AN8002 Digital multimeter
Sulaiman, Sat Aug 19 2017, 07:13AMI killed my last remaining 'good' dmm and I bought a cheap 6000 count autoranging true rms AN8002, after reading and watching reviews.
Excellent value;
. very clear display w/backlight, stable readings, all ranges tested so far well within specifications
e.g. Weston Cell, 1.01859 V reads as 1.017 ... one digit / 0.1 % error vs spec. of 0.5%.
the capacitance range is useful and accurate.
All ranges auto-zero. comes with thermocouple probe and a cute bag so you don't scratch your cute meter.
Fuses on volts and amps terminals, tested on 240 Vac no problem.
If you are looking for a cheap but good dmm, I recommend the AN8002
(no, I'm not getting any reward for promoting it :)
Aneng AN8002 = Zotek ZT102 = KASUNTEST ZT102 = other aliases
eBay, Amazon, Banggood etc. all sell it.
There are other models in the range, e.g. the AN8008 10,000 count, 1 uV resolution BUT 10mA and 100mA ranges absent !
and for those who are interested, banggood.com ; AN8002 = £10.33/USD12.99, AN8008 = £14.13/USD17.77
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Bjørn, Sat Aug 19 2017, 09:16AM
What kind of fuses does it use? I have a meter that is marked Cat IV that have those tiny glass fuses that will go off like a bomb if subjected to a huge short circuit current.
Bjørn, Sat Aug 19 2017, 09:16AM
What kind of fuses does it use? I have a meter that is marked Cat IV that have those tiny glass fuses that will go off like a bomb if subjected to a huge short circuit current.
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Dr. Slack, Sat Aug 19 2017, 01:58PM
Before I rush out and buy one, would you do a quick measurement for me please?
I notice it takes 2xAAA batteries. If you have a second working meter (doesn't need to be very 'good') and a variable supply to hand, at what battery voltage does (a) the low battery indicator come on and (b) the reading start going high as the internal reference collapses. I measured this for all my various meters and was quite surprised. There was a large variation in what they thought was a low battery, and more than one went wrong by many counts before the low batt indicator went on.
Dr. Slack, Sat Aug 19 2017, 01:58PM
Before I rush out and buy one, would you do a quick measurement for me please?
I notice it takes 2xAAA batteries. If you have a second working meter (doesn't need to be very 'good') and a variable supply to hand, at what battery voltage does (a) the low battery indicator come on and (b) the reading start going high as the internal reference collapses. I measured this for all my various meters and was quite surprised. There was a large variation in what they thought was a low battery, and more than one went wrong by many counts before the low batt indicator went on.
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Sulaiman, Sat Aug 19 2017, 02:45PM
Bjørn,
I have not opened up the meter (yet) but I've watched YouTube dissections;
The fuses are tiny 10x3 mm ceramic.
The printing on the meter is 600V CAT III, 1000V CAT II,
If true then each is one category down from my Fluke 87,
I think that it is ok for domestic and hobby use,
but I would not want to regularly use it on 415V 3-phase supplies for example.
To replace the fuses, or the range knob, of my Fluke 87, costs more than this meter, so don't expect too much.
I once had a cheap dmm explode with the probes in my hands (hobby, not professionally)
so the Fluke101 size and shape initially put me off,
but now I like it enough to recommend it ... it's cute
_________________________________________________ _________________________
Dr. Slack,
Low battery indication at 2.4 V, shutdown at 2.1 V, it seemed more like an orderly shutdown than erratic chaos.
What is typical ?
I only gave close-enough readings and casual observation but if it is important to you then I can measure parameters more carefully before you consider buying,
but I can't be ar$£d to open it up and close it again so external measurements only please.
I'm using a Fluke87 (with a makeshift knob) for measurements, Weston Cell reads 1.018 V.
Sulaiman, Sat Aug 19 2017, 02:45PM
Bjørn,
I have not opened up the meter (yet) but I've watched YouTube dissections;
The fuses are tiny 10x3 mm ceramic.
The printing on the meter is 600V CAT III, 1000V CAT II,
If true then each is one category down from my Fluke 87,
I think that it is ok for domestic and hobby use,
but I would not want to regularly use it on 415V 3-phase supplies for example.
To replace the fuses, or the range knob, of my Fluke 87, costs more than this meter, so don't expect too much.
