Only a big girls blouse uses a Fluke to measure 230VAC mains. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 05:58:52 pm
content: Why, even an 830B is no good in the dark.Better get one of these from ebay.It can go up to 500VAC, so why not get a few of them to measure 3 phase?Make sure your tongue is sticking out the corner of your mouth just right, for accuracy.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 06:25:40 pm
content: Even more fun - the harsh environment version of it underwater:

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 06:48:51 pm
content: Quote from: Macbeth on June 22, 2015, 05:58:52 pmwho needs a digital meter. just lick the outlet. works with 9 volt batteries. so should work fine with mains outlets too.

author: LukeW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 06:54:58 pm
content: It's rated for Schrödinger's Cat II.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 06:56:53 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on June 22, 2015, 06:48:51 pmBe careful, someone might try it out.http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/what-if/finger-in-electrical-outlet.htm

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 07:02:25 pm
content: "Two convenient holes wide apart can accept even large fingers"http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/vilkus/

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 12:21:57 am
content: Quote from: Macbeth on June 22, 2015, 05:58:52 pmI didn't know Electroboom sold stuff on e-bay.

author: PTR_1275
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 05:21:30 am
content: Were their parents zapped so bad that this person ended up with 3 hands?

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 07:54:06 am
content: That's three people all with one hand behind their back. The meter is cheaper than a Fluke and so are the people.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 08:00:23 am
content: S'alright, the wire is that Chinese safety fusible wire, which evaporates at 2A of current. Insulated so it is dual purpose, a fusible link and connecting wire all in the same 30V insulation, available in either Export grade or China internal use only grade.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 09:03:19 am
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on June 22, 2015, 07:02:25 pmExcellent. Bookmarked.I can think of some people I'll be sendinghttp://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/lebedev.shtmlto as Christmas presents!

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 10:29:59 am
content: I see automotive guys installing these cheap voltmetes in their cars all the time. I wonder how robust they are. I have so assume the failure mode is to let out smoke, and not catch on fire, but with cheap chineese stuff - I'm thinking fire in a car is a real possibility. Am I wrong?

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 11:42:11 am
content: Quote from: tggzzz on June 27, 2015, 09:03:19 amAnd some might even try them out!Unreal!

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 01:03:07 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on June 22, 2015, 06:48:51 pmI had an electrician do some work on my house who almost did this - he seemed to lick his fingers and hold them close to cables if not touching them to check for live!I was more shocked than he was!

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 08:59:44 pm
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on June 27, 2015, 11:42:11 amLook on the lower left of the listing, it's not a real product

author: briselec
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2015, 08:01:51 pm
content: Quote from: jpb on June 27, 2015, 01:03:07 pmSome people can do that and only feel a slight tingle. A guy I worked with years ago would use his finger to check for live mains. If I tried that it would throw me across the room.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2015, 08:23:22 pm
content: Excellent. Not the product, the thread name. Haven't heard the phrase "big girls blouse" in years. Still laughing.McBryce.

author: mmagin
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2015, 08:27:35 pm
content: Quote

author: XOIIO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2015, 03:51:03 am
content: I picked up a few of these to make power supplies, a couple variations, some like this that are powered by and read current from the same source and some that have a separate sense wire. They are pretty handy, but I sure as hell wouldn't use one for mains.

author: Mark
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2015, 12:47:30 pm
content: I bought a couple of the 4-wire ones. I have a question though, when it says 0-500VAC and 0-500VDC like mine did, I was expecting to put that voltage across the input wires directly as there was no further information with them.They both started out reading the AC and DC voltages correctly up to 10 or 20V or so as verified by multimeters, so I cranked up my variac some more... the AC one flickered and stopped displaying anything, the DC one went bang - a cap exploded. Before I write them off as complete rubbish, was I doing something wrong?

author: wagon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 24, 2015, 01:27:39 pm
content: I use those little meters in allsorts of stuff. They are sort of accurate, and dirt cheap. NEVER for mains stuff though. Crazy.