SIGforum.com Main Page The Lounge Electricians, I need a new meter. Recommendations? *Updated* Meter purchased
Main Page The Lounge Electricians, I need a new meter. Recommendations? *Updated* Meter purchasedPage 1 2
Go | New | Find | Notify | Tools | Reply | |
Member |
Just basic residential electrical work. Nothing overly fancy, but I would like quality. I was considering a Fluke 323. I really want to keep it simple. I want to measure AC Amperage with this meter. I mostly want to see if I have current on the ground in a panel to test if I have any appliances on the property beginning to fail to ground. Here's what I'm thinking I could do: Flip half the breakers, every other one, to create an imbalance in the panel. Test for current on the ground. Flip off the remaining breakers one at a time until I find the offending circuit. Repeat the test with the other side of the panel. Or in my test, is it really necessary to unbalance the panel for this test for it to produce current to ground (with an un-bonded neutral block)? I understand that I could have some current on the ground through induction, but I don't bundle my wires in the panel, and there's not that much wiring in conduit, being that I'm dealing with residential applications. So what say you? Will the Fluke 323 serve me well as a knock around, but still quality, meter? Any recommendations will be considered, but I don't want to go much over $150. Thanks.This message has been edited. Last edited by: sigcrazy7, Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus | ||
|
| Member |
I worked in industrial electrical maintenance for many years. As long as the Fluke has a range of indication that you need and it is within your price range, I say buy it. You cannot go wrong with the performance of Fluke products. They are to my knowledge the defacto standard amongst service personnel. The “POLICE" Their job Is To Save Your Ass, Not Kiss It The muzzle end of a .45 pretty much says "go away" in any language - Clint Smith | |||
|
Member |
I'm not an electrician, but if you're working in a panel you might consider a fork meter like a Fluke T5 or T6. I have a Klein CL360 for this purpose and it's a good meter for light duty. | |||
|
| Member |
Fluke Amprobe Fieldpiece In that order. | |||
|
member |
I am not an electrician, but have used multimeters and clamp meters for 40 years. Though a bit more costly, you will never be wanting with a Fluke 87V. As far as amperage goes, most meters will only read up to 10 amps using the meter leads. Beyond that, you will need a clamp meter, either as a plug-in accessory to your main meter, or as a stand-alone clamp meter. The Fluke 179 is a bit less expensive than the 87V, but still a very good choice. When in doubt, mumble | |||
|
| Member |
Not an electrician, I'm much more versed in electrical trouble shooting then most box hangers, wire pullers  Just kidding electricians!I was a service tech for many years, repaired/maintained industrial wood working equipment, wired our home, friends homes, wired our offgrid system..... Have three meters. Fluke T5-1000, Fluke 87V, Fluke 336. Very high percentage of time used the T5-1000 to trouble shoot, used that meter almost daily commonly measuring current draw of motors at the motor or at a panel... A fork meter is a little easier to use in tight spaces such a breaker box over a clamp style meter, push other wires away with the fork. OP, a T5-600 is a good meter for your needs. The only thing it's lacking is a decimal point for DC voltage, for checking a car battery... | |||
|
| Member |
I’ll check out all the suggestions. I have other meters for doing DC voltage, and have never needed to measure DC amperage. Thanks to all. Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus | |||
|
| Member |
I have an old Beckman, has been great over the last 30 years, but is finally showing its age and acting up due to wear and too many hard drops. I'd go with a Fluke 87 and a clamp on current probe if I had to start from scratch, and throw in a Snap-on/Blue Point meter where the meter is one of the probes with a thumbwheel switch/selector. Check online for local sales, in metro Detroit lots of Fluke 87s were on craigslist for $100 after the layoffs a few years ago. ________________________________________________________ You never know... | |||
|
Down the Rabbit Hole |
I got a great deal on a Fluke 87V several years back when I got into Electronics. It's a quality piece of equipment for sure. Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." -- George Orwell | |||
|
| Member |
I also suggest a Fluke T5. The 600 volt would be more than enough for what you want to do as long as the whole number range (no decimal point) works for what you need. I grab my T5-1000v before my other Fluke meters almost every time. I have been in industrial maintenance for over 15 years and a lot of maintenance techs do the same. | |||
|
I Deal In Lead |
Fluke is not onlythe defacto standard amongst service personnel, it's the defacto standard amongst Electronic Technicians and Engineers. I've still got mine hanging in my closet. As we in the business used to say, "If it works, it's a Fluke." | |||
|
| Member |
Why are you concerned with current on the ground ? Is there something going on , or are you just overthinking things ? | |||
