I have one Hioki DT4256 myself. It is a great quality Japanese product, in the same league of (the best of) Fluke. I have also seen another video around of a barbaric torture test of it and HIOKI did a great job sustaining abuse. People used to Fluke will not get disappointed with this beast.
I was hoping you'd do a Hioki review! I've been using a DT4252 for a few years and I've been very happy with it. These meters deserve more recognition.
Yes! Very helpful product review! Please more product reviews like this, esp aimed at the hobbyist market (sub-$200 kit). It is also very awesome to get an honest look at a brand many don't know about. It is very helpful to introduce other brands available like this, besides just Fluke. I'm sure many viewers pass up great deals on meters and other decent equipment because they've never heard of the brand before.
I would guess not. I think that having a rigid material flex back and forth would introduce stresses to it in the long run. Probably better to keep the rigid case rigid, and let the rubber holster deform on impact, as it's designed to do.
Yes, it's probably intentional. Just like in automotive hardware, there are no stiff soldered joints, everything is pushed together, so nothing can break. Flexing case will dissipate shock.
indeed the more flexible the case is the more energy it will absorb/dissipate at impact (marbles bounce better than bouncing balls. they leave more marks on a floor or window though). @Ryan Spillman the case flexing doesn't mean the pcb is(could be though). So @dave :) flex is good for the "army" test at 1m+.
as a sparky in AUS (Sydney) I bought that clamp meter (the older model) 4 years ago at the start of my electrical apprenticeship.. and I'll vouch for how tough it is.. I said to myself when I kill it I'll buy a fluke.. still can't kill it. even dropped it off a 2 story house testing AC units... love it. and now after seeing this video I just purchased the multimeter you just tore down! thanks for the videos mate, love them.
just a recap - the DT4256 has been in my tool bag for 4 years now. no issues and cannot fault the unit. i recommend it to any electrician who asks. the fast response time is great for measuring inrush voltages etc.
There is a very good design reason as to why the clamp meter input terminals were not pcb mounting (as mentioned at 24:58). If the socket was soldered directly to the pcb the flexing caused by plugging in the probes will eventually cause cracking on the solder joints. Having the wire links provides mechanical isolation.
Product reviews done well and comprehensively are welcome. Nice to see and hear a no B.S. review of equipment before I make purchases. I wish it were so with all electronic gear.
jusb1066 They go here for about 160 Euros. Still need a good one because mine drowned in pond water for about 8 hours. since then it does weird stuff and is totally ouy of calibration.
Hioki made great meters back in the day. I found a 1985 Hioki 3200-50 at Goodwill for 5 bucks. Fixed a couple of micro-switches and it was good as new. With case and original leads. Probably the only handheld multi meter to have a 20 micro-amp range (10nA resolution) and a 10A range (through the leads). Resistance, continuity, vac, vdc and current is all it does but it does those jobs very well. Keep your eyes open at those dollar store for those rare deals.
Cmon it almost ended up that Brymen is better brand than Hioki :) since Dave got that re branded meter no more reliable multimeter reviews... Big problem is that you need two hands to flex the meter... really?? :) Dave also was not impressed with selector switch and Fluke 87 his favorite uses exactly the same one... if it was Brymen I am sure it would pass that test right away :)
9:37: The user manual stated IEC 61326-1 Portable Compliance. See Joe Smith's excellent TH-cam presentations of how he applied high voltage impulses to different models of multimeter, some were dead after just one 'low level' impulse. ? Want protection against high voltage surges, then look for a meter that complies with IEC 61326-1 Portable.
I have one question about that clamp meter. What type of wire are the four leads going between the PCB and the clamp? As there are a huge difference in quality between single stranded PVC coated wire and tinned multi-stranded silicone coated wire.
Hello, I have the Hioki clamp meter 3280-10. Good and light. Just miss the diode check function. Please do a review more detailed of these and other hioki products.
