I have been thinking of getting a new meter and replacing my manual range DMM that I got free with purchase years ago.

Since I really only work with Pics I really don't need anything super accurate. I don't know if I really want to pay over $100 for a decent Fluke. The MASTECH-MS8268 looks really impressive for the price. Pack full of features.

Does anyone own one? What do you think?

A really cool feature at that price is the logging feature. That would have been really useful for past projects. The downside to this meter is it looks like it cannot be externally powered which would limit the time it can be used to the capacity of your batteries.

 

I have been thinking of getting a new meter and replacing my manual range DMM that I got free with purchase years ago.

Since I really only work with Pics I really don't need anything super accurate. I don't know if I really want to pay over $100 for a decent Fluke. The MASTECH-MS8268 looks really impressive for the price. Pack full of features.

Does anyone own one? What do you think?

A really cool feature at that price is the logging feature. That would have been really useful for past projects. The downside to this meter is it looks like it cannot be externally powered which would limit the time it can be used to the capacity of your batteries.

That looks like an awesome meter for $30 (Amazon prime). I like the USB real time data collection to PC.

 

A bit cheaper on eBay ~= $27.

 

Pulled the trigger. <$26.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/222463729582

Though over a week for shipping from NJ???

 

What is the shipping for you?
Max.

 

What is the shipping for you?
Max.

Looks like free shipping at $26 on eBay.

 

Here's a video teardown of that model.

 

I likely would have popped the additional 3 or 4 bucks for Amazon Prime. My wife is an avid Amazon Prime user and one feature I like is if something goes amuck they are right there and make good on any problems. Here nor there since you ordered it. Mastech makes really good stuff at affordable prices and the meter should serve you well. I do have one question about where Gopher mentions:

That looks like an awesome meter for $30 (Amazon prime). I like the USB real time data collection to PC.

I could not find any information on a USB port? I did see where in a review of several newer hand held DMMs that HP apparently offers a Hold Peak HP 90 which has the feature but not the Mastech 8268 which comes in at a lower cost. While it would be a nice to have it really isn't a must have. So best wishes with the new little meter.

Ron

 

I likely would have popped the additional 3 or 4 bucks for Amazon Prime. My wife is an avid Amazon Prime user and one feature I like is if something goes amuck they are right there and make good on any problems. Here nor there since you ordered it. Mastech makes really good stuff at affordable prices and the meter should serve you well. I do have one question about where Gopher mentions:

I could not find any information on a USB port? I did see where in a review of several newer hand held DMMs that HP apparently offers a Hold Peak HP 90 which has the feature but not the Mastech 8268 which comes in at a lower cost. While it would be a nice to have it really isn't a must have. So best wishes with the new little meter.

Ron

It at least interfaces to the PC over bluetooth. I thought I saw USB mentioned on another source too. Maybe an Amazon Q&A or review.

 

Either way it should work out fine for your needs. It seems to be pretty well feature packed and Mastech puts out reasonably priced good reliable meters. Drop a post when you get it and have tried it out, my guess is you will be happy with it.

Ron

 

Looks like free shipping at $26 on eBay.

Ironically it is US$12.00 for Canada, but USPS is not that much more, but this is the penalty of Global Shipping program.
Introduced by Ebay.
Max.

 

I have been thinking of getting a new meter and replacing my manual range DMM that I got free with purchase years ago.

Since I really only work with Pics I really don't need anything super accurate. I don't know if I really want to pay over $100 for a decent Fluke. The MASTECH-MS8268 looks really impressive for the price. Pack full of features.

Does anyone own one? What do you think?

A really cool feature at that price is the logging feature. That would have been really useful for past projects. The downside to this meter is it looks like it cannot be externally powered which would limit the time it can be used to the capacity of your batteries.

Hi,

Where did you see the data logging feature i dont seem to see that anywhere.

I have several Mastech products including meters and power supplies.

The meters are pretty good, i have one expensive one that has a lot of digits of readout and i checked it with a voltage standard and another even more expensive meter (500 dollar range) and it checks almost exactly the same (like within 1 count).
The current probe i have has a slight defect in that on the AC range it reads only as low as 200ma, but then again the top end is 600 amps so maybe that's not too unreasonable. The meter with no wire and no current reads 200ma which is strange, so it's only good for maybe 1 amp and above. It does read inrush current though that's why i bought it. It catches the highest input current when a device is turned on.
The power supplies work as expected i guess.

