What meters do electricians use?

[md21722]

I realize this is a broad question and the answers will likely depend on residential or industrial use. An HVAC technician may use different meters than someone working on electronics.

The highest voltage I am reasonably going to encounter around the house is 240V but who knows maybe one day I'll end up doing some work on 480V. Probably won't be used on anything more than a 400A service.

I have a Fluke 325 but was looking at the Fluke 375 or 376 for inrush measurement. I was thinking of getting a Fluke 117 and have heard references to the 87V.

So I'm just wondering what's used out there in the field.

 

[matt_i]

I have a Fluke 177 and a Fluke T5-600. I am not an electrician so I might not count

 

[lazer50]

I worked as an industrial technician which meant most areas of a.c. dc single and three phase.i have a fluke 87 5 and a fluke 337 clamp meter both true r m s .both meters covered every application i encountered.

 

[kwschumm]

All of the electrical engineering labs I worked in used 98% Fluke multimeters. The 87/88 series were as common as popcorn.

 

[Z2V]

X2 on the Fluke 87/88 Series

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Electrician here.

I have an 87V, T5-1000, and a 381 clamp meter.

I carry the T5-1000 in my service tool tote and use for basic testing.

If i need to do something more advanced like monitoring I will use the 87V.

And the 381 is nice for being able to remotely watch the meter while starting a motor at the MCC or remote starter.

 

[ForceFed70]

Fluke, as already mentioned. Your average electrician doesn't need anything all that fancy or even super-accurate. Most buy fluke just for the reliability.

 

[3rdgen]

I buy all my guys fluke t-5 1000s. They seem to hold up the best. I have a t-5 1000, 323 an ideal clamp, a hioki cl amp and an old simpson. For a home owner my vote would be for a t-5 600 should do all you need.

 

[Aceman]

For the everyday carry meter, Fluke T+ Pro.

For an ampclamp if I was a diy'er, I'd use a 325. I use a 376 for the industrial/ag/commercial work I do.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I've had pretty much every size brand under the sun in the last 30 years.
I won't buy one strictly because of the brand,I think my current meter is either a uei or a fielpiece clamp on.
I'd have to look in the van to be sure.
Does everything I need except read DC voltage,my old meter works for that though.

 

[klassenl]

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000BVKUSA/?tag=atomicindus04-20

For general day to day stuff this is what I carry with me. Volts and continuity only but that's what I need 90% of the time.

 

[Cmreschke]

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000BVKUSA/?tag=atomicindus04-20

For general day to day stuff this is what I carry with me. Volts and continuity only but that's what I need 90% of the time.

This is what I use. It's all I need for work, if the testing requires more I use what the contractor supplies.

 

[sberry]

I have dc clamp on too. Very handy for equiment.

 

[md21722]

Thanks for the information!

 

[Lassen Forge]

Amprobe RS3 clamp on and and a Simpson 260 series 5 - they're old, but so am I, and why fix what works? In fact - just "upgraded" to a 5M - the 5's case is finally resisting repair, so decided it was time.

Never know - someday someone may find a museum to put them in, too! --lol--

 

[Radix2]

I have a few flukes from my job.

I use the $2.99. Harbor freight jobs 90% of the time since I have them in every tool bag and box. Also have a clamp on ammeter from HF which works just fine for any electrical service/system type job.

Personally I wouldn't recommend anyone spend the cash on an expensive meter for home electrician use. If you are playing with electronics, maybe.

Better places to spend your money if that matters.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I have a few flukes from my job.

I use the $2.99. Harbor freight jobs 90% of the time since I have them in every tool bag and box. Also have a clamp on ammeter from HF which works just fine for any electrical service/system type job.

Personally I wouldn't recommend anyone spend the cash on an expensive meter for home electrician use. If you are playing with electronics, maybe.

Better places to spend your money if that matters.

 

[SIX225]

Most of our meters at work are Flukes, but we a bunch of others including some old Radio Shack ones. Almost as equally important is a quality set of test leads. A poor quality set of leads will make you question your measurements on a good meter when the scale is bouncing around. IMO this is where most cheap meters really fail and cause inaccurate readings.

 

[md21722]

One thing that got me thinking about upgrading was to measure amp draw & inrush current. Then I noticed that my old Craftsman would measure something like 7 volts different than the Fluke. I wired them up at the same time to validate after I noticed the issue. The original Craftsman leads were junk & were replaced by Fluke leads some time ago. I suppose one could argue 7 volts doesn't really matter from Joe Homeowner, as its "close enough" but is it really? ;-)

 

[PFSard]

Almost as equally important is a quality set of test leads.

Okay. I'll bite. What criteria do you use to ensure that you obtain a quality set of test leads? Can you recommend good places to buy such leads?

 

[William Payne]

Okay. I'll bite. What criteria do you use to ensure that you obtain a quality set of test leads? Can you recommend good places to buy such leads?

Fluke seems to be the industry standard.