I am nitpicking, but 4:05 "quite thin" ? It's as thick as it normally gets for the functionality. I feel cheated though, that you should have mentioned the cost at the start so we had a context for the rest. Your flex test of the case was a waste of our time. Who cares if it makes a little noise when you do that? Either slam it to the ground to see what it survives, or stay home, don't guess. If I did that to you, you'd make a noise too. ;)
Hello Dave, thanks for all your comprehensive and informative videos! I'm glad to finally see a clamp meter being reviewed. Suggestion - you have many good videos on how multimeters are designed and how they work. Would it be a good idea to perhaps do one on how clamp meters work? Also, teardowns on more clampmeters like the popular UNI-T UT210E would be interesting too :-)
Thanks Dave. The reason the button images on the back of the kick stand look skewed is that they mimic the actual buttons which are slightly tilted either side below the display. Technically correct but visually odd.
Field electricians like to have some way to tell the difference between a transient short from a full contact short. Hence, the latching alarm and dead short LED. It helps them trouble shoot what they don't understand. The custom plug on the leads prevent onsite bogus lead extensions made from Romex. Happens all the time. Nobody likes ladders. The wireless from Fluke is the real solution.
At 10:20 I cannot miss the rotary switch (the white plastic) which looks very similar with the Fluke ones. High quality and resilient rotary switch which will last many years of work! Nice!
I can see on the clamp meter over time the wire attachment on the clamps is going to fracture the solder joint, should have used strain reliefs through the PCB.
..Some years ago I bought one of these 3280-10 units.....after replacing the battery....readings are now not consistant/accurate...AC volts reads around 138...should be 120...You have any clues? I also have 2 small bicycle headlights that use coin cells...both quit working properly after replacing the battery...
Dave, how do you feel about the layout at the fuse holder here on the first multimeter? What I find slightly disturbing is that a fuse holder terminal, a corner of it, is right on top of the PCB trace for the opposite fuse terminal, separated only by the solder mask, at least that's what it looks like on video. Now it isn't too bad per se, obviously the two ends are at the same potential and it won't ark or spark over as long as fuse is conductive, but what if the fuse died, could this become a hazard? Is it possible for the corner of the fuse holder to work its way through the solder mask, due to mechanical load or vibration or with age, and effectively short out and disable the fuse? Is this layout trait intentional and good, or irrelevant, or somewhat unfortunate? As an aside, from the footage it looks like the body was much more rigid before it was taken apart and screwed back together; then again it does tell us how it would possibly feel in a few years.
I too had that thought. It seems that if you were to connect a dangerously high voltage and current across, the fuse will go open, then the potential between fuse holder and PCB trace for other side could ark across, carbonizing the solder mask into a conductive path and source of fire; but i'm no expert to say whether it's actually a problem or just seems like one.
I own both the DT4256 and the DT4282. The 4256 is great in the toolbelt and for the price in NZ you get considerably more functions versus similar priced fluke and has better ratings compared to kyoritsu counterparts. As expected the 4282 totally smashes the 56 but it does cost more than double! I wouldn't however carry it around as it is heavy and better on the work bench.
You need narrow clamp amp meter to fit into modern dense electrical box. Big and bulky clamp amp meter are even dangerour to work due to possible loose wire. Next you need wide frequence range for measuring inverter control motors.
I know this is really off topic, but what is the UK mains plug Amp rating? I always thought (Dependent on RCD and Gauge wiring) it was 32Amp Ring Mains with each socket having a rating of 13Amps or 20Amps if its a duel socket So other than overloading the rating of the socket, thats clearly not advised, what is actually stopping something drawing the full 32Amps from a UK Socket?
I found that with multimeters the speed of response (autoranging as well as continuity and many others) is somewhat proportional to the power consumption. Maybe that is a tradeoff they make and for an industrial meter speed was more important than battery life?
As a hobbyist on a fairly tight budget, I needed a meter that would do the critical functions without breaking the bank. I actually ended up going for the uni-t ut58d (goes for ~30-40 USD, I got it for 25 on ebay). Overall I would highly recommend it. It's no Fluke, but it can measure capacitance, volts/amps ac/dc, diodes, ohms (normal stuff), and the real seller for me was inductance (it's not extremely accurate, but it gets fair accuracy, measured against the fluke we have in our lab)
I think the case is little softer in nature because to add more protection against physical tortures. Its rather add on quality I guess. It would be nice if you do comparison drop test on all the brands you have including EEVblog one.
