Electrical test equipment

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xformer

Senior Member
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Dallas, Tx
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Master Electrician
Do modern Multi-meters pose the same safety hazard as the old analog styles do when accidentally placing the meter in series to read a voltage?
 
There can also be a problem with a meter that has condensation inside from extreme temperature changes, though stories about such seem to invariably include instruments with too low a CAT rating for the circuit, or no rating at all.
 
xformer said:
Do modern Multi-meters pose the same safety hazard as the old analog styles do when accidentally placing the meter in series to read a voltage?
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Basically, I don't think so.

Some of the better modern ones have a built-in safeguard - there are shutters connected to the dial that cover the inputs of terminals that would be dangerous to use in a given mode (ex. connecting to the leads between phases or phase to ground in AMP setting). Others have internal safeguards (ex. getting a resistance measurement on a live circuit won't burn anything up on the meter). Any reputable manufacturer of CAT III and CAT IV meters will have HRC fuses on the high amp terminals that should do a lot to eliminate arc hazards and internal explosion of the DMM as well as certain gaps (with barriers or not) internally to prevent arcs inside the meter. There are lots more that they do to make DMMs safer to use. I recommend reading up as much as possible to get a better idea of what you need and how to get it.
 
xformer said:
Do modern Multi-meters pose the same safety hazard as the old analog styles do when accidentally placing the meter in series to read a voltage?
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I wouldn't think that would ever be an issue; that's how I test for open fuses. Just make sure the meter is set for at least the line-to-line voltage if it's not auto-ranging.

And, yes, testing for voltage when in current mode would be a bad thing.
 
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