You don't need to find the calibration files, I have built a website to create the calibration files for you using your own calibration data, trust me it is a LOT easier using my site to do this: www.thedefpom.com/siglent_sdm_calibration.php This is fully working for the SDM3065X, SDM3045X and SDM3055 I will likely do a follow up video discussing the differences between the meters soon.
I have been requesting this calibration procedure from Siglent North America for several years for my 3065X. Response has always been the factory has not released it. My personal unit is not out of cal however I have been a calibration tech for many years and have access to high end calibrators such as the Fluke 5520A. I agree with your suggestion to Siglent for an internal process as you indicated. The internal HP/Agilent/Keysight (among others) cal procedures for their high end meters has always been the easiest and most effective. Siglent should emulate them.
Current official position is: For Defpom user cal, R&D department will try to improve it. So at the moment, use the current files and template. The Defpom User Cal creation webpage is constructed entirely around Siglent's 'secret' User Cal procedure so for now it's the best we have. Thanks again Scott. 👍
Great video, Scott! Thank you for putting all this information together and creating the web site. Hopefully, Siglent was listening to your suggestion, it seems like a winner to me. I have noticed that "gear" usage in many Chinese documents - used like we would use it when referring to a gear selector in a car - a setting or mode selection.
I will be doing a followup video to this at some point, I just received the latest calibration documents from Siglent which tells me the file differences for the different models (due to different abilities), I am currently modifying the site to allow for the differences between the models cal files.
Thanks Peter, I recorded this video months ago, in fact this is the second time I have recorded it, I did one nearly 2 years ago but never released it, the 2nd video was better anyway !
Hi Tony, I have the documentation on my Patreon page with the post for this video, however, I THINK I have finished making the SDM30xx calibration script generator on my site, so you can just go there and generate the scripts using my site :-) www.thedefpom.com/siglent_sdm_calibration.php
Thanks, the complexity and pitfalls with the spreadsheet system are why I just build a page into my website to generate the scripts for people, it makes it a LOT easier.
Firstly, I am ever so grateful to you, for your efforts to make this video. Thank you. I am just a retired hobbyist that took up electronics to keep my brain learning. I treated myself to this exact meter. Per some EEVBlog Forum advice, I left the unit on, for many months (years?) to allow it to settle out any drift. If I wanted to keep the calibration topped up, it is probably time to have it done. However, I would not want to return it to Siglent, for them to do the work, as I have had significant issues with their service center on other equipment. So, what other company in the USA/48 might you suggest I consider and what fee might I expect to be quoted? I take it that any calibration is not covered under warranty.
The forum will be the best place to find where to get it calibrated, I'm afraid I don't know. This method is for "users" to adjust their own meters, something that can be done if you have a suitably accurate reference source as shown. I think there are different calibration scripts for use with commercial calibrators and NI VISA etc. I know nothing about those though.
My resistance reading is exactly 50% of what it should be when measured in circuit. So i used your website to generate 2 wire resistance file without changing anything and tried to load it following yours steps. I get error in calibrated mode or range.
It sounds more like your meter has a fault or possibly a setting error. The error means that the designators for the mode or the ranges don't match what the meter expects, did you select the correct SDM model before filling in your data and generating the file?
U mnie ten sam błąd w skalibrowanym trybie lub zakresie-SDM3055,podejrzewam niezgodny zapis zakresu ,poniewaz po wpisaniu miernik pokazuje zakres ktorego nie ma,czyli momy.
I will be doing some calibration but I don’t think I will have that many zeros involved LOL. Thanks I’m sure this will be useful for people. Thanks regards Chris
Hi, I would like to know if you have internal relays when you do dual measurements or when you change functions, like the Siglent SDM3055 or Hantek HDM3065 multimeters or the Uni-t 8000 series etc...
Calibration is not adjustment or "tweaking". Calibration is the process of testing an unknown item / device against a known reference value / device and does NOT involve adjustment. Verification is when you adjust (if required) a device using a known reference device and a required specification. Also note your test leads and the errors they will contribute due to different contact materials which can give micro volt errors. . Be wary of heat from devices stacked on top of one another and ambient air flow in the room across your devices. Temperature variations at the test terminals can also cause errors between devices and test leads can pick up back ground or mains noise.
