ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area What testers do you use?

Big fluke fan, a T5 is in my pouch and on the bench with a 87 and a 183 with a t3 and a voltalert in my pocket

Russ & I have the same clamp on meter.. (Amprobe ACDC3000) Never had a problem with it & seems to be very reliable 10 years later =) I also have a cheap Ideal clamp on for basic stuff, Ideal plug-in tester (Although this is my 2nd one & the ground pin is wiggling loose on this one as well! =( I might try the Hubbell version..) http://www.hubbellcatalog.com/wiring/section-u-datasheet.asp?PN=HBL5200&FAM=OWP
I have a "CED" (supply house brand) hotstick or EMF stick... But it's a Fluke by manufacture... Other than that, I have one of the 2/3rds size wiggy's from Ideal... 10 years old & still fine.. A progressive electronics circuit/tone generator.. Works awesome! & some junk meters I've come across here & there... (Radio Shack caliber.. ) That just tend to be a back up stash for when Im in the middle of nowhere!)

-Randy

I just have an Ideal Vol-Con and my two Fluke non-contact sensors for most trouble-shooting (though hot-sticks are pretty questionable for that). If I need precise readings (very rare), I break out one of the multimeters I normally keep for bench-top use: One no-name digital and one Wave-Tek 27-XT with capacitance, inductance, and frequency capability.

I've been looking into getting a clamp-meter, preferably one that can read true-RMS. Probably a Fluke or a Amprobe.

Roger,

In your picture, between the tracer and that analog clamp-meter in the bottom row: What is that? Phase rotation meter?

-John

John, yes, that is an ideal rotation meter.

Roger

Although I'm currently without some of these due to a ripoff, These are the ones that I use or used & will be replacing.

Greenlee volt-tick (non-contact voltage detector)

Ideal circuit-tracer (circuit identifier for "hot" circuits)

Ideal Vol-Con (Voltage, Continuity, and non-contact voltage detector)

Ideal ABS w/(Harris? It's gray and red) tone generator.

I've got a "disposable" (<$15) DMM for field use.

Just got some Sperry Clamp Ammeters / V-A's, but I need to get 'em calibrated before I seriously use 'em.

Ideal GFCI / Circuit tester (the single piece plug-in with the three neon lights and the black button, not the "corded" adjustable trip version)

I looked at the Fluke (T5-600?) combo volt / amp / continuity tester, but I really got used to the Ideal's NCV test capability - one less (tiny) tool to cart around, or dig for in the dark recesses of the tool pouch.

[This message has been edited by DougW (edited 05-27-2004).]