|
| I don't know man I just got here myself  |
Fluke all day every day. My trusty fluke is loading in a plane on the way home with me from A job site in Hungary. Used the fluke for everything from 400vac to ohms to mV signals. Never lets me down, except when the battery dies because I always forget to shut it off. | |||
|
| Member |
In my older houses, you wouldn't believe the crap that I've found as I tear into the walls during remodeling. It would make you cringe. I've found sub-panels with secondary grounding rods, sub-panels grounded out to the plumbing (in addition to the meter grounds), insulation that falls off in your hand, etc. I once had a property where the KT wiring would give you a tingle when you touched the medicine cabinet, another property would light up an A19 LED bulb on a circuit, even with that circuit's breaker open. I just want a meter that can check for large current leakage and diagnostic work, and I'm sick of unreliable meters. WRT the meters. While I would love to get the 87V, that is a little beyond what I need right now. I'm considering more of an entry level, hence the 323 or 325, or others mentioned. Right now our local online classified has a T5-600 posted for $25. I think I'll go get it if it's still available. I may still get a 323 to have a true RMS meter. In the meantime I'll keep my ear to the ground for a good deal on an 87V, and keep a T5 or 323 in my knock-about electrical box full-time when I do aquire an 87V. The older I get, I increasingly have no time for inferior tools. That's why I just bought a Starrett micrometer for my reloading bench. Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus | |||
|
| Technically Adaptive |
Not a electrician, just automotive diagnostics. If you are looking for amps, I suspect that breaker will be warmer than the others. I use an infra-red camera. Specifically a FLIR Spot infrared camera, around $400. might be out of your price range. Just a thought from my perspective. | |||
|
Ammoholic |
If you have more than an amp or two on ground, you need to check your grounding and/or bonding. The only current that should be on ground is from items like a three wire circuit for an oven or dryer. I'd suggest calling your electric provider and confirm that the power company ground is not damaged. A tell tale sign of a poor PoCo ground is lights in your house getting brighter or dimmer when large 240v loads are applied. The T5 is an excellent homeowner level tester and a great 'beater' tester for an electrician. Jesse Sic Semper Tyrannis | |||
|
| member |
You skipped over the 324, which is much better than the 323, and closer to the 325 but less money. The manual covers all 3 (323, 324, 325). The 323 is the bottom of the heap, and the 324 and 325 are more similar. The main thing you get with the 325, vs the 324, is DC amperage in the clamp, and frequency. Plus a higher Ohm range. If you don't need a DC amperage clamp meter, the 324 is the one to go with, at ~~$100 cheaper than the 325. For me, the 324 is my basic tester, like the T5-1000 is for others, mentioned above. I grab it for just about everything. It is a bit bulkier than the little T5-1000, but has nicer features, such as reading voltage to .x, rather than just whole numbers. I only use the 87V when I want to drill down to more accuracy and resolution, usually on the bench. When in doubt, mumble | |||
|
| Member |
OK, I've found some meters. Actually been on a meter buying binge. First, my brother found a used T5-600 for $25. I then needed something immediately, and the only thing I could find locally was the 323. henryaz, that's kinda why I went that route instead of a 324. Then I found that Lowe's was closing out their T6-600 for $70. So I got one of those and just let my brother keep the T5. Then I found a used 87V for $160, so I got that too. After the dust settles, I'll have: T6-600 $71 323 $116 87V $160 That should keep me covered. If I really find myself needing to measure DC amperage, I'll probably buy the AC/DC clamp lead for the 87V. So far, I've used the 323 while working in a buddy's electrical panel to track down an overloaded circuit in his old house. Worked like a champ. We cut the dishwasher loose and ran a new home-run circuit, and the problem is solved. This weekend I'll be up in the attic of one of my rental properties. Getting started on the project to replace the K-T wiring that tenants keep using to run four window A/C units, while wondering why the breakers keep tripping.  Thanks for everybody's advice. Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus | |||
|
| Member |
The 87V will measure DC current of 10 amps continuous . The AC/DC current clamp accessory will extend that range but it's over $400 bucks . | |||
|
| Member |
Fluke i410 $155 used (but looks rather new) on fleabay. I'd have to really need it to pay full price. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fluke...c:g:d2cAAOSwYbVgC5WS Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus | |||
|
| Powered by Social Strata | Page 1 2 |
 | Please Wait. Your request is being processed... |
|
SIGforum.com Main Page The Lounge Electricians, I need a new meter. Recommendations? *Updated* Meter purchased
Main Page The Lounge Electricians, I need a new meter. Recommendations? *Updated* Meter purchased© SIGforum 2024