@@theovannieuwenhuizen5756 Normally main reference voltage standards are never adjusted as you want to know the drift. If you keep adjusting something annually when did it drift the most ? What is the impact on the devices you tested using that reference between ajustments ? Look up Josephsons voltage standard. The kg standard is changing as it ages but you never adjust it.
Looks to me like Siglent just ran out of development time/money to implement a front panel based calibration. The CSV method would have been the first incarnation of a recalibration routine during R&D and before the front panel functionality had been completed. During development of the PDVS2mini I did similar with simple tables in the source code to allow for setting/tweaking the calibration......and it got dumped when the front panel code had been finally written.
Not exactly. User Cal was developed from the automated factory calibration process and added into the UI to allow teaks to compensate for Vref aging drift. Scott showed Siglent a possible method to much simplify tweaks with some mods to the UI and just using front panel controls however they have been reluctant to release any User Cal information publicly despite Factory Cal being preserved when User Cal's are applied and able to be recalled with just the press of a button. For some time we have pushed for things to change and now Scott has given this some air and time will show Siglent their customers will not wreck calibration there is some hope they will add a front panel method to make small changes without the need to fuck around with CSV files and upload them. Scott's webpage will make the current User Cal process so much easier.
As Rob has already said, we have been pushing Siglent on this for a couple of years, they are at the point now where they are comfortable making it public, I think they wanted to get the firmware done for the SDM3045X and SDM3055 first.
I don’t remember seeing anything stated anywhere, I would say to try at about 400Hz and then check the results across the frequency range from 20Hz to 1kHz to see if it looks flat enough.
It only 7.5 digits, and it is a bit noisy, and jumps every 15 minutes or so as it does an internal correction... I now have a 7.5 digit Datron 1082 which is a lot more stable.
I noticed that my SDM 3055 does not correctly report the DC offset of a sinusoid but that a $100 DMM will. When given a 4 Vpp sinusoid with 3 V DC offset the AC voltage reading is 1.41.... , which is correct, but the DC voltage reads 1.6 volts!
If I dont have a reliable standard over 10v, i.e 200v, 750v dc ranges, can I just use your generator to calibrate what I can and somehow use siglents original cal data for the ranges I dont have? I bought an SDM3045 and have had siglent recal it once under warranty but it still reeds my 5v standard as 4.9990 all my cheaper meters are 5.000 bang on. Im mostly interested in getting accurate values for ADC voltage references like 3.5v and 4.096 etc
Your cal sequence might be ok for simple user only 'self' cals, but an official "Accredited" calibration as required for business level requirements, Accredited certified calibration does not allow such undocumented method. It would not be accepted to international standard procedural demands. Important is documenting the information entered in completing the cal entries. Pushing buttons to set leaves no record of actual input. In fact the spreadsheet creation as suggested by Siglent already poses some issues in confirmation pf the person entering the information being checked for correct entry. Life in accredited and cal work is so complex to fulfill requirements, I had some 13 years work as signatory for an accredited test lab, and among that task had to create work procedures and documentation systems for work performed by the accredited lab.
Siglent themselves refer to this spreadsheet method as a user calibration, I believe that they have a 2nd method for proper calibration providers, and I certainly agree that traceability is important for commercial uses, there are however a lot of general users that will want to adjust their units once the reference has aged and drifted a bit (as in my case). I am a bit spoilt here having picked up bits of calibration gear over the past few years.
