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VOLTMETER Brand

joker5656joker5656 Member Posts: 5,598 ✭✭✭
edited July 2013 in General Discussion
What would be a good one for household use? I had a dryer break down I need to test the heating element and thermostat and instead of borrowing my dads and having to drive 45mins to get it, I want to just buy one. I was at Home Depot and seen there brand commercial Electric for fairly cheap, are they any good or should I spend the 50 bucks on a Klein brand one?
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Comments

  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,717 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    basic tester works fine...also handy gizmo for home is a circuit detective...plug transmitter into socket and scan breaker panel with receiver ...easy way to see what goes where
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  • Chief ShawayChief Shaway Member, Moderator Posts: 6,289 ******
    edited November -1
    Fluke.
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  • beneteaubeneteau Member Posts: 8,552 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Craftsman (Sears and K-mart)

    Had mine for 30 years or more
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  • nutfinnnutfinn Member Posts: 12,808 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Chief Shaway
    Fluke.
    +1
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  • dcon12dcon12 Member Posts: 32,040 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Digital. Don


    Nowadays, if you do not use one everyday, a digital one is all you need. If you use one everyday, Fluke, Ideal or a few others are what you need. Don
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  • LesWVaLesWVa Member Posts: 10,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Two Wet Fingers.






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  • Old-ColtsOld-Colts Member Posts: 22,697 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Flying Clay Disk
    Is there more than one????

    Fluke.Yep!!!

    If you can't feel the music; it's only pink noise!

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  • firstharmonicfirstharmonic Member Posts: 1,072 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Old-Colts
    quote:Originally posted by Flying Clay Disk
    Is there more than one????

    Fluke.Yep!!!

    Another vote for Fluke. Been using the same one for over 20 years.
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  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,237 ******
    edited November -1
    Fluke is the best
    Klein is very good too
    For general household DIY'r the 25-35 dollar digital multi meter will do just fine,,
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  • grdad45grdad45 Member Posts: 5,381 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Get a basic Fluke or other digital meter, it will do anything a homeowner/DIYer needs to do. Some of them are spendy, but ask yourself if you need to check capacitance, frequency, milliamps, etc. Make sure it uses standard batteries, and I like an illuminated screen (think power failure).
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  • p3skykingp3skyking Member Posts: 23,916 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Fluke or a Simpson. Expensive, but you only need one.
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  • HandLoadHandLoad Member Posts: 15,998 ✭
    edited November -1
    I Trust My Life to Fluke and Phillips Instruments, but I have and use cheapies for toolbox in the Polaris, and in the Coleman Trailer.

    Harbor Freight has Freebies that are OK, if you are aware and stay within the limitations of the Cheapies. I give them to friends for their Trailers, their Furnace problems, and to Kids just starting their Toolboxes.
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  • OakieOakie Member Posts: 40,565 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Fluke is great but you just need a cheap 12 dollar meter from Sears for around the house. I have both and always reach for the 12 dollars Sears meter.
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  • joker5656joker5656 Member Posts: 5,598 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    So cheap or fluke it is then....
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  • Horse Plains DrifterHorse Plains Drifter Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 40,233 ***** Forums Admin
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by beneteau


    Craftsman (Sears and K-mart)

    Had mine for 30 years or more



    Yep, I've had two Craftsmans and a NAPA. One Craftsman died after 8-10 years. So what, it was $99.99 on sale for $59.99. Flukes cost 4-5-6 hundred bucks. you decide.
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  • dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000 ✭
    edited November -1
    Fluke, hands down.
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  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Chief Shaway
    Fluke.


    ++ 1000
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  • booter_onebooter_one Member Posts: 2,345 ✭
    edited November -1
    Fluke is absolutely the best. But, for basic checks around the house an inexpensive generic tester works fine. I personally have a Fluke 87, $200+ meter. They also build a basic for around $75 or less. I also have a Simpson, also a very good meter. Believe it or not, I also have a couple of the cheap Harbor Freight meters that they give away for free with a purchase if you have their coupon. I use them as well, it depends on where and what I am diagnosing. If the cheapie gets broke or dropped, no loss.

