Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

[SH@RK]

Hi

I am studying electrical engineering and I want to buy a good multimeter .

I am thinking about Protek 6100 {I don't need the things in 6300} .



http://www.protektest.com/ProdInfo.asp?prodId=6100

And this is 6300

http://www.protektest.com/Prodinfo.asp?prodid=6300

I saw it here and I think it is good one .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW3Wj7UD-_s

So what do u think about it ?

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

I found this one and it looks the same of Protek 6300 but cheaper .

Sinometer MS8268



http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JQ4O2U?...igit-5-in.html


So which product is better ?

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

Thanks

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

I am studying electrical engineering and I want to buy a good multimeter .

If you live in the USA, you can get a good used Fluke multimeter off ebay for a reasonable price (say $40 - the same price as the Sinometer).

This guy "excavatoree" has a ton of Fluke multimeters in his personal collection and has written a guide

http://reviews.ebay.com/Fluke-Meters...00000007478323

See his "Fluke staircase" photo at (last post at bottom)

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=492.0

I found this one and it looks the same of Protek 6300 but cheaper .

Sinometer MS8268

So which product is better ?

Some companies don't actually make multimeters. They get someone else to make it and just rebadge. This might be one of those cases.

BTW, if you are interested in multimeters, see Dave Jones' eevblog.com. He has a TON of multimeter videos including a $50 and $100 "shootout". He also has a "buyers guide" and some teardowns of the more popular multimeters.

http://www.eevblog.com/episodes/

You can also post your question on his forum, but be prepared for some "rough and tumble" opinions there.

And if you are studying EE, you may want to be a regular on his site.

[mariushm]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

He posted pretty much the same message on the forum there.

I don't know who makes this Protek multimeter and I don't even know why you're stuck on that model. It could be a clone of some good model or it could be something bad.

The EEVblog guy recommends second hand Fluke or Agilent, Exetech (or whatever it's called) but I think he's slightly biased towards these brand names as he worked with them at well paid jobs.

I personally bought an Unitrend UT61E from eBay after watching the 99$ roundup videos he made, in which he also tested an Unitrend UT61D multimeter.

The UT61E model is better than UT61D and it's actually cheaper at around 50$ - I have posted pictures of the model here on the "Product reviews section", check my post...

Since that Sinometer multimeter is around 39$ on Amazon, I doubt it's a quality design - actually I could tell by the quality of the printing on the plastic and the way the plugs look. Even this UT61E multimeter I got was 50$ on eBay + shipping.

If you're on a limited budget, I have no problems recommending what I bought, I'm very happy with my purchase.

See my post here with the pictures: https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17099

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

If you're on a limited budget, I have no problems recommending what I bought, I'm very happy with my purchase.

Even this UT61E multimeter I got was 50$ on eBay + shipping.

With some patience, for $51.00 total, I bought a used Fluke 12 ($30 local), used Fluke 75 ($20 local), and used Meterman 15XP (99 cent ebay).

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

The EEVblog guy recommends second hand Fluke or Agilent, Exetech (or whatever it's called) but I think he's slightly biased towards these brand names as he worked with them at well paid jobs.

I should have mentioned that other brands like the above are also good. For $40, you can also look for Amprobe/Wavetek/Meterman, BK Precision, UEI, and Ideal on ebay.

[SH@RK]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

Thank u

Sorry .

I am not stuck to that model but I think about it basing on my money.

I am not in USA but I am From Saudi Arabia so I can not buy any thing I want .

And shipping from USA to my place will cost no less than 35$ .

I went to all shops in my and near cities and found nothing other than chine's multimeters .

I am thinking about Fluke 115 but I think the Current range is very small for electrical engineering .

http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-115-Comp.../dp/B000OCFFMW

What do u think , should I buy Fluke 115 ?

Thanks

[mariushm]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

(in reply to retiredcaps' post above)

I understand the attraction towards Fluke multimeters, I don't want to say anything negative about them and I'm sure they're good.

On paper at least, the UT model is much better, it has 22000 count vs about 4000 and it's true rms.