 

[SIX225]

It seems to me that the wire in the cheap lead tends to break internally at their molded connections at the banana plugs and probes more easily. Might be because the wire gauge is small. The plugs and probes don't appear to take as much abuse either. The ones that come with a good quality meter should fine. Lot's of different options out there depending on what you're using it for (back probing connectors, etc.).

 

[pedrodagr8]

For multimeters these manufacturers make almost entirely good stuff:

• Fluke
• Brymen (who also OEMs for Greenlee, Amprobe and a few others)
• HP/Agilent/Keysight
• Hioki
• Yokagawa
• Gossen.

The classic is the Fluke 87V, it is a bit dated feature set wise, but it is has proven robustness and tends to resale for $150-200. If you want more features and higher precision. I would go with the Brmen BM869S (also sold in green as the Greenlee DM-860A), which has a higher UL-Listed safety rating and lots of very useful features for the electrician, HVAC repairman, etc. If you for some weird reason need the most accurate high precision meter on the market then you are crazy and you are looking at the Gossen Metrahit 30m which is a damn bench meter in handheld form. Also, don't underestimate the usefulness of a clamp meter. For electricians these are almost a must have. All of the above companies make their own clamp meters as well.

For test leads:

• Fluke
• Pamona (a Fluke subsidiary, so they often carry similar stuff).
• ProbeMaster (many people prefer their stuff over Fluke or Pamona, they tend to have a lot better ergonomics and better performance).

If you are an electrician, getting a modular test lead kit with a variety of connections can pay dividends in the long run. Also, make sure the lead kit comes with silicone test leads. Most reputable kits will use silicone instead of PVC. PVC works in a pinch but they just aren't as flexible and get them outside of standard temperatures and they get even worse (especially in the cold). You end up fighting the leads more than taking measurements, which in a dangerous environment is just unacceptable.

 

[Rob_b]

As a "on the road technician", all i use is fluke. Owned many others over the years but none have stood up like the Flukes. I use a 87V MM, 325 Clamp, 705 loop cal, 771 mA clamp and a 435II power analyzer. I trust my meters and have them calibrated every year(ISO requirement). You get what you pay for as usual.

 

[Radix2]

The issue with test leads is durability - they aren't going to lead to 7 volt errors, poor ones are going to break or be stiff as noted above. You can improve most by simply sharpening the tips so you get a proper reading through the gunk and corrosion....

There is a bunch of talk here about using a meter for reading inrush current, or just current for that matter... Unless one has a good understanding of circuits and the limitations of their meter, I would caution against using a normal leaded meter for making current measurements. And realize that the filtering or peak holding function of a meter used for measuring peaks is going to be different between brands and models making a comparison of inrush values difficult.

If one wants to look at current to a load, the best thing to do is to get an inexpensive clamp on AC ammeter. Much safer and simpler than trying to insert a meter in series with your load.

 

[MikeF2316]

I'm not a pro, and most of my testing is automotive, and I'm going to agree with those that talk about the importance of the test leads. Cheap ones never lose those initial folds that are there when you first take them out of the package and are always always tangled. I got a good set of leads about 20 years ago from a store that has since closed. I have no idea what brand they are, I've lost or damaged a couple of the interchangeable ends and one of the banana plug ends got folded over and broke. I remember spending close to $100 on them and if I could find them again I'd buy at least 2 sets. They're better than the leads that came with my Fluke 233A.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

The issue with test leads is durability - they aren't going to lead to 7 volt errors, poor ones are going to break or be stiff as noted above. You can improve most by simply sharpening the tips so you get a proper reading through the gunk and corrosion....

There is a bunch of talk here about using a meter for reading inrush current, or just current for that matter... Unless one has a good understanding of circuits and the limitations of their meter, I would caution against using a normal leaded meter for making current measurements. And realize that the filtering or peak holding function of a meter used for the is going to be different between brands and models.

If one wants to look at current to a load, the best thing to do is to get an inexpensive clamp on AC ammeter. Much safer and simpler than trying to insert a meter in series with your load.

 

[Chilliwack Murray]

Id also caution against using a standard meter for current measurement at least on higher than 24 volts - using a clamp meter is far safer, especially for a novice.

For a novice or a pro, a Fluke is a very safe meter. It's difficult to damage any of their modern meters and unlikely for the meter itself to hurt you if it fails regardless of how you set it if you stay under 600 volts. This is not true of other meters, particularly cheap meters and I've witnessed other peoples meters fail catastrophically several times causing flashover and burns. One greenlee rotation meter failed spontaneously but i don't know if the others were set incorrectly and failed.

 

[nsula_country]

Industrial Automation Controls Engineer here... Fluke 187 and 335 clamp meter are my current meters of choice.

Quality silicone leads are nice. Also make sure whatever meter you buy is FUSED!

CT

 

[rburke65]

I have two and they are both Fluke brand.

 

[William Payne]

Good thread, one thing I am lacking in is a good meter.

 

[Wirepuller]

I have 2 flukes. 1 has a detachable face plate that's great for troubleshooting solo and the other is an amp probe. For the most part buy a cheap one for throwing around/home use. 99% of diy or even pros don't need a several hundred dollar meter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pedrodagr8]

Good thread, one thing I am lacking in is a good meter.