@@TheDefpom Ok, I agree for basic user ability to keep readings accurate, especially with only simple available reference sources, your method would be far easier for most users than the far more complex spreadsheet and no need to document their cal. Given few users have such premium reference source on hand but more likely one of the simple stable ref IC based 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10V sources, that someone with a recently accurately (hopefully) 7.5 or 8.5 digit DMM has produced and supplied accurate table of real outputs. Sadly many such references are delivered without or very dodgy cals table from online sources.That reference of course is itself not definitely very accurate, aging so likely no longer actually right by such table of values. Main user interest is having his set of equipment in basic agreement, not traceable to national/international standards. Formal calibration is rarely justified unless you have business income derived and depedant/ needing such traceable measurements, it is simply too costly for most small workshops or individuals. Fort7nately unless something really becomes defective the modern 5.5 to 8.5 digit instruments are so stable they realistically do not really need such annual cal. My experience is that over 10 years they hardly alter (Keysight/Agilent/HP, Tektronix, Keithley, etc) with formal expensive cal only proving no change since manufacture. Sadly the cal intervals demanded by Accreditation, seem derived from historic VALVE based equipment that drifted over months not even years. I had much calibrated HP/Agilent DMM, Signal sources, DC power, and Acquistion hardware, over 13 years fewer than 10% of that was ever needing strictly speaking far enough out to actual needed accuracy, and 30% adjustment to original product spec limits. Rare actually was anything like the allowed spec aging drift limit. Even a 1970s Fluke handheld DMM I have was only out by 2 counts of least significant digits on most used ranges and 5 counts of least digit on max voltage range, compared to a new 7.5 digit DMM in 2018.
@@helmuthschultes9243 However in the case of Siglent's top model in this range, in SDM3065X the unaged LM399 used are known to drift and competent users have logged that drift which almost precisely matches LM399 datasheet drift but it takes a while before they drift out of accuracy spec. Some A brand bench DMM's permit front panel adjustment and it's clearly outlined in their documentation unlike those at this time for Siglent DMM's due to their resistance to have their User Cal information publicly available. This beggared belief when the Factory Cal remains undisturbed and can be recalled with just the press of a button. Only a day or 2 back some Siglent top brass finally concluded owners should have the opportunity to decide for themselves about User Cal rather than it be kept a secret process when that need be so and made no sense at all.
@@tautech8196 Ok, I admit to not expecting the Siglent to match the likes of current Keysight and Keithley gear, there is a considerable cost differencs. Not that I necessarily suggest all that cost increase is justified by the relative quality, some is simply brand prestige. I too have several Siglent items and feel quite happy with these, and trust them more than several other economy brands..
Deffo worth considering Scott.......because is you send to a normal standards/cal lab they won't tweak the calibration, they'll just document it only. That's of course if it's within spec......but then if it's out of spec they'll charge you mucho extra to go tweaking (repair!)...............I'm sure xDevs will get in there with the trimming tool if need be....:-) Saying that, totally understand your usage of your devices and the real life questionable need to get it done......and of course in can be a rabbit hole!
Maybe a solution to this would be to get the next unit I buy sent to you for directly, which is fine if it’s a working unit. I very nearly purchased a Datron 1281 a few days ago, but it only did DCV so didnt want to bid that much.
@@TheDefpom That's how we did things few times before, cross-shipped stuff from epay. In fact last xDevs repair video item was exactly that, Fluke we fixing will go to my friend after repair and cal.
👎 Wenn das SIGLENT DMM schon Sense-Anschlüsse an den Eingangsbuchsen anbietet, sollte man auch (bes. bei einer Kalibrierung) 4 Leitungen anschliessen. LG.
Hi, I would like to know if you have internal relays when you do dual measurements or when you change functions, like the Siglent SDM3055 or Hantek HDM3065 multimeters or the Uni-t 8000 series etc...
You don't need to find the calibration files, I have built a website to create the calibration files for you using your own calibration data, trust me it is a LOT easier using my site to do this: www.thedefpom.com/siglent_sdm_calibration.php
This is fully working for the SDM3065X, SDM3045X and SDM3055
I will likely do a follow up video discussing the differences between the meters soon.
I have been requesting this calibration procedure from Siglent North America for several years for my 3065X. Response has always been the factory has not released it. My personal unit is not out of cal however I have been a calibration tech for many years and have access to high end calibrators such as the Fluke 5520A. I agree with your suggestion to Siglent for an internal process as you indicated. The internal HP/Agilent/Keysight (among others) cal procedures for their high end meters has always been the easiest and most effective. Siglent should emulate them.
