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Favorite multimeter?

JohnNY
JohnNY Member Posts: 3,287

I need a new one and I never loved my UEi. I need to read mV and amps as as well an audible continuity tester.
Thanks!

Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
Consulting & Troubleshooting
Heating in NYC or NJ.
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Comments

  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,664
    edited September 18

    Fluke. If it has to be analogue, Simpson.

    kevinj_4Greening
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,863

    I use MCM Electronics house branded "Tenma" meters for everyday things but I don't know if they are still around now that they got acquired by Newark. I have some bench Flukes that i pull out if i don't believe the cheap meter but that doesn't happen very often. What I do highly recommend is spend the money for a good set of long silicone leads. FLuke is the standard but a bit pricy for something that will get dropped and stepped on and connected to something while set incorrectly and such so I reserve the expensive meter for special situations, you only need something close for most HVAC things.

    JohnNY
  • Matt_67
    Matt_67 Member Posts: 300

    Every tech at our shop gets a fluke 179 with accessory amp clamp and temp clamps. It tests capacitors as well which is handy. They are expensive though.

    HVACNUTGreening
  • fentonc
    fentonc Member Posts: 278

    I've had a Fluke 115 for years - Fluke makes great multimeters.

    kevinj_4Greening
  • pecmsg
    pecmsg Member Posts: 5,283

    fluke

    T-5 600 for gereral use

    Greening
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,294

    I use a Fluke 179 and a Simpson 260 7P

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    Greening
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,302

    My Fluke 179 no longer gives me Micro Farads over 5, and won't read Mega ohms anymore, so I currently use a Fluke 112 for that. My Fluke 902 FC clamp meter is in the tool bag I bring into every call.

    Greening
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,294

    The 179 comes with a lifetime warranty I believe?

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

    HVACNUTGreening
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,012

    I had a Milwaukee once with a magnet mounted to the back of the case. I miss it till this day……

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • Mad Dog_2
    Mad Dog_2 Member Posts: 7,515

    Greenlee..have two of them....digital...does everything. Mad Dog

  • RPK
    RPK Member Posts: 119

    I’ve been using a Fieldpiece SC640 for many years and have no complaints.

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,294
    edited September 19

    I forgot in addition to my own personal 179 and the Simpson I have a few meters at the shop. One is a Fluke but I recently bought a cheaper Klein and it works good.

    I want to add this one to the collection as well as it does inrush current. : Klein Tools CL445

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BL42ZS1P/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

    I don't think you can beat it for $100 especially if you're working with compressors.

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,863

    If you're looking for something like that look at the "tenma" meters in the newark catalog. They still seem to have the whole selection that MCM Electronics had.

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,410
    edited September 19

    Fluke 902 is good but I lost mine . I presently have a Fluke Kit which and a meter and an ammeter it like a 116 or 117 meter and I think the amprobe is like a 320 come in a kit. can't remember the #s and I am not near it now.

    I am in the habit of carrying something cheap for day to day use to keep the flukes safe from damage but go to the truck for them if I need them Most of the time you only need the good meters for microamps and milliamps etc. For run of the mill voltage and continuity and decent cheap meter will work. When doing electrical installs, I carry an Ideal "wiggy" which is good enough.

    Nothing like smashing a god meter by accident I try to avoid that.

    Also electronic meter sometimes give you fake or Ghost voltage. Its good to have a wiggy or a analog handy.

    I have had good luck getting cheap bac up meters on e-bay a couple of times.

    Greening
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,287
    edited September 19
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,287

    And here's something nice from Fluke. It seems our students at The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen can get a 25% discount on their products.

    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
    mattmia2Greening
  • PRR
    PRR Member Posts: 226
    edited September 19

    I once reviewed a Klein CL2000 clamp meter. Works well. I sometimes reach for it before my Fluke. (But I also have a $9 needle-meter I trust.) The CL2000 has a magnet; I think many meters do now.

    Ah… here's my run-down on the Kleins and on service meters generally. (I did get a free CL2000 but that was over a decade ago and I no longer do compensated reviews.)

  • GW
    GW Member Posts: 4,822
    edited September 19

    I carry two, a smart one and a dumb one.

    The fluke 324 does the beeping thing you’re describing, and my fluke 16 is used for more technical things

    The dumb one does beep,

    »»» That did not come out correctly, I use the dumb one mostly, beeping for continuity

    Gary Wilson
    Wilson Services, Inc
    Northampton, MA
    gary@wilsonph.com
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,268

    I do have a pretty fair UEI multimeter, good quality clamp meter, the infamous Simson 260 and others.

    However the most durable, will not die, meter I have (two of them) is an old Amprobe AM-20.

    Will do microamps, has continuity buzzer but will not do caps.

    Not heavy enough to kill itself if dropped and fits in your pocket.

  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,664

    I have the older version of the 902 (no blue tooth) and it is perfectly fine and I used my plant electrician's 377 all this afternoon and it is fine too, but I find them bulky. I love my 787. At home, I have a Fluke 116 and, like the 787, it fits in my hand nicely, has a magnetic strap, which I like ok, but I think magnets in the case would be better, bonus, it reads temperature too!

  • ratio
    ratio Member Posts: 3,778

    I really liked my Fluke 376FC. It did everything I needed, with a CAT rating that was comfortable with any of the work I did. I did get a different set of leads for it.

