Review of CalCard EXT1 Calibration Checkbox

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Ok lets look at what you can actually do with each check box.

Can it verify suitable low resistance scales for BS7671 / Part-P compliance?

S&S CB100: YES

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: YES

Home made Low res: YES

Home made High res: NO

Can it verify suitable High Insulation resistance scales for BS7671 / Part-P compliance?

S&S CB100: YES

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: YES

Home made Low res: NO

Home made High res: YES

Can it verify earth loop impedance reading scale for BS7671 / Part-P compliance?

S&S CB100: YES

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: NO

Home made Low res: NO

Home made High res: NO

Can it verify other resistance scales e.g. 2KΩ to 20KΩ (not required for BS7671 or Part-P)

but can be useful for other general electrical fault finding?

S&S CB100: NO

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: NO

Home made Low res: YES

Home made High res: NO

Can it accept 4mm plug in lead connectors?

S&S CB100: YES

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: NO

Home made Low res: NO

Home made High res: NO

Can it accept Crocodile clip lead connectors?

S&S CB100: NO

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: NO

Home made Low res: NO

Home made High res: YES

Can it accept pointed probe tipped lead connectors?

S&S CB100: NO

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: YES

Home made Low res: YES

Home made High res: YES

Does it come with leads that allow a meters own leads to be isolated out of the readings?

S&S CB100: YES

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: NO

Home made Low res: NO

Home made High res: NO

Does it come ready made? ie. no home construction time?

S&S CB100: YES

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: YES

Home made Low res: NO

Home made High res: NO

Scores so far:-

S&S CB100: 6/9

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: 4/9

Home made Low res: 3/9

Home made High res: 3/9

Portability.

The S&S CB100 closes into its own case with a carry handle, the case is bump resistant and waterproof

 

[a1]

Gawd - That was some read.

:^O

 

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Gawd - That was some read. :^O

need to go and polish your reading glasses again now!B-)

and rest your eyes before the next instalment! :z :z

 

[ABC Technical]

Very nice feedback Specloc. PMSL at yer guinea pig though.

 

[kme]

Firstly, I apologise if I reiterate any previous comments. In order to be as fair & unbiased as possible, I have not read ANY of the threads on this post; until I have delivered my verdict.

Now, then.

Lets get into it.

1. First impressions.

Well packaged, smaller than anticipated and self-explanatory. I like the semi-adhered strip on the back, and the contrasting colours used for low & high resistances. May have been nice for one of the "common" pads to be extended to the edge of the board; to allow a croc clip onto it?

2. Functionality.

(missed from above: like the fact that there is a s/n on the unitApplaud Smiley)

ok. Not difficult to use, and readings within tolerance (2 seperate meters used, providing almost identical results)

Handy size; fits nicely in the top section of my Fluke ™ case. Maybe the chosen resistances could have been better spread across the ranges measured; but hey!

3. Overall.

I am impressed with this unit. Thumbs up from me; and if you CAN manage to address the (minor) concerns above, I believe you`d have one hell of a product.

Overall score: 86% - Nice piece of kit.

Martyn

 

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OK boy and girls..

Part 6.. or is it Part 7 of my review??

I've lost count?

perhaps too much Guiness DrinkGuiness DrinkGuiness Drink

Anyway... NUMBERS!

I have a whole bunch of readings..... If any one is interested?

Bit boring though like reading a Flippin telephone directory!!! :_| :_|

so here's what I have done..

THREE different testers.

FOUR check boxes.

Whole bunch of comparison values would indicate allowing for % tolerances they are all within a gnats-whisker of where they should be.

SO what we can now do is... WAIT...... WAIT.... still be patient & WAIT!

I will re-do the WHOLE of these tests in the new year 2009!

give the caltronics 3month of real world in your toolbox lifespan!

Then we can compare results later

Obviously any interim comments or observations will be added in the interim period as appropriate..

But at this time I feel the Calcard EXT1 will be a valued tool in my toolbox..

(correction A4 folder! :^O )

Applaud SmileyApplaud Smiley

Here are the borings bits, our reference far later compariasion....

Low resistance tests:

Multi function meter: Lead resistance = 0Ω {leads null-out with meter function}.

SOCKET & SEE CB100

(null

 

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Just noticed a typo in previous post...

last calltronics (null

 

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Right...

here's are Two other bits I forgot to mention on my earlier review stuff.

Regarding the insulation resistance test values on the Socket & See & Calcard checkboxes.

As I said previously the SOCKET & SEE CB100 only has three values:- 0.5MΩ, 2MΩ, 200MΩ.

Whereas the CALCARD EXT1 has five values:- 0.5MΩ, 1MΩ, 2MΩ, 10MΩ, 20MΩ

Now IMHO the fundamental point of any checkbox is to give you a known component value so you can check that you meter is showing the correct readings.

IF you choose a component that is outside the range of what your meter can read..

then you are not going to prove any more that you would with just leaving the leads open circuit & not connected!! :|

As it is not uncommon for an insulation resistance tester, to have a scale that only goes up to 200MΩ

and the Socket & See tester has a 200MΩ value, this test could possibly just give you and 'OL' or out of range indication.!

So the Socket & See's three values could in reality only give you TWO usable values.??

Whereas the Cal card's five values are ALL within a real usable range of all Insulation resistance testers.

