Had My metrel away for calibration. It seems that there is a problem with the loop readings.

Metrel will repair for about £175(could be more).
This tester is about 4 years old. Thinking I should buy a new one.

Only do domestic work, which tester is best including the usual problems with RCD loop testing results.

Any help would be appreciated because as you all know these are expensive pieces of kit.

Thanks

I personally would go for the MFT 1500
Even a half wit like me can use you it. It does what it says on the can I have recently used the Fluke yellow banana and I think its SH## but some on here swear by it
You need to try before you buy. The people who are fixing your machine might have one you could try, or do you have a training provider close by or have you done any certs locally what are they using and maybe they would let you have a play if you've spent money there
Good luck

MrP

You mean the Fluke 1654B? Why didn't you like it? Have one over here and can't fault it. Also I don't think the MFT1500 can do earth resistance testing incase you're testing TT installations. Tim

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Everyone loves a fireman - but hates the fire inspector.

Another megger user here

A good multifunctional tester is the mft1720. Got everything you need from clamp meter to electrode testing. Neweys were knocking them out on offer a couple of months ago.

If have got a Fluke 1653B, and it is very easy to use.

I much prefer it to the Metrel I also have.

When the time comes I would probably get another Fluke

Edited: 23 May 2012 at 10:16 PM by sparkiemike

i have a metrel and mine went ***** up like yours, but like it so much had it repaired and new software installed..

it is about 8 years old very reliable but needs new leads

If you're doing a lot of testing then a MFT may be preferable.
If not, why not consider separates.

Dont go near the new Megger MFT 1720s or 30s,useless,readings all over the place,constant nulling of leads,waste of time.
The old Megger MFT are good and the Fluke range are also good.

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Regards

Dave(not Cockburn)

Bak, IMHO £175 to get your comfortable tester back to condition sounds good to me. I don't know the Metrel but I do know these;

The Fluke 165X series. on the plus side: Fantastic. Use them with your ears as well as your eyes. They make little noises that tell you what is going on. You won't find that in the manual but we get used to the noises. L-e Z Test results come back quicker than the meggers. If Fluke can offer a two lead test and auto RCD testing since the model I had then I would not hesitate. The only negative: Frowned upon on big testing jobs with a team because, I think, a megger makes your willy bigger Wonderful bit of kit the Fluke.

The Megger armanaleg 1730MFT. Oh excuse me while I just connect it to my iPhone via this special button (not). Have a look at the latest features on the Megger...buttons on the top etc. all previously available from Fluke. Mine now has pencil marks on it to indicate which slots to plug the leads in because the leads do not match the slots. Not good when you are on a fault find. There is no way of knowing if your recent zero was accepted, just a symbol. The fluke tells you what it got so you know for sure it went in. It has only one noise, a little beep, it never aborts an insulation test and just keeps pumping 500V through even at 0M. Recalling an auto test on an RCD or a stored test result is complicated. Doing a two lead RCD test at a board is so complicated that even one of John's lads and I gave up in favour of me experimenting with the play board at home. I got there eventually. The leads it comes with are rubbish and no, they do not change them for free. And the box...It will arive in a flat double skinned box. It has holes in it so at your peril do you put a little screw down on it when it is open cos it will sure as hell go in between the two skins through one of the holes.

I have a megger MFT 1730 in a Fluke case which I bought for £20 on-line.

Yes, the new megger does everything you need it to and I reckon if you had time to really get to know it it would be great. Just show me a Sunday afternoon off and the inclination to spend it working out how a test meter works. But it just is not user friendly if you need a simple plug-and play approach. Unless you keep the kind of company that needs megger readings for their certificates I certainly would not go there.

Zs

A damning but very accurate review there!

Nothing like trading on a brand name!

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Regards

Martyn.

Only a mediocre person is always at their best



www.electrical contractors uk.com

I use a Dilog all in one (can't remember the model 97** or something ). Can't say I've had any problems & very easy to use

I use an Ethos 7920 17th Edition Multifunction Tester
Made by Seaward for Ethos
Easy to use and has given me no problems what so ever.

There was a problem with the Megger 1700 range and their two wire loop test facility. I assume the issue has now been rectified. I had a call from them, they came and picked up my tester, installed a firmware update, and calibrated all FOC. The two wire test is still there, but is also backed up by the same three wire test as the old 1500 series, so I'm now happy that the main tester on the firm is an accurate one, and couldn't a have asked for better service.

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Regard
Richard (Dick)

www.rllewellyn.co.uk

Having owned Meggar and fluke id recommend the Fluke range

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BS 7671 electrical certificates on your iPhone/iPod

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Electrical apps for electricians and engineers on iPhone & iPad

There still is a problem, they recalled it because the 2 wire test is grossly innacutae so they changed the firmware so that it does a 3 wire test the same as the old 1550 series. Pity they still use the 2 wire test as a big selling point even though the results that you obtain from it are useless. Stick to the Fluke or the old Meggers.
Kewtech and Metrel are unreliable and the Dilog 9083P are grossly innacurate below 1 ohm and they get arounf this by only specifying feom 1 ohm upwards which is fairly useless for most domestic installations,

We ordered 3 of these and they were nothing but trouble. after long arguments with megger - they did not read down low enough when testing near to sub stations..........

Ours were telling us that we had a 9KA reading at incommer with a zs at origin of 0.01ohms.
Good old faithful fluke 1653 came to the rescue. Now invested in a much more expensive Megger loop meter that reads down to 0.001 with a +/- 10% variance on it.