the most prefered style/type of multimeter.

having decided to retrain mid life to another trade and become an electrician, the training i find is rahter slow due to all theory/written (so far) being online, so having no experience people to discuss thing in person as and when, i have my first question, (for a coursework) when slecting a multimeter to buy, is there a prefered make that people tend to go for? it seems there are 2 basic types/style, although the yellow one in the attatched picture is the form most used in online video's - youtube e.t.c., assuming the units were needed to test all aspects of an installation, basic domestic installation - 1 and 3 phase/ ev wallbox solar is there any benefit of one type over the other? the attatched pictures are for refrence only yellow seemingly the most popular type many thanks for yur help.

Most electricians have a MFT (multi function tester) and it has the specific capabilities you need for dead and live testing an electrical supply system:

• High voltage DC insulation resistance test (typically 0.1-200M or more, at 250/500/1000V)
• Low resistance measurement at medium test current (typically 0.01 to 100 ohm at up to 0.2A)
• AC Voltage (typically just 1kV range)
• Earth loop fault impedance (Zs/Ze)
• RCD trip time and trip current

Some have a few more features (e.g. EV specific test, earth rod testing of ground impedance, etc) and price varies from about £500 to about £2000 depending on options. What MFT don't do is current measurement as a general rule, most electricians have a separate clamp-on ammeter for that so no issue of probe current carrying capacity, interrupting a running supply, etc.

For electronics work, and sometimes to fill in gaps for the MFT's range, you get a multi-meter. Typically they offer:

• Voltage (AC & DC, usually from 0.1V max to 500-1kV max selectable)
• Current (AC & DC often microamps to 0.2A on one socket and to 10A on another)
• Ohms (typically from 0.1 ohm to 10M ohm but good resolution in all ranges)

Many now offer added features (diode voltage drop, capacitance, frequency, temperature with thermocouple probe, etc) but if you are planning on using one for working on high energy systems (i.e. mains supply) you must get one that is at least CAT-III rated to 300V, and ideally more (CAT-IV to 600V, for example).

I really mean it about the CAT rating, to meet that it has to be suitably designed and fused so if you make a mistake (e.g. trying ohms or amps on a live 230V supply) it does not explode in your face. And yes, folks have died that way before

A last final word of caution about multimeters - do not use them to "prove dead" on a circuit you have just isolated. There are so many ways you could make a simple mistake that ends up killing you (e.g. using DC volts instead of AC and seeing very little), so get a simple dedicated voltage tester instead.

welshdragon79 said:

the attatched pictures are for refrence only yellow seemingly the most popular type many thanks for yur help.

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Only one of the pictures you have attached is a multimeter.
The first one, with the yellow housing, is not a multimeter, it is a multifunction tester.
The second one is a multimeter.

Which type of tester is your question about?

If this is for coursework as opposed to actually needing to buy one shortly, and assuming from the opening sentences we are talking about MFT's, then I think @pc1966 's answer gives you more that enough info. The commonly seen makes are Megger, Fluke, Kewtech, Metrel and more lately TIS.

timhoward said:

If this is for coursework as opposed to actually needing to buy one shortly, and assuming from the opening sentences we are talking about MFT's, then I think @pc1966 's answer gives you more that enough info. The commonly seen makes are Megger, Fluke, Kewtech, Metrel and more lately TIS.

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yes, coursework, the particular question asking to research multimeters, and choose one that would be most usefull in my work, having enrolled barely 2 weeks ago at the age of 43, it feels a bit daunting as i left my last education of catering collage 25 years ago, this website seemed a good idea of gaining the info from experienced people of the trade i learn a lot faster when i get to actually do the work, so untill then i will feel as if i'm on the go slow. so any help i get from the experienced people on here should come in really helpfull.

welshdragon79 said:

yes, coursework, the particular question asking to research multimeters, and choose one that would be most usefull in my work, having enrolled barely 2 weeks ago at the age of 43, it feels a bit daunting as i left my last education of catering collage 25 years ago, this website seemed a good idea of gaining the info from experienced people of the trade i learn a lot faster when i get to actually do the work, so untill then i will feel as if i'm on the go slow. so any help i get from the experienced people on here should come in really helpfull.

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At 2 weeks in I'd assume they are not looking for a very in-depth answer.

A slightly more disney-version of the excellent answer above would be to say that a multimeter isn't generally suitable for testing an electrical installation as it can't measure resistance accurately enough at a high enough test-current, and it can't test for high resistance faults using 500v dc. It also can't conduct other requried tests for RCD's and can't check earthing. Many are not appropriately rated to safely work on electrical installations.

(If you learn visually, maybe look up a you-tuber called John Ward. His series on electrical testing is excellent.)

EDIT added bit in italics to make it a little bit more true!

timhoward said:

At 2 weeks in I'd assume they are not looking for a very in-depth answer.

A slightly more disney-version of the excellent answer above would be to say that a multimeter isn't generally suitable for testing an electrical installation as it can't measure resistance accurately enough, and it can't test for high resistance faults using 500v dc. It also can't conduct other requried tests for RCD's and can't check earthing. Many are not appropriately rated to safely work on electrical installations.

(If you learn visually, maybe look up a you-tuber called John Ward. His series on electrical testing is excellent.)

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Lucien will be along shortly to respond to your 'it can't measure resistance accurately enough' comment.

DPG said:

Lucien will be along shortly to respond to your 'it can't measure resistance accurately enough' comment.

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I did say it was the Disney version!

DPG said:

Lucien will be along shortly to respond to your 'it can't measure resistance accurately enough' comment.

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Slight edit made!

timhoward said:

I did say it was the Disney version!

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at the moment i can only assume they want something that shows i/we understand the subject of the question, so untill ive submitted my first bit of work, (multipe choice in all i think) then i wont be able to see if im thinking the right way, most training ive done in the last 12 years woirking for the same company was normally accompanied with a chest sheet so we coppied it over in our own handwriting to keep people happy ( topic of training not being as important as most stuff ive seen in this trade so far)

The yellow style you mentioned is indeed quite common, especially in online tutorials. However, both digital and analog multimeters have their pros and cons.

In reality they are two different instruments with different capabilities. You can't really swap them over. They are both key instruments with their own distinct advantages.

A multimeter (the black one) is designed to be unintrusive when testing. It attempts to take measurements without disturbing the circuit conditions.

An MFT i(the yellow one) s designed to stress the circuit under test to some degree and to give "real world" readings.

Chonetage said:

The yellow style you mentioned is indeed quite common, especially in online tutorials. However, both digital and analog multimeters have their pros and cons.

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For modern electrical work like domestic installations and EV wallboxes, a digital multimeter might offer more versatility and precision. They're also easier to read in various lighting conditions.
I've been doing some browsing in a catalog filled with Multimeters lately, and there's quite a range to choose from. Brands like Fluke and Klein Tools are often trusted by professionals for their reliability and accuracy.
Ultimately, it's about finding the right balance between features, usability, and budget. Don't hesitate to read reviews and maybe even test a few out if you can.

I've just added a cheap (£10) Chinese clamp meter to my arsenal of testgear. No tears if it gets broken or stolen, but very versatile providing you remember that it's basically a multimeter with extras, not a MFT.