I once had a cheap dmm explode with the probes in my hands (hobby, not professionally)
so the Fluke101 size and shape initially put me off,
but now I like it enough to recommend it ... it's cute
_________________________________________________ _________________________
Dr. Slack,
Low battery indication at 2.4 V, shutdown at 2.1 V, it seemed more like an orderly shutdown than erratic chaos.
What is typical ?
I only gave close-enough readings and casual observation but if it is important to you then I can measure parameters more carefully before you consider buying,
but I can't be ar$£d to open it up and close it again so external measurements only please.
I'm using a Fluke87 (with a makeshift knob) for measurements, Weston Cell reads 1.018 V.
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Conundrum, Sun Aug 20 2017, 06:15AM
What did you do to it? My last "fried" meter recovered after all its contacts were cleaned and two bad high precision resistors changed.
Its been recalibrated and seems fine.
Conundrum, Sun Aug 20 2017, 06:15AM
What did you do to it? My last "fried" meter recovered after all its contacts were cleaned and two bad high precision resistors changed.
Its been recalibrated and seems fine.
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Sulaiman, Sun Aug 20 2017, 09:18AM
Recently I lost my personal RS232-interfaced DMM at work, I may find it someday,
I gained a Fluke87 from work due to a broken range knob vs repair cost vs capital writedown,
my backup analogue multimeter (ex-Post Office AVO12, older than half of the members here) started to give erratic readings and I wanted a new reliable dmm, but cheaply.
(I'll fix the Post Office meter and another old analogue multimeter - one day)
The cheap dmm refered to was £2.99 ... on the 2000 V dc range it did not enjoy measuring a mmc of photo-flash caps above 1200 V
(even parts of the probes and leads 'disappeared')
So now I have the AN8002 and a Fluke87 with a makeshift knob, one missing dmm, and two faulty analogue multimeters that may never work again.
I imagine that there are many meters waiting to be revived by 4HV members :)
Sulaiman, Sun Aug 20 2017, 09:18AM
Conundrum wrote ...
What did you do to it? My last "fried" meter recovered after all its contacts were cleaned and two bad high precision resistors changed.
Its been recalibrated and seems fine.
What did you do to it? My last "fried" meter recovered after all its contacts were cleaned and two bad high precision resistors changed.
Its been recalibrated and seems fine.
Recently I lost my personal RS232-interfaced DMM at work, I may find it someday,
I gained a Fluke87 from work due to a broken range knob vs repair cost vs capital writedown,
my backup analogue multimeter (ex-Post Office AVO12, older than half of the members here) started to give erratic readings and I wanted a new reliable dmm, but cheaply.
(I'll fix the Post Office meter and another old analogue multimeter - one day)
The cheap dmm refered to was £2.99 ... on the 2000 V dc range it did not enjoy measuring a mmc of photo-flash caps above 1200 V
(even parts of the probes and leads 'disappeared')
So now I have the AN8002 and a Fluke87 with a makeshift knob, one missing dmm, and two faulty analogue multimeters that may never work again.
I imagine that there are many meters waiting to be revived by 4HV members :)
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Dr. Slack, Mon Aug 21 2017, 04:52AM
That's what surprised me. I have several meters that take PP3 9v batteries, and the question was 'if LO BATT' is not shown, is the reading reliable?
Three things happen as the power supply reduces
(1) Lo batt gets shown.
(2) The displayed reading rises as the internal reference drops as there's insufficient voltage to keep it alive. I measured this by reading a constant input voltage (just a battery) and noting when the reading had risen by 1% as I dropped the meter supply voltage.
(3) Something goes 'wrong', perhaps the display fades, or stops updating, or is erratic, so that's it's obviously failed.
Effects 1 and 3 are visible, effect 2 is silent. The question was, in what order do they happen? One of my meters went inaccurate at 7v and showed lo batt at 6.5v, another showed lo batt at 4v and was still accurate to 3.8v. What further surprised me was the second was a very cheap meter indeed. It didn't occur to me to reduce it further to the shutdown stage. Obviously for a meter you can trust, 1 must happen before 2, and should happen before 3.
2.4v is quite a high end point for AAAs, which suggests short battery life, but as they're not as expensive as PP3s maybe that's a reasonable trade. I need to get around to replacing one of my meters anyway, and this looks as reasonable as any.
Dr. Slack, Mon Aug 21 2017, 04:52AM
Sulaiman wrote ...
