Klein Tools has come out with a new premium electrical test kit, and they also have a slightly less expensive bundle that costs $10 less.
The differences weren’t immediately apparent to me, and so I took a closer look at what you get with each kit.
We’ll be focusing on Klein Tools’ 69355 kit, which currently retails for $50, and their 69149P kit, which currently retails for $40. Both kits come with a digital multimeter, outlet tester, and AC voltage detector.
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Klein Premium Electrical Test Kit – 69355
I included this new Klein 3pc electrical testing tool set in my tool deals roundup page, as I though it was a particularly good value for what you get.
Here’s what you get in the Klein Tools 69355 test kit:
- Digital multimeter, MM320
- Receptacle tester w/ GFCI test, RT250
- Non-contact voltage tester, NCVT3P
Sum of the Parts at Retail: ~$80
Price: $50
Klein Tools Electrical Test Kit – 69149P
A reader brought up this other Klein 3pc electrical test kit, which is less expensive by $10.
Here’s what you get in the 69149P test kit:
- Digital multimeter, MM300
- Receptacle tester w/ GFCI test, RT105
- Non-contact voltage tester, NCVT1P
Price: $40
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Multimeters: MM320 vs MM300
This isn’t the easiest comparison, as the Klein MM320 seems to only appear in bundle kits, while the MM30 is sold by itself and as part of kits.
The two meters appear similar, but there are enough distinctions where they could be made by different OEMs.
Looking at the user manuals, the differences are extremely slight.
The MM320 seems to have slightly better accuracy in several measurement types and ranges, compared to the MM300.
The MM320 has auto power-off (APO), the MM300 does not.
These are both basic manual-ranging digital multimeters. From what I can tell, the MM300 is basic, and the MM320 is slightly better.
Receptacle Testers: RT250 vs. RT105
The Klein RT250 outlet tester, shown above, has GFCI test functionality, indicator LEDs, and an LCD display.
The RT105 only seems to be sold as part of electrical test kits. It looks to be a basic receptacle tester and does not have GFCI testing capabilities. It does have LED indicators and an on-tool diagnostic chart.
The RT250 has added functionality – the ability to test and reset GFCI outlets – as well as an LCD display. The RT250 is powered by 2x AAA batteries.
Compared to standard GFCI outlet testers, the RT250 also measures and displays the GFCI trip time and voltage. It has a 3-minute auto power-off.
Voltage Detectors: NCVT3P vs. NCVT1P
Both testers can detect voltages up to 1000V AC.
The NCVT3P tester has 2 detection ranges – 70 to 1000V AC and 12 to 1000V AC, while the NCVT1P detects from 50 to 1000V AC. Both have a CAT IV safety rating.
The NCVT3P also has a built-in LED Flashlight function.
There’s a $10 different in retail price – the NCVT1P typically sells for $20, and the NCVT3P for $30.
Which Should You Buy?
Klein describes the 3pc 69355 electrical tester kit as a premium kit. And, aside from the manual-ranging multimeter, you do Klein’s more premium voltage detector and a more-advanced-than-average outlet tester.
Unless you have specific reasons for preferring the other kit, the premium combo appears to be worth the extra $10.
I could not calculate a rough estimate for the sum of the components in the less expensive kit. The tools included in the $50 premium kit, if purchased separately, would be priced at $80 combined.
Between the two kits, the $50 gives you a marginally better multimeter, an outlet tester with GFCI tester (and LCD) – compared to one without this functionality in the $40 kit – and also a more premium voltage detector with built-in flashlight.
If you’re looking at both kits, I’d say that the premium 69355 kit is worth the extra $10.
Several retailers have the premium kit for $50, Amazon has it priced at $50.
Franck B.
On just the NCV tester… I normally use the Fluke ones because sometimes I want to be able to trust it. (You never NEED to trust it, nor should you really.)
But for non-life threatening uses, the little flashlight on the end has come in handy more than times than I can count.
And that’s from someone who usually has an almost-EDC light.
Franck B.
Oh yeah, and I hate the basic version because it flies apart when you drop it.
Mike
My old NCV would fail to light up about 1/6 times. and light up 1/20 when no voltage was present. They are nothing but dangerous
Franck B.
I’m not sure what you guys are using for NCVs, but I regularly use a Fluke and a Klein, and I can trust them. I trust them as far as I test it every time I turn it on (a low battery will invalidate the results). But once I’ve tested it, I’m pretty certain it’s good to go. Still, you should always presume a circuit is live even if you’ve tested it.
Also, depending on your use, does it really need to be a life-or-death situation? NCVs can be used to trace a wire through a wall to get an idea of the circuit layout. Or just checking a bunch of receptacles is a lot faster with the NCV than plugging in a receptacle tester or using a multimeter (that would be a sight).
JoeM
I’m beginning to realize I’m falling in love with Klein tools.
