Interesting commentary about different careers in electrical work. It made me recall that somewhere I had seen a recruitment ad wanting "low current" engineers in Dubai or some such place. I had never heard of the phrase and thought it was a really odd way of asking for a digital electronics technician (e.g. milliAmps), but googling now to realize it is more related to building equipment systems such as fire alarms, closed circuit TV, etc.
For The Tool Bag & Hardhat Crowd - Multimeters
- Thread starter Phog Allen
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- #42
A thread like this is nearly useless without photos so here you go. I apologise for the atrocious clarity and background muck but I simply cannot seem to get a handle on photography. One included of my mitts holding the meter for size scale. Yes, it is a small meter and yes, my hands are pretty large.
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- #43
Here are a few more. Sorry for the last one on the prior post. I actually edited it to get the dark spots ad such out of it and still accidentally loaded it. I tried to edit it out before I posted but it wouldn't work. Suggestions?
Great looking meter, congrats!!
I'll be watching for tales and adventures with your GreenLee.
I use my meter for low voltage circuits mostly not power distribution and industrial stuff, so you guys are speaking a foreign language, but I can appreciate a quality tool for safety and reliability.
Again, congrats.
I'll be watching for tales and adventures with your GreenLee.
I use my meter for low voltage circuits mostly not power distribution and industrial stuff, so you guys are speaking a foreign language, but I can appreciate a quality tool for safety and reliability.
Again, congrats.
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- #45
Thanks Copierguy(I assume this applies to your work field?). Indeed, while working with mains voltages seems more dangerous than electronics signals or appliance repair, there are indeed hazards associated with those fields that make them dangerous enough. Capacitors, transformers, etc. Consider that a microwave oven has a magnetron in it that generates between 4000-6000 volts depending upon model. It can seriously harm or kill you. You simply do not meter this with a run of the mill multimeter. There are specialised tools for it. Thankfully microwaves are so cheap you would never typically buy a major part for it like a magnetron. But back in the day of Amana Radar Range II when these things cost between 500-1000 dollars you better believe they were repaired a lot. And the main thing with mains voltages, even down to 'only' 240v is the fact that they don't jump air gap to ground so much but can have thousands of unimpeded amperes available in a ground fault. Especially the closer to the source you get. At least for a millisecond or two. Enough to burn you BADLY if something goes wrong. It should be fun mucking around with the little Greenlee.
[MENTION=415]Phog Allen[/MENTION]
As you might guess I repair office equipment, so I carry a tool bag but not the hardhat. Some of my work is chasing signals around in various boxes at customer offices. Actually a lot of the gear these days is very diagnostically friendly. Enter a simulation and on a touch screen you may have a grid of sensor names appear that are highlighted when tripped or you can load test motors, clutches and solenoids etc. with the touch of a finger. I still get to pull out my Fluke when the fancy built-in tools have helped me narrow the field of search or are unavailable.
There are some high voltage elements (5-6-7000 volts DC) to diagnose at times but I can do this without a meter just by observing the point a process fails.
Some of the meter functions that are handiest for me and still make me marvel are memory functions and the ability to show trends over time. One of my Flukes can be setup to monitor for extended periods and display events that happened when I was busy at the other end of the machine or across town. To me these meter features seem like something out of Buck Rodgers or Star Trek.
Some of the gear I first serviced 40 some years ago, ran on electro-mechanical logic. A rotating column of cams that opened and closed contacts that powered relays wired in and/or circuits to switches etc. Today some of the copiers I service have 10 inch touch displays built in that one can surf the internet, Google stuff if you care to, maybe drop in at B&B, scan documents across their network or around the world.
Looking forward to the adventures of GreenLee.
As you might guess I repair office equipment, so I carry a tool bag but not the hardhat. Some of my work is chasing signals around in various boxes at customer offices. Actually a lot of the gear these days is very diagnostically friendly. Enter a simulation and on a touch screen you may have a grid of sensor names appear that are highlighted when tripped or you can load test motors, clutches and solenoids etc. with the touch of a finger. I still get to pull out my Fluke when the fancy built-in tools have helped me narrow the field of search or are unavailable.
There are some high voltage elements (5-6-7000 volts DC) to diagnose at times but I can do this without a meter just by observing the point a process fails.
Some of the meter functions that are handiest for me and still make me marvel are memory functions and the ability to show trends over time. One of my Flukes can be setup to monitor for extended periods and display events that happened when I was busy at the other end of the machine or across town. To me these meter features seem like something out of Buck Rodgers or Star Trek.
Some of the gear I first serviced 40 some years ago, ran on electro-mechanical logic. A rotating column of cams that opened and closed contacts that powered relays wired in and/or circuits to switches etc. Today some of the copiers I service have 10 inch touch displays built in that one can surf the internet, Google stuff if you care to, maybe drop in at B&B, scan documents across their network or around the world.
Looking forward to the adventures of GreenLee.
It's important to note that it takes less than an amp to stop the heart. I knew an electronics guy who's wife came home to find him dead, slumped over an electronic project. It's something you don't take for granted.
To stay on the meter thread, it wasn't the GreenLee meter noted in this thread, but we had some that led to us getting the Flukes. Mine was one of the okay ones and I still have it as a backup. I don't think it was made by the same company that made the good GreenLees discussed here.
To stay on the meter thread, it wasn't the GreenLee meter noted in this thread, but we had some that led to us getting the Flukes. Mine was one of the okay ones and I still have it as a backup. I don't think it was made by the same company that made the good GreenLees discussed here.
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- #48
Raissermesser, indeed, it pays to scour the Internet sources available these days. A few years ago if someone would have suggested a Greenlee meter to me I would have smiled politely and dismissed it out of hand. Brymen who? And if you look at the Brymen lineup they are new to the 'major player' segment of meters.
The ONLY reason I even considered them was the fact they take the newer meter category ratings sriously. Some makes slap anything on a meter and call it rated. I believe Brymen have the UL stamp on their cat III/IV meters. Not many of the lesser known brands do this. Money I suppose. Lots of it for the testing.
Until recent years if you wanted a reliable, safe meter you had few choices from the old names. Most of which are not who they used to be concerning ownership and manufacturing. Fluke stood strong and reaped the rewards of loyalty. Which is why I came close to saying chuck it all and buying a new 87V. We shall see how this new Greenlee aquits itself.
The ONLY reason I even considered them was the fact they take the newer meter category ratings sriously. Some makes slap anything on a meter and call it rated. I believe Brymen have the UL stamp on their cat III/IV meters. Not many of the lesser known brands do this. Money I suppose. Lots of it for the testing.
Until recent years if you wanted a reliable, safe meter you had few choices from the old names. Most of which are not who they used to be concerning ownership and manufacturing. Fluke stood strong and reaped the rewards of loyalty. Which is why I came close to saying chuck it all and buying a new 87V. We shall see how this new Greenlee aquits itself.
This is tangentiality related at best. But if you have 5 minutes to waste, this guy gives an entertaining dissection of a History Channel show highlighting some guy in India who can pass current through his body.
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- #50
Stillshaving, I have seen some of the narrator's videos before. They will make you cringe. Funny stuff but very dangerous.
