Voltage Detector Compliant?

[Rampage]

I had this bought for me for Christmas. The description says its made by Metrel and is GS38 compliant. When I received it, it doesn't says Metrel anywhere on the product or the box. The probes have around 15mm exposed, when you unscrew the covers there is slightly less exposed, possible 10-12mm?!

Also according to the box it does a VAT self test, what is this?

Also they have spelt voltage wrong, thinking about it, spelling mistakes on safety equipment are unacceptable. If they got that wrong, what else is?

 

[Rampage]

It was £30+vat so not exactly from a poundshop!
I chose it as it appeared reasonably good! They just ordered it. I was wrong!

 

[Engineer54]

Personally, if i were that worried about too much of the tip being exposed, i'd shrink a couple or more layers of some heatshrink over the tips and cut to my own requirements... Sorted!! lol!!

 

[needasparks]

Does sound like it mate, would not want to trust it really. It does prove you get what you pay for, who knows how well its tested being a possible copy and shorts out or worse stops working ! Remember you can only trust yourself and your tools on site everyone else lies !

 

[ruston]

Thats the way I did it with my ancient Stienel, only I used sleeving. Too good a tool to discard because of the tips.


Edit , Reply to engineer 54 's post .

 

[polo1]

It was £30+vat so not exactly from a poundshop!
I chose it as it appeared reasonably good! They just ordered it. I was wrong!

I really don't think what you have been supplied with is the real deal - send it back for a refund and invest in a Fluke!
Regards.

 

[soupaman]

Hey Guys,

it is a Metrel TEK900 and it is fully GS38 compliant - Metrel have dropped the Alphatek name in preference to Handyman - mistake if you ask me just like Fluke dropping the Robin name BIG mistake.

Anyway don't rubbish the product because of the spelling on the box - most manufacturer's make spelling mistakes on their packaging and in their sales literature - don't rubbish the product because some office numpty or printer can't spell properly!!

Brilliant idea that the tips are removable because they can be replaced if they wear out - try replacing the tip on a Fluke when it is worn down!

Anyway I notice no one has mentioned the proving unit which should tell you if the tester is working fine or not - put it on a proving unit and see what happens - by the way Fluke don't make proving units which I find strange as well!!

 

[Rockingit]

Soupaman, I think the point you may be missing (no pun intended) is that people are questioning whether the instrument in the picture is in fact GS38 compliant because it seems to show far too much exposed tip, hence asking if it's a forgery. No one is knocking Metrel.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I had this bought for me for Christmas. The description says its made by Metrel and is GS38 compliant. When I received it, it doesn't says Metrel anywhere on the product or the box. The probes have around 15mm exposed, when you unscrew the covers there is slightly less exposed, possible 10-12mm?!

Also according to the box it does a VAT self test, what is this?

Also they have spelt voltage wrong, thinking about it, spelling mistakes on safety equipment are unacceptable. If they got that wrong, what else is?

volatage...hmm...volatile more like..lol...

 

[JamesBrownLive]

Hey Guys,

it is a Metrel TEK900 and it is fully GS38 compliant

Yeah, and Ed Moribund is going to be the next Prime Minister :clown:

There is no way on God's green earth that those tips are GS38 Compliant.

 

[DNS1]

Looks like a carp design.

Yeah, when I saw it I immediately thought of angling!

 

[Former Sponsor TM]

I know this voltage tester quite well and have used it on several occassions for a while. The actual tester itself is decent quality and works as it should. It is manufactured in China, but so are a lot of test equipment that you will generally come across in the UK (or the rest of the world). Known UK based manufacturers will often purcase certain items from overseas that may not be cost effective to manufacture or assemble, paying UK wages. Voltage Detectors will probably often fall within this category. Some are better than others and I have tried a fair few. The one above is better than a lot of them.

I guess the problem is that it was sold as a Metrel unit and a being GS38 compliant (which the above image clearly indicates that it is not). I do know that Metrel UK buys this particular voltage tester and sells it under their "Handyman" brand which consists of lower prices items like voltage testers, multimeters, clamp meters etc... This is not a Metrel made instrument and should not be advertised as such.
When we supply the above voltage tester we always include a pair of rubber tips with the instrument that perfectly fit over the tips to make the instrument GS38 compliant. This might not be a known requirement where it is manufactured and it is really up to the re-seller to ensure that the test equipment that they sell is in accordance with UK standards.

The spelling error...hmmm.....that's fairly common on packaging and instruments manufactured overseas. It's not necessarily an indicator that the product is poor quality.

Rampagne; I can arrange to ship you some tips for your voltage detector if you PM us your postage address.

 

[Specialist]

Well done Test-Meter:hurray:

 

[Rampage]

I've had an email from Metrel and they confirmed it is made by them.

Thanks very much for the offer Test-Meter, but I am returning it to where it came from as one of the tips is bent anyway.

Chris

 

[Former Sponsor TM]

No problem. I'm sure they will accept it back for a refund or swap.

 

[DNS1]

I've just got one of these meters, it was the freebie gift which came from Test-meter.co.uk with my Metrel MI3000.

Mine has rubber covers in the box to make the tips compliant.

The probes on my MI3000 have the same arrangement (long exposed tips with a plastic cover).