AideTek VC480C Precision Milliohm Meters 4 Wire Kelvin Clip 0 Adjust Large LCD Backlit LCD Data Hold Manual Zero Display Adjust with Calibration Certificate

I'm quite happy with the AideTek 480C+. A Kelvin measurement technique is essential to achieve any kind of accuracy measuring below 10 ohms. This meter will be accurate enough with the right ranges for what I need to do which is general purpose testing of things like motor fields and armatures as well as other low resistance items. I did test several ranges against 1 percent resistors ranging from 3 ohms to 10 milliohms and the results were good. I also had no substantial drift problems with zeroing. I would suggest zeroing on the lowest range (20 milliohms) by placing the clamps on a clean short piece of #12 solid copper wire (or a similar scenario) with the clamps not touching each other and about a quarter inch apart. Just clamping one clamp to the other is not a good way to zero it because the clamps are polarity sensitive for one thing (source and sense). You'll get different results depending on which way the clamps are attached to each other. Zeroing the lowest range should result in all ranges being zeroed. Once the meter is zeroed the polarity of the clamps shouldn't matter for testing. The meter has a backlight that can be turned on and a hold function that can be activated. The display is quite large and easily readable. The leads are good quality. I haven't had the meter long enough yet to evaluate the lifetime of my 6 AA alkaline batteries that must be user supplied. A strap is included so that you could hang the unit around your neck or shoulder. There is no lead storage in the case so you may want to store the tester in the box it came in.

I bought this 2 years ago to see what you get for around $100. I was pleasantly surprised. Yes it is manual adjustment, no-frills instrument. You could adapt any decent meter with some external circuitry to do the same thing; but you would have to spend more than $300 in time and materials. (It would be a nice Arduino project, but what's the point -- you need to measure something.) I tried it with some precision low value resistors; it is accurate to its specifications. I meant to write a review at that time, but forgot. Fast forward to 2 years later after I left the batteries in the meter: I took it apart to try to salvage it from the damage done my negligence. The design is very nice and well thought out. It was easy to recover from my abuse. Did some spot checks to confirm that tolerances were still good. Then to the task at hand. A copper sheet that had been annealed (unprofessionally) needed to be measured to see if it was still electrically good. Should be 575 micro ohms. Measured 580 micro ohms. So I am very pleased with this product. If you occasionally have a need for low resistance measurements, this is the best instrument for the money. You probably want to make your own test leads to measure test points that are separated by more that 1 meter. Procedure: Null, measure, confirm null. It will drift; so always confirm null.

I have worked in the electric motor repair industry for the last 6 years, the company I work for owns “MEGGER” as well as “BAKER” instruments; but when I decided I wanted to have some of my own testing equipment there is no way I could afford the thousand dollar instruments they have so I saw these on amazon and decided I would give them a try, and I am so glad that I have and I wanted to write this in depth review to explain to anyone else looking but is concerned by how cheap these cost do not be afraid they are extremely accurate and don’t be afraid to prove it, I have. And ill describe a few of the tests I put these instruments through.I purchased the VC60B+ for roughly $50 which is a high voltage megohm insulation tester, its counterpart would be the $800+ “MEGGER” when I received my VC60B+ I was aware of its limitations which are a 250v 500v and 1000v test at ranges of .1Moh to 2000Mohm aka 100K -2000M. therefore I took know resistance resistors of 100K and put them in series to achieve 400K or .4M, 700K or .7M and the VC60B+ was correct each time. Went back and forth several times to make sure it was not only accurate but consistent. Then to achieve higher values I went out into the shop and tested an armature and got a reading of 1200Mohm at 500v then I cross referenced that with the “MEGGER” got a value of 1202Mohm. I tried a few different armatures and everything within range of the VC60B+ the “MEGGER” was always within 3Mohms that is very impressive!I also purchased a VC480C+ milliohm meter or low resistance meter. Its ranges are .01mohm to 2K or .00001 ohm to 2000 ohm. To check against another, know resistance I used 1-ohm resistors and put them in parallel to achieve .250 ohms or 250mohm, and .1428 ohms or 142.8 mohm and this meter too was impressively accurate; read 250mohm easy and on the 142.8 mohm it actually read 143 mohm so off by .0002 ohm on the 200mohm scale (not a concern to me). Then to really give the VC480C+ a test I looked up in the EASA handbook what the resistance of a 1ft piece of #14 AWG solid copper wire, which is .0002524 ohm or 2.524 mohm but the VC480C+ range is only .00001 or .01 mohm so I knew I would be slightly limited before I took the reading, but the results not only impressed me but also impressed my coworkers. The VC480C+ measured the #14 AWG at .00250 ohm or 2.50 mohmI would have no concerns about purchasing this brand for other instruments based of what these can do.