Fresh like Hot cake!! UNI-T UT181 multimeter & self logger, aiming Fluke 289

[Kiriakos GR]

Finally some sort of innovation coming from UNI-T . 

Last month in Shanghai Uni-trend released some fresh products, among them this very interesting UT181 multimeter & self logger.
Which creates some competition by aiming directly the Fluke 289 series.


One similar attempt from CEM in China last year ended as a failure, the product was not ready on time, and needed many months of debugging.
In pictures that discovered over the Internet few months back, the manufacturing quality did not shown as worthy either.   

Today UNI-T seems to have a strong card in their hands as product.
In the upcoming months the retail price of this new product will become known, and finally there will be some competition regarding pricing in the specific category of meters too.

[giorgos]

Good news.
Its true that UNI-T was ever a little bit higher in quality, than other Chinese (low budget) manufacturers.
Unfortunately last years, I have the feeling that UNI-T set down quality standards.
As a clear example , you can see  UT-139. This model intended to replace the older UT-61, but it was worse than this.
So with this new model UNI-T has maybe the last chance to recover , and be apart (in a better direction) from manufactures like Mastech, Vichy etc.
By looking the picture, I noticed the IP65 rating (important for industrial and outdoor use) also the OLED (?) display.
It would be interesting to see the sampling rate performance of this model, because as is know this is the weakest point at UNI-Ts meters.
We will waiting for further information's.

[Kiriakos GR]

It have been mentioned and some years back that Fluke 289 series is not patented technology of FLUKE, there is electronic parts in this design coming from many IC manufacturers.

The next step that matters is the correct implementation, regarding multimeter case and operating software.
In this specific product design all R&D and time/money spent to it, it can not be used for developing another model after this one.

If UNI-T manage to get it right, it translates that they did one step forward in creating one multimeter that a professional repair man it can use.

There is no warranties that UNI-T management made an 180 Degrees turn, which translates that their entire products series will change so to comply in a higher class of instruments.
   
Maybe its too soon about contacting UNI-T for getting a sample of it, the product is not even listed in their website yet.
But yes, UNI-T it did motivated my interest this time so to contact them.   

[giorgos]

I hope that they will have positive response, If you have a contact with them.
By the way, do you have any opinion about ΚYORITSU meters?
Its a Japanese brand, and seems to have reliable meters.

[Kiriakos GR]

ΚYORITSU marketing team stands behind high walls up to date.
It seems that in some degree they cooperate with Yokogawa.
I have not see a fresh developed product from both in the past seven years.

The only way to be encouraged so to contact them again, will be if they get out of their high walls, as HIOKI did recently.

[Kiriakos GR]

Some one should notify FLUKE that there is huge waves and bad weather ahead. 

UNITREND  is about to release the first batch at 1,600.00 CNY = 189.695 EUR ( retail in China)

Product specifications and product picture below.

[giorgos]

With the assistance of Google translation, I have make a copy with the specifications of this model in English, in order to be more understood.
About this model, the point that I found rather strange ,was the usage of TFT LCD screen instead of an OLED one, that I would expect.
I estimate that this, may increase the power consumption of meter, but Im not really sure about that.
Any opinion about this?

[Kiriakos GR]

I like to thanks Giorgos for using his time about translating UT181 specifications sheet in English. ( file attached)

What is missing from those offered specifications are two significant information's.
a) sampling per second / measurements per second ? 
b) An estimation of hours before it needs recharge

UT181 using Li-Ion battery which gets charged by a Battery Charging Adapter which needs the banana inputs of the meter as contact points so to charge it.
This idea is similar with U1253B of Agilent.
http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/editorial.jspx?cc=US&lc=eng&ckey=1841526&nid=-11143.0.00&id=1841526

Regarding power consumption  I will say that both TFT LCD screen and OLED, both solutions consume more power than a liquid crystal display.
From the other hand I believe that UNITREND selected TFT LCD screen because it has much lower dot pitch which alloying them to present on screen much more information.

I have contact UNI-T about their UT181A, and I am expecting answers in the next 10 Days.


 
 

[Kiriakos GR]

Uni-trend website is now ready regarding the listing of their new meters.

http://www.uni-trend.com.cn/en/product/2014_0711_586.html

But they do not inform about the ability of their meters regarding measurements per second.
Their older meters where tremendously slow at 2 times per second.
I just send then an email so to find out.

[Kiriakos GR]

You may love it or hate it, either way this is it. 

According to user manual (In Chinese writing)... AC Volt measurements  per second is only 2.0~2.5 times, and at AC mV  2.5~3.0 times.
If this is the true specifications ?  What we have here is another slow multimeter with few additional potentials as data logger.

Today all worthy multimeter is at 5 measurements per second or higher.
 

[JacksonMiller]

You may argue about operability of specifications of UNI-T UT181A, but what answers all the questions is the price! The device is worth its money.

[Kiriakos GR]

You may argue about operability of specifications of UNI-T UT181A, but what answers all the questions is the price! The device is worth its money.

In a world that professionally working troubleshooters they compete its-other much harder than what TMI brands do about new customers hunting.
What it would drive me nuts, would be the idea that I have failed to find the problem because my tools are not TOP performing.
My own pride and reputation as professionally working troubleshooter, this is PRICELESS. 

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