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Old 1st Apr 2021, 8:40 pm   #1
Stuart R
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Default Multimeters at Lidl

I was just going to give a heads-up that my local Lidl has the £9.99 Auto-ranging Multimeter in stock.

Checking their website for a link, I can't find it, but I think it's the one discussed here:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testge...er-on-the-way/

The Lidl website does promise Clamp and 'Pen' style multimeters next week....

https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/p/diy-tool...timeter/p41447

SR

(No connection with Lidl)
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Old 3rd Apr 2021, 11:39 am   #2
The Philpott
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

Introducing a new budget DMM is always a good way to start a flame war on EEVblog!
We'll have to see what Mark Hennessy makes of them. (Note clamp meter is AC only)
Dave
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Old 3rd Apr 2021, 2:14 pm   #3
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

When Lidl and Aldi sell this sort of stuff it's usually reasonable quality by the standards of low end test gear. Not everybody needs fancy professional meters. The Lidl pricing isn't all that impressive though, and you could buy similar gear for similar prices elsewhere.
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Old 3rd Apr 2021, 2:22 pm   #4
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

It makes being dragged round Lidl more fun though, I wish Ocado (or the other deliver to the door people) did things like this.
 
Old 3rd Apr 2021, 2:43 pm   #5
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

Apparently Aldi and Lidl started selling this "men's toys" stuff in Germany to influence where families went for the weekly family shop. The men generally had no interest in supermarket grocery shopping but would encourage their wives to shop at Aldi so they could see what was in the centre aisle that week.

It might all be a bit sexist, but that's the way marketing tends to work.
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Old 3rd Apr 2021, 3:11 pm   #6
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

Well I never, thanks Paul.
 
Old 3rd Apr 2021, 3:39 pm   #7
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

Our local Lidl has non-contact voltage detectors, cordless finishing sanders and gas soldering irons at the moment
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Old 3rd Apr 2021, 4:52 pm   #8
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

I saw them a week ago and was sorely tempted... An autoranging DMM for £9.99 hmm...
Then I thought "do I need another DMM?" and the internal voice said no... but I may well still find myself making an impulse purchase next time I'm in!

I did notice that it said something about only using the 10A range for something like 10s every 5 mins and thought that probably tells all I need to know about its ultimate quality. But it is only £10!
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Old 4th Apr 2021, 2:03 am   #9
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

Quote:
Originally Posted by paulsherwin View Post
Apparently Aldi and Lidl started selling this "men's toys" stuff in Germany to influence where families went for the weekly family shop. The men generally had no interest in supermarket grocery shopping but would encourage their wives to shop at Aldi so they could see what was in the centre aisle that week.

It might all be a bit sexist, but that's the way marketing tends to work.
It must be a substitute for all those sweets that were used to make children pester parents to buy.
They get the dads to add more items to the basket without the store being accused of making children get fat.
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Old 4th Apr 2021, 3:01 am   #10
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jez1234 View Post
I saw them a week ago and was sorely tempted... An autoranging DMM for £9.99 hmm...
Then I thought "do I need another DMM?" and the internal voice said no... but I may well still find myself making an impulse purchase next time I'm in!

I did notice that it said something about only using the 10A range for something like 10s every 5 mins and thought that probably tells all I need to know about its ultimate quality. But it is only £10!

I've got some even cheaper CPC own brand Duratool (DT830B) DMM (with Transistor hFE test socket) they sold these for < £10 (inc. Leads & a PP3 Battery) that also says 'Unfused 10A Max. for 10 sec Max every 15min', which I guess is down to thickness of PCB tracks / the shunt bit of wire getting hot and melting things.
- I bought some, hoping they'd have a 7106 etc. DIL40 DPM IC I could re-use, but found they'd used a Glob-topped naked-die IC direct onto PCB as an alternative,

I've seen many of these 'DT830' meters being sold under a variety of brands and it seems many don't have any fuse protection at all, with only about 7 resistors etc. parts in it. They do seem to work OK for basic low-voltage measuring / continuity checks etc.
But probably don't want to trust them on high voltages too much (even if they claim 750Vac / 1000Vdc Cat II rated) - especially as the very thin 5 strands of wire in the test leads soon breaks and pulls out (as they aren't moulded, but tips screwed into plastic insulator).
Suspiciously, I saw very similar looking meters on a safety recall notice because of this, but never heard anything from CPC about their ones.
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Old 4th Apr 2021, 8:56 am   #11
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

I saw the clamp meters yesterday and was interested until I looked at the spec which revealed it didn't measure DC current!
However, their 20v cordless impact wrench is lovely!!!

Alan
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Old 4th Apr 2021, 9:21 am   #12
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

I bought a cheap, AC-only clamp meter in Maplin about 10 years ago. It doesn't get used very much but is occasionally a godsend. I used it recently to help mend my tumble dryer, helping to determine when the elements were energised.

N.
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Old 4th Apr 2021, 10:14 am   #13
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

Quote:
Originally Posted by ortek_service View Post
I've seen many of these 'DT830' meters being sold under a variety of brands and it seems many don't have any fuse protection at all, with only about 7 resistors etc. parts in it. They do seem to work OK for basic low-voltage measuring / continuity checks etc.
I don't think these Lidl ones are DT830 clones. DT830s don't autorange for one thing. Of course, your comments apply to all cheap meters to some extent, not just DT830s.
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Old 4th Apr 2021, 10:48 am   #14
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

The £9.99 DMM I brought from Lidl several months ago was a Parkside PDM 300 C2 as per the first link in Post 1.

It works fine for general use.

David
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Old 4th Apr 2021, 12:25 pm   #15
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

I had one of these Cheap and cheerful type meters a while ago, the idea was its cheap and small and with no moving parts robust enough to keep in a plastic bag in the tool roll under the seat of the motorbike.
Then I discovered a fundamental flaw that pretty much rendered it only half useful beyond continuity testing.
The DC readings when the engine was running were all over the place, I assume to an AC component of the voltage getting past the 3 phase rectifier and the Voltage regulator, which on some of the vehicles owned at the time were very basic mechanical jobs. Older stuff with less sophisticated electrics. 3 phase field coil alternators. Even subbing the mech reg for a more up to date (1970s technology!) electronic reg showed this issue up.
So I and a couple of mates reverted to the cheap Moving coil meters that showed a more consistent and "Accurate enough" reading.
Before it goes off topic I just wanted to point out that the meters are ok for some simple tasks, but not all.

Andy.
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Old 4th Apr 2021, 2:08 pm   #16
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

I did a brief review of the multimeter here: https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...5&postcount=26

I did spot the clamp meter, and was half-tempted, but I already have a UNI-T UT210E that does DC as well as AC, so that's my needs covered. In fact, use DC most of the time - was using it just the other day to keep an eye on the charging current going into a car battery, and a few weeks ago to check on a UPS battery. This meter is about £40 at the moment, and I appreciate that's quite a bit more than the Lidl clamp, but honestly, I'd definitely recommend paying the extra to get the DC option.

Slightly more tempted by the moisture meter though...
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Old 4th Apr 2021, 5:28 pm   #17
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Default Re: Multimeters at Lidl

I bought one of the Parkside meters from Lidl last time round. It`s accurate enough for most purposes and easy to use but the beeper is an annoying tone and rather than just powering off when left unused it beeps which can be very annoying.
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