Looking for a cheap test kit

[Manutd4life]

As the title say, must be able to do all available test I need to pass my own work off in domestic dwellings. I need the cheapest I can get for now until I know I can get enough work to be able to get a decent set. All opinions and ideas welcome

Thanks in advanced

 

[dazza1981]

Ebay have some real bargains on MFT'S sometimes if you time it right !!!

 

[trev]

Take a look on Fleabay mate but be careful because some of it is nicked. There's a forum sponsor which will give you 10% off new kit for being a member here.

 

[Manutd4life]

Ebay have some real bargains on MFT'S sometimes if you time it right !!!

Take a look on Fleabay mate but be careful because some of it is nicked. There's a forum sponsor which will give you 10% off new kit for being a member here.

I only really know the main brands, fluke, megger etc. are the cheap ones just as good? How cheap can I actually get them? £300? The last time I got a meter calibrated it cost around £30, i don't want to buy the cheapest then find out it costs quite a bit to calibrate the meters once I get them.

 

[trev]

Take a look at the DiLog gear mate, a friend of mine has one and it's pretty good. Easy to use, it's not the size of a house and doesn't weigh the same as a 747

 

[Plonker 3]

Metrel are very reasonably priced, a good bit of kit and very user friendly.

 

[trev]

I can vouch for Metrel, luckily for me it's idiot proof

 

[telectrix]

MDJ ( respected member) is selling a mint megger 1720 or 1730 cheap. i can vouch for anything he sells as i bought my mft from him 18 months ago and it's still as good as new. you'll not ever need to upgrade from that.

 

[Andy78]

I use a Metrel for my testing. I use the older version of this one....

Metrel MI3000 Easi Plus 17th Edition Multifunction Tester

It really does everything you need it to, and lots you will never use in a domestic situation too. I don't know if this new model has hands free testing, but that is the only gripe I can find with it.

The link above offers the 10% discount to forum members that Trev was talking about.

 

[Simonslimline]

Megger MFT1553 Multifunction Tester | eBay



Brand new 1553 with just over a day to go on £250 at the moment

 

[GMES]

As above if Mike is selling one I would snap it up, I have got the Megger 1730 and it is a fair bit of kit , it does everything, bluetooth etc.
So as Tel says you won't need to upgrade, I also have the metrel easitest which is completely idiot proof,
Is having 2 mft's greedy or forward thinking????

 

[dazza1981]

Get on mikes case..... rest assured his testers will be in tip top working order !!!

 

[Andy78]

As above if Mike is selling one I would snap it up, I have got the Megger 1730 and it is a fair bit of kit , it does everything, bluetooth etc.
So as Tel says you won't need to upgrade, I also have the metrel easitest which is completely idiot proof,
Is having 2 mft's greedy or forward thinking????

Saves you the hassle of borrowing one if one packs up.

 

[trev]

Get on mikes case..... rest assured his testers will be in tip top working order !!!

And they won't be stolen goods being fenced.

 

[Octopus]

Buy once, buy wisely and don't forget you can offset it against your 2nd incomes tax liability!

 

[Guest77]

yes I have a 1720 and it comes with a carry case and a brand new ethos test calibration box, all leads and first class insured signed for delivery, if your interested pm me and we can have a chat.

 

[Manutd4life]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll have a search on fleabay and the likes and see what I can find. I'm not after any fancy as I think most of those sound quite expensive. If I use it quite a lot then I will consider a better one, up to now this will just to get me by until I know I will use it often

 

[telectrix]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll have a search on fleabay and the likes and see what I can find. I'm not after any fancy as I think most of those sound quite expensive. If I use it quite a lot then I will consider a better one, up to now this will just to get me by until I know I will use it often

you'd be daft to buy from an unknown source on ebay when mike's offerring you the top of the range megger , known to be kosher.

 

[trev]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll have a search on fleabay and the likes and see what I can find. I'm not after any fancy as I think most of those sound quite expensive. If I use it quite a lot then I will consider a better one, up to now this will just to get me by until I know I will use it often

Apart from the risk of buying stolen gear on fleabay there's always the old saying to consider "Buy cheap buy twice"
Get on to Mike or you're not a proper Geordie ye madheed.
You won;t need to upgrade from that tester mate

 

[Manutd4life]

you'd be daft to buy from an unknown source on ebay when mike's offerring you the top of the range megger , known to be kosher.

