Generic "megger"

[Owain]

circuits or for testing connections?

Owain

[John Rumm]

I found a £40 s.h digital meter from ebay was the easiest solution, small, robust, accurate enough, and not too much chance of zapping yourself unexpectedly. It also makes a handy plug in volt meter and low ohms meter.

[Bob Eager]

Well, that's what I paid...a little while ago. But it looks the same as the one the OP posted a link to, and I got mine from TLC. Can't get any more details...you've reminded me I lent it to someone and I haven't got it back yet!

[Bob Eager]

[e-mail]...

[Bob Eager]

I used it to measure the resistance of final ring circuits. And it found a couple of bad connections!

[js.b1]

Mmm, argument doesn't work in 3 areas :-)

- 240V to 110V Tx commonplace on building sites

- Plugin RCD dropped and no longer working

- 30mA will still throw you off a metal ladder

However, yes, I do agree that cable length, Tx weight & Tx cost negate it. One does exist at =A3250, but add in cable & Tx and petrol wins.

[Tim W]

Peter Andrews wibbled on Wednesday 18 November 2009 14:01

That looks like the unbranded one we had on my course.

To be honest, it's probably quite adequate for the purpose the OP's stated.

I find stability and accuracy a must on the loop testers ( 1/2 ohm *does* matter and I wouldn't like to use a cheap unbranded instrument for those) but for an insulation test, as long as it can *reliably* tell the difference between >199/299/whatever Megohms at 500V, and a few tens of Megohms I'd be happy enough.

[Bob Eager]

[e-mail]...

Exactly. I have a Robin loop tester...!

[Andrew Gabriel]

Hedge cutting on construction sites is normally done with a bulldozer or digger. 110V isn't common anywhere else. (Following EU ruling, we can't even insist on it on construction sites anymore, so that if a French/German/Polish/etc worker turns up with their 230V tools, they have to be able to use them unhindered).

True, but easily tested, and increasingly socket outlets are protected anyway.

I cut through cable with mine, tripping the 30mA RCD, and I didn't feel a thing. (Tip: when cutting the hedge, and a neighbour waves to you from across the road, don't wave back with the hedge cutter ;-)

Professional gardeners all use petrol ones. Having recently purchased a professional electric cutter, I quickly found that no one carried any stock of the electric versions - they had to be a special order from the manufacturer (although being German, they had a very efficient supply chain and it only took a few days).