Hi All,

Yep, me again with another meter question.

I went down to a couple local electrical supply stores today and annoyed the salesmen (real nice guys) about their amp-clamp multi-meters.

I looked at a few different meters and the ones that impressed me where the fluke t5 and the Ideal 61-732. A few people on here suggested that I buy the fluke t5 and get a bigger amp clamp type meter later.

Does anyone have any experience with the Ideal 61-732? I was looking at it for my second meter. I will be doing residential and commercial work and the amp clamp on the fluke 330 series meters look like they would be hard to get into a standard service panel.

Sorry if this is a reduntant question. I just don't want to spend my money on something I'll have to replace in a month.

Thanks,
Sam

I have an Ideal DMM with clamp-on ammeter that i think is the same model as yours. While the clamp-on is the least-used feature on mine, I have had occasion to use in a panel and had no problem with the fit. In all ways i love this meter.

wv-wire-wrangler you left this part of your profile blank, Occupation:

Where are you in this trade?
Are you a student?
Been the trade thirty years yet?

Based on the answer to the questions above I would make my decision

Hi JW,

Sorry about that, I didn't really know what to put under occupation.

I am a student. I finished my apprenticship class and passed my test, now taking another for the journeymen. The journeymen test is in november then I will probably go to work after the first of the year in residental and commercial.

Sam

The Fluke T5 is OK, but has its limitations. It only reads up to 100 amps and the resistance max is 1000 ohms. (if you're going to get one then get the T6 as it is good for 1000V.)

I carry the T6 on my toolbelt instead of a Wiggey now but have a Fluke 87 in my big toolbox if things get complicated.

By the way, don't get rid of your Wiggey-type testers. Sometimes the fancy digital meters lie to you when testing things like PLC input or output modules.

I still prefer the "wiggie" style on my pouch. (Knopp is my favorite). There is no on/off switch to toggle. It shakes in my hand when live voltage is contacted. I do not normally work on circuits above 600 volts. There is less room for human error, such as forgetting to turn on the switch when reading for voltages. But I have a fluke t-5 close by for more accurate readings.

Throw out that wiggy, it is not CAT III rated.

Zog, I just looked at theSq d tester,....the original "Wiggy" , and that thing is still rated for 600V AC operation ....still not protected to 1000V,

I wonder why?

[This message has been edited by togol (edited 10-04-2005).]

I don't understand, my wiggy is cat III rated. At least that's what the package said.

It's the Ideal vol-con XL.

Last week I had a chance to check my T5-1000 with a high ccrrent test set and found the ammeter not to be verry accurate. I want to look at again I will post my findings at a later date . One must also remember one or two is not a verry good sample but it will give you something to think about.

I think most non-industrial electricians can get by with the following 3 test instruments:

1) A non-contact voltage tester

2) A solenoidal tester with a continuity feature, like the Ideal VolCon. This tester is as important as a linesmans pliers and a t-stripper.

3) A basic clamp around ammeter that incorporates a DMM, like Amprobe's ACD-10.

If I were to recommend against any one type of tester, it would be the digital "wiggy" type testers because they are suseptible to ghost voltages.

So Jw,

Now that I told you what part of the trade I'm in what's your opinion?

Sam

Use a Wiggy for safety, When checking for live circuits before performing work.
Use a non contact tester for knob and tube only! Those things are for DIY homeowners They LIE

Not sure where you plan to head with your career, But you might want to think about getting a clamp meter that does both AC and DC current readings.
Get a wiggy and a clamp DMM (Volts, Ohms, and Current) for now.
Something to think of no matter what you decide, Get some good probes! I replace mine at least every 2 years, and i keep my meters in a good case always. Protect them! they may save your life.

Justin

If you get into any serious trouble shooting I would still recomend a mechanical movement meter. They don't lie and if things are changing it may be the only meter you can trust. The down side is they are easy to break if you bang them around.

do you guy's recommend any certain brand and/or model?

Sam

Please fill me in. What is Cat III rated mean?. Is this 1000 volts?.

Cat.III is.... safety ...rated for 1000v, ...
and Ideal list a couple of their testers as UL 3111-1 compliant, BUT ....OSHA has apparently withdrawn that standard from their requirements !!!

......I dunno, I can't find the replacement standard

...and some trivia....the term "wiggy" is a trademarked Brand Name, and belongs to Sq D .
they originally sold the tester as the ....Wigginton.... and now the word has crept into the lexicon much like Xerox or Band-Aid.
I have mounds of useful info like this, don't we all?

If I get a regular type clamp meter should I get average reading or true rms?

Sam

Togol, not only did I know that, I used to purchase them when they were Wigginton's. But now I prefer knopp, for the compact size of it. Been using those for years. Also I have had zero training for working on 600 volts. I don't attend any of those day long crummy seminars that certify you in cable splicing after attending. Some of my former hires have gone, and sat there for one day and now call themselves cable splicers on the resume. I think that stinks, and since I haven't had proper training in over 600, I would not allow myself near to it period.

Macmikeman,

Cat III is not a voltage rating, it is an classification for equipment based on available energy, a Cat III rated meter should be used on cat III systems (bus, mains, permanently installed loads, etc). The rating on the meter means it can handle improper use on that catagory equipment without the meter itself becoming a hazard and/or injuring the user. Go to the fluke website for more information.

[This message has been edited by Zog (edited 10-06-2005).]

macmikeman, I have zero problem with what you ,or anyone else uses,
the Cat III statement was made and I started looking around (for my own Information) when I came across the Ideal site and their claim of compliance with a standard that appears to have been withdrawn by OSHA ..I posted that .

as for the rest of your tirade,...........???

Sorry to hijack, but what about this site's Extech ones? They seem decent and decently priced.

Get the T6!!!

Zog, thanks for the info. I will check it out. Togol, I was not directing anything at you. Just explaining why I didn't think I needed a cat 3 rated meter.

a misunderstanding on my part, macmikeman, I sometimes pull the trigger too soon,.....sorry !

I work industrial E&I and just bought Fluke 1587. It has all the functions of a regular meter, but, it is also a 1kv megger.

Quote:
" If I get a regular type clamp meter should I get average reading or true rms?"

Get RMS.

Also, at least some of the Fluke multimeters are currently being made under contract in France. I can't remember the name but it might be AEMC. In any event, the generic version is identical and is cheaper.

As far as electrical testers go I probably debated for the better part of a month before I finally sprung for Vol Con Elite 61-092, and I'm mighty pleased with it.

The Good:
-It has all the functions of the solenoid Vol Cons but it also has a DC scale, has more AC ranges, has a built in non-contact sensor.
-Compact size fits easily in your pocket.
-Cat III transient rating.

The Bad:
-Even though the packaging calls it a "low impedance measuring device" it is a 1M ohm tester. However, the worst I've ever had it do was give me a false 24V indicator light (without any vibration) when testing a 120V system, so even then there was no question that the power was off.
-It will leave a mighty nice hole in your wallet. Especially when compared with the Square-D Wiggy.

-John

whats a t6? Is that the t5?

Sam

In my plant I carry a T5-1000, that will take care of 90% of my work. Failing that I have a Fluke 87 with 400 Amp and 1000 Amp AC/DC clamps to fill the void.

+1 what BigJohn said.

I picked up a Vol-Con Elite at my local Grainger to replace my other model that got ripped when my truck got hit. I got it on clearance for about $50, instead of the regular $75-90.

It's not bad for what it is.