solenoid tester

[Charlie Bob]

I need to get a good solenoid tester.
I was looking at purchasing the T+pro from fluke.
From what i read, i believe this is a real solenoid tester.
Would that be a good buy?

I was lokking at the Fluke T5-600, but i understand that is not a true solenoid, but a low impedance tester, is this correct?
i already have a fluke amp meter and a fluke 117 with the Low Z feature, so i'd like to get a good wiggy tester.

What you all think?

 

[quogueelectric]

I need to get a good solenoid tester.
I was looking at purchasing the T+pro from fluke.
From what i read, i believe this is a real solenoid tester.
Would that be a good buy?

I was lokking at the Fluke T5-600, but i understand that is not a true solenoid, but a low impedance tester, is this correct?
i already have a fluke amp meter and a fluke 117 with the Low Z feature, so i'd like to get a good wiggy tester.

What you all think?

The t5-600 is a great testor but its most glaring drawback is that the ohms scale is very limitted and is not a true ohmeter as its range is very narrow and cannot be used to read fa system resistors. Other than that I love the meter.

 

[macmikeman]

Fluke T5- 600 is that the one with the slot for checking amps. I have one of those style Flukes and they are great for certain things, but they are most definitely not a solenoid tester. Each is great for what it is great for.
I would not get near control wiring on process machinery any more with a solenoid as the Fluke does this better and safer. However the Fluke will give voltage readings (phantom) and the solenoid either sees real voltage on the line or it doesn't buzz and move the dial. That is better for resi troubleshooting. A good sparky will utilize at least one of each style.

 

[boboelectric]

Wouldn't you do better with a cat.iv Fluke?
I like to know what the voltage really is.



cold and snowey here after a week with 0 volts at home.

 

[George Stolz]

I need to get a good solenoid tester.
I was looking at purchasing the T+pro from fluke.
From what i read, i believe this is a real solenoid tester.

It is not a solenoid tester. It's a replacement for a solenoid tester, but as far as I know it is still a high-impedance tester, just like a DMM.

I was lokking at the Fluke T5-600, but i understand that is not a true solenoid, but a low impedance tester, is this correct?

It is a high impedance tester, just like another other DMM.

i already have a fluke amp meter and a fluke 117 with the Low Z feature, so i'd like to get a good wiggy tester.

What you all think?

I carry a Vol-Con solenoid tester on my bags, it is my first choice for a meter to beat around.

 

[chris kennedy]

I carry a Vol-Con solenoid tester on my bags, it is my first choice for a meter to beat around.

My beater is the T+. (not the T+Pro) True solenoid tested.

 

[macmikeman]

I prefer the Knopp brand. I have ruined at least a dozen of them from ladder dropping. I try not to do that these days, Knopp testers are getting pricy. I used to have an Ideal one with the built in continuity tester and that was nice but it was too bulky for my taste.

 

[wptski]

The T+ Pro has a low impedance and the T5-600 has a high impedance.

 

[Charlie Bob]

I read on the knopp website that the K60 has an input impedance of 4,000 Ohms.

I can't find this value for the Fluke T+pro, Has anybody know it?

 

[K8MHZ]

I carry a Vol-Con solenoid tester on my bags, it is my first choice for a meter to beat around.

Same here. Vol-Cons are tough and cheap and I like the fact that you can check continuity and voltage without so much as flipping a switch.

I still would like to see the Vol-Cons equipped with a digital voltage read out so we can get a more precise reading under the load of the solenoid.

 

[zbang]

I can't find this value for the Fluke T+pro, Has anybody know it?

All I could find is that the test current is "<5 ma". I do see that the rated duty cycle is 100% for up to 240v and 10% for above, which suggests that they do draw some power that has to be dissipated.

BTW (answering someone else), neither the T+ or the T+pro are solenoid testers, they're both electronic.

 

[wptski]

I read on the knopp website that the K60 has an input impedance of 4,000 Ohms.

I can't find this value for the Fluke T+pro, Has anybody know it?

The input resistance of the T+ and T+PRO is 20 kohms at low voltages and goes up to about 240 kohms when 600 volts is applied.

 

[Charlie Bob]

The input resistance of the T+ and T+PRO is 20 kohms at low voltages and goes up to about 240 kohms when 600 volts is applied.

Thanks, where did you find that? I check the specs and didn't see it , I may have missed it.
I guess if 20 kohms it is, then the knopp k60 got it beat for phantom voltage with the 4kohm input impedance.

 

[knoppdude]

I carry both the fluke t51000, and knopp solenoid tester. I have also encountered situations where the t5 picked up induced voltages, so I use both. I tried the new fluke tester that simulated the solenoid tester, but could not get used to it. As far as versatility, the t5 is worth its weight in gold, and is a very good tester to carry, in my opinion.

 

[chris kennedy]

BTW (answering someone else), neither the T+ or the T+pro are solenoid testers, they're both electronic.

I stand corrected. But I still think its a great tester for $50. Specs.

 

[Charlie Bob]

BTW (answering someone else), neither the T+ or the T+pro are solenoid testers, they're both electronic.[/QUOTE]

I read that the T+pro measures voltages even without batteries.
Wouldn't have to be a solenoid tester inorder to do that?

 

[zbang]

I read that the T+pro measures voltages even without batteries.

Just tried it- the lights work (shows 120v), the beep/vibrate/display don't.

 

[wptski]

Thanks, where did you find that? I check the specs and didn't see it , I may have missed it.
I guess if 20 kohms it is, then the knopp k60 got it beat for phantom voltage with the 4kohm input impedance.

I asked the same question in Fluke's Forum and Tech Support replied. There's one of the Ideal testers, I forget which one that claims to eliminate ghost voltage with 1M impedance!

 

[LarryFine]

I prefer the Knopp brand. I have ruined at least a dozen of them from ladder dropping. I try not to do that these days, Knopp testers are getting pricy.

I like them, too, and they're CAT-III rated now. I've never broken one, although I have had to solder one of the leads back inside the probe handle once.

If I need to know exact voltage, I use a voltmeter. Two different testers for two different kinds of testing.

 

[K8MHZ]

I asked the same question in Fluke's Forum and Tech Support replied. There's one of the Ideal testers, I forget which one that claims to eliminate ghost voltage with 1M impedance!

Eliminate or ignore?