With the meter you are looking at i only see one issue that may be of concern. That is the battery sizes. The batteries are AAA size not AA size, and that could cause a problem especially since this meter has a backlight. If you use the backlight the AAA size batteries could run down faster than you'd like so you'll have to change them often. That will probably mean removing two screws on the back, then replacing three AAA batteries, then putting the screws back in. They are probably small screws so you'll have to deal with that. I dont know if there is a work around for this or not such as leaving the screws out all the time.
One meter i use a lot is at around the same price range but it uses AA batteries so they last a long time. I cant even remember when i replaced them last.
The nice thing about that meter and the one you are looking at is it has auto shutoff. With the batteries running down it is nice to have that so they dont keep running down completely. Yes it's a pain when you have to keep turning the meter back on, but if you dont do very long and drawn out tests then it's fine. If you need to do many hours of testing non stop though you need a bench meter as that can run for long hours on AC power.

So aside from the three AAA batteries instead of AA size it's probably a decent meter. Accuracy is less than 1 percent so it's not bad (DC is 0.7 percent i think).

I did not check to see if it had true RMS though, if it does not have that and you need that then you might have to look for a different meter.

I myself would buy another Mastech but i would want one that has more digits. The meter here has a top count of 3999 but i think 5999 is becoming more common now and 19999 would be well worth getting in a hand held. True RMS is also more common now too so probably that also included.

I have two meters that do data logging but having one meter that does data logging was never enough so i had to create my own four channel data logging meter a while back. I needed to monitor four channels at once though.

 

Data logging is mentioned in these reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/Mastech-MS8268-Digital-Manual-Multimeter/product-reviews/B0050LVFS0

You are not getting true RMS for $26.

 

Data logging is mentioned in these reviews.

https://www.amazon.com/Mastech-MS8268-Digital-Manual-Multimeter/product-reviews/B0050LVFS0

You are not getting true RMS for $26.

Hi,

Funny i dont see that data log feature in the manual. Maybe i went through it too fast, but i also dont see a connector for RS232 or anything.

Maybe someone else can take a look at the manual too, maybe i went through it too fast.

Just took another look, no mention of data logging and no mention of RS232 or similar connector.

It looks like the 8269 might have the data logging feature but i was not able to verify that either. Also, no mention of data logging or connector or software in that manual either. If a meter has data logging then it has to have a connector unless it is wireless, but then it should have software and instructions for that software.

This one says it right in the title:
https://www.amazon.com/MS8220R-Auto...sr=8-15&keywords=volt+meter+with+data+logging

 

Well that would suck if it doesn't. But is does seem a lot to expect for $26. I wonder if the reviewers were reviewing the wrong meter?

The one you posted is the more expensive meter.

 

Yeah, I had high hopes when I saw data logging mentioned but couldn't find it either. If you look at the tear down link I posted, it's pretty clear from the internals there is no interface - no connector, no module, no antenna. The guy's main complaint is no protection. Kind of the big omission of all <$100 DMMs, though. I look at all those comments with a very jaundiced eye.

 

I contacted the seller for claification. The upgraded one does have true RMS , data logging and a 9V battery. All for around $79. I want to see if the seller carries it and would be interested in a swap.

Protection does not worry me too much. Very rare I would be working much above an amp or two or above 20-30V. Most of my work will be at 5V well less than an amp.

 

I contacted the seller for claification. The upgraded one does have true RMS , data logging and a 9V battery. All for around $79. I want to see if the seller carries it and would be interested in a swap.

Protection does not worry me too much. Very rare I would be working much above an amp or two or above 20-30V. Most of my work will be at 5V well less than an amp.

Hi,

I found this:

some help perhaps on choosing a meter.

Also this which points some interesting things out about meters in general:

 

I contacted the seller for claification. The upgraded one does have true RMS , data logging and a 9V battery. All for around $79. I want to see if the seller carries it and would be interested in a swap.

Protection does not worry me too much. Very rare I would be working much above an amp or two or above 20-30V. Most of my work will be at 5V well less than an amp.

Are you upgrading?

 

Are you upgrading?

Maybe. Depends on what the seller says and what it will cost to return it. I wish I would have seen that other one before ordering.