Test/review of USB tester Atorch UD18 (Hidance)

USB tester Atorch UD18 (Hidance)







Official specifications:

  • Voltage: 3.600 - 32.00 V

  • Current: 0.000 - 5.100

  • Power calculation: 000.00 - 163.00 W

  • Capacity accumulation: 0 – 99999 mAh

  • Power accumulation: 0 – 999.9 Wh

  • Temperature: 0 - 80 °C

  • Timing time: 999H59M59 S

  • USB D+ voltage: 0 - 2.99 V

  • USB D- voltage: 0 - 2.99 V

  • Over-C: Overcurrent protection>5A

  • Over-V: Overvoltage protection>30V

  • Low-V: Low voltage protection<4V

I bought this from Aliexpress dealer: HIDANCE Official Store







The QR codes is a link to documentation and application on the mediafire.com server.







The box included the tester and a manual.

The tester supports an external temperature sensor, I bought one together with the tester.









The temperature sensor is a small NTC with a USB connector.







There is a couple of connections around the tester: USB-A, USB-C and DC 5.5/2.5mm barrel jack, all with both male and female

















Display and functions



The meter has a two screen and a screen off function, they are selected with a click on the M button.







The main screen with lots of functions, holding down the OK button will rotate the screen in 90°C steps.

Holding down the M button will enable adjustment of the FCOP value, release and hold down again to move through: xW, xxM, TC, Over-C, Over-V, LOW-V, mAh, Wh and T. It is fairly slow to move between the different settings!







This display has higher resolution and can be rotated in 90°C steps.







The output can turn off due to a couple of conditions, one of them is over current.







The “FCOP” is Full Charger Off Power function, when it is on the output will be turned on when the power consumption is less than the “xW” value for xx minutes “xx M”.







With the thermosensor plugged in the display will show the temperature.







Holding the button down when powering on enters the configuration mode. Default standby brightness is 3, but I prefer full brightness all the time and turned it up to maximum.







Measurements



Measurements are done on USB A ports.







The meter needs some voltage before it will work or external voltage. The current input cannot zero correctly at low voltage.







The precision is fairly good, but there is no reason for this many digits.

  • Own current consumption is 26mA at level 9 (Default 16mA at level 5).

  • With display off own current consumption is 9mA

  • Will measure current in both direction, but do not show actual direction (Reverse direction will include its own current consumption).

  • Extern power do not override USB power, i.e. the 26mA will be drawn from a 5V or higher USB supply, even with external power connected.

  • Internal resistance is about 0.11ohm including connection resistance with USB A connectors.

  • Input voltage must be above 3.5V for the meter to work or external power must be connected.

  • Current reading changed 0.2% after 30 minutes at 4.9A

  • Voltage reading changed 0.2% after 30 minutes at 4.9A

  • Remembers Wh and Ah when power is off

  • Voltage display is within 0.01 volt in the 3.5 to 30.0 volt range.

  • Current display is within 0.004 ampere in the 0 to 5.0 ampere range with 5 volt supply.

  • USB C input do not turn on a PD supply, something connected to the USB C output must do that.



M1: 45.4°C, HS1: 59.2°C
This is the display side after 30 minutes with 4.9A.



M1: 53.6°C, M2: 49.0°C, HS1: 58.6°C




Android application

The QR code points to a directory with software and documentation for a couple of devices. As usual the mediafire server opens extra windows with ads when downloading from it.
I did not have any success with the Bluetooth connection, my phone (Android 9) would not connect to the UD18 device.



Screendump from the unconnected application, this application is for many different devices. It starts in Chinese mode.




Tear down



There was no screws in this tester, I could just pull it apart.



On this side is the display with some electronic beneath it.











The two 8 pin chips a transistors (4447A) connected to handle bidirectional power, the sense resistor is from DALE (12mOhm). There is a 3 pin voltage regulator chip (6203A) and the two chips with removed number is probably the ADC and the microprocessor. Bluetooth is a blue module.









There is nothing on this side.






Conclusion

This meter is rather universal with USB-A/B, micro, USB-C and 5.5/2.5mm barrel connectors and it has the typical functions for USB meters and with good precision (The 6 digit mode is silly, but 4 digit is fine). In addition to this it has a lot of options for turning off power, including a nice end-of-charge detection. With the temperature probe it is possible to see how hot a phone gets with normal contra quick chargers. The only real problem is the Bluetooth, that did not work with my phone.



Notes

How do I make the test
1 Thank

Thanks for reviewing this unit! (I got both the UD18 and the UD18L units, UD18L is the one with the load tester installed at the bottom of the UD18). I have been using the UD18 more for checking the 5.5/2.5mm devices (eg. I connect the UD18 between the power adapter of an AC-powered li-ion battery charger that usually uses DC5.5/2.5 barrel connector to check if the power adapter voltage is still ok)…

Regarding the Bluetooth function, I was able to make it work on mine (both UD18 and UD18L, and the Bluetooth seems to have fairly good range when in roughly line of sight — the Android app still connects to the UD18 at a range of maybe something like 15 feet or so).

