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They're always on and seem to draw as much power with the display on or off. Any movement turns the display on.

Big Clive

Mine would often be in the on state when i went to take them out of the box, so when i switch them off and close the box i then have to gingerly open the box to make sure they are still off then close the box again and it goes on until....the batteries dye.

I just got a couple of these as extra to the one I bought 5 years ago. They all do work well together and match readings. The new ones don't have the door on the top right edge that allows access to a serial port so the design has changed over time.

Pixscotland

Their cheap enough that you just toss them in the trash and get a new one when batteries go bad, had been using mine for 3D printer stuff for 18 months now, batteries still good.

That's actually pretty amazing. I would have thought it would be a few milliamps. The power thing must be down to poor batteries then. I can't see there being much of a difference between any of the brands.

Paul Noble

If it helps, I measured the standby current and the difference between on and off was just 1uA. Literally 18uA on and 17uA off. So it might not matter too much if they do activate in the case.

Big Clive

I've been wrapping them in a bit of that black spongy anti-slip stuff you get in pound shops before printing the clip. I think that this problem is why people think they munch batteries.

Paul Noble

I too prefer the mechanical dial types. But unfortunately one bounce off of terra firma and the fun's over! The digital's, even the cheap ones seem to take a bit more kindly to Mr. Fumble-Fingers.

Mustafa's Fleas

Ran across a sliderule in the back of a drawer recently, took me about 30+ minutes to "remember" how to use the damn thing! Tucked it back in it's hiding spot and hope not to find it again for another 30 years!

Mustafa's Fleas

I added a few well placed pieces of one sided soft foam tape to the case. The calipers are now held very securely and no amount of bumping or knocking about of the case causes the automagic turn on function to inadvertently drain the battery.

Mustafa's Fleas

At work we gave up using cheap calipers as either they start eating batterys or go doolally, they also do not work when wet with such as with cutting oil :( There is only one caliper brand and model worth buying, Mitutoyo coolant proof, the 6 inch model is normally on offer at MSC Industrial for £99.

Ironically my *good* one is a stainless "Workzone" Aldi unit. For the non critical stuff I use them for, it's more than good enough.

Anton

You mean... you can actually find them when you need them? How- I can't ...!

Mike Hughes

I've had a set of these for a few years now and they're still within acceptable limits, for me anyway. The only issue I have is that they now slide open a touch if the case is knocked and turns them on. There's a clip on thingiverse that stops that happening.

Paul Noble

I don't have them to hand but I seem to remember that the 4th button on my pair is HOLD.

AlfaGuy

I have always wanted to know the 'secrets' behind getting the level of resolution / accuracy in these units. As instruments I love the feel and engineering refinement of a traditional micrometre but, now I'm in advanced years, resist having to find a magnifying glass and drag the depths of my memory to remember how to read a Vernier scale!

Mr B Shepherd

We use these cheapie ones at work. They work and they are cheap. LOL

Michael Thompson

Yay!

Paul Slootman

Just put it up:- https://youtu.be/xgmNTyuOlXw

Big Clive

According to ... PR the current 800 constellation is suited to NA not Europe... but given still north hemisphere, maybe intermittent “up to gig mbps” would be better than infrastructure for BC🦾🦾 After the verizon, optonline, frontier, and google stopped their fiber lay in USA... it’s really pitiful what counts as ‘high speed’ even Canada 🇨🇦 showed great support for Starlink because of said 99.9% available currently with lower throughput

Cerity

Oh, and the uploading issue, I vote we get Clive on to SpaceX Starlink. Maybe we can all tweet Elon and bug him to put Clive on the beta! Haha

Michael Wellman

I bought some mitutoyo calipers when my radio shack ones started inexplicably eating batteries and drifting by .2mm or more depending on battery state. The radio shack ones are the same generic design for cheap ones that's out there, but they had a lot of backlash for some reason when measuring they could sporting back a crazy amount if not careful. The first time I tried the Mitutoyo it was like I had just seen precision good for a moment, the calibration pieces were dead on measure every time no backlash, they keep measure when screen is off they are a beauty and a joy forever as better people than I have claimed. The other day I saw these super cheap calipers I figured my son's could abuse like the radio shack pair and while I do use them for quick and dirty measures hear and there if they are closer than my good pair, they have no roller and are tight so precision, not so much if it's softer material because there not sliding smoothly and tend to jump on occasion, they also flex a bit along the flat edge, so to and fro if reading the screen, I don't know how much it effects the accuracy though. My friend and I discuss calipers a lot because we use them regularly around the 3d printers, he swats by the name brand ones around 30-40$ because he misplaces them or used them in the garage or takes them to his summer camp were there abused and used less in a more laboratory setting than my... Well lab so to speak so for him they are a step above the cheap mass produced ones and have less quiescent current issues then those and he can get four of his to my one. Granted my one is just like measuring with... I dunno, butter.... It's so smooth accurate, the fit and finish is just second to very few if any... I have mechanical micrometers but I will likely break down and get a one inch mitutoyo in the near future for sub millimeter measure but I think I will stick to my mitutoyo calipers as my bread and... Well butter

Michael Wellman

BTW, have I missed the livestream announcement for Saturday or are we not having one?

Paul Slootman

I have both, old school mechanical and modern electronic, old school one doesnt need a battery so can be used continuously with no further financial outlay, but with my aging eyesight, I like to use the modern one so I can actually see the measurement lol. And yes I do have work bench glasses, but like most men forget or can't be arsed to use them..

Mine is stored without the battery in for that reason. Thankfully they came in a blow moulded case.

Simon Hopkins

I have always preferred Dial Indicators. Much simpler and no batteries to leak or fail. You can now pick them up for a similar price.

Jeremy Travis

I have a set of Aldi £7.99 ones, and they are just as accurate as my Moore and Wright Micrometer to 1/100 mm. That is good enough for general DIY stuff usually. (Also a bit quicker)

Mike Hughes

I've got a set of these "DaNiu" branded ones. They are surprising good, and the lightness actually makes them really nice to use. Never botherd trying to connect to them but was suprised the edge connector was even there.

Anton

Be interesting to see the comparison between that and a mitutoyo one.

Neil Tonks

Have you checked the quiescent current? That seems to be the biggest issue with these things.

horrovac

Pleasure with no measure! Video treasure!

Michael Thompson