Hello everyone,

Before I get roasted, yes, I know...a plumbing mistake can get you wet, an electrical mistake can get you dead.

Having said that, please give me your opinions on which test meter might suit me best. I manage a facility that includes greenhouses (fans, unit heaters, controllers), walk in coolers, general building circuits(I mostly work on 24v, 120v).

I am not an electrician or HVAC tech. I do basic troubleshooting and replace components within my capability (diagnosed/replaced a bad 24v transformer on Modine heater recently). I probably won't do "fine electronics" (circuit boards,etc.)or high voltage. I usually call the experts before I get in over my head! I probably will use this thing less than a dozen times/year.

A local HVAC supplier highly recommended a UEI DL250 clamp on- very popular at the local tech school and with HVAC techs.

Here are my questions:

When is true RMS important?

Clamp on vs. hand held for my needs? Especially - clamp ons seem much less accurate is this an issue?

I am really in love with the Extech clamp on 38389 at this site. The TK32 kit with line splitter and non contact volt sensor seems ideal for me. However, while this meter does "everything", it's accuracy (ie.- ac amps 3.5%) bothers me vs. hand helds at less than 1%. Is Extech junk? Only rated Cat II @ 600.

Please give me suggestions for less than $150 to suit my needs. I am familiar with popular brands (Fluke, Meterman,GreenLee, etc.)

Thank you all!

RMS means "root mean square". When you read 120 volts. The actual "peak to peak" voltage is something like 169 volts (give or take a few volts). So, the nominal voltages that we talk about every day are RMS values.
Anyway, enough of that. I'm a Fluke lover. My personal meter is a Fluke. My company bought a Greenlee for me, and though I like my Fluke better, it does a reasonable job for a lot less money. I'm sure one day that Greenlee is going to "give up the ghost", but my Fluke just keeps going and going. You may be hard pressed to find a Fluke for $150 or less. I can't say for sure because I haven't priced them lately. So, Greenlee may be your best option.

By the way, welcome aboard,
Doc

Treeman,

I've got to be a little defensive here...

The Extech meter you are talking about is a combination 600A Clampon, Multimeter (Voltage, Resistance & Capacitance) and Digital Thermometer. I see 3.0% accuracy specs, not 3.5 and it is under $100 with Cat III (1000V) Test Leads, Temperature Probe and Case. But anyway, if you look at other models that don't do all those things, you will see that the accuracy is far better, even in cheaper models.

I'm not trying to blow a horn for the products that are sold here, but just want to mention that you should make sure you compare Apples to Apples. And, of course, $$ to $$$$$$.

It's not fair to compare a low end all-in-one product to a different single function model or to think that those specifications are representative of the whole product line.

Bill

Choosing metering tools very much depends on what sort of diagnostics one can expect to do

The best all purpose tool-belt grade/drop/mistaken scale/fool proof meter for simple everyday diagnostics i've found is the Fluke 7-600

I've not managed to kill mine despite repeated attempts

I have an Ideal 61-481, which is part of Ideal's "PlatinumPro" line. It's doing me great and runs about $100-120 from what I’ve found (I paid $106 plus tax).

From working with it, it's been great and costs less than a comparable Fluke model. Like almost all good meters I have found, go to the electrical supply house and not the orange box. (Also ask the guys at the supply house what they think. Most are very very honest about the products that they sell.)

Welcome aboard!!!

A fluke 11 with the clamp on adaptor will do everthing untill you have to drag a scope out.Oh crap now that i think about it i have no idea where my ocilliscope is?

For checking AC/DC voltage, continuity and amperage up to 100A the Fluke T5-600 @ around $100.00 is a good value. Very accurate, small and durable. I have 3 other Fluke meters for the more specialized circumstances but this one hangs on my toolbelt for day-to-day troubleshooting.

Fluke T-5 600 or 1000 gets my vote. True RMS meter can read/calculate voltages from non-sinusoidal wave forms. Not important for normal troubleshooting.

Fluke gets my vote, I have a Fluke 87 that quit working after a lot of abuse I called Fluke and they said flat rate repair charge of $97.00 for the 87, I paid $325.00 for the meter and the $50.00 Sears meter I bought was crap, so I sent it in.

It came back quickly looking brand new, recalibrated with seal and paperwork along with a refund of $50.00 and a note that explained the rotary switch was dirty and they cleaned it.

I was very impressed a company that already had my money sent some back.

I have to pick up the T-5 600 I keep using coworkers, it is a great meter.

The only problem with the t-5 is that it only reads up to one mega ohm.i have one and i love it but it can get confusing when you check a coil or resistor and it reads OL or open leads.This is where you need a benchmeter.

Thank you all for your ideas. Wow - it seems like the choice is either fluke or anything else that is not fluke.

Is Fluke really that much better regarding reliability/durability?

Bill Addiss, your comments about the Extech I mentioned were interesting. That all purpose clamp on/combo multi meter seems to do everything (has true RMS, but less accuracy that hand helds). To the novice, "more is better" is appealing, but will it get the job done? It's such a great price. I'm still trying to make an excuss to need a temp probe.

Do the foreign made meters just not last?

Thanks

Treeman, The accuracy issue for basic trouble shooting should not be a factor for you. If you are working on a 120 volt circuit you may find the reading between 110 to 125 volts depending on voltage drop where you are testing but what difference does that make you really want to know is it live or not, a few % of error is no big deal most times. The Extech clamp on 38389 seems like a real good deal at $99.00

In my bag that I always have is a old style solenoid type tester, I still like these to make sure a circuit is dead, sometimes the digital reads voltages from induction that make you think the wire is live.

A non contact tester, good for first testing.

And right now a Fluke 36 clamp meter which will be replaced with the T-5 600.

When I need more range on the ohms scale I go for my 87.

One thing to remember always check your meter on a known live circuit, leads break, electronics fail, batteries go dead etc.

The non contact testers you can check by rubbing them on your arm.


[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 03-09-2003).]

The railroad has a Fluke 12. Pretty nigh indestructable, short of getting run over by a locomotive. Its nice because it's easy to use by those who are on the property when I am not and they need to get something going again.

I have a Simpson 260 that I use when it's nice to have a needle swinging.

TW

Simpson 260 Series 8, if I bring that out people look at it like it is a Dinosaur.

The apprentices (and some licensed guys) I work with have no idea how to read the scales on it.

But it has no Min/Max hold or averaging, so it stays home now.





Mine is the old all black case


[This message has been edited by iwire (edited 03-09-2003).]

I have an old Simpson 260 series 6 that I use on the bench. A traditional analog movement is still better than digital for some things, and the 260 really is a great little meter. They were sold in England over the years, though they're not so well known as in America.