Current official position is: For Defpom user cal, R&D department will try to improve it. So at the moment, use the current files and template. The Defpom User Cal creation webpage is constructed entirely around Siglent's 'secret' User Cal procedure so for now it's the best we have. Thanks again Scott. 👍
Great video, Scott! Thank you for putting all this information together and creating the web site. Hopefully, Siglent was listening to your suggestion, it seems like a winner to me. I have noticed that "gear" usage in many Chinese documents - used like we would use it when referring to a gear selector in a car - a setting or mode selection.
I will be doing a followup video to this at some point, I just received the latest calibration documents from Siglent which tells me the file differences for the different models (due to different abilities), I am currently modifying the site to allow for the differences between the models cal files.
This is what,i signed up for👍, and even I learn't something.Enjoyable😃
Thanks Peter, I recorded this video months ago, in fact this is the second time I have recorded it, I did one nearly 2 years ago but never released it, the 2nd video was better anyway !
Thank you! , very nice.. i was looking for that
Would you be able to share that original Siglent document?
Hi Tony, I have the documentation on my Patreon page with the post for this video, however, I THINK I have finished making the SDM30xx calibration script generator on my site, so you can just go there and generate the scripts using my site :-) www.thedefpom.com/siglent_sdm_calibration.php
Thanks for releasing this video! Fully agree with your in-meter calibration recommendation. The spreadsheet method looks quite painful.
Thanks, the complexity and pitfalls with the spreadsheet system are why I just build a page into my website to generate the scripts for people, it makes it a LOT easier.
Any chance of putting a link to the Siglent calibration pdf in the description? You've done truly yeoman's work here - MUCH APPRECIATED!
Firstly, I am ever so grateful to you, for your efforts to make this video. Thank you. I am just a retired hobbyist that took up electronics to keep my brain learning. I treated myself to this exact meter. Per some EEVBlog Forum advice, I left the unit on, for many months (years?) to allow it to settle out any drift. If I wanted to keep the calibration topped up, it is probably time to have it done. However, I would not want to return it to Siglent, for them to do the work, as I have had significant issues with their service center on other equipment. So, what other company in the USA/48 might you suggest I consider and what fee might I expect to be quoted? I take it that any calibration is not covered under warranty.
The forum will be the best place to find where to get it calibrated, I'm afraid I don't know. This method is for "users" to adjust their own meters, something that can be done if you have a suitably accurate reference source as shown.
I think there are different calibration scripts for use with commercial calibrators and NI VISA etc. I know nothing about those though.
My resistance reading is exactly 50% of what it should be when measured in circuit.
So i used your website to generate 2 wire resistance file without changing anything and tried to load it following yours steps.
I get error in calibrated mode or range.
It sounds more like your meter has a fault or possibly a setting error. The error means that the designators for the mode or the ranges don't match what the meter expects, did you select the correct SDM model before filling in your data and generating the file?
U mnie ten sam błąd w skalibrowanym trybie lub zakresie-SDM3055,podejrzewam niezgodny zapis zakresu ,poniewaz po wpisaniu miernik pokazuje zakres ktorego nie ma,czyli momy.
I will be doing some calibration but I don’t think I will have that many zeros involved LOL. Thanks I’m sure this will be useful for people. Thanks regards Chris
The meter doesn't seem to require the trailing zeros, so thats a few less it needs anyway...
Hi, I would like to know if you have internal relays when you do dual measurements or when you change functions, like the Siglent SDM3055 or Hantek HDM3065 multimeters or the Uni-t 8000 series etc...
Calibration is not adjustment or "tweaking". Calibration is the process of testing an unknown item / device against a known reference value / device and does NOT involve adjustment. Verification is when you adjust (if required) a device using a known reference device and a required specification. Also note your test leads and the errors they will contribute due to different contact materials which can give micro volt errors. . Be wary of heat from devices stacked on top of one another and ambient air flow in the room across your devices. Temperature variations at the test terminals can also cause errors between devices and test leads can pick up back ground or mains noise.
How about the voltage standard used by Siglent? Do you think the adjustment made will improve the accuracy of this device?
@@theovannieuwenhuizen5756 Normally main reference voltage standards are never adjusted as you want to know the drift. If you keep adjusting something annually when did it drift the most ? What is the impact on the devices you tested using that reference between ajustments ? Look up Josephsons voltage standard. The kg standard is changing as it ages but you never adjust it.
