Extech Instruments Recalls Digital Clamp and Multimeters due to Electrocution Hazard

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Couldn't that be an issue with ANY meter? I've had one or two of my own meters give a jacked up reading with a low battery before the low battery indicator shows. I always carry two meters anyhow, in case i have doubts about the reading i get off the first one.
 
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, test your tester on a known live circuit, not once, not twice BUT ALWAYS.

Oh and change your batteries regularly, I seldom get a low battery warning, because the cost of batteries is just a penny below what I am worth.
 
Found one interesting Made in the USA product: Tegam safety voltmeter.

If I was still fooling around with potentially live wires I'd have one of these like a shot.

The Fluke 80 series still appears to be USA made, as do the 27 and 28s.

You might also give Agilent (whats left of HP test and measurement, spun off once HP decided it was a printer and computer company) a call, and see if any of their product is USA made.
 
brian john said:
Oh and change your batteries regularly, I seldom get a low battery warning, because the cost of batteries is just a penny below what I am worth.
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Its an interesting comment that.

Test meters, like most things with batteries in, get their batteries replaced when they fail.

Contrast that with theatre, where the radio mic batteries are replaced before every show, even though the batteries would probably do another two shows. But the risk of having a battery fail mid-show causing a mic problem is too just great when the cost is just replacing the batteries.

No-where else have I encountered such a schedule driven regular changing of "ordinary" batteries, and yet there are many instances (and DMM batteries is just one) where battery failure would be far more (time for a pun) dramatic than a radio mic packing up.

I should note I'm no little white hen in this regard; I replace batteries in things when they demand it...
 
Another thing to remember when using test equipment on live circuits is condensation.

If your meter has been outside all night in sub zero weather and you bring it into a nice, warm and humid building, condensation will collect in the meter, creating a hazard.

If it's visible on the outside of the meter, chances are it is also on the inside of the meter.
 
I just heard of a company called Metrahit, that manufactures DMM's in Germany. Does anyone have experience with these? The fact that Fluke has outsourced so many of their products to China is not a good thing in my opinion. Of all of the things to try to cut costs on, safety equipment should be the last. I would gladly pay more for a well made DMM, than to use a cheap but questionable one.
 
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