Apart from the risk of buying stolen gear on fleabay there's always the old saying to consider "Buy cheap buy twice"
Get on to Mike or you're not a proper Geordie ye madheed.
You won;t need to upgrade from that tester mate

Pi know what you're both saying but money is a bit tight at the minute hence why I'm starting to do this extra work. This may not work out but I hope it does.

plus trev, I'm not a Geordie, I'm a manc stealing your women :smug:

 

[trev]

plus trev, I'm not a Geordie, I'm a manc stealing your women :smug:

Quit now while you're ahead bonny lad. They don't call it the GALLOWgate end for nothing you know

 

[Octopus]

Pi know what you're both saying but money is a bit tight at the minute hence why I'm starting to do this extra work. This may not work out but I hope it does.

plus trev, I'm not a Geordie, I'm a manc stealing your women :smug:

It sounds like you need to make sure of ALL your costs to get going before you do anything!

 

[Manutd4life]

It sounds like you need to make sure of ALL your costs to get going before you do anything!

Thats exactly what I'm doing mate. I'm pretty much sorted, just need a few jobs to come my way and I'm sorted

 

[telectrix]

Pi know what you're both saying but money is a bit tight at the minute hence why I'm starting to do this extra work. This may not work out but I hope it does.

plus trev, I'm not a Geordie, I'm a manc stealing your women :smug:

a manc could not handle a geordie woman. you couldn't even cope with the scouse rejects we sent up the ship canal to you.

 

[Richard Burns]

There is the seaward powertest 1557 that does most of the tests you might need.
It does not do a high current loop test and does not do phase rotation but it does do an RCD ramp test, they come in around £300
PowerTest 1557 multifunction tester Best of British kit - Seaward

 

[uksparks]

I appreciate you don't want to spend much money, but I guess you could say, what are you going to do if you can't get enough work to justify a better one? Sell your other kit and call it a day? Sorry to sound all negative and putting a damper on it.

For me, I set out to mean business and to make sure I get enough work, I didn't start out thinking I'll get some cheap kit then if it works out I'll upgrade, it just doesn't sound very committing IMHO.

 

[uksparks]

But on a positive note, I think you are best off spending the most you can as to avoid buying twice as its false economy, fluke are good, any main brand is good to be honest.

 

[Manutd4life]

I appreciate you don't want to spend much money, but I guess you could say, what are you going to do if you can't get enough work to justify a better one? Sell your other kit and call it a day? Sorry to sound all negative and putting a damper on it.

For me, I set out to mean business and to make sure I get enough work, I didn't start out thinking I'll get some cheap kit then if it works out I'll upgrade, it just doesn't sound very committing IMHO.

All this is for extra work to top up my wage mate, circumstances have changed (for the better) and I need to make some extra quick cash over the weekends. The last I time I touched domestic properties was around 7 years ago. I may start doing this extra work and not like it, therefore I'm trying to keep my loses to minimum. I also said I don't want to spend much, that doesn't mean I won't spend much on a test kit.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Ebay have some real bargains on MFT'S sometimes if you time it right !!!

yep...


it never ceases to amaze me what turns up in there....

 

[uksparks]

All this is for extra work to top up my wage mate, circumstances have changed (for the better) and I need to make some extra quick cash over the weekends. The last I time I touched domestic properties was around 7 years ago. I may start doing this extra work and not like it, therefore I'm trying to keep my loses to minimum. I also said I don't want to spend much, that doesn't mean I won't spend much on a test kit.

So what is it you do at the moment? What experience and qualifications have you got that are related to the electrical industry?

 

[James-]

I have seen some fairly cheap looking kits on ebay over the past year or two but always weary of either them having been pinched or struggling to get money back for a duf tester

 

[Manutd4life]

So what is it you do at the moment? What experience and qualifications have you got that are related to the electrical industry?

I work on the commercial side of things mate. I'm a time served spark straight from school. Been fully qualified for around 8-9 years.

 

[GMES]

Don't discard Mikes offer until you speak to him . He is a well respected member and a good friend, that counts for a lot.
ebay can be very dodgy and you either end up with a stolen tester, or a faulty one.
Look at it this way, if you spent a bit extra and bought the one off Mike and things didn't work out work wise then you could probably still sell it for decent money, maybe even on here.
Speak to him before you make a decision.

 

[Manutd4life]

Don't discard Mikes offer until you speak to him . He is a well respected member and a good friend, that counts for a lot.
ebay can be very dodgy and you either end up with a stolen tester, or a faulty one.
Look at it this way, if you spent a bit extra and bought the one off Mike and things didn't work out work wise then you could probably still sell it for decent money, maybe even on here.
Speak to him before you make a decision.

I have already spoke with "Mike", I am not disregarding anything, all these comments are putting me off from buying one of eBay now. Not all of them are scammers on eBay, surely the payment protection covers you if the item isn't as described. I understand you're just looking out for people not to get scammed. I will be taking my time over this.

 

[chrisg1979]

I bought a Metrel off eBay 3 years ago. The chap selling it was straight as a die. £80 for the meter at the end of auction, £40 to have it calibrated, jobs a good un!

