Multimeter probes + tip set

I don't think I'm too far off the mark if I say that many people who use multimeters have had to buy test leads for them sooner or later. Sometimes it's to replace old ones, sometimes to improve performance, and sometimes to make measurements more convenient. I also wanted to make my main UT181A a little more convenient to use, so today I'm reviewing a set of test leads and tips.


This will be a short review, because I don't really know what there is to say about such a well-known product. But there will definitely be some measurements—what would a review be without them? :)

They come in a sturdy resealable bag.


Inside are the test leads and three small bags of tips. Given the number of little bits and pieces, I'll say right away that you'll definitely want better packaging, because this isn't convenient for storage.


I'll start with the test leads.
They're 1.3 m long and very flexible. The insulation looks like silicone, but it doesn't tolerate heat: it starts to melt at around 200–250 degrees and above.
There are no markings on the wires. The stated ratings are 600 V and 20 A.



1. The test leads are made of dense rubber. They bend if you apply force, but don't break.
2. The manufacturer's name, Cleqee, is printed on them, along with the double-insulation symbol.
3. The finger guards are comfortable. Since the material feels like rubber, they don't slip in your hand.
4. The probes themselves don't have tips; there's only a thread for attaching them. The marking next to it reads CAT.II 1000V.
5. The meter plugs aren't particularly different from those on my other multimeters. Some look exactly alike, as if they were made using the same mold. They're marked CAT.III 1000V and have the double-insulation symbol.
6. The inside end of each contact is insulated, but both insulators are red.


Test leads and probes.
These leads are rated according to their safety category and carry the corresponding markings.
CAT II 600 V | 4000 V impulse voltage
CAT II 1000 V | 6000 V impulse voltage
CAT III 600 V | 6000 V impulse voltage
CAT III 1000 V | 8000 V impulse voltage
CAT IV 600 V | 8000 V impulse voltage
CAT IV 1000 V | 12000 V impulse voltage

The most common ratings are
CAT III 1000 V
CAT IV 600 V
Despite the 600 V marking, the second option is safer than the first. In our case, the test leads have two ratings: CAT.II 1000 V and CAT.III 1000 V. Since, as I understand it, you should go by the lower rating, they're really closer to CAT II 1000 V and are intended for household use.
I found an image online explaining where each category is used.



But a review wouldn't be complete without tests or a comparison with other options, so I got three more sets of leads. That makes four sets in total:
1. Test leads bought locally, for about $10 at the time, if I remember correctly.
2. The ones supplied with the UT-61E multimeter (not shown in the group photo).
3. The ones under review.
4. The ones supplied with the UT-181A multimeter.


The order matches the list above.
1. Visually, only the UT-61E leads stand out; they look noticeably cheaper.
2. Here you can see there are actually more differences: the locally bought ones have a different contact design, and the others differ from each other too, though less noticeably.
3. The meter-end connectors are also very similar; again, only the UT-61E leads stand out.
4. All except the UT-61E leads have extra insulation inside. The locally bought ones have it done properly, with different colors for each lead.


Next, I planned to measure the resistance and estimate the wire gauge. But when I wound them all together, it turned out that the odd one out leads under review are longer than the others by about 15 cm. Didn't expect that.


And now for the measurements:
1. The ones under review: 26.1 mΩ; calculated specs: AWG18, 0.83 mm²
2. Locally bought: 37.5 mΩ, AWG20, 0.5 mm²
3. UT-61E: 40.5 mΩ, 0.55 mm²
4. UT-181A: 22.9 mΩ, 0.85 mm²

The supplied UT-181A leads came closest to the ones under review. The others were clearly behind, with the UT-61E leads performing the worst.


They connect to the multimeter perfectly; no issues at all here. On the right are the included leads, on the left are the ones under review.
By the way, the probe sockets on my old M890G have a different diameter, and the probes I bought for it offline had to be modified.