Looks to me like Siglent just ran out of development time/money to implement a front panel based calibration. The CSV method would have been the first incarnation of a recalibration routine during R&D and before the front panel functionality had been completed.
During development of the PDVS2mini I did similar with simple tables in the source code to allow for setting/tweaking the calibration......and it got dumped when the front panel code had been finally written.
Not exactly. User Cal was developed from the automated factory calibration process and added into the UI to allow teaks to compensate for Vref aging drift. Scott showed Siglent a possible method to much simplify tweaks with some mods to the UI and just using front panel controls however they have been reluctant to release any User Cal information publicly despite Factory Cal being preserved when User Cal's are applied and able to be recalled with just the press of a button. For some time we have pushed for things to change and now Scott has given this some air and time will show Siglent their customers will not wreck calibration there is some hope they will add a front panel method to make small changes without the need to fuck around with CSV files and upload them. Scott's webpage will make the current User Cal process so much easier.
As Rob has already said, we have been pushing Siglent on this for a couple of years, they are at the point now where they are comfortable making it public, I think they wanted to get the firmware done for the SDM3045X and SDM3055 first.
@TheDefPom If I need to calibrate the ACV section what hertz would you suggest to use. 60 1khz? or something else?
I don’t remember seeing anything stated anywhere, I would say to try at about 400Hz and then check the results across the frequency range from 20Hz to 1kHz to see if it looks flat enough.
I like the calibration videos but I wonder if the 8 1/2 digit solatron is calibrated please ?....cheers.
It only 7.5 digits, and it is a bit noisy, and jumps every 15 minutes or so as it does an internal correction... I now have a 7.5 digit Datron 1082 which is a lot more stable.
@@TheDefpom Oh I didn't look closely and figured it was 8.5 digits.
@@TheDefpom I can help to calibrate your DMM :)
@@xDevscom_EE - Thanks for the offer that would be very nice, but as we’re in different countries that would make it a bit tricky unfortunately.
I dont have the calibration option on my 3055 firmware - 1.0.1.01.2.0R2. Also is there a way to zero out the leads when using ohms?
Updated to latest and it is there - calibration. still trying to figure out how to zero out leads in ohms
I noticed that my SDM 3055 does not correctly report the DC offset of a sinusoid but that a $100 DMM will. When given a 4 Vpp sinusoid with 3 V DC offset the AC voltage reading is 1.41.... , which is correct, but the DC voltage reads 1.6 volts!
If I dont have a reliable standard over 10v, i.e 200v, 750v dc ranges, can I just use your generator to calibrate what I can and somehow use siglents original cal data for the ranges I dont have? I bought an SDM3045 and have had siglent recal it once under warranty but it still reeds my 5v standard as 4.9990 all my cheaper meters are 5.000 bang on. Im mostly interested in getting accurate values for ADC voltage references like 3.5v and 4.096 etc
Yes.
@@TheDefpom Where are those cal files located on the meter? sorry if this is all in the video i need to re watch it when i get some time.
The two sources may also be incorrect. You need a calibrated more accurate multimeter (or 2).
Your cal sequence might be ok for simple user only 'self' cals, but an official "Accredited" calibration as required for business level requirements, Accredited certified calibration does not allow such undocumented method. It would not be accepted to international standard procedural demands. Important is documenting the information entered in completing the cal entries. Pushing buttons to set leaves no record of actual input.
In fact the spreadsheet creation as suggested by Siglent already poses some issues in confirmation pf the person entering the information being checked for correct entry.
Life in accredited and cal work is so complex to fulfill requirements, I had some 13 years work as signatory for an accredited test lab, and among that task had to create work procedures and documentation systems for work performed by the accredited lab.
Siglent themselves refer to this spreadsheet method as a user calibration, I believe that they have a 2nd method for proper calibration providers, and I certainly agree that traceability is important for commercial uses, there are however a lot of general users that will want to adjust their units once the reference has aged and drifted a bit (as in my case). I am a bit spoilt here having picked up bits of calibration gear over the past few years.