What is typical ?
What is typical ?
That's what surprised me. I have several meters that take PP3 9v batteries, and the question was 'if LO BATT' is not shown, is the reading reliable?
Three things happen as the power supply reduces
(1) Lo batt gets shown.
(2) The displayed reading rises as the internal reference drops as there's insufficient voltage to keep it alive. I measured this by reading a constant input voltage (just a battery) and noting when the reading had risen by 1% as I dropped the meter supply voltage.
(3) Something goes 'wrong', perhaps the display fades, or stops updating, or is erratic, so that's it's obviously failed.
Effects 1 and 3 are visible, effect 2 is silent. The question was, in what order do they happen? One of my meters went inaccurate at 7v and showed lo batt at 6.5v, another showed lo batt at 4v and was still accurate to 3.8v. What further surprised me was the second was a very cheap meter indeed. It didn't occur to me to reduce it further to the shutdown stage. Obviously for a meter you can trust, 1 must happen before 2, and should happen before 3.
2.4v is quite a high end point for AAAs, which suggests short battery life, but as they're not as expensive as PP3s maybe that's a reasonable trade. I need to get around to replacing one of my meters anyway, and this looks as reasonable as any.
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Sulaiman, Mon Aug 21 2017, 06:33AM
Considering 0V (open circuit) as a voltage input, the reading did not change until shutdown, which gives me more confidence in this meter,
Sulaiman, Mon Aug 21 2017, 06:33AM
Considering 0V (open circuit) as a voltage input, the reading did not change until shutdown, which gives me more confidence in this meter,
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Dr. Slack, Mon Aug 21 2017, 07:23PM
Unfortunately a gain error doesn't show up reading 0v, that's why I did it measuring a voltage input occupying most of the full scale. In this case, a 1.5v battery on the 2v range. Of course while an AA battery is not a 'reference', it moves around a lot more slowly than a varying power supply to the meter. I used a 1% increase in reading as a limit for 'accuracy' due to reference error.
Dr. Slack, Mon Aug 21 2017, 07:23PM
Unfortunately a gain error doesn't show up reading 0v, that's why I did it measuring a voltage input occupying most of the full scale. In this case, a 1.5v battery on the 2v range. Of course while an AA battery is not a 'reference', it moves around a lot more slowly than a varying power supply to the meter. I used a 1% increase in reading as a limit for 'accuracy' due to reference error.
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Sulaiman, Mon Aug 21 2017, 07:28PM
D'oh !
I am relieved to report that using a Weston cell, the meter read 1.017 from 3 Vdc down to shutdown
Sulaiman, Mon Aug 21 2017, 07:28PM
D'oh !
I am relieved to report that using a Weston cell, the meter read 1.017 from 3 Vdc down to shutdown
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Conundrum, Sat Aug 26 2017, 06:07PM
Feel free to send me any "dead" meters, I would enjoy the challenge.
Still have to make a proper insulation test rig, 1KV module from Geiger counter is incredibly small.
Conundrum, Sat Aug 26 2017, 06:07PM
Feel free to send me any "dead" meters, I would enjoy the challenge.
Still have to make a proper insulation test rig, 1KV module from Geiger counter is incredibly small.
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Dr. Slack, Tue Sept 05 2017, 05:36AM
Inspired by your investigations, and intrigued by other meters in that series (like the 8008 with 9999 counts and an audio square wave output, but no 10/100mA ranges as you point out), I took to google and youtube, where I found a tear-down.
He was reasonably impressed by the functions and accuracy, but pointed at the CAT ratings on the front, and said that they were probably BS. Then opened the meter and fished out a tiny fuse with 250v stamped on it, saying that you can't have a rating of 600 or 1000v with a 250v fuse! He wasn't impressed with the apparent lack of decent protection devices on the board, but reckoned it was par for the course for the price.
Longevity of the meter is one thing, but my longevity is another. I do measure mains from time to time, and then realised that the other cheap 'CAT rated' meters I have may well be similarly 'optimistically labelled', and on internal investigation found that they too were similarly BS.
The issue with an inadequately rated meter is that a voltage transient on the supply can cause the meter to short internally, and then the fault current can vapourise the test leads, leading to a channel which arcs until upstream fuses blow. What that means is that adequately fused test leads can protect the user from any meter, even if the meter ends up as toast.