So how would you measure those really high voltage and high power applications, like long distance power lines that transfer 380kV at tens of thousands of amps, if you were at a transformer station and needed those values? How does a meter look like that can measure these kinds of power? It certainly isn't anything "pocket size", but how does it look like, how is it designed? Are they being pushed around on a cart, or are these maybe even still analog meters, because digital circuitry can't deal with these amounts of power?
The jack on the bottom of the clamp meter (at 21:21) looks like a 2-wire mains power cord from a razor could also fit in there. If so, that's a major fail...
Dave, at 10:07, the buttons are crooked because they are representative of the actual buttons on the front of the meter.
I noticed that too. It's amusing how they did that, isn't it?
The designer of the case did some quick copy and paste in his CAD soft.
+Soren Kuula The text on the instructions is conveniently larger than on the actual buttons. So not complete cut/paste.
I have one Hioki DT4256 myself. It is a great quality Japanese product, in the same league of (the best of) Fluke. I have also seen another video around of a barbaric torture test of it and HIOKI did a great job sustaining abuse. People used to Fluke will not get disappointed with this beast.
Bought a Hioki DT4282 recently and I love it!
Doing the Hioki pokey.
Poke!
Solid comment.
16:20 the manual says the open probes voltage is up to 5V, but the max it will display is 1.5V, so it will light up any led.
The labels on the back are angled to match the angle of the buttons on the front. Probably just copied and pasted from the cad.
I was hoping you'd do a Hioki review! I've been using a DT4252 for a few years and I've been very happy with it. These meters deserve more recognition.
eevblog branded meter is much much much infinity bounderyless up high class than your hioki nasa certified meter! i hope u got that😉
Yes! Very helpful product review! Please more product reviews like this, esp aimed at the hobbyist market (sub-$200 kit). It is also very awesome to get an honest look at a brand many don't know about. It is very helpful to introduce other brands available like this, besides just Fluke. I'm sure many viewers pass up great deals on meters and other decent equipment because they've never heard of the brand before.
Doesn't a little flex in the case mean it's less likely to break when it bounces? Need to drop this one off the bridge like you do the others.
I would guess not. I think that having a rigid material flex back and forth would introduce stresses to it in the long run. Probably better to keep the rigid case rigid, and let the rubber holster deform on impact, as it's designed to do.
Yes, a little flex wouldn't worry me. It's only got its own weight to manage.
Yes, it's probably intentional. Just like in automotive hardware, there are no stiff soldered joints, everything is pushed together, so nothing can break. Flexing case will dissipate shock.
One issue with flex is ceramic caps will crack and potentially fail if the pcb flexes too much.
indeed the more flexible the case is the more energy it will absorb/dissipate at impact (marbles bounce better than bouncing balls. they leave more marks on a floor or window though). @Ryan Spillman the case flexing doesn't mean the pcb is(could be though). So @dave :) flex is good for the "army" test at 1m+.
I've owned the DT4282 meter for a few years and it's top quality, the only issue is 4 AA's only last about 100 hours, but performance costs!
as a sparky in AUS (Sydney) I bought that clamp meter (the older model) 4 years ago at the start of my electrical apprenticeship.. and I'll vouch for how tough it is.. I said to myself when I kill it I'll buy a fluke.. still can't kill it. even dropped it off a 2 story house testing AC units... love it. and now after seeing this video I just purchased the multimeter you just tore down!
thanks for the videos mate, love them.
just a recap - the DT4256 has been in my tool bag for 4 years now. no issues and cannot fault the unit. i recommend it to any electrician who asks. the fast response time is great for measuring inrush voltages etc.
@@DeejayManii Thanks for the pro insight!
There is a very good design reason as to why the clamp meter input terminals were not pcb mounting (as mentioned at 24:58). If the socket was soldered directly to the pcb the flexing caused by plugging in the probes will eventually cause cracking on the solder joints. Having the wire links provides mechanical isolation.
Just picked up the DT4282, it addresses every single one of the flaws you pointed out in this video. Granted, its about $200 more! Such a great meter.
I like that they actually supply the Rogowski coil as standard, instead of making you buy it separately. That's a win in my book
25:30 Yes, there is a very good reason for that crystal - as your integrating A/D converter needs precise timing for precise integration.