Since the probes themselves are unlikely to be usable on their own, the kit includes a lot of different tips. That’s partly why I bought it: I often need either an alligator clip or a thin “needle” probe.


The kit includes:
1. “Alligator clips”
2. Fork terminals
3. “Banana plugs”
4. A clip for connecting to thin contacts, plus wires for it
5. Insulating tips
6. Short probes
7. Long probes.


1. It’s nice that they included two pairs of probes, but it would have been better if the collars near the threads weren’t round, but square or at least oval, so they wouldn’t roll around on the table.
2. Overall length and working length, respectively.
3, 4. No problems with either the short or long probes: they stay in place well and are comfortable to use. But the leftover flash on the insulators immediately gives away that this is a budget set.


Test probes for connecting to component leads. I’ve never really used these before, so I’ll have to get used to them.


The adapters for connecting to the probes aren’t rated for high voltage, especially the contacts that connect to the test clips themselves.


The test clips work: when pressed, two hooks extend; when released, they can latch onto a thin contact. But the whole thing looks really flimsy, though I have nothing to compare it with.


1. “Alligator clips,” fork terminals, and “banana plugs.”
2. The “banana plugs” are marked 30V. They have a spring-loaded section, hold securely, and have enough room for the spring to compress.
3. The fork connectors and alligator clips look decent. The insulator on the former feels like rubber, while the latter seem to be plastic. There are no markings.
4. Dimensions.


1. The locking mechanism is designed so that the “banana plugs” simply fit onto the probes. It seems like it should be convenient, but...
2. But if you then want to attach the alligator clips as well, you end up with this “sausage,” which is very awkward to use.
3. With the alligator clips attached, the total length is about 11 cm, not counting the probe handle itself!
4. And it turns out the alligator clips are so stiff that it takes quite a bit of force just to open them this far.


I much prefer the design of the alligator clips for Owen probes: they screw directly onto the threaded part of the probe, which is very convenient.


For comparison, these are the probes supplied with inexpensive Fluke models. Yes, they don’t even have insulation on the instrument-side contact ends, and they look even simpler than the ones supplied with the UT-61E.


Unfortunately, the multi-part design of the tips affects not only their appearance and ease of use, but also their electrical characteristics.
The following is the resistance added to the probe’s own resistance when using:
Banana plugs — 1.8 mΩ.
Fork terminals — 3.34 mΩ
Alligator clips — 4.4 mΩ

So if one probe lead has a resistance of 26 mΩ, two leads with alligator clips attached will add up to 61 mΩ.


Sometimes you need to connect something to alligator clips like this, but just look at it—could this really be convenient?

The usual question: how do they hold up in the cold?
After an hour in the freezer, the cable became stiffer but didn’t turn rigid. This may be partly because they’re new, so there’s still plenty of plasticizer in them.
This reminds me of the probes I bought offline, shown above. A colleague and I were once called out to repair an intercom panel, and everything would have gone fine if it hadn’t been around -25 to -28°C outside. The probes became “wooden” literally within a minute of being outside. In the end, we had to move the car closer to the work site and warm them up periodically. That’s how we got the job done, in “sprints.” The ones under review are noticeably softer after being in the freezer, but it was also a little warmer there, around -18°C.




And, of course, a brief conclusion.
I have mixed feelings. I have no complaints about the leads and probes: the resistance is low and the cable is comfortable to use. But I really didn’t like the tips. The “banana plugs” keep trying to slip off the probe, and with the “forks” or “alligator clips” it’s a complete mess—the setup is long and unreliable.

All in all, I’d give the leads and probes, as well as the “needles,” not 5 points, but I think 4 is well deserved. The other tips get 2 points.

And since a review is also a chance to discuss things, I’ll ask while I’m at it: does anyone know of any decent—and, most importantly, convenient—multimeter probes? Ones you can attach alligator clips to without them slipping off at the slightest sneeze.

That’s all for today. I hope you found it useful.