Testers

[Z82]

Hi all, spent most of my morning looking for customer reviews on Multifunction 16/17th Testers and this site kept coming up in the Google searches so thought Id sign up and get a more taylored opinion

Im in the market for a new tester but really dont know what to go with. Laterly (last 4 years) Ive used Metrels which I have found to be excelent until I convinced my last boss to try them (which I'll explain further down) and now Im stuck.

My previous tester encounters are as follows:

Robin/Fluke

Served my time using the old Robin seperates, decent enough robust testers which I stayed with until I bought my first multifunction tester back in mid 90's which was a Metrohm. Didnt use Robin again till about 10 years ago when I got one on trial but it constantly tripped RCD's so didnt buy it then again about 6 years ago (round about the time they became Fluke) my boss at that time got 1 and he hated it claiming it always gave unreliable results and was hard to use, on the very few occassions I used it I had no issues.

Currently looking at the 1652C or 1653B

Metrohm

Originally a CEF owened company and my first multifunction tester which served me well for many years, unfortunately they no longer exist as they were bought over by Martindale in 2003.

Martindale

I have no previous experience with Martindale testers (other than their plug in socket tester lol) and there is very little info on them on the net.

Currently looking at the VR2250

Kewtech

No previous experience using Kewtech test instruments other than their Socket'N'See stuff which wasnt very good build quality IMO.

Currently looking at the KT65

Metrel

I had an old Eurotester about 13/14 year go and found it to be very good, later used the early equivelent of the MI3000 and the MI3100 again good reliable testers then about 2 years ago, my boss of that time bought 2 MI3100 on my recommendation and I bought a MI3000 for my personal use. The MI3100 were excelent as expected then they strted to play up, the first was sent back to be recalibrated and was fine for a couple month then started playing up again so was sent back for repair to only progressively get worse, in the mean time we were repeating these steps with the second but about 2 months later eventually Metrel told us we were on our own. My personal MI3000 wasnt getting used much at all but Ive recently started a new job and Ive been using this the last 2 weeks till we find and buy one for the company and now mine is starting to get iffy.

Basically the problems were as follows:

Faulty leads

Continiously having to zero leads on continuity tests

Insullation Resistance tests giving random fause results 300 to 800Mohm on brand new circuits and even on newely opened cable on drum!

Earth Loop & PSC results varying (that could be this area though)

Currently looking (with loathing) at the newer MI3100

Megger

Tried on trial at the same time 2 Meggers (cant remember model) about 10 years ago and found them to be very unreliable as both were giving different results from my current tester of that time and different readings from each other when used to test the same brand new installation, I therefore put them back.

Currently looking at the MFT1730

Sorry if Ive bored you all lol, I did find some usefull info on and off this site but not enough to make a decission so I am hoping that as many of you as possible will give me your personal views on these, the models Ive put as 'currently looking at' was just a quick look as Ive not done a proper comparison yet but in short Im looking for something that will cover me for most applications with a 'no trip earth loop' function as being a high priority and preferably a rechargeable battery too, downloadable functions not necessary as with earth electrode test but always nice to have the option should I ever need it. cost isnt too much of an issue (as its not my money lol) but dont want to spend over the odds either.

If youve made it this far in what I have just realised is a pretty mamoth post then thanks for reading

 

[Sidewinder]

Hi Z82, and welcome to the forum.

Fluke 1654B would be my choice at the moment, if I had to replace my 1653B.

I have enough to carry around now without separates, so I never looked at them!

i was brought up on Fluke test equipment after the AVO8 went out of fashion, so for me it was a no brainer.

Early Fluke 16xx series testers had bad leads, this has now been rectified.

I have never considered anything other than the Meggers anyway and when i got my 1st mft I could get a better deal on the Fluke & I considered it better than the Megger equivalent.

Sorry that it is not factual, just personal preference really.

 

[m4tty]

If your looking for test equipment then look no further than the forum sponsor meggermark. He's the man for all test equipment. Electrical Test Equipment - ISSWWW.

I'm a megger mft1552 man myself as tried the fluke mft and didn't like it but that's just my preference so no help to you there sorry.

