Kewtech KT64, Megger 1552, CM500 or what in Part P Testers

[Tim the Plumber]

Hi Everyone,
At the moment I'm merely a plumber, but will be taking my Part P in 2008. Any advise on a suitable tester which must be reliable but not really flashy i.e. Megger 1553 as I don't intend to be doing electrical work, just fitting boilers and associated spurs.
Cheers
Tim

 

[TonyM58]

Hi Tim

i teach Part P and 2391 using the Megger 1501/2, the 1552 is basically the same meter but with automatic rcd testing.

The meters are ok, with a no-trip loop test, but are very slow on this setting which you will have to use on virtually every domestic circuit when the 17th edition comes in.

We were between the megger and the robin (fluke) when we bought the meters, and the meeger is more easy to use and learn on, but the robin are a far better meter, but much more complicated.

The annoying thing i found with the megger is you have to buy extras that come as standard with other meters. They give you a lead with a 13a plug, but it has a special to type connector in instead of indivudual conectors like the robin leads - so what difference does that make? It means when you test the ring main continuity by cross connecting phase/neutral and phase/cpc at the CU, then you have to take the front of each and every socket in the house and use probes to take the measurement. of course you will only do this once before you shell out 40 or 50 quid for the proper lead off megger or one of the socket adaptors available - but with the robin this lead comes as standard!

Oh, and meggers sales pitch is that their leads stay nulled as long as they are used with the meter - absolute twoddle! i find they have to be re-nulled every time the meter turns off (which it does automatically after a few minutes)

our first meter out of eight has just failed, the screen has dies but only when doing PFC measurements - this is after about 20 hrs use

Minor annoyances, but like a say to my students when they are considering meters to buy - " you pays your money, you takes you choice"

Would i buy a megger for my own use? probably not

cheers

Tony

 

[Tim the Plumber]

Hi,
Thanks for the info. I think I'm being swayed to seperates as reliability seems a problem with the meggers. Any views on kewtech or even some robin seperates off ebay?
Cheers
Tim

 

[TonyM58]

Its always the problem having an all in one meter, but convenient compared to having three seperates to cart around. Megger agreed to take the meter back straight away for repair, but not much use when it fails in the middle of the job!

I 'grew up' on Robin seperates (the old yellow ones) which I thought were fine and very easy to use, but the new meters with their low current (no trip) EFLI tests are superior to robins old 'D Lock' system which basically flooded the rcd with DC.

Never tried Kewtech, and to be honest the absolute test of any meter is to pick one and use it - the megger looks and feels rugged but the no trip loop test is sooooooo slow its gets really annoying

Tony

 

[wayne]

been using a meggar mft 15 sommat this week ,there are better meters on the market ,
the front push buttons are a pain ,i keep pressing them accidently .have to keep the finger on the button for insulation test (i know... auto lock ....quaint) brand new meter lead are showing wear already

 

[Reg Man]

Hi Everyone,
At the moment I'm merely a plumber, but will be taking my Part P in 2008. Any advise on a suitable tester which must be reliable but not really flashy i.e. Megger 1553 as I don't intend to be doing electrical work, just fitting boilers and associated spurs.
Cheers
Tim

If you don't intend on doing electrical work, leave it to an electrician!
We leave boiler replacements etc to you guys!

 

[wayne]

revisited this thread to give my experience of a paticular tester

 

[kevzlpool108]

hi tim , ive got a full set of kewtech testers,all seperates, with leads, i,ll even throw in a testing book, i want £400, and i,d advise you to actually do some testing before you go on your course,loads of reading, then practical im in liverpool 07789311953