Got to be woth £20 uk

[807]

My voltage reference unit arrived today from this seller:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400452242651?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

GBP16.10

Ordered on 22 June arrive in UK 27 June  ...

WOW. Just 5 days from Hong Kong!

I placed my order with the same seller on 15th June. Still waiting!

[Fraser]

I was surprised as well. Just lucky I guess. I have ordered another so will see how long that takes.

It is good to find that the calibration certificate comes with it as standard though.

I believe you will be very pleased with your purchase. I bought a kit of parts to build my own 5V voltage reference. I see no need to do so now. this unit cost less, does more and comes cased and calibrated. 

The only daft thing is that its comes without a charging cable of any sort. A USB charge socket on the unit would have made sense as it is 5V.

[807]

Shhh...don't give them ideas about paying extra for a certificate. LOL.

Yep. I'm like a little boy on Xmas morning! Can't wait to get my hands on the package.

Now I just need to buy a new 50000 count DMM to compliment it.

[Fraser]

Good point. I have removed my comment in case they decide to change their price !

Cheers

Fraser

[G7PSK]

I have also just ordered one, so will be interesting to see how fast that arrives. Also be good to see how my meters compare as well.

[Fraser]

My second unit from this supplier is already in the post to me....nice fast despatch 

I have already identified several multimeters that I own that are less accurate than my Fluke's. OK they are not miles off spec but they could do with either calibration or marking as not 'Fluke' precise instruments. Thankfully  I have my Fluke and Advantest bench meters if I need really accurate readings. It was interesting to see the variation in readings across some of my collection of multimeters though. My AVO Megger units were as accurate as my Fluke 87 III. My Wavetek DM23XT, less so.


My Voltage reference is stated as providing the following voltages at 21 degrees C :

2.50093V
5.00165V
7.50336V
10.00360V

My old Uni-T UT39A gave the following readings:

2.48V
4.96V
7.45V
9.93V

Another old meter...the Wavetek DM23XT manual ranging:

2.50V
5.01V
7.52V
10.02V

Old Wavetek DM73A Probe meter:

2.504V
4.99V
7.49V
9.99V

My Fluke 87 III readings:

3.5 Digit mode:

2.500V
5.00V
7.50V
10.00V

4.5 Digit mode:

2.501V
5.002V
7.503V
10.004V

A simple example of the difference between a relatively old Fluke 87 III and a UNI-T meter.... One remains accurate, the other not so accurate  ....but was it ever 'Fluke' accurate 

[ttp]

What are they using to switch the voltage with the button? Analog mux? mosfets? Seems like most of those methods are no good for high precision measurements...

Look at datasheet, you apply low or high to few pins and output voltage changes, all precision magic is done inside the chip.

[807]

I'm beginning to get a bit concerned now.

It's been 18 days (14 working days) since dispatch. According to the listing 92% of items are received within 14 working days, although I don't know how this is measured, as the items are not tracked or signed for.

I have to wait the full 30 working days before contacting them about a lost item 

[peter.mitchell]

Don't fret, I usually order heaps of cheap crap from china and hong kong on ebay and aliexpress and dealextreme, my latest order was 17 different things from 17 different suppliers, 10 have arrived, 7 have not, it has been 23 days. I still expect it all to arrive, it has just started to come in in the past week.

[Telequipment]

I'm beginning to get a bit concerned now.

It's been 18 days (14 working days) since dispatch. According to the listing 92% of items are received within 14 working days, although I don't know how this is measured, as the items are not tracked or signed for.

I have to wait the full 30 working days before contacting them about a lost item 

It takes a good time I ordered an opto checker , for checking chips , it took a month and a half to arrive, so relax, it will get to you eventually, I've ordered loads of stuff from Hong Kong, you got to sort of forget it.

[807]

Phew! It arrived on Monday.

Will be having a play with it later today with my collection of old DMM's, but haven't really got a meter to fully test it with at the moment.

Still compiling a short list of 40000/50000 count DMM's.

[Telequipment]

 I was the first to mention these things and haven't got around to order one myself yet, a must do soon, let us know how you get on with it.

[Fraser]

I have two of these in transit to me at the moment.

A word of warning, after chasing the seller regarding one overdue unit, he advised that he was having problems with the HK Post. They were spotting the lithium battery and kept returning the units to him as prohibited items. The other units seller confirmed he was also having the same problem with China Post. They have resent all the returned items but the detection/rejection rate appears high.

Get them while you still can. I suspect they will start to be shipped without the battery.

[807]

That sounds a bit odd. Were the HK & China post opening their packages to check?

Perhaps they should try & hide the battery by wrapping it before sticking it to the bottom of the case!

[Fraser]

X-Ray safety scans ?

[807]

X-Ray safety scans ?

Hmm..possibly.

Perhaps the sellers should wrap the whole unit in bacofoil. 

[iloveelectronics]

That sounds a bit odd. Were the HK & China post opening their packages to check?

Perhaps they should try & hide the battery by wrapping it before sticking it to the bottom of the case!

If they are a mass mailer they would have an account with HK Post and China Post for their postings. And once some of their packages are spotted I suppose it's easy for the post office/customs to spot check more of their packages on a regular basis.

[Fraser]

Bacofoil = Aluminium = transparent to X-Ray due to very low density 

[Telequipment]

Just ordered one. , guess that will be around a month

[Fraser]

I don't think you will be disappointed 

[807]

Bacofoil = Aluminium = transparent to X-Ray due to very low density 

Oops!

Now where's that embarrassed emoticon? Ahh...here it is... LOL.

[amyk]

AFAIK they are still allowed by sea and land, so you can still get them, it'll just take a lot longer...

[madires]

AFAIK they are still allowed by sea and land, so you can still get them, it'll just take a lot longer...

... unless the ship breaks apart in the Indian Ocean and 7000 containers are donated to the recreation of coral reefs :-)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-19/mitsui-o-s-k-starts-probe-of-ship-split-in-two-in-indian-ocean.html

[G7PSK]

I ordered one on June 28th and have still not recieved it yet, I expect it will get here eventually but with the present aircraft scare I suspect they will be looking a bit more closely for batteries in the air mail. I would rather have t source my own battery than have it floating around on a barge somewhere of the Somalia cost.

[M. András]

i ordered 1 in last month 15th and it showed up yesterday, apart fro mbeing 28celius in my room it was good with my fluke it has only its original factory calibartion so i trust that over a little acrylic box what travelled trought half the globe i wonder if it powers the reference all the time or when the mcu switches it on