@@TheDefpom Ok, I agree for basic user ability to keep readings accurate, especially with only simple available reference sources, your method would be far easier for most users than the far more complex spreadsheet and no need to document their cal. Given few users have such premium reference source on hand but more likely one of the simple stable ref IC based 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10V sources, that someone with a recently accurately (hopefully) 7.5 or 8.5 digit DMM has produced and supplied accurate table of real outputs. Sadly many such references are delivered without or very dodgy cals table from online sources.That reference of course is itself not definitely very accurate, aging so likely no longer actually right by such table of values.
Main user interest is having his set of equipment in basic agreement, not traceable to national/international standards.
Formal calibration is rarely justified unless you have business income derived and depedant/ needing such traceable measurements, it is simply too costly for most small workshops or individuals. Fort7nately unless something really becomes defective the modern 5.5 to 8.5 digit instruments are so stable they realistically do not really need such annual cal. My experience is that over 10 years they hardly alter (Keysight/Agilent/HP, Tektronix, Keithley, etc) with formal expensive cal only proving no change since manufacture. Sadly the cal intervals demanded by Accreditation, seem derived from historic VALVE based equipment that drifted over months not even years. I had much calibrated HP/Agilent DMM, Signal sources, DC power, and Acquistion hardware, over 13 years fewer than 10% of that was ever needing strictly speaking far enough out to actual needed accuracy, and 30% adjustment to original product spec limits. Rare actually was anything like the allowed spec aging drift limit. Even a 1970s Fluke handheld DMM I have was only out by 2 counts of least significant digits on most used ranges and 5 counts of least digit on max voltage range, compared to a new 7.5 digit DMM in 2018.
@@helmuthschultes9243 However in the case of Siglent's top model in this range, in SDM3065X the unaged LM399 used are known to drift and competent users have logged that drift which almost precisely matches LM399 datasheet drift but it takes a while before they drift out of accuracy spec. Some A brand bench DMM's permit front panel adjustment and it's clearly outlined in their documentation unlike those at this time for Siglent DMM's due to their resistance to have their User Cal information publicly available. This beggared belief when the Factory Cal remains undisturbed and can be recalled with just the press of a button. Only a day or 2 back some Siglent top brass finally concluded owners should have the opportunity to decide for themselves about User Cal rather than it be kept a secret process when that need be so and made no sense at all.
@@tautech8196 Ok, I admit to not expecting the Siglent to match the likes of current Keysight and Keithley gear, there is a considerable cost differencs. Not that I necessarily suggest all that cost increase is justified by the relative quality, some is simply brand prestige. I too have several Siglent items and feel quite happy with these, and trust them more than several other economy brands..
Wait, what? Siglent requires calibration? What for?! :) Shockers.
On serious note, if you want your 7.5/8.5d calibrated, drop me a message.
Deffo worth considering Scott.......because is you send to a normal standards/cal lab they won't tweak the calibration, they'll just document it only. That's of course if it's within spec......but then if it's out of spec they'll charge you mucho extra to go tweaking (repair!)...............I'm sure xDevs will get in there with the trimming tool if need be....:-)
Saying that, totally understand your usage of your devices and the real life questionable need to get it done......and of course in can be a rabbit hole!
Maybe a solution to this would be to get the next unit I buy sent to you for directly, which is fine if it’s a working unit. I very nearly purchased a Datron 1281 a few days ago, but it only did DCV so didnt want to bid that much.
@@TheDefpom That's how we did things few times before, cross-shipped stuff from epay. In fact last xDevs repair video item was exactly that, Fluke we fixing will go to my friend after repair and cal.
@@xDevscom_EE Thanks for the offer, I will keep it in mind and take you up on it if I buy something suitable in the future.
👎 Wenn das SIGLENT DMM schon Sense-Anschlüsse an den Eingangsbuchsen anbietet, sollte man auch (bes. bei einer Kalibrierung) 4 Leitungen anschliessen. LG.
dies ist nur im Vierleiter-Widerstandsmodus möglich, in anderen Modi erfolgt keine Erfassung.
@@TheDefpom OK. Mein Fehler. Bitte um Entschuldigung. 👍
Hi, I would like to know if you have internal relays when you do dual measurements or when you change functions, like the Siglent SDM3055 or Hantek HDM3065 multimeters or the Uni-t 8000 series etc...