While RS does have fused test leads, in the £15 to £80 range, it also sells the bare fuses for about £1. They carry 500mA, rated to break 50kA at 1kV. Interestingly the blurb with them says 'low resistance, doesn't disturb resistor measurements when used in meter leads', so that's obviously the application. I've now made up some fused leads, though whether I remember to switch to them to measure mains is another matter.
Yet one more question on the 8002, which isn't answered in their data, and wasn't in the youtube teardown. What's the input resistance of the meter? It used to be that 10M was the norm for DMMs, though I have a cheap meter that presents 1M, obviously loading the circuit much more. Would you measure it please?
Dr. Slack, Tue Sept 05 2017, 05:36AM
Inspired by your investigations, and intrigued by other meters in that series (like the 8008 with 9999 counts and an audio square wave output, but no 10/100mA ranges as you point out), I took to google and youtube, where I found a tear-down.
He was reasonably impressed by the functions and accuracy, but pointed at the CAT ratings on the front, and said that they were probably BS. Then opened the meter and fished out a tiny fuse with 250v stamped on it, saying that you can't have a rating of 600 or 1000v with a 250v fuse! He wasn't impressed with the apparent lack of decent protection devices on the board, but reckoned it was par for the course for the price.
Longevity of the meter is one thing, but my longevity is another. I do measure mains from time to time, and then realised that the other cheap 'CAT rated' meters I have may well be similarly 'optimistically labelled', and on internal investigation found that they too were similarly BS.
The issue with an inadequately rated meter is that a voltage transient on the supply can cause the meter to short internally, and then the fault current can vapourise the test leads, leading to a channel which arcs until upstream fuses blow. What that means is that adequately fused test leads can protect the user from any meter, even if the meter ends up as toast.
While RS does have fused test leads, in the £15 to £80 range, it also sells the bare fuses for about £1. They carry 500mA, rated to break 50kA at 1kV. Interestingly the blurb with them says 'low resistance, doesn't disturb resistor measurements when used in meter leads', so that's obviously the application. I've now made up some fused leads, though whether I remember to switch to them to measure mains is another matter.
Yet one more question on the 8002, which isn't answered in their data, and wasn't in the youtube teardown. What's the input resistance of the meter? It used to be that 10M was the norm for DMMs, though I have a cheap meter that presents 1M, obviously loading the circuit much more. Would you measure it please?
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Sulaiman, Tue Sept 05 2017, 09:27AM
Just using my Fluke87 on Ohms range;
Range, Manual, Measured
V, 10 MOhm, 10.97 MOhm
mV, 10 MOhm, 2.6 MOhm ... could be 'clamped' as over-renge input ?
Hz, ???, 2.1 MOhm
the readings are inconclusive as;
. input resistance may change due to autoranging ?
. possible protection acting on mV range
. the input resistances stated in the manual are 10 MOhm for volts and >60 MOhm for ac 600mV range.
As I have no intention to measure anything high power at greater than 240Vac I'm not too worried about the hv/energy ratings.
The one feature that I miss is manual range setting,
auto-ranging is great, but can be distracting at times so a manual range selection helps.
I had considered (ordered even) an AN8008 because I like 0000 - 9999 display, and the low voltage and current ranges interested me. When the purchase failed I bought an AN8002, mainly for the 'missing' current ranges and the thermocouple, so far I am more than satisfied with its performance - and it is so cute !
At these prices I can't complain.
Sulaiman, Tue Sept 05 2017, 09:27AM
Just using my Fluke87 on Ohms range;
Range, Manual, Measured
V, 10 MOhm, 10.97 MOhm
mV, 10 MOhm, 2.6 MOhm ... could be 'clamped' as over-renge input ?
Hz, ???, 2.1 MOhm
the readings are inconclusive as;
. input resistance may change due to autoranging ?
. possible protection acting on mV range
. the input resistances stated in the manual are 10 MOhm for volts and >60 MOhm for ac 600mV range.
As I have no intention to measure anything high power at greater than 240Vac I'm not too worried about the hv/energy ratings.
The one feature that I miss is manual range setting,
auto-ranging is great, but can be distracting at times so a manual range selection helps.
I had considered (ordered even) an AN8008 because I like 0000 - 9999 display, and the low voltage and current ranges interested me. When the purchase failed I bought an AN8002, mainly for the 'missing' current ranges and the thermocouple, so far I am more than satisfied with its performance - and it is so cute !
