Multifunction tester recommendations

grousedogtom

Hi
I recently sent away my fluke 1653 for calibration and got a call to tell be it cannot be fully calibrated as the insulation resistance testing on the higher voltages is reading to low and this cannot be adjusted as it's a fault on the main board. Taking into account the cost of sending it to fluke for repair and how old it is I'll probably end up purchasing a new one. I've been told the fluke 16 range did give a lot of trouble so I'd like to hear people's opinions and experience with multifunction testers. What would you recommend. Read good reports about the kewtech kt64dl, anyone have one of these?

mikeyjames9

I never use them for the reason you just described

One fault and you're having to replace the lot

2011

grousedogtom wrote: »

Hi
I recently sent away my fluke 1653 for calibration and got a call to tell be it cannot be fully calibrated as the insulation resistance testing on the higher voltages is reading to low and this cannot be adjusted as it's a fault on the main board. Taking into account the cost of sending it to fluke for repair and how old it is I'll probably end up purchasing a new one. I've been told the fluke 16 range did give a lot of trouble so I'd like to hear people's opinions and experience with multifunction testers. What would you recommend. Read good reports about the kewtech kt64dl, anyone have one of these?

I would be disappointed if this happened to me. Fluke charge premium prices and for that you expect a reliable high end product.

If I were you I would be interested in answers to the following:
1) What is the cost of repair compared to replacement.
2) If repaired what warranty is provided compared to new.
3) If you replace with a new Fluke will the manufacturer offer due to product failure. I would expect that a stongly worded letter / email to Fluke would yield positive results. companies such as Fluke and very conscious of brand image on social media.

Assuming that you are offered an attractive deal from Fuke, I would recommend that you take it.

Alternatively you could ask the calibration company for thier recommendation, they are best placed to advise. I would be interested to know how you get on.

Par1

grousedogtom wrote: »

Hi
I recently sent away my fluke 1653 for calibration and got a call to tell be it cannot be fully calibrated as the insulation resistance testing on the higher voltages is reading to low and this cannot be adjusted as it's a fault on the main board. Taking into account the cost of sending it to fluke for repair and how old it is I'll probably end up purchasing a new one. I've been told the fluke 16 range did give a lot of trouble so I'd like to hear people's opinions and experience with multifunction testers. What would you recommend. Read good reports about the kewtech kt64dl, anyone have one of these?

grousedogtom I am sorry to hear this as it will incur an expense. I highlighted this problem in a similar thread but some guys swore that Fluke multi function testers are great and never give trouble. The sad reality is Fluke multi function testers are not great and do indeed give a lot of trouble.

As i said before Fluke multi function testers are sold throughout most electrical wholesales as they are readily available and a reliable seller because most electricians (in my opinion) are quiet frankly too lazy to do some research on testers and their advantages/dis advantages. Instead they decide to buy a Fluke because 'their mates' has a fluke and 'they say' they are good. The wholesale will indeed also say they are good also because after all (they are sales men who just want sales) and also they are people who will not tell you the technical spec of things because they simply do not know because the majority of them either dont know or dont care basically.

All in one testers have to much inside them while not having enough....let me explain that.

All in one testers share components and offer the user the basic functions of using one machine for several tests. On most all in one testers the range of each application can not be compared to an individual unit.

People who have all in one testers will often say that carrying 3 different testers around is a nuisance or is somehow complicated and that the individual units take up a lot of space...all of which is ignorance and misguided.

I do agree that individual units are slightly more expensive at the initial purchase and are also slightly more expensive to calibrate but reading story's like the OP story actually highlights the importance of having separate individual machines.

I look at multi function testers quiet simply and an example i would use is if i wanted to buy a car and a boat i would buy a separate car and a separate boat - Not a Carboat. Its a bizarre comparison i admit but it is basically the same principal i.e 2 individual units compared to one combined unit that has basic functions that make it compatible but in my opinion inferior (function wise).

grousedogtom the Kewtech brand you mentioned above is in my opinion better quality that fluke. The best advice i can give you is to call a calibration/repair company and simply ask how many Kewtechs fail compared to Flukes and you will be amazed. Also just out of curiosity ask them what brand in their opinion has the biggest fault rate.

As far as im aware Fluke charge 150 euro just to look at machine and repair basic faults then if its not a basic fault its automatically 350 euro (I stand to be corrected on that).

Im sure the wholesalers you purchased it from will assure you Fluke are great and will give you a small discount on a new machine (that still has issues)

My advise is call calibration/repair company and stay clear of Fluke for the moment. Id also consider individual units as opposed to all in one...but thats only my opinion..best of luck with it all and i hope you get sorted soon.

Tuco88

My understanding is that Kewtech was set up from a former member of Robin after the buy out from Fluke so they can't be that bad I did hear they gave loop testing problems. I myself have a fluke 1652 never had an issue with it, altho I don't use it to often. But my employer has 4 of the 1600 series well used and abused no issues. I'd be very surprised if Fluke made anything that was prone or common to failure. Imo they make quality gear but electronic stuff can fail in anything that's luck of the draw, you get what you pay for.

The points on the individual testers is very true, but I'd take the multi tester over its just pure choice.

Megger are the only other brand I'd get from previous experience, I found them excellent also (kicking myself I did not get one at the time)

2011

Par1 wrote: »

most electricians (in my opinion) are quiet frankly too lazy to do some research on testers and their advantages/dis advantages. Instead they decide to buy a Fluke because 'their mates' has a fluke and 'they say' they are good.

