Ideal tester for starting out?....

[Festerfly]

HI All,

Im am hoping to do my full part P very shortly with Ableskills (i know its not everyones ideal scenario due to cost experience level but my situation sadly doesnt allow otherwise).

What i am after is finding out some info about the ideal tester for when it comes to working in the real world! In the long run i would like to follow up my Part P with a full Electicians Qual. but at present i need to start somewhere and this seems the best route for both the short time i ahave available and the current limited funds for startup. Am i best off investing in something like a Megger MFT1552/1553 at the off (would prob be either a nearly new/used unit) or going for just the basic Part P/17th Edition jobbie. I would rather just spend once ideally then having to keep outlaying for a new meter everytime i train abit higher etc.

Any suggetions as to type and such?

I have heard that Megger are the best and with the 1553 versoin i like the connectivity and such as i am pretty techie orientated.

Thanks

Lee

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Just bought the same machine I used during training, but then Ive been using Fluke products for the past 21 years! Its not new, but from Fleabay I got the 1652 model, does whats required and nothing more for 17th installs. Already had the 6500 PAT machine and just kept with the same brand for ease of Cal and looks better having a consistent line up of kit.

 

[Dannyg83]

Check out the fluke 115 , i have always used fluke multimeters and havent had any problems

 

[scotsparky]

Danny i hope you mean Multi Function testers and not Mutlimeters for your testing. just had a look at the Fluke 1115 its a mutimeter how do you do your testing with that and get accurate resutls?

Festerfly Dont worry about the units that proclaim 17th edition on them they are no different to any others just a different label and a marketing ploy. As long as the unit can be calibrated and will perform the tests requiered its ok, Myadvice is get the best you can Afford without stretching IF its of ebay and second hand dont worry get it calibratede and it should be fine.

 

[Dannyg83]

Its alright Scott , i thought he just meant a basic tester for fault finding , proving dead etc since he was just starting out

 

[scotsparky]

Danny dont use a multimeter to prove dead either! GS38 approved units and a proving box such as the martindale ones.

Martindale Electric - Voltage Testers - Safety Voltage Tester & Proving Unit Package - VIPD

 

[Dannyg83]

why not ?

 

[scotsparky]

A multimeter will not always give an accurate reading and can sometime pick up induced voltages even though the system is isolated giving false readings.. have a look at your safe isolation procedures and H7S note GS38. Multimeters leads dont always comply to the standards.

How much experiance you got and what quals you done? its all covered in 2391.01 but will be covered at college as it an essential basic you have to know how to isolate and make safe and prove it. You can fail AM2 instantly if you dont know.

 

[Dannyg83]

Fully Qualified Elec thanks very much , think all keep using my one anyway work a lot in control panels nowadays and its a lot better for that kind of work

 

[scotsparky]

what voltage but for safe isolation its test lamps and proving unit if anything goes wrong you wont be able to claim as you didnt follow safe isolation tecniques. IT its extra Low voltage controls under 50v ac then no worries its under touch voltage.

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Did the safe isolation as part of the domestic, and the instructor used a dedicated AC voltage tester and proving unit. He did mention the use of a test lamp (and told this is what must be used on 2391), but reason given for NOT using a DMM is many users have been caught out by not having the unit set right e.g.switched to continuity or DC Therefore is not the preferred meterfor proving dead.

 

[Dannyg83]

looks like i wont be making any claims

 

[Festerfly]

wow, whole kettle of fish i opened up there then!

Thanks for the input though.. It seems that the choice is either fluke or Megger and to go withthe best i can afford.. Will aim for a 1552/1553 unless something else crops up at the right price i think.

 

[scotsparky]

the megger one is very populare but invest in a good set of FUSED leads go to the megger manufacturers web site and get new ones it will help.

 

[Andy Smith]

What is GS38?
Guidance Note GS38, published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), sets out in clear and concise terms the features that any instruments and meters should have if they are to be used to carry out electrical tests in accordance with BS 7671. In order to comply with the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 it is critical that any competent person carries out electrical testing safely, and this guidance note draws attention to the risks of using test instruments that do not meet the GS38 standard. In brief, some of the requirements for test instruments include:

• The test probes should have finger guards, ideally 2mm or less of exposed conductive tip (to prevent the user accidentally making contact with either the probes or live conductors under test) and should be fitted with a High Breaking Capacity inline fuse or fuse-and-resistor combination with a low current rating (to prevent the probes rupturing under high short-circuit currents and/or damaging the test instrument if incorrect range settings are used, typically drawing more than 500mA).
• The test leads should be adequately insulated to suit the environment in which they’re being used, are coloured differently from each other so as to be distinguishable, are flexible, are capable of handling the maximum current range of the test instrument and are shrouded or sheathed to protect against mechanical damage, securely connect the leads to the test instrument and safeguard against the possibility of direct contact with live parts.

GS38 also identifies three categories of test instruments, namely those that:

• test for the presence of a voltage (voltage detection)
• measure voltages
• measure current and resistance (as well as, in some cases, inductance and capacitance)

Note that - yes - although you *could* use a £5 multimeter from Argos to test for voltage, current, resistance and continuity, their use is generally frowned upon!
Although obvious, it is vital that you understand how your test instruments work before you actually use them to make sure that you don’t get the wrong readings or, worse still, damage the instrument (just keep in mind the £500+ you spent on that Fluke or Megger before you start sticking those test probes in the wrong place!) As a test instrument is often your only means of knowing whether you’re working safely or not it also pays to carry out the following basic checks before you start work:

• Look at the test instrument, probes, leads and connectors for any obvious signs of physical damage. Have you stored the test instrument properly? Did you lend it out to someone that didn’t look after it? Are there knots, kinks or cuts in the leads? Is the case cracked? Are the connections loose?
• Look at the ratings on the test instruments, probes, leads and connectors to make sure they’re suitable for the job you’re asking them to do. Do you know what range you need to be using?
• Does the test instrument have a calibration date on it? If you don’t know when the instrument was last calibrated, how can you be sure you’re getting the right readings?

Before carrying out any actual tests, make sure you know all the procedures involved in carrying out safe isolation on the circuit(s) you intend to work on. A full description of how safe isolation needs to be carried out is beyond the scope of this article but the full procedure can be found in the official guidance notes as well as any good electrical installation book.
To sum up, GS38 has been designed both to keep both you and others safe and to try and define a clear standard that manufacturers can work towards to make sure electrical testing is carried out sensibly and safely. Although high-quality test instruments can be costly one-off purchases, keep in mind the cost of your own safety! As with any tools, good quality instruments and meters pay for themselves many times over and being skilled in their use is a true measure of a qualified and competent electrician.

Dont know if this puts any light on it, but i would say that a mullimeter falls in to MEASURING VOLTAGES not TESTING FOR THE PRESENCE OF VOLTAGE. Either way it should be done to GS38 the HSE says so.

 

[The Finch]

can anyone a good compact multimeter for general testing and fault finding? i do alot of service work on fire and security systems and want something to go in the bottom of my case but funds are tight at the moment so dont want to spend a fortune

 

[scotsparky]

Fluke 117 Compact True RMS meter for commercial applications Buy Online OR Call
You cant go far wrong with this one. I have just sold a multimeter on e.bay so have a look there there may be some bargains

 

[Graeme Harrold]

Fluke 117 Compact True RMS meter for commercial applications Buy Online OR Call
You cant go far wrong with this one. I have just sold a multimeter on e.bay so have a look there there may be some bargains

Cracking bit of kit. Been using them in the automotive field for 20 years, pactically bomb proof bit of kit, had one run over by a challenger tank (was in a hard case), case mangled but DMM still OK