Yes, more reviews please, I like your methods and value your opinions
In relation to your question at the end... I appreciate review videos and look forward to future ones :)
Gotta say, or repeat, this is the world best for electronic equipment review. Seriously. What makes TH-cam special. Thanks Dave.
maybe using a more flexible case actually helps it absorb impact better tho
Hioki just introduced an all new handheld DMM model DT 4261-90. Good stuff!
a good review of it is done by Viva Telecome. They concluded that the performance was average
Product reviews done well and comprehensively are welcome. Nice to see and hear a no B.S. review of equipment before I make purchases. I wish it were so with all electronic gear.
Never heard of Hioki before. They look decent build quality. If they are not to expensive I might get one.
i have, probably been running for decades in japan, dunno how their prices compare though
jusb1066 They go here for about 160 Euros. Still need a good one because mine drowned in pond water for about 8 hours. since then it does weird stuff and is totally ouy of calibration.
My grandpa has a very nice analog model ... its at least 30 years old. Has a leather case.
Hioki made great meters back in the day.
I found a 1985 Hioki 3200-50 at Goodwill for 5 bucks. Fixed a couple of micro-switches and it was good as new. With case and original leads. Probably the only handheld multi meter to have a 20 micro-amp range (10nA resolution) and a 10A range (through the leads). Resistance, continuity, vac, vdc and current is all it does but it does those jobs very well. Keep your eyes open at those dollar store for those rare deals.
Cmon it almost ended up that Brymen is better brand than Hioki :) since Dave got that re branded meter no more reliable multimeter reviews...
Big problem is that you need two hands to flex the meter... really?? :)
Dave also was not impressed with selector switch and Fluke 87 his favorite uses exactly the same one... if it was Brymen I am sure it would pass that test right away :)
9:37: The user manual stated IEC 61326-1 Portable Compliance. See Joe Smith's excellent TH-cam presentations of how he applied high voltage impulses to different models of multimeter, some were dead after just one 'low level' impulse. ? Want protection against high voltage surges, then look for a meter that complies with IEC 61326-1 Portable.
1V dropout? Looks like you could whack a couple of Batterisers in there!
Trent Dye Only a couple?? It has 4 AAA cells in there.
Wether it's 2 or 4 it'd still do piss-all :P
Steve Howes Marketing and Accounts would argue otherwise. :-) My attempt at sarcasm may have fallen a bit short.
It was a noble effort ;)
Even an electrical DMM should have low capacitance, for finding the position of breaks in cables.
10:15 It matches the button shape on the keypad :)
More reviews! I've never heard of Hioki, but now I know they aren't half bad! lol
I have one question about that clamp meter.
What type of wire are the four leads going between the PCB and the clamp? As there are a huge difference in quality between single stranded PVC coated wire and tinned multi-stranded silicone coated wire.
yes.. there should be a review dayyyyyyy!!!!!
By all means - continue with the equipment reviews
you gonna test that 4200A capacity?
They should send one (or 10) to photonicinduction :-D
Easy, 420 turns of 10 amps. Might take a little while to wind 420 turns, but easily within anyone's reach.
These are very useful for us small business owners who have to spend wisely
21:21 Looks like a normal IEC C7 will fit, so DIY/replacement leads are an option.
Nice, I want to know the reference of the discharge tube
i usually hold a cigarette lighter to my gas discharge tube as party trick.
Innuendo? ;-)
Yes, more product reviews!
thanks for the review have been looking at these recently as an upgrade
Hello, I have the Hioki clamp meter 3280-10. Good and light. Just miss the diode check function. Please do a review more detailed of these and other hioki products.
I am nitpicking, but 4:05 "quite thin" ? It's as thick as it normally gets for the functionality. I feel cheated though, that you should have mentioned the cost at the start so we had a context for the rest.
Your flex test of the case was a waste of our time. Who cares if it makes a little noise when you do that? Either slam it to the ground to see what it survives, or stay home, don't guess. If I did that to you, you'd make a noise too. ;)
Wow, a good old-fashioned multimeter review!!! Good stuff :)
Thanks for that Dave. I only wish they would have sent you the 4282 top of the line meter. It really is a beauty!
