Multimeter recommendations?

fixitflav · May 18, 2019

OffshoreGas said:
Would you fit a £2-300 Chinese combi boiler?

Not sure it's relevant, but no. I would only fit a combi boiler in exceptional circs, Chinese or otherwise. I think combis are a bad idea unless unavoidable. I might fit a Chinese heat-only boiler, if after some investigation it looked OK (that's in my own property, I'm retired and didn't work as a heating engineer). But it's harder to change a boiler than it is a failed multimeter.

ShaunCorbs · May 18, 2019

OffshoreGas said:
Would you fit a £2-300 Chinese combi boiler?

you already do where are most of the parts made

OffshoreGas · May 18, 2019

ShaunCorbs said:
you already do where are most of the parts made

There is a massive difference between manufactured in China to European QA/engineering standards and a Chinese product. Some very higher quality products come out of China but only if you specify them exactly.

After 20 years of having electronic equipment manufactured in SE Asia I haven’t seen much change in this. We couldn’t make much of what they produce but they are masters of reading between the lines.

Don’t explicitly say you want component xyz fitting/used you will get the cheapest part they think will do the same job.

They also completely ignore the whole CE/BS-EN safety standards because they know there is almost no chance of come back.

OffshoreGas · May 18, 2019

fixitflav said:
Not sure it's relevant, but no. I would only fit a combi boiler in exceptional circs, Chinese or otherwise. I think combis are a bad idea unless unavoidable. I might fit a Chinese heat-only boiler, if after some investigation it looked OK (that's in my own property, I'm retired and didn't work as a heating engineer). But it's harder to change a boiler than it is a failed multimeter.

It just seems strange to me, very few people would go on eBay and buy a non name boiler part and install it in a customers appliance yet they’d happily poke a £15 meter in places where there are voltages that would easily kill you.

A designer t-shirt or £1000 phone basically does the same job as a £20 equivalent. In other situations your safety can be entirely dependant on a product motorcycle helmets, safety goggles, car tyres etc. In those situations I’m happy to pay a little extra for what I see as worth paying for.

Burger · May 18, 2019

ShaunCorbs said:
you already do where are most of the parts made

And multimeters

fixitflav · May 18, 2019

OffshoreGas said:
It just seems strange to me, very few people would go on eBay and buy a non name boiler part and install it in a customers appliance yet they’d happily poke a £15 meter in places where there are voltages that would easily kill you.

OK, you do it your way, I'll do it mine! I don't think there's any chance of my meter telling me something isn't live when it is, so risking death. If the meter fails completely, you know about it and think of something else.
Incidentally, out of curiosity, how would you measure a current of a few 100 amps without breaking the circuit? Not with any of the meters advertised here.

OffshoreGas · May 18, 2019

fixitflav said:
OK, you do it your way, I'll do it mine! I don't think there's any chance of my meter telling me something isn't live when it is, so risking death. If the meter fails completely, you know about it and think of something else.
Incidentally, out of curiosity, how would you measure a current of a few 100 amps without breaking the circuit? Not with any of the meters advertised here.

As you say it’s your life you’re putting in danger. There is however every chance a multi meter will indicate zero volts when a voltage is present if for example you have the leads in the wrong terminals, the meter is on the wrong range/setting, there is a break in a test lead etc. That’s exactly why it’s considered very bad practice to prove dead with a multi meter and not a test lamp.

Want to measure 100A, you’re more than likely to use a clamp meter. Which is non contact so any old junk is fine.

macka09 · May 21, 2019

Has anyone used one of the Regin multimeters?

Harvest Fields · May 21, 2019

Which one?

Burger · May 21, 2019

I haven’t, but on a different note, I believe offshoregas might have been on about this?
https://content.fluke.com/promotion...dmm/fluke_dmm-chfr/files/safetyguidelines.pdf

Also check out this little multimeter:
DHS Spares, buy now at dhsspares.co.uk

OffshoreGas · May 21, 2019

If there’s any chance your going to be sticking a meter anywhere near mains voltage pay a little bit extra and buy from a recognised brand.

You wouldn’t buy a car seat for your kid, a boiler to fit in a customers house or a smoke alarm from a knock off ebay seller so why would you buy a meter you rely on for your safety from one?

Buy a Fluke 110 series and you’ll still be using it in 10 years.

Multimeter recommendations?

fixitflav

ShaunCorbs

Super Moderator

OffshoreGas

OffshoreGas

Burger

fixitflav

OffshoreGas

macka09

Plumbers Arms member

Harvest Fields

Burger

OffshoreGas

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