    If this is a first, and you are on a budget, try an inexpensive one. If money is not a factor, go with the Fluke, they will have functions that you may never use around the house, but a solid investment.

    Hope this helps, and always use safety glasses when reading voltage due to the potential of shorting the wires and causing the sparks from launching in you face.
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  • MaxOHMSMaxOHMS Member Posts: 14,715
    edited November -1
    I suggest you get the clamp-on amp function.

    You will need that eventually down the road and then have to make yet another purchase.
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  • Ned FallNed Fall Member Posts: 662 ✭
    edited November -1
    You want a multi meter that reads voltage (AC and DC), resistance (ohms) and current (amps), not just volts. Simison and Fluke are good makes. I was an electronic technician in the Air Force for 26 years.
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  • pistoljimpistoljim Member Posts: 967 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This is all you should need around the house.

    http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-clamp-on-multimeter-95652.html
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  • NOAHNOAH Member Posts: 9,690
    edited November -1
    harbor freight[;)] Chinese[:0]
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  • KnifecollectorKnifecollector Member Posts: 3,267 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I keep Flukes on my truck, but since you only need a basic instrument for occasional use a $10 meter will be fine.
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  • bambambambambambam Member Posts: 4,818 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have two Flukes I use. Sun are a good brand too.

    I also have a auto sensing digital meter I bought from Auto Zone, it's red(can't remember the name), but I loved it for AC & DC classes.
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  • jltrentjltrent Member Posts: 9,344 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What Walmart sells for around $20. I have used one for several years.
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  • StingSting Member Posts: 629 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Fluke.
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  • jwhardingjwharding Member Posts: 2,897 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Ned Fall
    You want a multi meter that reads voltage (AC and DC), resistance (ohms) and current (amps), not just volts. Simison and Fluke are good makes. I was an electronic technician in the Air Force for 26 years.

    Good advise. You don't have to buy the top of the line. Stay away from cheap electrical testers like the giveaways at Harbor Frieght. I've had one blow up in my hand and it ain't no fun.
    JW
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  • Don McManusDon McManus Member Posts: 23,695 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I bought a Fluke and a Radio Shack Fluke knock-off 25 years ago.

    Both are still going strong.
    Freedom and a submissive populace cannot co-exist.

    Brad Steele
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  • CaptplaidCaptplaid Member Posts: 20,298 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Fluke 30 and a Fluck 36. The 36 also does dc volts. Bought both an fleaby.

    They are both basic and simple. Flukes can get more complicated than ypu need.
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Old people go old school but sometimes older is better . Analog is very useful in knowing if you have voltage like Cars trucks tractors ETC as well as household you really dont need to know if it is 110.000volts or 110.06 volts in your home or 12.567 or 12.623 on your car or tractor. YOU can also hook up the two leads and Flex the wire and the needle will react so you can see broken wire Digital only updates the screen slowly compared to Needle . I was a troubleshooter for I.B.M. equipment for 32 years and been working on cars lawn mowers etc for 55 years . sometimes old equipment is quicker to use and find problems . wire strands can break inside the insulation and then hard to fine with a HIGH tech FLUKE
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  • mogley98mogley98 Member Posts: 18,291 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Perry that is true, I had a digital read voltage however outlet wouldn't run anything, an analog used enough of the not really available current to determine the wire was almost completely broken.
    If you are buying it to use once anything, I carry Fluke's in my vehicles and they have lived in hot and cold temps and work fine.
    Why don't we go to school and work on the weekends and take the week off!
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  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've used all sorts of meters from the cheapest things you could be at the hardware stores to Radio Shack meters then I got turned on to Fluke.

    I've used these Flukes to troubleshoot vehicle computers where you may be in the harness looking for dead shorts to a stated resistance or minimal voltages. Used them when I was a generator mechanic to troubleshoot 3K to 60K generators.

    A good Fluke with a good Fluke lead kit will serve just about any purpose you can think of.

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  • YUKONYUKON Member Posts: 717 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Fluke #1
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