Meterel MFT ??

[shocksl]

Hey

Is there any fans of Meterel ? What do you think of the one below ?

Metrel MI3000 Easi Plus Multifunction Tester Review & Test

The Metrel MI3000 Easi Plus Multifunction Tester is the entry level multifunction tester within the Metrel range. The MI3000 boasts a impressive specification for a tester within this price ran

www.test-meter.co.uk

Or would it be better to pick up a megger MFT15 series. Which are knocking about 300 similar pound mark on ebay

 

[timhoward]

I've got a similar Metrel tester (the 3125) as my spare which I dig out particularly for
-phase rotation tests
-3 point earth rod tests
-PAT testing (the way the test leads work make it very efficient)

Nothing wrong with them at all and I'd happily use one all week.

 

[mainline]

I've got a similar Metrel tester (the 3125)

I thought the metrel 3125 is a hand sized thing ? Where the 3000 is much larger ?

 

[mainline]

Hey

Is there any fans of Meterel ? What do you think of the one below ?

Metrel MI3000 Easi Plus Multifunction Tester Review & Test

The Metrel MI3000 Easi Plus Multifunction Tester is the entry level multifunction tester within the Metrel range. The MI3000 boasts a impressive specification for a tester within this price ran

www.test-meter.co.uk

Or would it be better to pick up a megger MFT15 series. Which are knocking about 300 similar pound mark on ebay

I've got a couple of the 3100se never had a problem with either of them.

 

[shocksl]

As I'm still level 2 learning. I want 1 to play about with and learn. Do they have everything an electrition will need in terms of MFT?

Or are the Megger mft15xxx better ?

I read the meteral ones are harder to use and also the leads are not universal ?

 

[timhoward]

Do they have everything an electrition will need in terms of MFT?

At first testing seems like a huge mysterious and complicated world, but at the end of the day testing boils down to
1) measuring high resistances using fun high DC voltages (250v or 500v)
2) measuring low resistances very accurately
3) measuring the resistance back the DNO transformer (live loop test)
4) timing RCD trips

Anything calling itself an MFT can do these things. I have a collection of testers - my oldest functional MFT was made in 2002 (a Robin KST1620) and that can do all these things.
The main feature added and improved over the last decades is being able to perform number 3 above without tripping an RCD or RCBO. There are always work arounds, but this is the main reason a more recent tester is preferred.

But there isn't such a thing as a holy grail tester. Whatever you get you'll have to get to know it and learn to use it

I read the meteral ones are harder to use and also the leads are not universal ?

That Metrel has a rotary selector switch and I wouldn't say it's hard to use.
It's true they use their own unique leads.
But the screen tells you which of the leads to use for each test.

The Metrel testers, the Kewtech KT63, the Megger 15xx or 17xx , TIS, Ethos, Dilog, I could go on... any of these will do you (and most of us) just fine. At end of the day it's a tool like a screwdriver.
The main thing is to get one that works!

 

[Rockingit]

I’ve a Metrel and a Fluke, both work differently in terms of operation and leads but both do exactly the same (well… the Fluke does Re which the Metrel doesn’t, but that’s it) and on any given day I’ll just grab whichever one is nearest.

 

[shocksl]

At first testing seems like a huge mysterious and complicated world, but at the end of the day testing boils down to
1) measuring high resistances using fun high DC voltages (250v or 500v)
2) measuring low resistances very accurately
3) measuring the resistance back the DNO transformer (live loop test)
4) timing RCD trips

Anything calling itself an MFT can do these things. I have a collection of testers - my oldest functional MFT was made in 2002 (a Robin KST1620) and that can do all these things.
The main feature added and improved over the last decades is being able to perform number 3 above without tripping an RCD or RCBO. There are always work arounds, but this is the main reason a more recent tester is preferred.

But there isn't such a thing as a holy grail tester. Whatever you get you'll have to get to know it and learn to use it


That Metrel has a rotary selector switch and I wouldn't say it's hard to use.
It's true they use their own unique leads.
But the screen tells you which of the leads to use for each test.

The Metrel testers, the Kewtech KT63, the Megger 15xx or 17xx , TIS, Ethos, Dilog, I could go on... any of these will do you (and most of us) just fine. At end of the day it's a tool like a screwdriver.
The main thing is to get one that works!

Brilliant thank you!

I noticed you didn't put

• Earth electrode tests

Would you need a seperate tester for that?

 

[shocksl]

I’ve a Metrel and a Fluke, both work differently in terms of operation and leads but both do exactly the same (well… the Fluke does Re which the Metrel doesn’t, but that’s it) and on any given day I’ll just grab whichever one is nearest.

Which flukes models do you reckon are worth buying ? I'll keep an eye on ebay for them

Thanks

 

[shocksl]

I can get my hands on The Megger MFT1721... is this any good ?

 

[timhoward]

Brilliant thank you!

I noticed you didn't put

• Earth electrode tests

Would you need a seperate tester for that?

There are two ways to do that. Every MFT can do one of them. (using number 3 above)

There is another way to do it if you have no mains present and not all testers have that test. I’ve needed that once in last 5 years, and I wouldn’t worry about that scenario.

I understand it’s a lot of money when you are still in training but anything that comes with a year’s calibration and accepts returns will be fine.

 

[Rockingit]

My meters are increasingly older versions, like me, but also like me have stood the test of time, taken a beating, needed the occasional service but still show no signs of slowing down… Metrel 3002 and Fluke 1653.

 

[shocksl]

Thank you guys so much, really appreciate all the advice in this thread.

 

[UNG]

I always find it a bit strange that people will buy test kit by brand name rather than what it will actually do and it appears that some brands products are considered inferior to that of well known brands even though in some cases their products are better spec'd
Back in my days at college quite a bit of time was spent on choosing test equipment and analysing the specifications of test meters, ok the MFT was something on the horizon and testing if any was done was a lot more basic than it is now but the college lessons gave a good insight into making a reasoned choice and understanding what you are buying
When you look at the history of test equipment Megger can trace it's history back around 130 years while Fluke have been around for 70 years while Metrel go back around 65 years although they only setup Metrel UK back in 2005 their test kit was sold in the UK under the Alphatek brand name for many years before that so they are not that new to the UK and the test equipment industry, so I suppose some peoples choice may just be down to the history of a brand and / or how long they have been around
All my multimeters are Fluke apart from the old stalwart the Avo 8 the Fluke multimeters are hard to beat my Fluke 27 has been in regular use for 40 years now while my MFT choice for the last 25 years has been Metrel, a couple of years back I retired my 61557 Eurotest and updated to the MI3152 which took a bit of learning to get the best out of it but I'm up to speed with it now and find it easy to use and the ability to save and download the test results provides a good audit trail of the testing that was carried out if ever needed, I would certainly not hesitate to recommend Metrel my 25 year old MFT was refurbed a couple of years ago and is still useable as a backup to my 3152 if ever needed it also does some tests the 3152 doesn't do