Proskit MT-2017 is real bad?

[jdm1]

Please excuse if my question is so much below the normal level of this board.

I have got the meter in subject mainly because it has a null DCV mode which I tought was good to check circuit pulse output on quartz watches. That little I achieved, but in regular DCV mode on the smallest range.

Then I went to measure a brand new alkaline battery which reads an hair below 1.6V on my digital meter, I get 1.3V on the analog instrument. That is 0.3V error, or 12% FSD, where specificatations promise + / - 3%. And in battery test mode it barely  gets to "good".

The unit is really big compared to what I had or seen until now, all in all I am a bit disappointed.

Is that kind of expected with cheap meters like this?
Could be due to a defect which I can repair myself?
Would a Sanwa, or other meter, do better?

[tkamiya]

Quality analog meters are much better than what you are seeing.

But when you buy an inexpensive Chinese made meter, anything is possible.  Same model vary quite a bit from piece to piece, too.  Can you send it back for exchange or refund?  There isn't much hope in fixing something like this.

[jdm1]

Thank you for your answer. I am not concerned at all about the monetary aspect, a mere €20, incidentally I am fully covered by the aliX and the C/C issuer.

But i like to understand how things work, why they fail and how to repair them if possible, all that indipendently from their origin or value. I will try measuring some resistors to see if the problem is the same, which I think would indicate a defect in the dial meter, as opposed to one in circuitry.

[tkamiya]

Sure.  If you are going to use that as an educational tool, by all means, go right ahead!

I would guess though, the fault is likely be in resister that's awfully off specification.  Keep in mind, analog meter has an error spec different from digital ones.  Most of them are 5% of full scale.

Say you are at 10V range.  5% of full scale is 0.5V.  If you are measuring something that's 1.5V, the actual reading can be anywhere from 1.0V to 2.0V and that's still within specification. 

[jdm1]

Sorted with few pats on the back.