[mmair]

I am getting an xtra meter "just in case" . I was going to get a cheap one $20 or so any suggestions?

 

[Paul Bee]

There is a Gardner-Bender also Ideal has one. If you can spend $30.00 The TPI cheapie is a rugged little meter. You can get the GB at just about any hardware store and they have the Ideal at LOEWS. www.idealindustries.com www.gardnerbender.com

 

[dandyme]

yea, make sure the insurance premium is paid up, if you're only going to invest $20.00 in the extra meter



mine:
primary-------SC66

back up------SC77, SC64------fieldpiece, also ACD14,ACD10---amprobe,I'd have to get off my but to get the rest of the list....................

 

[doc havoc]

Spend the $20 on a voltage stick. Save up and buy yourself a quality back up meter.

 

[76olds]

Watch this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-FZP1U2dkM


Now for $20.00, this is a good meter. Unless they changed it , it's only a cat II meter so I don't use it much.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03482141000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

 

[mmair]

that video is funny. Good info tho. check out the fly that lands on the fluke

 

[flange]

I dont care what you buy, but protect yourself. dont get hurt due to spendig too little on a meter. see meter safety thread if necessary.

 

[Diceman]

Buy a UEI
And you just might DIE

 

[Tool-Slinger]

Radio-shack. Cheap meters, work okay. Lowes[as suggested] and home despot also sell cheap meters now.

I am not sure I understand the "cheap meter" cracks here. A $500 meter can even have a bad lead and get you killed or give you a wrong reading. If in doubt, ground it out. Better to weld a couple of nut-drivers together than getting electrocuted.

Ampmeters are a little different, you are going to have to spend some money on that. But you can use a cheap meter for a multi-meter in typical service situations and be fine.

 

[trouble time]

What ever you buy make sure it is to Cat 3 standards minimum.
That and checking your leads each time you use it could save your life.:grin2:

 

[Diceman]

Once in a great while ya get an old, worn out disconnect.
Ya pull down the handle to off and one of the blades snaps and stays in the contact.
You think its off, but one leg is still hot.
Watch that ya hear.:gah:

 

[crab master]

Buy a UEI
And you just might DIE

I've had a UEI DL-250 for at least 5 yrs and I really like it. Same model, but one before that quit reading either capacitance or the flame sensor reading, it was just before the 3 yr mark so sent it back and they sent me a new one. So been using the UEI for around 8 years.

Personally I prefer the amp clamp style multi-meter. Got a fluke 28 II w/the accessory amp clamp but the thing is a tank. The meter itself it big, then add the accessory amp clamp which is almost half the size of the meter. Next the amperage readings take forever, you can watch it slowly climb and then once it stabilizes you actually get a reading. Literally like 10-15 seconds at times. My UEI, clamp it on and within a second/maybe two you have the correct amp value.
Definitely prefer my more compact UEI, but needed a meter to also read 4-20 mA signals, only thing the UEI won't do.

On guys getting zapped, I don't just trust my meter, I also trust my screwdriver - "If it's not grounded, it's not dead" kind of thing. As mentioned leads can be bad and no meter can compensate for bad leads.

Back to the OP - the local Johnstone is selling a UEI DL 379 for a very reasonable price. Granted almost 4x what your wanting to spend, but for all it does - http://www.ueitest.com/productList-clampon.html Also that give you another temperature sensor on the meter as well.
Looks like it is going for just a bit more than the 369. The website is also showing a possbile 7 yr warranty if you register it, otherwise it's a 3 year warranty.

 

[hvac wiz 79]

give me the 20 bux, I'll smack ya in the face n run . . . be the same thing lol

 

[madhat]

Fluke 87 for Control systems, Fluke 16, and Fluke Amp. clamp that can read volatges, do simple ohms. I always carry a Non-contact voltage detector, in my BDU slacks Mag. pocket. If it quits, I won't go more than 24 hours without one.