Comments on: Maplin N56FU Digital Multimeter http://www.thebits.info/general/n56fu-172.htm Not your everyday tech journal Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:21:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Boris http://www.thebits.info/general/n56fu-172.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6271 Boris Sat, 26 Nov 2011 22:00:37 +0000 http://www.thebits.info/?p=172#comment-6271 Hi, I have purchased VA 18B.Have installed soft and drivers for DMM USB-RS232 connection. Choose proper com port.Turned on DMM for PC connection. But on the PC screen there are no tramsmitted data from VA18b. Help me pls. It seems that VA18 is similar to N56FU. Hi, I have purchased VA 18B.Have installed soft and drivers for DMM USB-RS232 connection. Choose proper com port.Turned on DMM for PC connection. But on the PC screen there are no tramsmitted data from VA18b. Help me pls. It seems that VA18 is similar to N56FU.

]]> By: Iosif http://www.thebits.info/general/n56fu-172.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6269 Iosif Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:18:24 +0000 http://www.thebits.info/?p=172#comment-6269 Dave: It is normal to read some mV if the leads are not connected to anything(floating potential). Try to connect both leads together and it should read zero. Daniel Johnson: I think that the fuses used in these meters are faster than quickblow (they are class aR - semiconductor protection - Very Fast Acting) and also very very expensive usually between 3-7GBP each. To make things even more interesting, I have an older N56FU (serial number starting with 3) that has on the board silkscreen printed 630mA/1000V and 20A/1000V and the fuses fitted are 500mA/1000V and 20A/1000V. On a newer one (serial number starting with 5), the silkscreen has the 630mA/690V and 20A/690V and the fuses fitted are as the silkscreen. As I recently succeded to blow the 630mA fuse on the newer unit, I looked quite some time to find a replacement. There is a UK based company that makes such fuses but it has a minimum ammount of 150GBP per order. Failing this, I searched all the usual suspect Farnell,RS, Maplin but theydid not stock them (there was some stock for the 20A one). Recently I was able to track down the original manufacturer of the fuse and ordered 10 of them for 75USD (including delivery to UK which is 20USD). The company is named HOLLY and it is from China. The link below gives the specs for the fuse (you can use the same site to contact them) http://www.hollyfuse.com/uploads/2008-2009%20Cg/HC10aR.jpg Hope that helps. Dave:
It is normal to read some mV if the leads are not connected to anything(floating potential). Try to connect both leads together and it should read zero.

Daniel Johnson:
I think that the fuses used in these meters are faster than quickblow (they are class aR – semiconductor protection – Very Fast Acting) and also very very expensive usually between 3-7GBP each.
To make things even more interesting, I have an older N56FU (serial number starting with 3) that has on the board silkscreen printed 630mA/1000V and 20A/1000V and the fuses fitted are 500mA/1000V and 20A/1000V. On a newer one (serial number starting with 5), the silkscreen has the 630mA/690V
and 20A/690V and the fuses fitted are as the silkscreen.

As I recently succeded to blow the 630mA fuse on the newer unit, I looked quite some time to find a replacement. There is a UK based company that makes such fuses but it has a minimum ammount of 150GBP per order.
Failing this, I searched all the usual suspect Farnell,RS, Maplin but theydid not stock them (there was some stock for the 20A one).

Recently I was able to track down the original manufacturer of the fuse and ordered 10 of them for 75USD (including delivery to UK which is 20USD). The company is named HOLLY and it is from China.

The link below gives the specs for the fuse (you can use the same site to contact them)
http://www.hollyfuse.com/uploads/2008-2009%20Cg/HC10aR.jpg

Hope that helps.

]]> By: Brian http://www.thebits.info/general/n56fu-172.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6250 Brian Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:17:39 +0000 http://www.thebits.info/?p=172#comment-6250 Anybody know how to zero out lead readings before doing a low continuity check on the ohms scale? Anybody know how to zero out lead readings before doing a low continuity check on the ohms scale?

]]> By: Lord TCT http://www.thebits.info/general/n56fu-172.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6163 Lord TCT Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:48:26 +0000 http://www.thebits.info/?p=172#comment-6163 Daniel: a 500 mA quick blow fuse wire would suffice Daniel: a 500 mA quick blow fuse wire would suffice

]]> By: Daniel Johnson http://www.thebits.info/general/n56fu-172.htm/comment-page-1#comment-6159 Daniel Johnson Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:17:35 +0000 http://www.thebits.info/?p=172#comment-6159 Has anyone found a source for fuses for this meter ? Maplin says it is obsolete and will not provide them. The 640 mA fuse seems to have a diode in it ? Has anyone found a source for fuses for this meter ?

Maplin says it is obsolete and will not provide them.

The 640 mA fuse seems to have a diode in it ?

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