At these prices I can't complain.
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
hen918, Tue Sept 05 2017, 11:30AM
CAT rating is very important if you are working on high current mains voltage or above.
I one read a report of a case in an American city in a factory where there had been a power cut (or so they thought).
Someone (a qualified electrician contracting to the company he was at) opened up the covers on the main incomer to check the voltage at the source. He was accompanied by two employees of the company he was visiting.
Unfortunately, he had left his professional multimeter in his van, so he asked one of the employees if they had one he could borrow. They supplied him with a cheap unrated multi-meter which he used to check the voltages phase to ground. Finding that they were all powered at the right voltage, he checked them phase to phase (I don't know why, but it seems to be a habit amongst electricians to test all possible combinations of conductors).
All this was taking place during a thunderstorm, and whilst the electrician has his multimeter probes between phases, lighting struck the local transformer sub-station. The resulting voltage spike caused arcing inside the multimeter, between PCB traces. The underrated fuse blew and then arced over.
The instinctive reaction to a loud bang is to jump backward. The electrician's multimeter probes left the busbars, and arcs started between the probe tips and busbars.
As you can probably guess, the arc flashed over between busbars. The explosion killed the electrician and one of the employees. The other got away with third-degree burns.
hen918, Tue Sept 05 2017, 11:30AM
CAT rating is very important if you are working on high current mains voltage or above.
I one read a report of a case in an American city in a factory where there had been a power cut (or so they thought).
Someone (a qualified electrician contracting to the company he was at) opened up the covers on the main incomer to check the voltage at the source. He was accompanied by two employees of the company he was visiting.
Unfortunately, he had left his professional multimeter in his van, so he asked one of the employees if they had one he could borrow. They supplied him with a cheap unrated multi-meter which he used to check the voltages phase to ground. Finding that they were all powered at the right voltage, he checked them phase to phase (I don't know why, but it seems to be a habit amongst electricians to test all possible combinations of conductors).
All this was taking place during a thunderstorm, and whilst the electrician has his multimeter probes between phases, lighting struck the local transformer sub-station. The resulting voltage spike caused arcing inside the multimeter, between PCB traces. The underrated fuse blew and then arced over.
The instinctive reaction to a loud bang is to jump backward. The electrician's multimeter probes left the busbars, and arcs started between the probe tips and busbars.
As you can probably guess, the arc flashed over between busbars. The explosion killed the electrician and one of the employees. The other got away with third-degree burns.
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Hydron, Tue Sept 05 2017, 01:09PM
I grabbed a AN8008 for the low voltage/current etc ranges and it's small size. Worth the price for a special-purpose meter and it's never going to get anywhere near mains - that's what my Fluke 87V is for!
Hydron, Tue Sept 05 2017, 01:09PM
I grabbed a AN8008 for the low voltage/current etc ranges and it's small size. Worth the price for a special-purpose meter and it's never going to get anywhere near mains - that's what my Fluke 87V is for!
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Sulaiman, Tue Sept 05 2017, 04:39PM
aside:
At work my Fluke 87 got replaced with a Fluke 287 ... I want my 87 back !
the 287 has a heavier 6x AA cells, that last nowhere near as long as in the 87
but worse
who wants to wait whilst an operating system boots up, just to measure a voltage ?
(not me !)
Sulaiman, Tue Sept 05 2017, 04:39PM
aside:
At work my Fluke 87 got replaced with a Fluke 287 ... I want my 87 back !
the 287 has a heavier 6x AA cells, that last nowhere near as long as in the 87
but worse
who wants to wait whilst an operating system boots up, just to measure a voltage ?
(not me !)
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Sulaiman, Sat Sept 09 2017, 06:07AM
Banggod are having their 11th aniversary sale;
AN8002 = £08.63
AN8008 = £12.08
incl. p&p
Sulaiman, Sat Sept 09 2017, 06:07AM
Banggod are having their 11th aniversary sale;
AN8002 = £08.63
AN8008 = £12.08
incl. p&p
Re: AN8002 Digital multimeter
Dr. Slack, Sat Sept 09 2017, 01:42PM
Thanks for the heads-up. Finally placed my order.
Dr. Slack, Sat Sept 09 2017, 01:42PM
Thanks for the heads-up. Finally placed my order.
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