Gain Express DMM Digital Bench Top Multimeter PC Analog Bar Meter

On deck is a feature packed, budget priced electronic multi-meter. I've been using the Vici (Vichy, Victor, Flexzion, Unisource) VC8145 for about 4 months now and I'd like to share what I experienced. The case is made of thin plastic and is loosely fitted. It's very light and it creaks like an old oak floor. The copy I got came with used probes, it was pitted at the points from what appears to be from a high voltage arc. The mA fuse inside the input jack was blown and there was debris inside the LCD screen. I contacted the vendor and explained the situation. They kindly offered to take the unit back for a full refund, or give me a $10 refund if I wanted to keep the unit. I decided to keep the unit but not take the $10. Right off the drive, it’s out of bounds.I replaced the fuse and threw away the probes. The debris in the LCD is still in there and the creaking, well it stays on the shelf any way so not a big thing. The light weight confirms what many a blog post says about these bench meters. . . it's just a handheld in a box with a transformer (see photos). There are two PCB’s and it looks like there’s 1 MOV, 1 small HRC fuse and a long current shunt on the input side. The PCB has 2014 date on it so it’s really young. I didn’t look under the metal can but I’m guessing that the sensitive parts are being shielded there.The transformer had a 2014 date too and looks really low cost, but it’s silent and does the job. The output is 9V, 900mA. . . yeah handheld. The rest of the back has the PCB for the mains input and a small PCB for the RS232 out. That’s it. Oh, in the photo I have the VC8145 next to another bench meter. The other one is 32 years old. I guess technology has changed so much that now you can squeeze way more functions in a smaller lighter package. The 32 year old does only DC AC volts, DC AC current and resistances. The VC8145 claims 50 functions! Back on the fairway. . .Using the meter is pretty easy and straight forward. All the buttons are marked and they feel OK, but a little too soft. None are lighted so there’s no indication other than the LCD display as to what function you're in. I like the fact that there’s no dial selector. Dials should be on handhelds. The back lit LCD is big and easy to read. There are two hot spots on the right of the screen, but you can turn off the back light if you want. Also, the back light does not come on at power up. I think it should because there’s no worry about draining batteries here.The dual display comes in handy as you can see for example MIN-MAX-AVG readings, FREQUENCY/DUTY and even centigrade/Fahrenheit TEMPERATURE readings. The bar graph should have more segments as it looks half done with all the spaces. The readings are slow and switching between functions takes about 3-4 seconds. It’s so slow, I thought the meter was broken when I first used it, but you just need to wait and wait. And wait. The meter has a beeping sound when you press a button, any button and the meter will let you know that it has a beeper, it’s really loud. When you power up, it beeps 6 times. . . BEEP BEEP BEEP, BEEEEP BEEEEP BEEEEP. Yikes! If you look at the photos, you might have noticed a blue blob of chewing gum on the PCB. That’s the piezo under there. On the approach. . .The resolution of the VC8145 is one of the pluses for this meter, 80k, 4 ½ digit. But I think as bench meters go, it’s on the low side but usable. The accuracy is within it’s specifications on the DCV range. I don’t have any lab grade equipment but I do have a transfer standard that I use to check my meters. The VC8145 reads a hair high (see photos) on the 5V standard. The standard is measured at 5.0000V with a 45 day burn in log, so I think it’s very stable. Also, I checked 3 other meters and two reads exactly 5.0000V and one was a hair lower but with in spec. I also checked DC and AC current, AC volts, and resistance. All are with in specifications but just barely. The ACV TRMS measurement is a little tricky. The spec notes that in the 750V range >75% of the range, 50 Hz to 20kHz you could be off by +/- 3.0% rdg + 50 counts. <75% of the range the reading could be off by +/- 5.0% + 50 counts. Also, the front cover of the meter says “CAT II 1000V”! Ehhh. . . I don’t use this meter for any AC measurements, but I would still be worried about the rating. Nevertheless, for now, I think the VC8145 is on the putting green.Confused? Me too, but the meter seems to be just OK. I use it to monitor low input DC voltages coming from a power supply and nothing else. The VC8145 is not designed to play with the big boys. I don’t think they tried to do that. It tries to do many things just so so and nothing really well. I purchased a 500k count 5-4/5 digit handheld for the nearly the same price and it’s a way better meter. So in my experience, the VC8145 missed the putt and doesn’t make par, it’s too far from the hole. Lee Trevino once said about being so far from the hole. . . “I’m on the dance floor, but I can’t hear the music!”.

For the price I assumed I would get a better constructed unit. If you are expecting a white unit like in the picture you will be disappointed. It is the beige 1990's computer color. Makes the whole unit look and feel old and dated. For get any detailed instructions. The Backlight is bright and a plus.Over all I probably would not purchase this item. I have included picture of the unit I received and pictures taken from the Amazon add. The first 3 picturs are from the unit I received and the last 2 are from the Amazon add. I wish the unit had come in white, but...Seems to work ok so I gave it a 3 stars. If it had been the same as the advertised picture I would have given it a 5. DMM Digital Bench Top Multimeter PC Analog Bar Meter

Have not used it much. Seems to be ok. Case rocks forward when you try push a button. Too soon for a real review.

Very good Quality.

The meter works great. PC software doesn't work

Well built for the price. Very flexible and easy to use.

Great product for the price. NO COMPLAINTS.

Really great for my electronics hobby. I love it.

Does most of the job, the temperature feature is reading some internal sensor not the external thermocouple. The software is way outdated and does not work, no links found to update.

good display, not so good refresh rate. good value