Products > Test Equipment

Duspol recommendation?

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schmadde:
Thanks to all of you for your input and suggestions. I consider the "beep on high voltage" essential, because when I switch off the circuit breaker I let the tester in the power socket, go to the distribution panel several rooms away and switch off circuit breakers until it stops beeping (the labeling is never correct and usually spans several rooms where Lights and sockets are seperate). With an LED I would need to jump back and forth, stairs up and down until I found the correct circuit breaker.

I also consider measuring tips that are the same diameter and length as power plugs essential, not only because I can leave the tester in the socket, but also because otherwise I cannot measure in any socket with child protection (and I have that in all of my sockets as do most other households these days, same goes for multi socket boxes).

It seems this rules out the mentioned benning as well as the Brymen device. One review of the Benning at voelkner also suggests that the rotation direction of 3phase current cannot be measured properly. This, however is not essential for me. I bought my last tester for this very reason, but would only need that for connecting an electric stove and there it usually does not matter much (and I would probably let this do an electrician anyway if I can get one to arrive for only that reason.

I think I'll go with the UNI-T then.

2N3055:

--- Quote from: schmadde on November 17, 2024, 12:49:52 pm ---Thanks to all of you for your input and suggestions. I consider the "beep on high voltage" essential, because when I switch off the circuit breaker I let the tester in the power socket, go to the distribution panel several rooms away and switch off circuit breakers until it stops beeping (the labeling is never correct and usually spans several rooms where Lights and sockets are seperate). With an LED I would need to jump back and forth, stairs up and down until I found the correct circuit breaker.

I also consider measuring tips that are the same diameter and length as power plugs essential, not only because I can leave the tester in the socket, but also because otherwise I cannot measure in any socket with child protection (and I have that in all of my sockets as do most other households these days, same goes for multi socket boxes).

It seems this rules out the mentioned benning as well as the Brymen device. One review of the Benning at voelkner also suggests that the rotation direction of 3phase current cannot be measured properly. This, however is not essential for me. I bought my last tester for this very reason, but would only need that for connecting an electric stove and there it usually does not matter much (and I would probably let this do an electrician anyway if I can get one to arrive for only that reason.

I think I'll go with the UNI-T then.

--- End quote ---

Brymen has distance same as socket and comes with banana screw ons that allow you to keep it in the socket.
It also does not make a beep on detection but vibrates, which is industry standard because you can feel it even when in loud environment.

I personally would not to go with Uni-T for serious use because their quality is hit and miss. It might be quite OK, but not guaranteed.
For occasional poke in a socket around the house it might be OK.

My philosophy here is that it is only 20 or so € of difference between questionable tool and good for life pro tool.
In which case I go for better tool, always. That is 4-5 coffies of difference.
If difference was 3000€ and 5000€ then we have to respect budgetary constraints.

For 20€ there is no excuse not to chose clearly better tool that will last you 10-15 years..
That is my opinion.
Of course that is just my opinion and how I make decision. To each it's own. You do you.

Best,

Martin72:
I feel the same way. I have concerns about Uni-T when it comes to electrical safety.
230/400V is no longer a low voltage.


--- Quote ---I consider the "beep on high voltage" essential
--- End quote ---

We have some that vibrate and hum if it's too loud and you're wearing gloves. They also light up like Christmas trees and, finally, they have some kind of “mechanical” indicator for the voltage.
That's as good as it gets... ;)

schmadde:

--- Quote from: 2N3055 on November 17, 2024, 01:19:15 pm ---Brymen has distance same as socket and comes with banana screw ons that allow you to keep it in the socket.
It also does not make a beep on detection but vibrates, which is industry standard because you can feel it even when in loud environment.

--- End quote ---
That doesn't work for my usecase unfortunately. I am not an electrician and don't work on construction sites. I don't need vibration because I can always hear it beep. VIbration and LEDs are not noticeable from several rooms away, while an aural indication is - I would not want to miss that feature.


--- Quote ---I personally would not to go with Uni-T for serious use because their quality is hit and miss. It might be quite OK, but not guaranteed.
For occasional poke in a socket around the house it might be OK.

--- End quote ---
Actually, safety was my concern as well, since some Uni-T meters have been deemed unsafe in Daves Videos. But I would assume that a device that is specifically built for mains work would be constructed safe enough.

I don't care too much for durability and ruggedness, however, since I do not use it often. It might sit unused for a year and be used maybe 10 or 20 times another.


--- Quote ---My philosophy here is that it is only 20 or so € of difference between questionable tool and good for life pro tool.
In which case I go for better tool, always. That is 4-5 coffies of difference.

--- End quote ---
That is my philosphy as well usually. Rather pay something more for a good tool then save a few bucks and get a shady one. 60€ would be o.k. for me, but the two meters seem to not do it for me (no aural feedback on either one, no thick probes on the Benning), so I would need to look somewhere else and pay even more. The Uni-T costs a little over 30€ incl. shipping.

Any other ideas?

robert.rozee:
if safety is a concern, i'd be reluctant to walk away to a remote switchboard leaving a pair of probes plugged into a live mains outlet! what happens if the probe connected to the neutral falls out? it is now an exposed live wire in an area you are not directly supervising. or if you are called away suddenly, you end up leaving live test equipment unattended.

for those times when you need audible indication from the next room, far better to use a dedicated device: a plugpack or similar with a buzzer attached. or for making sound from a light fitting use an LED light bulb modified to remove the LEDs and replace them with a buzzer.


cheers,
rob   :-)

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