    When it came up missing (pretty sure I left it on a roof somewhere, alas) I wanted to upgrade, so I got a 378FC. I've been somewhat disappointed with it, overall. My first one was defective, but replaced under warranty at no cost. The current one doesn't reliably measure ACA less than one amp, something that my 376 had no trouble doing. It might be related to the non-contact voltage sensing or the DC current sensor. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason to the power quality indicator, but that could just be operator error.

    FYI, if you want to use the app, you'll to turn on location to do so on Android (I don't because of my tinfoil hat), or use Apple. I found the app not terribly useful.

    I'm going to read the specs again, and if claims to be accurate at <1A I'm going to send it in for service. Probably ask them to swap it for another 376 if it's defective again, but I'm not sure they'll do that

    I've got a few other Flukes, a 116 (has a nice lo-Z mode that eliminates ghost voltages and an auto AC/DC range), a 1587 (combo megger & multimeter), a 773 (0-10 V and 4-20 mA meter/source for analog controls),and calibrators for temperature (thermocouples & RTDs) and pressure. Had a 287, but my nephew borrowed it 7 years ago. Also have a UEi with the DC clamp as a backup. Simpson 260, but I don't bring that to the job. A handful of other handheld meters. Fluke & Keithley bench meters, but nothing over 5 digits.

    Yes, I can quit any time I want to. No, I don't think I have a problem.

    PRRJohnNYAlan (California Radiant) Forbes
  • hilltown
    hilltown Member Posts: 28

    field piece Sc440 does everything you listed for $210 bucks

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,863

    The add on temp is usually +- a couple degrees in accuracy which is close enough for most things but not for charging refrigeration.

    RPK
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,410

    Fluke 902 is tough to beat for what it does $$$

  • PRR
    PRR Member Posts: 226

    …most durable, will not die, meter I have…..old Amprobe AM-20.

    Not heavy enough to kill itself if dropped and fits in your pocket.

    I keep my Simpson in the display bookcase. But my hard-work clamp-on is still an original pattern Bakelite Amprobe Ultra. If I had the accessories it would do volts and ohms, but it is really the original clamp amp-meter.

  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,268
    edited September 21

    That clamp on Amprobe was the standard in 60's around here.

    A good point for the Ohms feature was the battery was not inside the unit to be forgotten.

    I had many accessories for that meter. The ladder the the 10X multiplier I still use on occasion.

    The leads were not up to todays standard. You were supposed to know what you were dealing with and use caution.

    PRR
  • HomerJSmith
    HomerJSmith Member Posts: 2,635

    I have not read all the comments, but this is my thoughts. My meter is a ZOTEK purchased off Amazon. It is a RMS meter which I recommend. It didn't cost a lot. I end up loosing a lot of tools when I do a job because I'm gettin old, I guess. The tools just seem to disappear. There must be a black hole where tools disappear, never to be seen again. hmmmm!

    A lot of tools are made in China and rebranded for the USA market. I don't like spending a lot of moola for a tool if a Chinese one will do the job for a lot less. Yes, quality matters and you have to choose carefully.

  • PGermenis
    PGermenis Member Posts: 1

    I’ve been using the Fieldpiece HS36 - Expandable meter It have interchangeable heads. And test leads. Been working with it since’07. It slipped out of my hand and fell into a sump. Pulled the batteries and opened the case. I was surprised to find the water hadn’t seeped in much Not sure it was luck or not. But I still have it and a bunch or heads for hvac It’s a tough meter.

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,863

    Did whoever made the Wiggy go out of business or get rid of that division? I see an Ideal branded solenoidal voltage detector but I don't see an actual Wiggy for sale new.

  • tim smith
    tim smith Member Posts: 2,807

    I’ve been happy with uei dl379. Does all you want John. Been reliable until someone steals tools.

    JohnNY
  • PRR
    PRR Member Posts: 226
    edited September 27

    Did whoever made the Wiggy go out of business or get rid of that division?

    It is said that Schneider did not want to keep paying royalties.

    I will tend to believe Mike Holt's forum like I believe Dan's.

    Patented 1935

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,863

    a 1935 patent would have expired like 50 years ago

  • PRR
    PRR Member Posts: 226
    edited September 27

    patent would have expired

    Yes, but trademarks can go on forever.

    You could make a Wiggy-like device by 1950, or sooner if you devised alternate constructions (the patent is over-specified and begs to be avoided). But you can't call it a "Wiggy".

  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Member Posts: 6,302
    edited September 28

    I think the Vol-Con meter and a Roto-Split were the first electrian tools I bought. I was then scoffed at because "real" electricians use a hacksaw to cut B/X.

  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,287
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
    ChrisJratio
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 16,410

    @mattmia2

    Square "D" made the original "wiggy" or at the very least acquired the rights to it and sold it for years. They dropped it years ago but used ones are on e-bay.

    Ideal make one which I have and have very good luck with it

    Knopp also make one which is well regarded in the electrical industry and supposed to be the best but I have never seen one and I think they cost a little more than the ideal.

    They are fairly cheap $80-$120 and are rugged and do ac volts, dc volts and continuity. good to carry around as they take a beating and get the good meter out when you need accuracy,

    JMHO

    mattmia2