voltage meter purchase.

[Rinspeed]

Depending on the job and the budget. Just ergonomics alone, I really like the Fluke T6.

You can probably find it cheaper. Felt like I bought mine for like $80.

In use, you often hold the probes in each hand, then where is the meter. I'd be willing to bet there are cheaper knock offs.

I have two T5s and for home and auto use they are awesome.

 

[AEAdam]

I have two T5s and for home and auto use they are awesome.

That's the one I have T5-600.

I also have the Chinese Fluke 17B, which I like.

 

[richfinn]

Aren't those Fluke T5

I have two T5s and for home and auto use they are awesome.

Aren't the Fluke T5 models A/C current only??

DC clamps like the UNI-T have so many uses for automotive I can't survive without one!!!

 

[908Jim]

Auto range doesn't make it more or less safe.

I didn't mean to imply it did, only that it's more convenient and worth $10 more. The safety comment was in regards to Uni-T products, which seems to have a lot of variability in build quality, input protection, and overall safety features integrated into the design.

I did a little experiment for you guys, UNI-T clamp vs a Fluke 112 connected in series

The battery I used was an old very dead one I replaced recently and the OTC test light gave a very dim glow



You can't say fairer than that for 40 quid can you?? and it has NCV detection (It works OK on British 240 v A/C)

Uni-T products "work" well, no doubt. I even have one that I use for low voltage stuff. I think it's important to remember that when you buy a fluke, agilent, keysight, gossen, brymen rebrands, UEI, etc., you're buying a meter that's been thoughtfully designed with function and safety, not function at the lowest cost possible as I would argue many Uni-T and other amazon grade products tend to be. Uni-T stuff is perfect for automotive use but I would not buy Uni-T equipment without watching a detailed teardown video like from eevblog or similar to understand what I'm getting. They are notoriously skimpy on input protection, skipping key resistors and diodes, skimping on MOV and PTCs, lack of spark gaps, and using fuses that are only rated to 240v despite 600v CATIII or better ratings.

The problem with budget meters for home users is that home users (myself included) are the ones most likely to lack the knowledge and experience so they're more likely to need the protection offered by higher meters. To each his own, but I'm fine paying a premium for safety.

 

[Rabid Badger]

I didn't mean to imply it did, only that it's more convenient and worth $10 more. The safety comment was in regards to Uni-T products, which seems to have a lot of variability in build quality, input protection, and overall safety features integrated into the design.

Uni-T products "work" well, no doubt. I even have one that I use for low voltage stuff. I think it's important to remember that when you buy a fluke, agilent, keysight, gossen, brymen rebrands, UEI, etc., you're buying a meter that's been thoughtfully designed with function and safety, not function at the lowest cost possible as I would argue many Uni-T and other amazon grade products tend to be. Uni-T stuff is perfect for automotive use but I would not buy Uni-T equipment without watching a detailed teardown video like from eevblog or similar to understand what I'm getting. They are notoriously skimpy on input protection, skipping key resistors and diodes, skimping on MOV and PTCs, lack of spark gaps, and using fuses that are only rated to 240v despite 600v CATIII or better ratings.

The problem with budget meters for home users is that home users (myself included) are the ones most likely to lack the knowledge and experience so they're more likely to need the protection offered by higher meters. To each his own, but I'm fine paying a premium for safety.

The UT210e is certified CATII 600V/CATIII 300V by Intertek.

Also, since it's a clamp meter, there's no fuses or high current circuitry to worry about.

 

[richfinn]

I didn't mean to imply it did, only that it's more convenient and worth $10 more. The safety comment was in regards to Uni-T products, which seems to have a lot of variability in build quality, input protection, and overall safety features integrated into the design.

Uni-T products "work" well, no doubt. I even have one that I use for low voltage stuff. I think it's important to remember that when you buy a fluke, agilent, keysight, gossen, brymen rebrands, UEI, etc., you're buying a meter that's been thoughtfully designed with function and safety, not function at the lowest cost possible as I would argue many Uni-T and other amazon grade products tend to be. Uni-T stuff is perfect for automotive use but I would not buy Uni-T equipment without watching a detailed teardown video like from eevblog or similar to understand what I'm getting. They are notoriously skimpy on input protection, skipping key resistors and diodes, skimping on MOV and PTCs, lack of spark gaps, and using fuses that are only rated to 240v despite 600v CATIII or better ratings.

