Good decent multi meter

[Broadback]

Any recommendations please? Just needs Ac and DC volts (up to mains level) amps and Ohms. All help appreciated.

[Lee]

If you are going to measure live mains with it, I would strongly suggest making sure it is genuinely CAT rated with decent quality shrouded leads.

Though, saying that I guess that they all must be now?

[meow2222]

Personally I think the risk from shrouded leads outweighs the risk reductio n.

Risk from uncertified meters does exist, but you take 1000s times the risk just walking to work, so I dont think its something to get excited over.

'Decent' is undefined; the OP's requirements suggest that even a £2 Rapid job would be upto that. Rapidonline is a good place to get good cheap mete rs.

NT

[Bill Wright]

How many amps? For automotive use the more the better.

Bill

[Roger Mills]

Indeed. If measuring lots of amps, it either needs to incorporate a pretty hefty shunt or to be a clamp meter. The latter is probably is a better bet - something like

[Lee]

Ok, I'm genuinely interested in why you think shrouded meter leads are dangerous. I can't even see how they would be, but if I'm missing something it would be nice to know :)

The £2 meter, assuming it's not one of the 'banned' ones on the EU/RAPEX list, is likely going to suffer from really poor leads. Would you trust the insulation on those at mains voltages?

[Lee]

Oh, better just add this quick, I'm not suggesting Rapid would sell anything like that.

Their £10 or thereabouts meter looks like it would do the job though.

[John Rumm]

Most of them are marked with a CAT rating - many of them clearly do not deserve the rating when you look inside!

As you say it depends on if you are going to routinely use it for mains work, and also where... in high energy locations (close to, or in a Consumer Unit) then I would only use one that is properly CAT III or better. Inside an appliance however the risk of using something less capable would be negligible.

[The Medway Handyman]

I have a 'pen' type multi meter like this;

Much easier to use, especially on light fittings. You don't need three hands :-)

[Brian Gaff]

I can remember the old Avo 8 leads getting a nick in the rubber and nearly making me slightly dead. I was perhaps not using the thing that carefully, and another thing I used to notice was the tendency for the leads to fall out exposing the live pin inside. He did not say if he is after digital or analogue. When I could see i found analogue good for most things, but of course digital gave very accurate results and many of them could measure capacity and all sorts of other clever stuff.

Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Yes Shunts can be used though. Brian

[meow2222]

The single insulation on them is more than capable. I have no trouble trust ing them to mains.

I grew up in a world where what's now known as speaker wire & bell wire wer e often used on mains. The insulation on such is electrically adequate, jus t not as abuse proof as modern double insulated leads. If youre using a mul timeter on mains you really should be quite capable of detecting a lead cut half through.

Did you find them on Rapex? I dont see why theyd be there.

I bought a bundle or so of the things, and leave them wherever I might want one on occasion. The tiny investment has paid off many times over. The onl y downside I've found with them so far has been accuracy, they're not alway s within 1 or 2% as they claimed. I've got better meters as well, but tbh f rom my experience with the rock bottom ones I wouldnt have a problem recomm ending them, they're perfectly able.

Its just like Tesco value, Sainsbury basics etc. Some of that stuff I would nt touch, but some is just as good. The brandnames are more about image tha n anything more concrete.

NT

[meow2222]

isk just walking to work, so I dont think its something to get excited over .

½2 Rapid job would be upto that. Rapidonline is a good place to get good cheap meters.

When the shrouds are sprung, the plug sometimes gets pushed partway out by the spring over time. The result is you test something live, the meter read s no volts, and the user who doesnt stop to be a bit suspicious then gets a shock. Imho its a bigger problem than the risk of the bare pins that shrou ds were intended to prevent.

Sure - I just replied on that one. FWIW I've used thinner insulation than t hat at 1kV on temporary lashups, pvc is quite capable stuff.

NT

[Lee]

Fairy snuff. I'm not keen on the spring loaded ones either, all mine are just sleeved.

Lee

[Lee]

I take your point, although personally I'm happier with the double insulated leads. Each to their own I guess.

The yellow £2 special that used to be on sale everywhere at one point was listed on there simply as "risk of injury" I can't remember if the explanation went any further than that.

Lee

[John Rumm]

Normally when people get killed by meters, it a result of the meter flashing over internally rather than the leads failing directly.

[tony sayer]

Why not have a look on Fleabay for a second hand Fluke meter? I managed to get one for 40 quid and IMHO money well spent:)...

[Lee]

Maybe TPTB thought that one had the potential to, which was why it was on the list?

[John Rumm]

The double insulated leads probably go along way to reducing shocks though...

[meow2222]

I dont see how, as they're not part of the main shock risks with meters. Single insulated leads are still very common on multimeters.

NT