{as a side note I would add the actual Socket & See value on my box is approx 198MΩ..... which in my case is OK... But it could have been over 200MΩ with tolerances. which then would of been naff!}

Personally I would have liked BOTH the Socket & See, and the Calcard to have a max value of 100MΩ in place of their existing max values.

SECOND POINT:

Calibration certificate;

The socket & see check box came with a certificate detailing the following values for each component:

1/ Stated resistance

2/ Min possible resistance (-% tol)

3/ Max possible resistance (+% tol)

4/ Actual measured resistance.

Which is a useful bit of reference info when taking your test readings with meter being verified.

So update a few marks.....

Choice and selection of high resistance values out of 0..4, 0=bum, 4=best

S&S CB100: 2

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: 3 (possibly need 100MegOhm)

Home made Low res: 0 (n/a)

Home made High res: 3

Does it come with a certificate confirming actual values.

S&S CB100: YES

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: NO

Home made Low res: NO

Home made High res: NO

Previous scores...

S&S CB100: 6+2+4+1=13

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: 4+4+3+4=15

Home made Low res: 3+3+1+3=10

Home made High res: 3+3+1+3=10

Adding the new bits...

S&S CB100: 13+2+1=16.

Caltronics Calcard EXT1: 15+3+0=18.

Home made Low res: 10+0+0=10.

Home made High res: 10+1+0=11.

Thats all for now!

 

[ABC Technical]

Right then here we go.

Firstly a huge thankyou to Steve for the "Calcard".

Secondly a huge & humble apology to Steve for all negative remarks that I myself have made regarding his product.

I must say that I am amazed that this piece of kit is so small, yet so accurate, reliable & easy to use. I have used it to check the accuracy of not only my own instruments, but those of the company that I was working for too.

I have to confess that I have really abused my calcard by just throwing it my toolbox/bag whenever I have finished using it, only for it to be ready, willing & more than able to provide me with accurate results time & time again.

I even lent it to the engineer that calibrates my instruments, only for him to discover that a lot of his own personal instruments were way out of range, as were mine.

For it's retail price (though I think it could be a bit higher) this is an invaluable piece of technology for all sparks/sparks in training/electronics engineers & anybody that uses meters in their day to day work.

So to Steve I have to confess that I was extremely negative about your product at first, but after using it I am shovelling down humble pie as I write this.

I for one will be purchasing a new one when the time arises.

Thank you Steve again.

My score is ten out of ten.

I owe you a pint or three mate.

 

[Apache]

It was getting a little heated your exchanges on the other thread. I'm glad you were able to give it a fair try

 

[steptoe]

right, time for my reveiw,

and as you may have gathered from my various posts, more my world then actual reality, not to say not truthful, but not actual book readings.

here we go.

first off,

my card NEVER gave me the readings it said it would on the front, tested on 3 different meters and the readings were noted down, all pretty close to card readings, but none exact.

2 weeks later and meters all tested again,

ALL readings EXACTLY the same as first recorded, REPETITIVE readings are more important than outright accuracy IMHO

2 weeks later and I dropped the card into a barrel of water!!!! SORRY

2 weeks later and after sitting (drying out) in my living room for 2weeks ALL readings back to normal.

if you want a reference to give you a 1 ohm reading time after time then go buy a box at

 

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2 weeks later and I dropped the card into a barrel of water!!!! SORRY.

Applaud Smiley:^O:^O:^O

hope that wasn't Hercules feeding trough when you were cleaning out the stables?

 

[ABC Technical]

It was'nt Hercules's water was it Steps?

 

[steptoe]

er no,

it was Aggie's char actually,,,,

dont tell 'er tho. Pray

 

[ABC Technical]

Your secret is safe with me.

 

[springcrocus]

I have just purchased one of these through Admins' online auction. If Steps can't wreck it in Aggies tea then it must be good!

Now I will just Guiness Drink whilst waiting for delivery.

 

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I have just purchased one of these through Admins' online auction. If Steps can't wreck it in Aggies tea then it must be good! Now I will just Guiness Drink whilst waiting for delivery.

But I am not sure if it has been tested in KME's Guinness ??

Guiness DrinkGuiness DrinkGuiness DrinkGuiness Drink

so don't leave it too near the edge of the forum in case it falls in! :^O:^O:^O

In all seriousness I thing you will be pleased with your purchase..

not a bad little bit of kit! ?:|

stick your impressions of it on this thread once you have had a play?

 

[kme]

erm......

FYI, mine DID fall in some (alcoholic) liquid too.

On purpose, as it happens.............(thought I`d have to buy a new one)

However, same result as Steptoe. (Sorry Calltronics, you`ve made `em too good). It shows no ill effects whatsoever. I would also concur with reading not EXACTLY what is provided on the front, but I don`t believe that matters very much. I get the same results, time after time. I`ve tried it on a cold, dark early (4.00a.m) morning; in the house at 24 deg. C, after being left in bright sunshine, etc etc.

I am STILL highly impressed; even more so because it sits happily in the lid of my "fluke" case!

KME

 

[springcrocus]

Now I will just Guiness Drink whilst waiting for delivery.

Well, I didn't have to wait very long. Ordered it late on Thursday and it arrived Saturday morning.

Positive feedback (in good old Fleabay style) given to Steve of Caltronics. First-class service Applaud SmileyApplaud Smiley

 

[sparkyrj]

Nice piece of kit and very good value for money.