased at a reasonable prices.

[@tech29X]

@@joesmith-je3tq Joe, I'm cheap but it wasn't money savings in this consideration. Convenience, readily available, etc... Anyhow, I'm looking at some models of shunts, some listed 50A@50mV, some are 20A@100mV, some 100A@100mV, and my head isspinning, for sake of measuring current with least margin of error at 12VDC, couple amps to milliAmps range, what would be a more desirable rating, 20A@100mV shunt?

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@tech29X It really depends on your requirements. Ask yourself, does this guy know that what I really want to do is measure the sleep current of my car that can actually reach hundreds of Amps, and that I don't mind it when I short out the battery, cause an explosion and spend the rest of my life with an acid burned face disfigurement. lol. I have no idea what you are doing, why you are doing it, or what tools are required to do what ever it is right. That's your job. If you can't answer these questions, that is where I would suggest you start. I have made several videos showing various ways I measure current. What I can't understand is you bought this meter and it has a current measurement feature built in. It can certainly measure 2Amps and should be safe to use with a 12VDC supply. Why don't you use it?

[@tech29X]

@@joesmith-je3tq As for using a shunt; I was referring to this video clip where you said; kzbin.info/www/bejne/aoHNnnmnr9GZgsU

[@tech29X]

AGM batteries are safer than flooded lead acid. The current draw is typically about 80-90mA as measured with my clamp on DC ammeter that uses HAL effect(it's a nice little meter that cane measure down to 2mA I bought just for this purpose). When doors are unlocked, current surges to around 2-3 amps...

[@aurthorthing7403]

Thanks for checking it out Joe. I have had my eye on these for a while.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

No problem. Hope you found it helpful.

[@aurthorthing7403]

@@joesmith-je3tq Yes it did help. I wanted to like it but I got no use for anything that can't handle a fall without losing it's fuse. I've been using Fieldpiece for 20 years and they are built like a tank. I like them but I want something with a data connection and it would be awesome if it was wireless.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

@@aurthorthing7403 The fuses both stayed in place when I dropped it. I believe this is the purpose of the two fuse condoms. The only ones I have looked at that were wireless besides this one are the UT181A (with their added radio adapter), the CEM/Extech EX540 and the the UEI/EEVblog 121GW.

[@aurthorthing7403]

@@joesmith-je3tq, I don't trust the condoms to hold the fuses and they look tacky. On a side note: Here is the windows software for it. www.owon.com.hk/support_PC_Software_list3

[@felixcat4346]

Thanks for posting. I watch your videos because you're not trying to turn a buck.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

I doubt you will ever hear me thank my patrons or say anything like give it the thumbs up. It's not what the channel is here for.

[@erickjuma6211]

Fluke is the best always GO for THE BEST.!!!

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Based on what criteria? Fluke really only makes one meter I would consider today, the 289. Personally, I don't work in the electrical field so most of what they offer is of little interest to me. Of the ones I have, I use the 189 from time to time along with the 97. Both are very old and no longer offered.

[@erickjuma6211]

joe smith my criteria is based on quality and accuracy. Remember fluke is a TRUE RMS meter.

[@joesmith-je3tq]

Sounds like you assume all Fluke meters are TRMS which they are NOT!!! Read the specs. Many meters I have looked at, including this one are TRMS. I don't do much with accuracy or drift. I have shown a CEM meter that I use for work that is several years old and still passes it's biannual calibration. I have a UNIT meter that I have kept track of a few metrics since I bought it. As you can see in this video, of the ones that have survived, they all track fairly well and I would guess still meet the manufacture's specs. The problem I see with Fluke is that they really don't offer much to the electronics group outside of that 289.