Buying an insulation tester

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p051981

Member
Location
Houston, Texas
I am thinking of purchasing an insulation tester and was wondering which one is a good one. There are so many different brands out there I dont know which one to choose from. If you guys have actually use a good one, please let me know what you are using and I will look into it. Thanks
 

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
I and many others on this forum have a Fluke 1507. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another...

It's been rebuilt once in the 3-4 years I've owned it. Do a search, lots of threads on this subject.
 

knoppdude

Senior Member
Location
Sacramento,ca
I and many others on this forum have a Fluke 1507. I wouldn't hesitate to buy another...

It's been rebuilt once in the 3-4 years I've owned it. Do a search, lots of threads on this subject.
I concur with Cow, this is a good tester, but if I had the money, I would try to get a tester that would range from 250 to 10k volts. It would provide more versatility.
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
I have the biddle megger I am not sure the model. range is 500 and 1k.
I like it but I am sure the fuke is more versatile.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
There is no one, single model that will fit every need. Meggers are like trucks. You can buy a Ford Ranger/Chevy S10/Dodge Dakota, or you can buy a Kenworth/Peterbuilt/Mack. It just depends on your needs.
 

renosteinke

Senior Member
Location
NE Arkansas
Unless you're doing predictive maintenancework, nearly every megger is 'overkill.' Why spend $800 when all you need is a $150 tool?

I use a Supro, available from Grainger (among others). Less than $150, simple push-to-test button and a row of colored LED's for a 'scale.' Perfect if all you want to know is whether the insulation is any good.

I've used mine many times to find faults that did not appear with a simple continuity tester.
 

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
Unless you're doing predictive maintenancework, nearly every megger is 'overkill.' Why spend $800 when all you need is a $150 tool?

First off, the Fluke 1507 is around $350-400.

Second of all, I don't like to hit every wire with the same voltage, everytime. Which it sounds like your Supro does. I like to crank my Fluke up to 1000V when testing 480v motors in a plant and then turn it down to 50V for a preliminary test when I'm checking a circuit in a home. Hitting something with 50V first is a good way to tell if I missed unplugging something before I let the magic smoke out of it when I really turn the test voltage up.

Spending a couple hundred more dollars for the Fluke is well worth the cost IMO, even if you think anything over $150 is overkill.
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
First off, the Fluke 1507 is around $350-400.

Second of all, I don't like to hit every wire with the same voltage, everytime. Which it sounds like your Supro does. I like to crank my Fluke up to 1000V when testing 480v motors in a plant and then turn it down to 50V for a preliminary test when I'm checking a circuit in a home. Hitting something with 50V first is a good way to tell if I missed unplugging something before I let the magic smoke out of it when I really turn the test voltage up.

Spending a couple hundred more dollars for the Fluke is well worth the cost IMO, even if you think anything over $150 is overkill.

Cow, I agree.

It is true that some may only need a indicator pen as it appears is Reno's case but, in most commercial and industrial situations an electrician will need more than a "get by" tool and the 1507 is a nice insulation tester.

Roger
 

Fulthrotl

~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
First off, the Fluke 1507 is around $350-400.

Second of all, I don't like to hit every wire with the same voltage, everytime. Which it sounds like your Supro does. I like to crank my Fluke up to 1000V when testing 480v motors in a plant and then turn it down to 50V for a preliminary test when I'm checking a circuit in a home. Hitting something with 50V first is a good way to tell if I missed unplugging something before I let the magic smoke out of it when I really turn the test voltage up.

Spending a couple hundred more dollars for the Fluke is well worth the cost IMO, even if you think anything over $150 is overkill.

nothing magic about it.. that smoke is money burning up... mine.
i hate finding the insulation failures i helped create.

EDIT: oh, yeah... the fluke is a good deal. i have one... it won't be what a zog type fellow will run with,
but i don't do zog's work...
 

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
I am thinking of purchasing an insulation tester and was wondering which one is a good one. There are so many different brands out there I dont know which one to choose from. If you guys have actually use a good one, please let me know what you are using and I will look into it. Thanks

What do you test? What voltages? How often?
 
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