You can actually take the probe off the PP Hook and plug in a cord with a pencil size probe and get into even tighter area's than even a test light can get. This guy shows that lead here.
It will test a 5 pin relay all by itself with the special 3 way wire that plugs into the top.
They could have left that future off really. If I have to go to the bag and find that special 3 way wire, I could have just as easily grabbed my alligator clips. I can power pins 30 and 85 with one alligator clip and ground 86 with another to turn on the relay, then test resistance with the Hook. And tear out a page in the manual.
I was so impressed with the PP 2 that a buddy has and got to looking for one.
Thats when I found how far the Power Probe has come. But the hook is not nearly so intuitive.
You'd have to get out the manual to do some of its functions like sending adjustable 0 to 5 volts to some device to see if it functions properly..
The PP2 was so intuitive in that you don't need a manual for it if you have an idea of how someone would design it to start with. Instant ground or positive detection with different tones for each. Love it! Sends power or ground to turn things on. Awesome! Has a resetable circuit breaker!
And will also do a continuity check with the extra lead attached to the other end of the wire. The PP2 alone blows a test light out of the water. I've found a test light so handy that I don't go anywhere without one. I want to replace that now with a PP2. I don't think I'd want the Hook laying around in my service truck all the time every day.
I want to get a PB and always try to get the most tool I can get for the money.
I hate to buy something and next month they come out with something that makes my new tool look like its from the stone age in comparison.
I'd grab the 3 or 4 in a New York minute if they read amps. The Hook reads 25 continuous amps, 65 Amps for 8 seconds and I guess up to 99 for a split second.
That kind of amp reading is very nice when darn near any of your in-line multimeter's will read max of 10 amps.
The selling point for the hook to me is that it load tests ground and positive connections at 5 Amps with the Hot Shot button and gives you a pass or fail. It sends adjustable 0-5V to turn on devices which is nice. I haven't got a way to do that yet myself but maybe some of you have.
It reads 25 continuous amps, 65Amps for 8 seconds, plus all the original stuff the PP2, 3 and 4 did plus voltage readout and ohms and more. Has an operating voltage of 12 to 48 volts and reads up to 99V AC or DC. It makes it hard not to pick one up.
One thing I really like about my buddy's PP2 is the cigarette lighter connection. It can't get easier than that and I guess you could still do it with the hook long as your not testing high current but they don't seem to offer that connection. Not opening the hood and hooking to the battery would be nice but you can't have it all I guess.
I guess with the Hook they did away with it because of the amps the thing can deal with. I like the detachable probe to add a slim probe on a wire to reach in those really tight places to get in. I think it will rock. I'm getting one soon.
Oh yea! Choose your circuit breaker from 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 7A,
7.5A, 10A, 15A, 20A, 25A, 30A, 35A, 40A, 50A, or 65A.