Maybe I was lucky, but there are bargains to be had.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I have already spoke with "Mike", I am not disregarding anything, all these comments are putting me off from buying one of eBay now. Not all of them are scammers on eBay, surely the payment protection covers you if the item isn't as described. I understand you're just looking out for people not to get scammed. I will be taking my time over this.

well..

i know of at least one.....

 

[Manutd4life]

I'm undecided between the kewtech KT62 and the meggar 1720. Any pro's and cons between the two?

 

[telectrix]

megger all the way. surprised you not bought mike's yet.

 

[Guest77]

Cheers Tel, I have sold it now though bud, had 2 sparks fighting over it in the end, got 400 notes for it as well, not too bad really even though they are 660 plus vat to buy now which works out at 790 quid, I let it go and hope the buyer enjoys it, will last him years.

 

[Manutd4life]

megger all the way. surprised you not bought mike's yet.

Been quite busy with work, was gonna mail him again but no point now. Opportunity missed

 

[shanky887614]

Been quite busy with work, was gonna mail him again but no point now. Opportunity missed

I was looking at the kewtech one in screwfix earlier 350 or so.

not bad for an mft

 

[Guest77]

I was looking at the kewtech one in screwfix earlier 350 or so.

not bad for an mft

There are 1552s and 1553s on ebay for 250-285 plus delivery on top of course available now, so 300-325 ish all in, I would suggest you look no farther than the 1500 series, I have owned most MFTs and the 1500 series IMHO is the best range of MFTs on the market by a million miles, nothing else comes close in my opinion.

 

[Manutd4life]

There are 1552s and 1553s on ebay for 250-285 plus delivery on top of course available now, so 300-325 ish all in, I would suggest you look no farther than the 1500 series, I have owned most MFTs and the 1500 series IMHO is the best range of MFTs on the market by a million miles, nothing else comes close in my opinion.

Is that the best for around my price range or your opinion against the other meggar ones, I.e the 1700 range.

 

[Guest77]

Is that the best for around my price range or your opinion against the other meggar ones, I.e the 1700 range.

The best on the market in my view, even better than the 1700 series, hence the reason I just sold mine lol

 

[Manutd4life]

The best on the market in my view, even better than the 1700 series, hence the reason I just sold mine lol

Thanks, ill have a look at them and see if I can find a decent one.

 

[Guest77]

I was looking at the kewtech one in screwfix earlier 350 or so.

not bad for an mft

Hope I don't offend anyone lol, that tester is a good entry level piece of equipment, and suitible for the Domestic electrician who does the odd job here and there, when you start testing jobs weekly and test all types of work a better model would be my advice, a Meggar or fluke or something like these more suitible for the professional IMO, hard hat on and I am in the bunker.

 

[shanky887614]

Hope I don't offend anyone lol, that tester is a good entry level piece of equipment, and suitible for the Domestic electrician who does the odd job here and there, when you start testing jobs weekly and test all types of work a better model would be my advice, a Meggar or fluke or something like these more suitible for the professional IMO, hard hat on and I am in the bunker.

tin hat on I dont need one yet, or voltage indicator.

flick/banh test for the win XD

jk of course.

ill get one as soon as im put in for am2 then ill get 1500 series. the other features are gimicks

I have a deep distrust of technology I keep multiple redundant backups of data etc

 

[HappyHippyDad]

There are 1552s and 1553s on ebay for 250-285 plus delivery on top of course available now, so 300-325 ish all in, I would suggest you look no farther than the 1500 series, I have owned most MFTs and the 1500 series IMHO is the best range of MFTs on the market by a million miles, nothing else comes close in my opinion.

Why is that Mike? What makes them so much better? Genuine question as I have a metrel MI3000 which I like but that doesn't really mean anything as I have never used anything else.

 

[Manutd4life]

Does the 1500 series have the rcd anti trip on them?

 

[Guest77]

Easy to use Steve, accurate, almost unbreakable, light weight, the leads are universal unlike the 1700 series which has horrible leads in my view, the battery life is incredible as well, the cases the tester is sold with is again almost unbreakable, it is also a lovely case to look at and to use with nice clips on the case which can pop off and be replaced if required. The strap which comes with the tester is also very user friendly and unlike some testers which have buckles every where this is simple well thought out and the main factor of the tester is the reliability, the function buttons on the 1500 series are so simple to use a complete novice could understand it unlike IMO the 1700 series which can be quite difficult to master when first purchased. I regulary used to test my MFT with a check box and it never lost it's accuracy, the 1700 series I owned did and I had to recently have it calibrated, also the loop test facility on the 1700 series is IMO unreliable, it never gives the same reading twice even on the same circuit, the 1500 series was always my personal favorite, thats why I now own another