We have a policy of not mentioning company names on this forum.
However as many of the posters here will acknowledge all / most of the largest electrical contractor use Fluke test equipment.
This equipment would not be purchased by electricians or because their "mates" recommend it.

I look at multi function testers quiet simply and an example i would use is if i wanted to buy a car and a boat i would buy a separate car and a separate boat - Not a Carboat.

Unless you are want to carry out an amphibious assault on a beach in Normandy.....

I would use a completely different analogy, that of a smartphone. Smartphones successfully combine a digital camers, a GPS navigation unit, many of the features of a touchscreen computer, including web browsing, Wi-Fi, 3rd-party apps, motion sensor, mobile payment and 3G. These devices are far more complex than a multi-function tester.


Quite simply, I think that you have to move with the times.
Even if Fluke are as unreliable as you suggest it would seem that most electrical contractors agree that multi-function testers are the future.

Par1

Good Analogy above i agree smart phones are getting better all the time however they lack many functions of a digital camera, GPS navigation, touch-screen computer etc.... which is why i choose individual testing over multi function units but again its just down to personal choice.

Suppose if we are mentioning analogies - is it better for an electrician to go to work with a Swiss army knife or a full set of individual tools??

I know which choice id make....

2011

Par1 wrote: »

Good Analogy above i agree smart phones are getting better all the time however they lack many functions of a digital camera, GPS navigation, touch-screen computer etc.... which is why i choose individual testing over multi function units but again its just down to personal choice.

Can you give example of functionality required to certify an installation (or even just handy to have) that is missing from multifunctional testers?

is it better for an electrician to go to work with a Swiss army knife or a full set of individual tools??

I know which choice id make....

So do I but it is an unsuitable analogy. The majority of professional contractors do not employ electricians that use Swiss Army knives, but they do use multifunctional testers.

Par1

2011 wrote: »

Can you give example of functionality required to certify an installation (or even just handy to have) that is missing from multifunctional testers?



So do I but it is an unsuitable analogy. The majority of professional contractors do not employ electricians that use Swiss Army knives, but they do use multifunctional testers.

Ability to test installation with 2 men therefore speeding up testing time. When multifunction tester breaks testing stops and 1 man has to bring multifunction to repair shop. If an individual unit breaks then other tests can still be performed. I personally think individual units have a wider range of values on some applications.

Again personal choice if an electrical contractor wants to put all his eggs in the one basket and rely on the single multifunction tester then that's his choice.

If we refer back to the OP then the problem is that the multifunction has failed and the OP now has a problem of not been able to use that machine to certify installations. Also OP is now stuck with a big expense which he would not have had if he were to have individual units as worse case scenario he would only have to replace one individual unit.

mikeyjames9

2011 wrote: »

I would use a completely different analogy, that of a smartphone. Smartphones successfully combine a digital camers, a GPS navigation unit, many of the features of a touchscreen computer, including web browsing, Wi-Fi, 3rd-party apps, motion sensor, mobile payment and 3G. These devices are far more complex than a multi-function tester.

for a better analogy

would you be happy to combine a $1000 camera with your smartphone?

not me anyhow,i'd prefer to keep the expensive camera as a separate

Par1

mikeyjames9 wrote: »

for a better analogy

would you be happy to combine a $1000 camera with your smartphone?

not me anyhow,i'd prefer to keep the expensive camera as a separate

Agreed....good analogy

2011

So you agree that multifunctional testers are not lacking in terms of functionality?

In my experience it would be unusual for a small electrical contractor to have two electricians testing at the same time. I have seen many situations where large contracts have had several electricians testing at the same time in these cases each person had a multifunctional tester. From what I have seen most electrical contractors disagree with you, but I have to admit my experience for the last number of years is industrial (semiconductor, pharmaceutical)

I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

Par1

2011 wrote: »

So you agree that multifunctional testers are not lacking in terms of functionality?

In my experience it would be unusual for a small electrical contractor to have two electricians testing at the same time. I have seen many situations where large contracts have had several electricians testing at the same time in these cases each person had a multifunctional tester. From what I have seen most electrical contractors disagree with you, but I have to admit my experience for the last number of years is industrial (semiconductor, pharmaceutical)

I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

I agree multifunction testers satisfy criteria to test an installation but i believe that individual testing units have a superior range of application.

I have often seen 2 electricians testing an installation as they were responsible for first and second fix so they share the testing procedure. Most contractors i speak to use both multifunction or individual units so i doubt they all disagree with me.

Par1

The OP probably has enough info now to make a choice...well done all.

2011

Par1 wrote: »

I agree multifunction testers satisfy criteria to test an installation but i believe that individual testing units have a superior range of application.

Ok.

I have often seen 2 electricians testing an installation

As above, me too.

Most contractors i speak to use both multifunction or individual units

Legacy meters in domestic installation I imagime.

The OP probably has enough info now to make a choice...well done all.

Agreed

mikeyjames9

well done everyone!

Kevin McCloud

I remember packing up tools one evening, (had the 3 seperate meters) I had the insulation continuity tester out doing some tests.
The site was all gutter and for some reason i put the meter up on the spare wheel of the jeep as was putting other tools in the rear side doors of jeep. Phone rang and forgot about my meter.
Started jeep and into reverse around house took off and left for home, arrived the next day and it got flattened by another vehicle leaving site that evening.
Putting all one's eggs in one basket sprang to mind that time, if it was a 3 in one meter it would have been a bigger loss.

grousedogtom

Food for thought, thanks everyone for the helpful advice,

mikeyjames9

I think the OP has enough information now

Well done everybody

Kevin McCloud

One more thing worth mentioning is the huge amount of used meters available from the uk. One would question buying new with such a selection available.