Multimeter - Failures from real world use ?

[Ground_Loop]

I use multimeters in industrial settings all the time and don't recall seeing an actual failure, but I have a Fluke 289 that I broke the battery pack on.  I've had several current mode fuses go, but not technically a meter failure.  Now that I think about it though, I was a nuclear reactor operator on an aircraft carrier and part of the operator duties was electronic instrument maintenance.  While performing calibration checks on a temperature instrument, one of our guys (not me, really) performed a voltage check with the leads plugged into the current sockets.  The instrument lost it's mind and immediately dropped all the control rods to the bottom of the core.  But the meter survived.  The guy gave periodic training for the next year on proper multimeter operation.  So, watch where you plug your probe(s).  Bad things can happen.

[james_s]

I'll keep that in mind the next time I happen to be tinkering with a nuclear reactor 

[Doom-the-Squirrel]

I'll keep that in mind the next time I happen to be tinkering with a nuclear reactor 

Keep us all informed, so I know when I need to relocate. 

[AVGresponding]

clueless council worker (is there any other type)

Yes   

[SeanB]

clueless council worker (is there any other type)

Yes   

you definitely do not work at my metro then..........

[AVGresponding]

clueless council worker (is there any other type)

Yes   

you definitely do not work at my metro then..........

Don't get me wrong, there are people here I wouldn't trust to change a fluorescent tube, but on average I'd say we're on a par with any decent private contractor, and in fact better than any contractor that operates on price.

Where we really fall down is in the management stakes; we're vastly top heavy with people that it wouldn't surprise you if you learned that their significant other has to tie their shoelaces in the morning.

[rsjsouza]

I damaged my trusty 25 year-old Minipa ET2060 when measuring the turns ratio of a 9kv/30mA Neon Sign Transformer tied to a Variac to limit its output voltage to 1kV. All the tests went quite nice, but in a last minute brain fart I turned the knob a bit way too far and heard a loud "poof" from the meter.

I wasn't very experienced at the time and condemned it, despite it could still measure things although with wonky values. But the temptation to replace it with a real Fluke 179 pushed it over the cliff. I shouldn't have done so - it was a great meter that would have probably given me 25 more years of good use.

As Kean mentioned, nowadays I have gobs of portable, benchtop and clamp meters... 

[Doom-the-Squirrel]

A story related to me by a trainer recently shows why it is always important to check the CAT rating.

A technician was using a multimeter to check the batteries of an electric bus.
The meter was not rated for such use, however.

So, when the technician probed the batteries, the meter exploded. The technician required hospitalization.
Not sure from the story if he lost just fingers or his entire hand.

[ender4171]

I had a cheap Extech MN35 that I blew up once.  Went to measure mains voltage with the probes in the current positions and POP.  When I took it apart, not only was the fuse toast (obviously), but the solder on the input side of the current shunt was literally vaporized, along with a few mm of the shunt itself. 

[Doom-the-Squirrel]

I had a cheap Extech MN35 that I blew up once.  Went to measure mains voltage with the probes in the current positions and POP.  When I took it apart, not only was the fuse toast (obviously), but the solder on the input side of the current shunt was literally vaporized, along with a few mm of the shunt itself.

For a moment, I thought this was a repeat of what Dave had happen to him with that Extech meter with the tweezers.

That sounds like it was quite a bang you experienced there.

[rsjsouza]

I had a cheap Extech MN35 that I blew up once.  Went to measure mains voltage with the probes in the current positions and POP.  When I took it apart, not only was the fuse toast (obviously), but the solder on the input side of the current shunt was literally vaporized, along with a few mm of the shunt itself.

Fuses can take a while to blow (several cycles), which will certainly increase the temperature at the weaker spots of the chain and eventually lead to burned traces and/or parts before the circuit becomes open.