The problem with budget meters for home users is that home users (myself included) are the ones most likely to lack the knowledge and experience so they're more likely to need the protection offered by higher meters. To each his own, but I'm fine paying a premium for safety.

There's a Fluke 112 in the same picture where I'm doing the experiment!!!

I"m not selling tools to "homeowners" just giving a heads up how accurate the clamp meter is for parasitic drain testing.

 

[908Jim]

The UT210e is certified CATII 600V/CATIII 300V by Intertek.

Also, since it's a clamp meter, there's no fuses or high current circuitry to worry about.

It still has input jacks, so somebody could still do something silly. The 210E is a well regarded budget clamp meter if you need the clamp functionality for around the $50 mark but a CAT II rating is pretty low. For the same cost without the clamp, you can get an a CAT III 600v with the ETL stamp in a greenlee DM-45 which is clearly a safer meter on paper.

I would have no qualms about using a 210E for automotive work and I have a Chinese Amazon Special DC clamp meter that's good enough for what I need, but I'm not grabbing this or my UT123 "around the house" per OPs original request.

There's a Fluke 112 in the same picture where I'm doing the experiment!!!

I"m not selling tools to "homeowners" just giving a heads up how accurate the clamp meter is for parasitic drain testing.

Its very easy to make an accurate meter these days. Even the $20 Aneng meters are very accurate for basic testing. I never claimed Uni-T products don't work well, only that my personal view is that the designs are a crapshoot. I own literally own one myself, but I know where I'm comfortable using it and where I grab a better one.

 

[richfinn]

It still has input jacks, so somebody could still do something silly. The 210E is a well regarded budget clamp meter if you need the clamp functionality for around the $50 mark but a CAT II rating is pretty low. For the same cost without the clamp, you can get an a CAT III 600v with the ETL stamp in a greenlee DM-45 which is clearly a safer meter on paper.

I would have no qualms about using a 210E for automotive work and I have a Chinese Amazon Special DC clamp meter that's good enough for what I need, but I'm not grabbing this or my UT123 "around the house" per OPs original request.

Its very easy to make an accurate meter these days. Even the $20 Aneng meters are very accurate for basic testing. I never claimed Uni-T products don't work well, only that my personal view is that the designs are a crapshoot. I own literally own one myself, but I know where I'm comfortable using it and where I grab a better one.

It's a good accurate $40 tool for automotive work is all I'm suggesting (and it's GJ approved in my opinion)

But I can assure you that British/EU regulations would not allow such a device to be sold here let alone have a compliance rating attached if it were unsafe for it's intended purpose.

Somebody said they were interested if the resolution was good enough for parasitic drains (I responded to that).

I don't really know what your particular niggle is about the UNI-T suggestion, but I'm pretty sure it's not the OPs safety or you would be responding to him and not me (I'm clearly using mine and recommending for automotive use).

 

[Rabid Badger]

It still has input jacks, so somebody could still do something silly. The 210E is a well regarded budget clamp meter if you need the clamp functionality for around the $50 mark but a CAT II rating is pretty low. For the same cost without the clamp, you can get an a CAT III 600v with the ETL stamp in a greenlee DM-45 which is clearly a safer meter on paper.

I would have no qualms about using a 210E for automotive work and I have a Chinese Amazon Special DC clamp meter that's good enough for what I need, but I'm not grabbing this or my UT123 "around the house" per OPs original request.

Its very easy to make an accurate meter these days. Even the $20 Aneng meters are very accurate for basic testing. I never claimed Uni-T products don't work well, only that my personal view is that the designs are a crapshoot. I own literally own one myself, but I know where I'm comfortable using it and where I grab a better one.

It's a high-impedance input with proper protection. Again, it has been certified by Intertek, the lab that gives the ETL stamp.

CATII is for energy levels found in household wiring. CATIII is for energy levels found in distribution panels. So with a CATIII 300V certification, the UT210e is safe for use in any house in North America without 3 phase service.

There's a reason it is so highly recommended.

Nobody recommended every Uni-T meter. Nobody recommended an ANENG. Put the straw men away.