If you are a home user, I would recommend the Amprobe AM-510. Amprobe is a Fluke subsidiary and it shows. Very safe, well featured meter, UL-listed for $50

Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk

 

[William Payne]

About a month ago I needed to check the condition of a bunch of capacitors after one had failed. What surprised me most was the difficulty in finding a meter that could read 20,000 microfarads. I managed to find all new replacement capacitors but would still be nice to test the ones that did not fail.

 

[Z2V]

My Fluke 189 will go to 50,000mf, I'm not sure about my Fluke 289, but the 87 won't come close.

 

[pedrodagr8]

About a month ago I needed to check the condition of a bunch of capacitors after one had failed. What surprised me most was the difficulty in finding a meter that could read 20,000 microfarads. I managed to find all new replacement capacitors but would still be nice to test the ones that did not fail.

That is usually a count limitation. You need a multimeter that is at least 20,000 count to reach that resolution. I don't know why the lower ones don't include ranges for that but they don't. The cheapest one that reaches that status that I know of is the Uni-T UT61E which will go up to 220,000uF.

That being said, if you are testing capacitor health then a multimeter is ENTIRELY the wrong tool for the job. A capacitor will have failed a long time ago, before it starts showing significant changes in capacitance. In fact, sometimes they never do. You need an ESR meter to check cap health. Depending on if you are a hobbyist or a pro, the tool will be different:

If you are just a hobbyist or what not, I would go with one of the cheap Mega328 ESR Meter/Component testers that you can find on ebay. They are an offshoot of a still heavily developed open source project. The Chinese manufacturers picked the project up and make it like crazy, so you can get one for around $15-35. The price varies mainly based on the kind of display that you want (2x16 LCD, graphic LCD, color graphic LCD, etc.) and if you want a case or not. The project is still heavily being developed and you can follow the English language thread about its development or you can go to the official project website which is in a mix of english and german. I should mention it doesn't just do capacitors. It does inductors, motors, resistors, transistors, SCRs, diodes, zener diodes, etc. It is a really really useful took to just have around when you need to check a component.

If you are a professional, then I would step up to either the Peak Atlas ESR meter or the Der EE DE-5000 meter. Of those two I would pick the Der EE. The Der EE runs around $100 and is a damn good fully featured ESR meter. It is so good that the metrology company IET Labs, rebadges it for their DE-5000 and DE-6000 meter. I would get the alligator and SMD tweezer accessory and ignore the others. I have the DE-5000 and that thing is amazingly accurate and well built

 

[rlitman]

I use an Applent AT825 LCR ESR meter at work. If you want an ESR meter, Kelvin probes are a must.

 

[William Payne]

Wow thanks a lot guys. My day job is working for a machine shop. But trying to set up my shop at home and fix my own welders and gear is giving me a crash course in industrial electrical which I'm learning as I go.

That's great info thanks

 

[pedrodagr8]

I use an Applent AT825 LCR ESR meter at work. If you want an ESR meter, Kelvin probes are a must.

That Applent is a VERY solid meter. That used to be the best value in LCR meters because it is very well built and was affordable for the time it was released. The Der EE is the new best value since it was released about 2yrs ago. You can get by without Kelvin probes (some of the Agilent ones are not kelvin) but it is better to have them if you can!

Wow thanks a lot guys. My day job is working for a machine shop. But trying to set up my shop at home and fix my own welders and gear is giving me a crash course in industrial electrical which I'm learning as I go.

That's great info thanks

Sounds like the hobbyist component tester is going to be your best bet. It will do a lot of stuff for you when it comes to identifying parts and checking their characteristics.

 

[rlitman]

That Applent is a VERY solid meter. That used to be the best value in LCR meters because it is very well built and was affordable for the time it was released. The Der EE is the new best value since it was released about 2yrs ago. You can get by without Kelvin probes (some of the Agilent ones are not kelvin) but it is better to have them if you can!

I picked the Applent, because it can measure caps up to 1F, where the DE-5000 tops out at 20mF. That's not necessarily an issue for most users, but I like being able to record a single number from large filter banks for historical tracking of overall health. That, and the fact that the Applent came with some absolutely BEAUTIFUL gold plated Kelvin probes, and the DE-5000 had alligator clips that just turned me off (again, not really a big issue as they are still 4-wire). The fact that the Applent gets me an extra significant figure in resistance (0.0001 ohms vs 0.001 ohms) means that it can double to measure conductance across connections to spot trouble (though only just barely; it's not a true substitute for a micro-ohmmeter).

Even so, I agree that the DE-5000 offers a GREAT value that covers 95% of the useful range of the Applent (and gets you 100kHz on top of that).

Even so, after all that, I'm still glad to hear an objective opinion calling it solid. I have not had it for long enough to claim that much. Though for the fact that it was paid for on the company dime, and from what I expect to get out of it, it could just as well be disposable and I'd still be happy.