I've been doing some tub repair and was curious to know what everyone else uses when fixing tub electricals?

What tools or meters do you use to test?

Anyone recommend any good must have tools or meter testers?
120V and 220V

Buy a few of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=90899

And one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=95683

That's about all you should need. They're cheap, work great, and you can drop them in the mud and lose them without losing your shirt.

Great suggestions. I already have a standard multi-meter like the bottom one, but at that price i'll pick up another.

For the top meter, does this measure 240V? I would like a tester that can verify if a system is getting the full 240V from the GFCI. Will that meter do it? If not, which will?

THANKS!!!!

Yes it measures up to 750V AC.

Every time I go by harbor freight, I always pick one up whether I need it or not- they're cheaper than cigarettes and I can give'em away to customers that don't have one when I'm finished.

They always like that... and never forget you for it either.

By the way, the one on the bottom is NOT a standard meter (the one on the top is).

The bottom one is a Clamp On AMMETER, with additional VOM abilities.

The true virtue of the clamp on ammeter is that you can clamp the thing around one leg of the heater element, can show the customer the amperage the heater is drawing and proudly say....

Ok sir, the heater is drawing 19.2 amps and I just measured the voltage at the terminals of 233 VAC so you're heater is putting out 4473 watts worth of heat. (233 X 19.2=4473 watts).

It's a very valuable tool to give customer insight into whether or not that cold water you're fixing to bill him for... is actually going to get hot 6 hours after you took his money.

IMO, no homeowner should be without one of these instruments anyway, and know how to use it.

Very Funny, but true I guess. A cheap gift to make them feel like they got a little something extra.

So exactly what more does the more expensive meter do that the little one doesn't? Or, more specifically, when do you use the little cheaper meter over the larger one?

Refresh your page. I just edited the post you commented on.

I use the cheap meter for EVERYTHING.

Back in 1976, I bought my first digital VOM. It was from radio shack and it was a rather large instrument with several circuit boards and even had reference voltage batteries in it, in addition to the normal 8 AA rechargeables etc.. etc... It was THE MAN back then... and quite expensive too.

The fun thing about cheap tech these days is that you can exceed the accuracies of the old devices for pennies on the dollar... and throw them out the window at stop signs and laugh at how broke they are like a drunk teenager.

Gotta love it.

Personally, I only pull out the clamp on ammeter when I need instant verification that the heater is pulling like it should. And there is nothing better than seeing REAL TIME current draw of a device in operation to verify that it's really working.

It's also great to determine true current draw of a circuit (spa) at the breaker to ensure the wiring / breaker installation within allowable current range.

Thanks for the post fix.

Great story on the old school VOM. Glad to know that they are fairly accurate as such a cheap price. Have to love technology advances, and also the overseas manufactures for that one. Not that I support all of that since I like to keep things in the USA, but hey, we all have to eat sometime.

Thanks for the specifics on the differences in the meters too. I will be picking up one of each to add to my collection. I DEFINITELY have questions on some of the things you test, and what is normal and what is irregular to help spot problems from the outside. Guess those will be another post.

Thanks again!

No problem. Most people usually aren't around exactly when I post answers.

RE your previous quotes...



I NEVER consider this a gift, or even mention it in this context. I never embellish something beyond it's actual dollar value, except to say - if they ever need to check something they can use this one - it's cheap and it works great. Just use with care and don't let the kids play with it.

And that's the deal. It's not that you've given them something physical, but you've educated them. Customers love learning something about what they own and never knew before. Then if you give them something that enables this new knowledge - they will trust you forever - because you are leaving a part of YOU behind.... something that they can see touch and feel - and use to assist them if they ever have the moxy to use such an instrument.

Perhaps not. But at least they will call you back and recommend you when the subject comes up. (And that stupid $3.00 meter will be in the kitchen drawer 8 years later still - perhaps used.. perhaps ignored, but you are still there...)

Any difference in the 2 of these nicer meters?

$19.99:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95683

$11.99:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=95652