amyb54•9d ago

Lost $200 on a cheap multimeter that gave me wrong readings

I bought a no-name multimeter off Amazon for $25 back in February. Used it on a job in Phoenix testing a 480V motor starter and it showed the circuit was dead. I reached in to land a wire and got hit with 277V to ground. That meter was showing 12V when there was still live power. Threw it in the trash and spent $200 on a Fluke the next day. Anyone else have a cheap tool almost get them hurt?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_angela9d ago

Oh man, that story gave me chills. I had almost the exact same thing happen with a cheap voltage tester from Harbor Freight. Was working on an old HVAC unit in a strip mall, tester said the disconnect was dead, so I went to pull the fuse block and got zapped right across my knuckles. Threw that thing so hard into the dumpster I almost broke my own arm. My boss was like "you should have bought the Fluke the first time" and yeah he was right but $200 is a lot for a tool when you're just starting out. That jolt really woke me up though, you don't mess around with electricity.

black.patricia9d ago

Read something similar on a electrician forum last week, guy said his cheap meter lit up his screwdriver like a Christmas tree. That 277V hit is no joke, glad you walked away from it.