Digital vs. Analog Megohmmeter - Analog vs. DMM - Seeking Reviews / Opinions

[Kenneth Czar]

Hi all,

Which will be the best recommended for Megohmmeter instrument,analog type or digital type?Our customer is using analog type(prostat PRS-800)ours is ACL 800.

Our customer said that ACL 800 is not stable since it is supplied by 9 volts battery and it needs to stabilize first at 100 volts before it shows the reading ,while their analog type once you pressed the button it will give a reading within seconds.

Does ESD organization specify an analog or digital megohmmeter?

Note: both our instrument are calibrated and traceable with international or national measurement std.

We correlate out testing procedure and we obtain a reading within required specification.(1 x10 e 6 up 1 x10 e9)STM 2.1 ESD Std.

any positive info.....

thanks, :

[Jim Wynne]

According to the manufacturer (http://www.aclstaticide.com/01/index.html) your meter

Complies with EN 100 015 standard ESD Association No. 4.1 and NFPA standard No. 99

Of course, it makes no difference if your method is efficacious or not if your customer wants something else. If the customer has specified the standards to which your ESD program must comply, and you comply with those standards, then changing your methods is a matter of negotiation with the customer.

[António Vieira]

First I don’t see any advantage in changing from a digital Mega ohmmeter to an analog one.
In our factory we don’t use any analog instrument of those since 1993. If you want to read Mohm why does it has to “stabilize first at 100 volts”?
Of course if your customer wants, it’s better to do it as he wants...
Normally the digital instruments as those we use here gave us a sound (a beep) that means the reading can be done, and some also register automatically the value, which is not possible in an analog device!
Some customer...

[Hershal]

The best way to know.....

If both are equally reliable and accurate, then.....

determine the measurement uncertainty.....use that as a yardstick.

Hershal

[Jim Howe]

If I remember correctly the US Navy (in the early 1960's) used a hand cranking device to measure mohms (insulation resistance to ground) which was extremely important on an all steel ship. It was analog and put out a constant 500v regardless of speed of crank.
The 100v you refer to is perhaps the new standard for meaurement and so you would have to wait until the 100v was reached if you are powering with a 9v battery.
I personnally liked the old megometers. many a time when we had no lighter for our smokes we would squirt a little lighter fluid into a dish. Crank the megometer with the leads attached to a 600v electrolytic capacitor, and then discharge across the dish. BINGO! Fire is Good!

[Kenneth Czar]

thanks for the info..

were doing an incoming inspections for all esd materials such as conductive mats,conductive corrugated sheets,and static-dissipative fabrics.. we are now in the process of sourcing out analog megohmmeter..anybody could proposed either ,we will purchase it through TT or LC at sight or FOB.We requiring also charge plate analyzer for our ionizers.

Question again....how many washing will be required for cleanroom bunny suits 5mm grid with ecf? We have observed that everytime we washed our bunny suits the reading of fabric(sleeve to sleeve,point to point) deteriorates..i cannot explain to our customer.

specs: previous rdg= 1 x 10 e6 after 5 washing rdg was 1 x10 e7...is there any std in esd washing for cleanroom bunny suits?

[Al Rosen]

In Reply to Parent Post by Kenneth Czar

thanks for the info..

were doing an incoming inspections for all esd materials such as conductive mats,conductive corrugated sheets,and static-dissipative fabrics.. we are now in the process of sourcing out analog megohmmeter..anybody could proposed either ,we will purchase it through TT or LC at sight or FOB.We requiring also charge plate analyzer for our ionizers.

Question again....how many washing will be required for cleanroom bunny suits 5mm grid with ecf? We have observed that everytime we washed our bunny suits the reading of fabric(sleeve to sleeve,point to point) deteriorates..i cannot explain to our customer.

specs: previous rdg= 1 x 10 e6 after 5 washing rdg was 1 x10 e7...is there any std in esd washing for cleanroom bunny suits?

The ESD Association publishes standards that may answer your questions.