Bought a cheap multimeter and it nearly caused a short.

I picked up a $12 no-name multimeter from a pawn shop in Detroit last month just for quick checks. It showed 120V on a line that was actually dead, and I almost stuck my screwdriver in there thinking it was live. Anyone else get burned by a budget meter and what brand do you trust now?

2 comments

2 Comments

river_scott23d agoMost Upvoted

Man, that's scary. I've had a cheap meter do the same thing to me years ago, showed 24 volts on a circuit that was completely dead. Makes you wonder how many people got zapped trusting those things. I switched to a Klein meter from Home Depot a few years back and it's been solid, not the most expensive but it's consistent and hasn't lied to me yet. Still, I always double check with a non-contact voltage tester first now, just in case.

beth_hart6823d ago

Speaking of double checking, has anyone ever stopped to think that those cheap meters might be dangerous even when they're showing the right numbers? I've read that some of them have undersized internal fuses that don't pop when they should, so you could get a nasty surprise if you accidentally probe a live 240 volt circuit on the amps setting.