I would have preferred something more along those lines too - but, hey, when a manufacturer sends you something - you get what you get.
4282 kicks the butt of fluke 289 according to Kiss Analog, do you agree?
Hello Dave, thanks for all your comprehensive and informative videos! I'm glad to finally see a clamp meter being reviewed. Suggestion - you have many good videos on how multimeters are designed and how they work. Would it be a good idea to perhaps do one on how clamp meters work? Also, teardowns on more clampmeters like the popular UNI-T UT210E would be interesting too :-)
I'd definitely like more review videos. EEVBlog style, of course
one purple and/or pink button is 100% Japenese spec
JDM multimeter X3
This dmm also had manual and automatic hold function just like fluke 170 series...
Just ordered a hioki cm4371 clamp meter can't wait till I get it.
Maybe there's some sort of cap or too high resistor between the leads and continuity LED? Maybe you could remove it.
yeah more product reviews Dave - love em!
More product reviews? Yes please.
Just FYI, Fluke clamp meters continuity are slow like that as well. I haven't seen a clamp meter with a proper continuity speed.
BMack37 check out the Hioki 4372. Fast as hell continuity.
Clueless newbie question: At 8:07, what's the deal with the aligned components on the right that look like they go over one of those guard traces?
I thought the Z101 designator might point to a zener diode, but still cool nonetheless.
Keep the reviews coming!
Very well product from Japan.
Thanks Dave. The reason the button images on the back of the kick stand look skewed is that they mimic the actual buttons which are slightly tilted either side below the display. Technically correct but visually odd.
Typically strange æsthetic.
I'd like to see a SANWA teardown. I'm quite happy with mine, but not seen the more recent ones like the PC7000.
UL etc. testing costs bug bucks. And full retesting after any changes in design or components.
Was that a 5.1 MHz crystal?! Or is that simply KHz?
Does it need a high speed crystal for the frequency?
Nice test equipment
Nice to meet you.
The silkscreen next to the discharge tube says Z1 01. Doesnt that mean that it is a zener diode?
The moving wires in the clampmeter (as you open and close the clamp) soldered directly to the PCB looks like it wont last long.
Field electricians like to have some way to tell the difference between a transient short from a full contact short. Hence, the latching alarm and dead short LED. It helps them trouble shoot what they don't understand.
The custom plug on the leads prevent onsite bogus lead extensions made from Romex. Happens all the time. Nobody likes ladders. The wireless from Fluke is the real solution.
wonder if the voltage detect was a voltage number .. of just the presents of ?
At 10:20 I cannot miss the rotary switch (the white plastic) which looks very similar with the Fluke ones. High quality and resilient rotary switch which will last many years of work! Nice!
The solder joint on that R247 resitor at 6:25 doesn't look too good.
it's through-hole; it's soldered on the other side
It's got a pad on the top side and it designed to be used in rough environments, shouldn't it be soldered all the way through to increase durability?
i doubt it makes much of a difference
The clamp meter is ideal for the person going around the shop floor setting up the spot welders, no high voltage to test but large currents.
Dear Dave: it's pronounced ‘hee-oh-key’, kthxbai.
They should have sent you a Hioki DT4282
I can see on the clamp meter over time the wire attachment on the clamps is going to fracture the solder joint, should have used strain reliefs through the PCB.
Can you review the Aneng ST201 clamp meter?
Brilliant review - as usual, but still brilliant.
Yes ! More product reviews please!!
..Some years ago I bought one of these 3280-10 units.....after replacing the battery....readings are now not consistant/accurate...AC volts reads around 138...should be 120...You have any clues? I also have 2 small bicycle headlights that use coin cells...both quit working properly after replacing the battery...
Dave, how do you feel about the layout at the fuse holder here on the first multimeter? What I find slightly disturbing is that a fuse holder terminal, a corner of it, is right on top of the PCB trace for the opposite fuse terminal, separated only by the solder mask, at least that's what it looks like on video. Now it isn't too bad per se, obviously the two ends are at the same potential and it won't ark or spark over as long as fuse is conductive, but what if the fuse died, could this become a hazard? Is it possible for the corner of the fuse holder to work its way through the solder mask, due to mechanical load or vibration or with age, and effectively short out and disable the fuse? Is this layout trait intentional and good, or irrelevant, or somewhat unfortunate?
