ET5410A+ DC Electronic Load Tester, Programmable Battery Testers

Excellent functionality, wide performance envelope, and very good value. Unable to test to rated 400W capacity, but verified to perform as intended up to at least 300W, 30A and 120V. User interface is flexible and mostly straightforward. Some features are slightly inconvenient, however. For example, CV and CC modes have dedicated selection buttons, but CR mode requires navigating through a menu. Returning to change a parameter after doing something else resets the default digit/step size to minimum, so it's necessary to reset the control increment every time. Parameter display fonts are very small; output readbacks are big , but it is hard to read the parameter/set point figures (to enter them properly and verify your selection) from a nominal working distance. A push-clickable encoder to confirm settings would be much more user-friendly than the separate "Enter" keypress that is currently required. These minor points aside, this is a serious test instrument and has become an indispensable resource in my lab.

The East Tester ET5410A works OK if you can put up with the terrible user interface. Many things are not very intuitive and require LOTS of button pressing. For example if you want to set the current to 2.5 amps you have to: - Press Mode and scroll to the desired mode then press Ent(er) - Press Set, and if needed, scroll to the parameter you want to set. Each defaults to setting only the right most digit--i.e. 0.01 amp increments. If you advance it past 0.09 amps it won't "overflow" to 0.10 amps but rather goes back to 0.00. - Then press the left arrow to move to the next digit and select .5 amps then press Ent(er). - Then press the left arrow again to move to the next digit and select "2" then Ent(er). Really? Why can't I just turn the rotary jog control slowly for fine adjustments or quickly for more coarse adjustments? And why can't the jog control also be pressed either as "Enter" or to change it from coarse to fine adjustment? Most bench equipment with a rotary encoder has this functionality. And you can pretty much ignore the right most digit of anything displayed on this unit as the calibration is so poor as to render it meaningless. If it displays 12.00 volts it's really 11.91 volts at the terminals as measured with a high-end Fluke. If it displays 2.50 amps it's really 2.44 amps and so on. Does that render it useless? No but be aware it's likely using very cheap ADCs and/or references. The readings also drift with temperature as it warms up from dissipating significant power during testing. I have only tested it to 30 amps and 300 watts, and even then only briefly, as I don't want to blow it up. My experience with most Chinese no-name test equipment, power supplies, etc, is they have exaggerated ratings. For example I have a "well reviewed" Chinese bench top switching power supply rated at 20 amps and 30 volts which would be 600 watts. It will indeed deliver 20 amps OR 30 volts but not both at the same time. It's really a 300 watt power supply and will only do 10 amps at 30 volts OR 20 amps at 15 volts before it shuts off. I did run the ET5410A at 12 volts and 15 amps (180 watts) for 20+ minutes and it was fine. The fan switched to the high setting which is quite loud (even the low speed is noisy). The air out of the back at 180 watts, at least, didn't seem excessively hot. The manual is somewhat useless as it doesn't explain a lot of things like, for example, how to reset stored readings (which persist even after cycling the power). It also doesn't really explain the back panel interfaces. Supposedly there's Windows software to use with the USB interface but I can't find it. The website is only in Chinese and, even translating it, I can't find any downloads for this series. So you're kind of on your own here as support seems nearly nonexistent especially if you're not fluent in Chinese. So is this a step up from the 100W - 200W "CPU cooler" style exposed PCB electronic loads? Yes but barely. It's also at least twice as expensive and, sadly despite way more buttons and the rotary control, it's not really easier to use either.

Unfortunately failed to boot from start. I tinker so found the main power board wasn't working correctly. Requested return and was immediately asked if I would like a replacement board. Since was in no hurry a board was delivered in reasonable time and upon swap the unit works well. Have already proved a power supply does not operate at the current it is rated for, no surprise. this is going to be a handy tool on my bench. Although the unit should not have passed QC, we don't know how it was handled in transport. I will someday poke around and compare to the bad board looking to see what failed. Am happy with the communication and responses.