UNI-T UT61E Multimeter teardown photos.

[mariush]

Of course you're doing something wrong. The meter only measures current when you use the 10A jack.

[lagman]

In that case why is there a yellow symbol "Hz" under the A range?

[Wytnucls]

Try the 10A AC selection. If that doesn't work, try the AC mA position, if the current is below 220mA.
The AC voltage selection should also give you frequency and duty cycle.

[lagman]

The light uses about 2A. I tried the 10A AC but no success.

[lagman]

This is really strange. I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong...
Is there somebody out there with a UT-61E who could test this?

[lagman]

HKJ gave me the answer.
http://budgetlightforum.com/node/8642?page=2#comment-585893
Seems like even though you can display Hz in DC Amp range the meter needs AC.

[Wytnucls]

The book says no DC offset allowed when measuring frequency:

[HKJ]

The book says no DC offset allowed when measuring frequency:

That table is for the frequency (Hz) position. In the above case frequency was measured on the current input, with DC selected.

[Wytnucls]

No, that note covers all frequency selections.

[HKJ]

No, that note covers all frequency selections.

Not as it stands, the frequency is only up to 1kHz when measuring it in the current ranges.
The note "DC electric level is zero" must mean that it only works for AC, not pulsing DC. In the "fast" test I made it was not critical with DC offset, but it needed something below zero to work.

[lagman]

An other thought:
The manual says:
***
5. Press Hz% to obtain the frequency and duty cycle value.
   Input Amplitude: (DC electric level is zero)
   Input Amplitude:    >rangex30%
   Frequency response:UT61A and B <400Hz
                UT61C , UT61D andUT61E   <1KHz
***
I set the meter to the 10A range. Maybe that my input amplitude needs to be at least 3A (30%) in order to get a reading?

[multiJ]

Hello all. Is this DMM still good value for a hobbyist at the $50 range, please (mainly for small battery testing and light electronics work). Thank you 

[HKJ]

Hello all. Is this DMM still good value for a hobbyist at the $50 range, please (mainly for small battery testing and light electronics work). Thank you 

I believe it is, but watch out for the current ranges, the burden voltage is a bit high in some cases.

[multiJ]

Thank you HKJ. I was wondering if the UT61E is decent for this kind of work:
http://www.lygte-info.dk/info/Measurement%20UK.html


(edit for spelling)

[HKJ]

Thank you HKL. I was wondering if the UT61E is decent for this kind of work:
http://www.lygte-info.dk/info/Measurement%20UK.html

It is, except for some measurements in mA and uA range, where the burden voltage is to high (Using an external resistor can fix that).
The problem ranges are 2200uA and 220mA, i.e. between 0 and 200uA it has very low voltage drop, same with 0 to 20 mA range.

[multiJ]

That is very helpful, much appreciated

[torr032]

Brand new UT61E, bought on ebay, shipped directly from Shenzen. Markings on  PCB: 150507-9 61E

When measuring clear DC on voltages above about 8 volts, I get this erratic readings on AC range, goes OL and back with beeping when OL is displayed. I have no idea what the problem is. Sorry no sound this is the only camera I got.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DcmOKxp2Eo&feature=youtu.be


http://postimg.org/image/o3whew8vf/

[mariush]

It's normal, the meter is not designed to measure AC voltage when there's DC voltage present as well.

This, plus the rare incorrect display for one reading when it changes ranges are the only "major" issues this multimeter has. The high burden voltage on some ranges (as explained above) I consider minor issue, easily to work around.

[torr032]

It's normal, the meter is not designed to measure AC voltage when there's DC voltage present as well.

This, plus the rare incorrect display for one reading when it changes ranges are the only "major" issues this multimeter has. The high burden voltage on some ranges (as explained above) I consider minor issue, easily to work around.

I had one bought 2 years ago that was in the same circumstances reading O an AC, wasn't jumping as this one. Can't remember what revision PCB was.

[lagman]

My 6F22 9V battery just died, 6 months after buying the meter (I use it a lot).
What is the best battery in this format? I saw http://www.fasttech.com/products/1046603 which is cheap.
I also saw http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10002905/1812000-soshine-650mah-9v-li-ion-rechargeable-battery which is more expensive but might be a better deal in the long run?
Funny thing is that my smoke detector started beeping a few days ago even though the battery still shows 9.1V open circuit. (Bad design?)
I think I'll use new batteries in the smoke detector and then place them in the multimeter...

[Monkeh]

If you put a lithium primary cell in you'll probably need a new meter before you need a new battery.

[lagman]

Thanks!
Locally I'll have a hard time finding a 9V lithium primary... Do you know an online store where I could buy it?
EDIT: I found some on amazon but they are 8-12 euros a piece (11-16USD) :/

[lagman]

Is this a good idea?
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1200mAh-Smoke-Alarm-9V-Lithium-Battery-ER9V/1985926539.html

[mariush]

Lithium > Alkaline > heavy duty 

Get alkaline, best value for money. Lithium will last longer, but probably not as much as 4-6 alkaline batteries that will cost the same (if you make the total).

Also note that the low battery voltage on ut61e shows up at about 5.5v but the meter itself can operate just fine even under 3v, so the batteries you take out of your meter may still work for a few hours to run a clock or something using very low power, with the 5-5.5v the battery has left.

Lithium 9v batteries  start at about 8.4v and they're completely dead at about 5.4v so you would get almost all of their energy before the meter says low voltage.

For example, you can see in this datasheet http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/la522.pdf  that with 5mA draw (a bit more than what UT61E draws) the battery will last about 800 hours.

To compare, you have here an alkaline battery datasheet: http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/522.pdf  on page 2 you can see that with about 10mA draw, the battery will go down to about 6v in around 70 hours. So you can extrapolate about 150 hours at 5mA and down to 5.5v...

[Legit-Design]

Thanks!
Locally I'll have a hard time finding a 9V lithium primary... Do you know an online store where I could buy it?
EDIT: I found some on amazon but they are 8-12 euros a piece (11-16USD) :/

Yes, good quality lithium primary batteries cost money. If you don't pay for good quality you might get crap, if you don't get crap you got lucky.

Is this a good idea?
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/1200mAh-Smoke-Alarm-9V-Lithium-Battery-ER9V/1985926539.html

Most likely you will get old stock that is already partially discharged or maybe even faulty, order at your own risk.