Chinese digital calipers and battery life
- Thread starter SZR48207
- Start date
^ Okay then, if each of them only do one of those, then if you have the metric you have to convert to standard and vice versa, if you didn't know which it was yet, or put one tool down to get the other, or with either of them to convert to fractions. I'm quite often using mine to get a fastener size for example.
Sure you can just throw more money and storage space at a problem to get both metric & standard dial calipers, or not. I'm sure I can get any metric, standard, or fraction faster than juggling multiple dial calipers. If you feel the opposite, then we both have the right tools for our needs.
If my only choice was a digital caliper that had a dead battery every time I went to use it, or I had to use a screwdriver to change the battery (since they really aren't that big a deal to have spares, costing about 10 cents each in bulk, but that's extra hassle that would slow me down), then I'd be thinking about getting a dial caliper too.
Sure you can just throw more money and storage space at a problem to get both metric & standard dial calipers, or not. I'm sure I can get any metric, standard, or fraction faster than juggling multiple dial calipers. If you feel the opposite, then we both have the right tools for our needs.
If my only choice was a digital caliper that had a dead battery every time I went to use it, or I had to use a screwdriver to change the battery (since they really aren't that big a deal to have spares, costing about 10 cents each in bulk, but that's extra hassle that would slow me down), then I'd be thinking about getting a dial caliper too.
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I pretty much know what caliper I need for the task, I'm a light duty automotive & transmission Mechanic BTW. Measuring Shims, Trans Steel Plates & Pump Rotors/gears are what I use calipers for most of the time. Use them on brake rotor to, But don't do a lot of brake service.
Can tell a fastener size by sight most of the time......Telling a #10 machine screw from 4mm machine screw for example is difficult. But don't deal with that hardly at all. But real good at telling a 10mm from a 3/8", 5/16" from a 8mm, & 1/4" from 6mm.
Use Dial Indicators more, I can't even imagine using a digital version.....There would be math involved!
Can tell a fastener size by sight most of the time......Telling a #10 machine screw from 4mm machine screw for example is difficult. But don't deal with that hardly at all. But real good at telling a 10mm from a 3/8", 5/16" from a 8mm, & 1/4" from 6mm.
Use Dial Indicators more, I can't even imagine using a digital version.....There would be math involved!
I pull the battery out between uses and leave it in the holder box many come with. I bought a bunch of LR44 or what ever they are from eBay and use them as they die (which is still fast in most things that take them!)
After replacing the batteries on mine every few months I used it, I finally figured out all I had to simply do is take the battery out. I don't think I've needed to replace the battery for several years now, and works perfect every time I go to use it.
I have the new and improved HF digital caliper. The cover for the battery case broke a tab and will not stay closed. Have to hold it closed with a finger when using it to get it to stay on. So it always powers itself down when I stop using it.
I think it was AvE (I could be wrong) who did a test on some Mitutoyo and Chinese calipers and found that the cheapo ones are never really off, thus the poor battery life.
That being said, my 8” digital Mitutoyo’s are going on ~3 years of daily use (10-12 hours a day) with the battery that came with them, and they very rarely ever get turned off because I always forget.
TESA Browne and Sharpe had the best feeling dial calipers I’ve ever used. Almost digital smooth!
That being said, my 8” digital Mitutoyo’s are going on ~3 years of daily use (10-12 hours a day) with the battery that came with them, and they very rarely ever get turned off because I always forget.
TESA Browne and Sharpe had the best feeling dial calipers I’ve ever used. Almost digital smooth!
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The caliper has a constant drain on the battery. The only solution is to take the battery out when not in use. I use scotch tape to tape it to the outside of the plastic battery compartment.
My HF digital caliper has that defect too. Mitutoyu I used at work didn't. I soon learned to take the battery out. HF infrared temperature sensor has the same fault.
From what I recall of that video, the Mitutoyo also stayed on, just at a much lower current. He made a point that is quite relevant to this topic, that the purpose for them staying on internally is to maintain the same zero point that was used the last time it was turned on.
This is a fork in the road, deciding on whether you want that feature. If you are okay with zeroing it before each use (which I'd do anyway), you can get something that does not try to remember its zero from the last use, so doesn't need as high, if any, phantom power draw to maintain position memory while sitting unused on the shelf with the battery left in it.
Perhaps I did not make that clear about the calipers I linked previously, that they are not just using the higher capacity CR2032 cell but also do not maintain zero point in memory when turned off.
I only have the battery physically installed in mine when I am using it. I don't trust the questionable on off switch on these.
I wonder how long it will be until someone copies the solar powered Mitutoyo designs. I've seen some cheap-junk with a honkin'big solar panel added to the side of the module but not slickly integrated into the bezel like Mitutoyo does, though part of the issue there may be that if Mitutoyos use less power then they can get away with using a smaller area solar cell that fits in that space around the display.
Cleaning the contact area and checking zero is something I do on a regular basis even while using them. My Mitu was in the garage for several years with the battery still good. There can't be drain. I also checked my Tesa made digital against others, and found they don't read accurately. They must have been that way when I got them. Tossing them out I guess. I always thought Tesa to be the gold standard along with Starrett and Mitutoyo. Now I know why the guy on ebay was selling them those years ago when I got them. I never thought to check their accuracy along the scale. Vernier calipers are always accurate to the full length of the scale even if they are 100 years old.
?? I see no reason to assume that. Poor quality control, or deliberate ignorance of QC to save on manufacturing cost, happens every day... in China, to undercut the competition.
It's a scale that doesn't rely on gears or electronics to read where the value is. If you have some information that the scales are wrongly engraved then that's true. I haven't seen any. You can always measure a 4 inch gauge block or some master. A vernier caliper can be 5000 years old and be as accurate as the day it was made.
I have had the Harbor Freight 8" digital calipers for probably 10 years now and for as long as I've owned them, it has always seemed like it ate batteries. Doesn't matter if it's LR44 or 357 Silver Oxides.. it eats them up. I'm always very sure to turn OFF the device and then to lock the slider so that it can't turn on by itself while in the storage case, but this doesn't really seem to help.
8 in. Digital Caliper
Amazing deals on this 8In Digital Caliper at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.www.harborfreight.com
Is this a known issue for all of these chinese made calipers? Or would it be worthwhile to buy a new set? (I have been eyeing the ones that can report in fractional inches)
FWIW, I have a set of genuine Japanese made Mitutoyo calipers and it has been on the same battery for years now. I know it's not a fair comparison though.
I have the cheap HF calipers and I take the battery out when I'm done using it. I noticed mine would drain the battery while stored, and I would find it on at times even when I know I shut it off. You get what you pay for and for my use the HF ones work just fine!
Just my $0.02
