17th edition multitestester recommendations?

[dcwuk]

Hi all,
Time has come for me to update my test equipment and I am looking at getting an all in one tester and wonder if anyone has any recommendations?
I understand that some of these testers also have a R1+R2 function and would like to know how this measurement is achieved?
Cheers

 

[Taylortwocities]

R1 + R2 comes under the heading of continuity...

Whats your budget?

 

[Cremeegg]

Covered on here many times - try the search function. 17th edition testers just a marketing ploy from desperate sales people. Nothing has changed since the 16th - although some may argue that a 2x ldeltan is required for RCD's.

For me Megger everytime and dont bother with the fancy 1553 the 1552 does all you need.

 

[Spark123]

Worth a look at the Megger MFT 1552 and 1553 testers.

 

[dcwuk]

R1 + R2 comes under the heading of continuity...

Whats your budget?

£800-900

 

[40 watt spark]

I treated myself to the Megger 1502/02, I paid £300 from fleabay....Bargain it was 3 months old with all the certs and leads (all bar two were still sealed in their packets including the illuminated switch probe).

The only real niggle is the backlight times out a bit too quickly, some days I wish I'd gone for the 1552 with the auto RCD test facility, but hey the walk does me good

 

[RF Lighting]

I still really like my metrel installtest 61557

Choosing a tester is like choosing a car.

Each brand has its own good and bad points, and some people will prefer one brand over all the others. What you are used to using also plays an important part.

I have heard a few poor reports about fluke MFTs, including my own personal experience of using one for a few days while my MFT was being repaired.

 

[17thman]

fluke is yellow and black, like devault and jcb, looks good and is good. easy to use and solid, the 1652 has an auto RCD test. Metral has a good dislay for the auto rcd test and it is rechargeable as apposed to needing batteries but i dont like plugging in the neutral to earth leads on the dead tests. they all have good and bad points. the 1653 fuke has a memory to record results and software to reproduce good looking certificates, but hey they all produce if callibrated

 

[ebee]

Megger (1552/53) seems to be the favourite.
Fluke has a love/hate kinda response.
The Auto RCD function is usefull on many machines.
I have a Macrotest 5035 it has the auto RCD as well as manual , and times 2 and ramp tests so pretty good there then.
I think the leads are a lot longer than other makes which can be a godsend on some installs too.
It also does the 4 wire earth rod tests if you need it and soil resistivity should you need to.
You can also store test results an download to computer.
The carrying strap is sold seperately but is a must have.
You can buy it far more expensively as a Martindale brand.

One slight drawback though which is a slight disapointment , RCD non trip test resolution is 1 ohm. But seeing as you should do Ze + R1 + R2 to calculate Zs then do EFLI to overcheck it then this is not a problem.
Other machines showing better resolution seem to give quite high differences on non trip too so not really a problem with this machine.

EDITED - Oh and it also does Phase Rotation too

If you compare the costs of testers (seperates & multifunctions) during the last few years they are considerably cheaper today.
I would think as a result of more people learning to test properly and needing to buy testers , see Part P has some benefit

 

[dingbat]

I understand that some of these testers also have a R1+R2 function and would like to know how this measurement is achieved?

Some of the new Megger loop testers have this function.

You take a reference loop reading at the origin with all bonding connected - known as Zdb. This is then automatically subtracted from future Zs readings to arrive at a value for (R1 + R2). The trouble is, of course, that you cannot reliably derive (R1 + R2) this way, due to parallel paths that exist in most finished installations.

In any case, by the time you are carrying out loop tests you have already verified the continuity of protective conductors and the precise value of (R1 + R2) is immaterial.

 

[Click-Sure]

Megger 1553, everytime, bluetooth connection to my mobile phone is a god send for periodics, which I'm doing more of than I used to.

Untitled

• Click-Sure
• 1 Jul 2008
• 2