I remember following what the online documentation mentioned:

- Bluetooth must be turned ON in the Android phone

- turn on the Location (GPS) setting in Android settings (on my Android phone, with “Location” turned off, results in the E_Test not finding the “UD18-BLE” device)

- the documentation suggested to allow the E_Test app for Location and Storage permissions (forgot if I did this part)

- if I remember correctly, there is no need to (and probably must not) Pair the device with Bluetooth (ie. check in Bluetooth settings for Android phone, try to Scan for the device to “see” that Bluetooth device, but do not pair it — there should be “UD18-BLE” and “UD18-SPP” visible).

  • upon running the E_Test app, touch the “Bluetooth” icon and it should list “UD18-BLE” device, clicking “UD18-BLE” should connect to the UD18/UD18L meter.)

*my phone previously had Android 9 when I first tried the E_Test app, and was able to connect to the UD18; after updating to Android 10 recently, the E_Test app still connects properly to the UD18, on my phone.

Another multiple-meter gizmo.

Just remembered, more than a year ago by now I submitted a review request for the Hidance 300V/100A voltmeter ammeter mobile app meter here. Any O:) news, Henrik?

Hm, must have missed the word please in previous post :stuck_out_tongue:

Today, I get my UD 18.
There is also a software for Windows.
The connection is a little bit tricky.

  1. Search Blutooth device -> choose “UD18-SPP”.
  2. The PIN is (second try :wink: ) : 1234
  3. Now it should be connected and you see it under “Devices and Printers” -> UD18-SPP
  4. The Com port number you find under properties -> services

The software is very simple (like the app) and cutted of at the bottom. From the Buttons “Save/export?” and “exit” you see only the top, but no text.
The Save button writes the data to a simple txt file (values: Time Voltage(V) Current(A) D+(V) D-(V)).

Can the thermal probe be used to stop charging of a phone or power bank?

Hi
I got it and it works pretty fine
The Android app works fine on my Galaxy S20; the phone can connect to Bluetooth and the app displays info. The graph can even be resized. The only downside is that it crashed two times (I think after unplugging the meter). It’s very convenient.
As said before, the Windows program also works fine, even if the UI is very basic (in Android, for example, you can resize the graph, in the Windows app you can’t

Many thanks :slight_smile:

I just bought one of these. Mine had no QR code, and I was having a hard time finding the software. Here is a Mediafire link to some guy who has a lot of these types of software shared. My Files Both Android and Windows. Just ignore the MediaFire pop ups and scroll down to the UD18L folder. My bluetooth works good, but does not work when the phone pairs it first.

- Joe

hi, i think this is worth mentioning. My android 11 phone cannot connect to this meter, but bluetooth connection works well with this device.

I know I’m wicked late to the party, but I’ve learned a few things about the UD18. A regular Bluetooth connection is not what you get from the UD18 and pairing isn’t really done normally. *Sidenote: To the people talking about pairing codes, not once have I been asked for a pin and I’m genuinely curious how you got that request.

The connection offered is Bluetooth Low Energy, aka BLE. This device is on par with a heart rate monitor and functions in much the exact same way as their apps.

The app initiates a BLE Discovery scan using a matching GUID so it only reacts to the appropriate device.
Discovery GUID of UD18 {0000180D-0000-1000-8000-00805F9B34FB}
Data GUID of UD18 {0000FFE1-0000-1000-8000-00805F9B34FB} ← the values we need are here.

To pair the device to a Windows PC, go to Settings > Bluetooth & Other Devices > More Bluetooth Options.
Click or press “Add…”

Click or press “Browse…”

Click or press “UD18_SPP”, and then OK.

Choose “Outgoing (your PC initiates the connect)” and select “UD18_SPP” for “Device that will use the COM port”.
Click or press “JL_SPP” service, and OK.

Image1

You now have a persistent connection whenever the UD18 is powered and within range of your PC.

https://i.imgur.com/pUk62Jj_d.webp
To test the connection you use your own program, or even a terminal emulator such as Putty. Be warned, the data you get back is binary and will look like gibberish.

You can issue commands, too,
WattHourReset = ‘FF551103010000000051’;
AHReset = ‘FF551103020000000052’;
ResetTIME = ‘FF551103030000000053’;
ResetALL = ‘FF55110305000000005D’;
SETUP = ‘FF551103310000000001’;
ENTER = ‘FF551103320000000002’;
Plus = ‘FF551103330000000003’;
Minus = ‘FF55110334000000000C’;

I will say this, it really is set it and forget it. As long as it’s in range it’s always worked.

Now we’re getting somewhere.

I believe we’re now getting all available data from the device, just need to figure out the commands. Reset