Now I know this don't mean much if a multimeter is not properly calibrated but with both choices, you'd have to send the multimeter to calibration to be sure. Ideally, you'd also want to have a history of the calibrations to see if the multimeter has drifted at some measurements so that you may predict when or under what conditions its capabilities degrade - it's unlikely to get such stuff with a second hand Fluke off eBay.

The UT61D seemed to give accurate enough measurements, in some cases more accurate than those Amprobe or Exetech he tested. So it assured me enough to try my luck with this ut61e multimeter.

minor note... shipping from China for me it's about 8-12 dollars. most US people would only ship to me through usps/dhl which is 25-30$.. so what may be a good deal for you would suck in the end for me.

[SH@RK]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

I want to get DC power supply and found only this in shops MCH-305D China made for 400 SR == 107 $ .



What do u think about it ?

Power supplies are heavy so it will cost no less than 60$ for shipping one to my place .

Thanks

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

(in reply to retiredcaps' post above)

I understand the attraction towards Fluke multimeters, I don't want to say anything negative about them and I'm sure they're good.

I'm certainly no Fluke fan boy and I respect everyone's opinion. For me, I just could not pass up the opportunities given the price.

Both Flukes were single owner and the Fluke 12 was barely used and looks like new. The Meterman 15XP was also in perfect condition and how could I NOT buy it for 99 cents?

[SH@RK]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

For other thinking

I found in local store

Uni-T Ut601
Uni-T Ut39A
Uni-T Ut39B

Sanwa PM3
Sanwa CD800a

most of them about 200 SR == 55$

What do u think about them ?

Thanks

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

Uni-T Ut601
Uni-T Ut39A
Uni-T Ut39B

The UT601 is an Inductance Capacitance Meter only. It doesn't do any voltage measurements.

I'm not a fan of manual ranging meters so I personally wouldn't buy the UT39A or B. It may not matter to you though.

Sanwa PM3
Sanwa CD800a

Sanwa has a good reputation in the multimeter world, but there are many counterfeits.

http://overseas.sanwa-meter.co.jp/index.php?imitation

[SH@RK]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

Ok so they are useless for me

So what do u think about DC power supply I post before ?

thanks

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

So what do u think about DC power supply I post before ?

Manual range just means you have to switch to the range to get a reading that isn't "1" or "out of range". Otherwise, they work just the the same as autoranging meters. I just prefer autoranging meters.

I don't know anything about DC power supplies. If you are just looking for something really really basic, just use an ATX power supply? You will get 3.3V, 5.0V and 12.0V DC.

[SH@RK]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

Thank U for every thing .

I am working know on this ATX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2oSF...eature=related

As temporarily solution .

Thanks

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

I am working know on this ATX

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2oSF...eature=related

You will learn a lot if you pickup a free non working ATX power supply and try to fix it yourself. That will give you a chance to use your multimeter and learn the basics.

You will also learn a lot by participating in this forum

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=32

and by following posts by PCBONEZ, Toasty, c_hegge, everell, kc8adu, Th3_uN1Qu3, and others.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2oSF...eature=related

In that video, I see the person has a UNI-T 61E that mariushm purchased (maybe that is mariushm in the video?).

It looks improved from the $100 shootout as the 61D has slow autoranging speed and it overshot readings quite a bit before settling down.

The 13:34 mark shows the 61E to be pretty quick and it doesn't overshoot.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

He posted pretty much the same message on the forum there.

For those interested, it is this thread over at eevblog

http://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=5626.0

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

See my post here with the pictures: https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17099

I think I was one of the people who asked you to review when it arrived and upon re-reading the thread, I totally forgot to thank you for writing the review and posting pictures.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

I want to get DC power supply

EEVblog episode 221 talks about lab power supply design - part 1.

http://www.eevblog.com/episodes/

[smason]

Re: Need advice about buying multimeter Protek 6100

I want to get DC power supply and found only this in shops MCH-305D China made for 400 SR == 107 $ .



What do u think about it ?

Power supplies are heavy so it will cost no less than 60$ for shipping one to my place .

Thanks

I bought one of these a while ago off Ebay from Eastern Canada. Shipping wasn't too bad, and it works quite well. I did notice some hum when I transmitted on a UHF radio powered by it. Haven't measured ripple or anything on it yet. Over the Xmas holidays depending on other home projects, I plan to re-organize my bench, may do some testing then.