Hth

Welcome to the forum btw

 

[ISSWWW]

All the testers you commented upon have thier merits and any would do a job, although you can forget Metrohm as you say (Never owned by CEF by the way).

If we look at ease of use, failure rates and after sales care then Fluke and Megger are the top performers with Kewtech (Robin by any other name) a very close contender.

Metrel are good testers as you yourself pointed out, however it is when they go wrong when thing become a bit of a problem. Its not to bad if they can repair it in the UK but quite a lot seem to go back to Slovakia and always the cost is in the

 

[steptoe]

testers will always be a matter of personal preference, and what you get on with and find easiest to use,

you will always get the mine is better than yours argument.

personally I use Fluke,

we did a poll on here and IIRC it was fairly split between megger and fluke with the others a distant 3rd. (I think :| )

 

[Z82]

Keep the replies coming, this is very helpfull.

MeggerMark, I'll keep you in mind when I have decided on one

 

[S60TEM]

Megger MFT1553BT for me. I also use a Fluke now and again too. The Fluke is a lot faster performing the tests but the Megger is more user friendly imo.

 

[Z82]

How do you find these testers for zeroing of leads IE do you only need to do it at each power on or do you find you need to do it more regular than that because I found the last Metrels I had I would have to zero and check/zero after every test even if Im doing about 10 continuity tests in say 5mins which was a PITA

 

[S60TEM]

the Megger I use, once you null the leads it will last for aslong as your conducting the testing. Next time i'll need to do it will probably be next day.

 

[maselec]

I used Meggar and Fluke at my last firm and when going self employed went for the Meggar. Much, much more user friendly IMO. In terms of zeroing leads, my Meggar has a function where you zero them and they stay that way until manually undone. Meggar aftersales are also really good.

 

[Z82]

Looking like its between Fluke and Megger, the Megger is apparently quite slow though?

 

[S60TEM]

see above re: how slow megger is against the fluke

 

[m4tty]

Its only the no trip loop tests that take longer isn't it?

 

[Andy™]

Looking like its between Fluke and Megger, the Megger is apparently quite slow though?

the RCD times are slower on a megger than a fluke, but everything else is about the same

and the megger starts most tests automatically instead of having to press 'test' like the fluke

 

[NozSpark]

I've got a megger 1502,, and yes it is a little bit slow to carry out certain tests when compared to the fluke 16xx series of testers,,,,, but that doesnt bother me that much. Another thing I do find is that the low current loop test results are quite away off the mark compared with the high current loop tests so I do mine using the calculated method.

However I cannot comment on the new 17xx series of Meggers

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 19:06 ---------- Previous post was made at 19:05 ----------

Oh, and I have tried to use a Fluke 16xx series tester and just couldn't get on with it

 

[S60TEM]

it is the only thing that bugs me about the megger is the no trip function and how long it takes.

 

[Z82]

Anyone know of or have used the Ethos brand? I believe their stuff is rebadged brands, majority being Seaward?

Had a wee play in CEF with a MFT1730 yesterday and Im leaning towards this (really didnt like the case though). How do you all rate the bundled software? Do you know if you can import results to other applications in particular MS Excel?

Another thing I do find is that the low current loop test results are quite away off the mark compared with the high current loop tests

Yeah I have found that most testers are like this, its due to the low current used so as not to trip the RCD but I never could understand how it complies when the results are clearly a mile off.

 

[Apache]

I would stay well clear of the 'no brand' testers. Megger/Fluke have spares and backup. If you can't get it to do something chances are someone else knows on here quickly. They got to the top of their game for 1 reason - good reliable products.

Buy cheap, buy twice as the saying goes.

 

[Stompy2]

I too had trouble with my Metrel Eurotester having to zero the leads all the time. So I use my old Robin 1620 for continuety tests now and the metrel for everything else.

 

[trickcyclist]

I have been using Metrel for quite a few years now had four old ones and sent two off for calibration and repair to Acutest so bought a Fluke 1653 after lots of research to use while they were away.

It was rubbish it only lasted three weeks before it broke down refused to take a Ze. The n acutest lost my testers and had to supply a new metrel I can highly recommend them its much quicker and the leads are better as well.

Fluke took two months to fix the fault under warranty as well, bought in February and only had three weeks use since then - stear clear would be my advice.