Brownsfan
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Does anyone know who makes the multimeters for Milwaukee? They kind of look like the lower end Flukes. Like the 115, 117 Chin made ones.
Milwaukee Meters
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LordPsychon
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Don't know who makes them but I know that my HD no longer stocks them 
doan
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I got the Milwaukee on from HD.... I can check the model if needed, it runs about $70 and was on sale for $40 ish.... its a good toolbag meter, full auto, it figures out what you want to measure and has a proximity tool to alert you of live wires
Old Engineer
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Since you already like Klein meters, and have a Home Depot gift card, get a MM500 for $40.
Look at these videos. You won't get a tougher meter for $40 anywhere, and it is small and easy to use.
Look at these videos. You won't get a tougher meter for $40 anywhere, and it is small and easy to use.
Old Engineer
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Here is a video that shows the Fluke and Milwaukee are not as tough as they look.........
why are people constantly dropping their meters? i remember this one time i dropped my meter... no i don't actually.. hook it on something, clamp it on something, put a lanyard on it.
if you are working higher than floor level you should be making sure that the things you are working with won't drop and smash somebody's head anyway.
Old Engineer
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I have been using meters for 40 years, and still have the first digital one I bought in 1976. I can't say I "constantly" drop them, but it has happened a few times. The last time I did was when I was working in a tight space in a drop ceiling. It happened to be a new Klein that I had just purchased that same day. It survived that 8 foot drop with no issues.
just sayin though, being a guy thats worked in maintenance/electro mechanical for some time, and you bein a guy thats been doin it for 40. you should less concerned about your tool breaking from the drop and more concerned about it hitting something or somebody important on the way down. i know when i'm in the overhead on a skyjack sweating copper or running conduit, or pulling wire. or installing hangers, my biggest concern is something falling out of place or falling off the side of the skyjack and people below me being hit with it. production doesn't just stop or get moved to a safe 10 foot distance away from somebody up in the air. you might keep forklifts from coming near you so you don't get hit, but you can't expect everybody to throw on hardhats just because you go 20 feet up.
i do my best to not drop anything at all, nuts, bolts, meteres, ratchets, power tools. not because i'm worried about the tools, but because i'm worried about who they might injure.
it seems silly for somebody to do a torture test video of something with sensitive electronics, that involves constantly dropping it from heights, i wonder if they checked the board inside that klein that survived to see if there were any broken solder joints in it. the case may have survived allowing the batteries to still power it up (which im guessing is what took out the other meters judging by their lack of autopsy at the end), but how is the functioning of a piece of calibrated electronics after dropping it so many times?
Old Engineer
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I respect your safety concern, and I completely get it. Since you are constantly working high, I'm happy to hear that this is a big part of your work habit.
Yes, I've been using meters for 40 years, but I'm a bench type electronics engineer. I'm almost never up high. Just when I'm doing home maintenance with nobody below me, so I haven't thought through the safety concerns like you have.
Also, I don't buy meters because they can survive drops. That's not the big thing I am looking for. But, my assumption is that if it can survive abuse like that, it can survive bouncing around in a tool box in my trunk, being rained on a little when I'm working outside around the pool pumps, etc. If it is built to handle the abuse it is put through in those videos, then it should be a meter that lasts a very long time for someone who takes care of their tools.
Yes, I've been using meters for 40 years, but I'm a bench type electronics engineer. I'm almost never up high. Just when I'm doing home maintenance with nobody below me, so I haven't thought through the safety concerns like you have.
Also, I don't buy meters because they can survive drops. That's not the big thing I am looking for. But, my assumption is that if it can survive abuse like that, it can survive bouncing around in a tool box in my trunk, being rained on a little when I'm working outside around the pool pumps, etc. If it is built to handle the abuse it is put through in those videos, then it should be a meter that lasts a very long time for someone who takes care of their tools.
TTLLOGIC
Well-known member
I could care less about its ability to withstand a drop, what you should care about. Especially if you do anything more than hobby or low voltage electronics. Is whether or not its going to explode in your hand if their is an internal fault or god forbid you make a mistake. If you do anything industrial or commercial, I wouldn't trust anything but a Fluke.
Here is the meter I'm looking at. It says online only but I literally just laid my hands and eyes on 3 at my local HD.http://m.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-Digital-Multimeter-2216-20/202527092/
it's actually priced at 109 in the store.
it's actually priced at 109 in the store.
I'm actually about to pick up a 2217-20. It looks an awful lot like my Fluke 116 and think it'll be good for working on the car/road box. I'll try to post my thoughts once I pick it up. No matter what, it should be good enough for home use.
After getting the 2217-20, it appears to be a cross between a Fluke 116 and 117 in terms of specs/features. I believe there are attachments available as well for clamps and a magnet. I haven't played around with it enough to see if it's as accurate as my Fluke out of the box, but initial thoughts are it seems like a sturdy unit and the display is pretty easy to read in the sun. If you can get one on sale, I don't think you'll go wrong with it. It can be sent off for calibration if needed.
For anyone interested this meter is now 99.99
Doesn't say new lower price or closeout just was http://m.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-Digital-Multimeter-2216-20/202527092/?AID=11210757. For 99 it has the same features as say the fluke 115 for 159 at Sears. For 99.99 I will be picking one up.
Doesn't say new lower price or closeout just was http://m.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-Digital-Multimeter-2216-20/202527092/?AID=11210757. For 99 it has the same features as say the fluke 115 for 159 at Sears. For 99.99 I will be picking one up.
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I use mainly Fluke meters and an old HP, but in my kitchen drawer I have the free red one from HF. It has run for a couple of years and the readings are still accurate. Fine for occasional use and battery testing. Another cheap one before that worked for a long time too. So it all depends on what your needs are.