As an aside, from the footage it looks like the body was much more rigid before it was taken apart and screwed back together; then again it does tell us how it would possibly feel in a few years.
I have to get myself one of those EEVBlog multi-meters.
I have a pocket multimeter and a clamp meter of this brand for the last five years. Good quality.
The gap between the upper main fuse clip and the input jack pcb trace seems to be very small isn't it?
I too had that thought. It seems that if you were to connect a dangerously high voltage and current across, the fuse will go open, then the potential between fuse holder and PCB trace for other side could ark across, carbonizing the solder mask into a conductive path and source of fire; but i'm no expert to say whether it's actually a problem or just seems like one.
1:49 all star refrence?
I own both the DT4256 and the DT4282. The 4256 is great in the toolbelt and for the price in NZ you get considerably more functions versus similar priced fluke and has better ratings compared to kyoritsu counterparts. As expected the 4282 totally smashes the 56 but it does cost more than double! I wouldn't however carry it around as it is heavy and better on the work bench.
I notice that on the packaging is states that this device is 'drop proof'. Does that mean that it's weightless?
The DR4256 uses AAA (LR03) batteries, not AA as you mentioned.
Thanks. Had a good laugh on beeper tests :D.
You need narrow clamp amp meter to fit into modern dense electrical box. Big and bulky clamp amp meter are even dangerour to work due to possible loose wire. Next you need wide frequence range for measuring inverter control motors.
I know this is really off topic, but what is the UK mains plug Amp rating? I always thought (Dependent on RCD and Gauge wiring) it was 32Amp Ring Mains with each socket having a rating of 13Amps or 20Amps if its a duel socket
So other than overloading the rating of the socket, thats clearly not advised, what is actually stopping something drawing the full 32Amps from a UK Socket?
The fuse in the plug!
I found that with multimeters the speed of response (autoranging as well as continuity and many others) is somewhat proportional to the power consumption. Maybe that is a tradeoff they make and for an industrial meter speed was more important than battery life?
Multimeter reviews, I've missed them. More please :-)
Def go with more reviews. Love having things to drool over lol
I liked the review + teardown !
A very slim ac clamp meter may be ideal in cramped spaces
You had such a great video years back for a $100 mulimeter showdown. Reall miss it. Is that tied to the fact that the EEVBlog BM235 is out?
Hi Dave, please do a review of the Mooshimeter.
Hioki dt4256 with fluke 117 which is best?
I would say the Hioki - by far! There is really no contest.
@@KissAnalog i agree
As a hobbyist on a fairly tight budget, I needed a meter that would do the critical functions without breaking the bank. I actually ended up going for the uni-t ut58d (goes for ~30-40 USD, I got it for 25 on ebay). Overall I would highly recommend it. It's no Fluke, but it can measure capacitance, volts/amps ac/dc, diodes, ohms (normal stuff), and the real seller for me was inductance (it's not extremely accurate, but it gets fair accuracy, measured against the fluke we have in our lab)
I think the case is little softer in nature because to add more protection against physical tortures. Its rather add on quality I guess. It would be nice if you do comparison drop test on all the brands you have including EEVblog one.
So how would you measure those really high voltage and high power applications, like long distance power lines that transfer 380kV at tens of thousands of amps, if you were at a transformer station and needed those values? How does a meter look like that can measure these kinds of power? It certainly isn't anything "pocket size", but how does it look like, how is it designed? Are they being pushed around on a cart, or are these maybe even still analog meters, because digital circuitry can't deal with these amounts of power?
You measure them cautiously.
Does anyone have any insight into the Hioki 3200 vintage DMM? was it a good one?
Thank you
i sense a lot of simmilar design features to my fluke 115
are those companys related?
The jack on the bottom of the clamp meter (at 21:21) looks like a 2-wire mains power cord from a razor could also fit in there. If so, that's a major fail...
Or a handy feature for quickly testing power outlets.
5:09 dude, you should not touch electric contacts, that will leave sweat on them, causing corrosion later.
What does the eevblog meter go for? (If it is currently for sale)