I never knew the RT-250 existed, nor that such an advanced version of a receptacle tester existed. Being that I’m colourblind, and the display just tells you how things are messed up, instead of a colour chart to follow, it seems like an ideal upgrade for me.
Now to find an RT-250! I’m looking into a Fluke multimeter to upgrade from my Motomaster/Mastercraft one I’ve had since College, and I’m not particularly sure if I need the non-contact voltage detector… so I’m not into these kits… but I now have goals!
Thanks again, Stuart!
Franck B.
Of course you need a NCV tester. Everyone should have one!
But the basic receptacle testers work on position, not color, so even seeing-eye dogs can read them.
JoeM
I’m not a trained Electrician. Just an amateur. I have no idea how to use the NCV. The closest I’ve ever used is a Network Cable Tracer, where you click a signal emitter onto one end of a network cable, then you use the tone emitter to pull the correct network cable out of the conduit at the other end, and plug it where it’s supposed to go. And that’s the Crude way of describing that tool. I don’t know how to use the Electrical version it’s based off of. It’s embarassing, feel free to laugh at me for it, but it’s true. Until I get a tool in my hands and use one, I have absolutely no idea how to use it. So, having never held an NCV in my life, it just so happens I don’t know how to use one.
I know the principle behind it, like nearly every tool or technology I “Don’t know how to use” these days. But until my hands are on one, and I’m in the middle of using it? Total blank. I’ve never driven in my life, except for one time with my psychotic sister when I was 16, and I’ve never been behind a wheel since. Just never put any priority on it. I’m 40 now, so I should really get around to that… but… still. Welding… Glass Blowing… Blacksmithing and Metalworking? All higher on my list of “I wanna learn that!”
And, I’m Blue-Blind. The world is Black, White, Grayshaded, Red and Yellow. I number, shape, and pattern-code everything. My mind doesn’t wrap around colour well. Even using Photoshop(The GIMP more often though.), I go by pre-determined hex values to change colours, because I understand the Hex value out of 0-255 better than their need for more R, G, or B. Receptacle testers of any quality don’t necessarily glow at Red or Yellow properly, and whatever else they’re using I can never see anyways. Plus, three lights next to eachother, the light blends, and distorts what I see. So even Red isn’t visible every time, and Yellow might have shifted far enough into the Gray zone that I can’t even tell if it’s lit.
So, yeah… I’m going to look for a nice RT250 from Klein there… And wish someone would just make a recepticle tester that had three Cool White LEDs inside, behind three frosted plastic panels. With black ink/paint/whatever on shapes. Triangle for Hot, Square for Neutral, Circle for Ground. Chart up top is just symbols translated, with lines underneath what is lit up.
Technically? I could order said LEDs myself and take apart my old recepticle tester, replace all the LEDs, then get the 3 plastic covers 3D printed for me… but… That would add to my “To Do List” and it’s already longer than it should be.
But thanks for the advice, I do appreciate the encouragement!
Elwood
Both Amazon and Home Depot have the RT250 receptacle tester by itself for $19.97.
As for the NCV, every time I’ve used one I’ve always used a multimeter to make sure the NVC telling me the truth so I stopped using them. And, the NCV is a “yes/no” and I usually want to know the exact voltage anyway.
RE: Multimeters – an inexpensive but functional one is handy, sometimes, and there are times you don’t need a really precise one or want to risk catastrophic injury to an expensive one (such as working on boats in salt water); a really, really good one like a Fluke will be more money but it’ll be worth it.
JoeM
The Multimeters… Only reason I’m looking at the two Fluke models, is because mine is old, and is no longer made. If I blow it up by accident, there’s no replacing it. It has served me pretty well the past 20-ish years it has been in my toolbox. So much so that it has gone through at least two sets of leads, plus been upgraded to use the leads they had us make in College for our labs. (That upgrade pretty much being “I made a carrying case out of Leather for my Multimeter, and that’s where the leads are kept as well now.”)
If it wasn’t for the fact that this Canadian Tire branded multimeter is A) geared toward Automotive use, and B) discontinued almost 15 years ago, thus ending the “Lifetime Warranty” CT’s house brands carry, I wouldn’t be looking into the two Fluke meters. I was already drooling over the Fluke 289, but then my Father passed away, my life went a little crazy, and I finally found Tested on YouTube where I was shown Fluke has a regular, and small version of exactly what I need to literally swap-out my old DMM for high-quality ones. I still drool over the 289, but now it’ll take a miracle to afford one.
I want to build a big server for myself, because I’ve never been allowed to do the actual building of one before, despite so much of my education and experience geared toward doing so. And for that server, I want to build in liquid cooling, and an internal massive UPS. I need a DMM (or two) that aren’t going to fail me when I design it. I still have my College text books for reference, plus pocket reference books, in case my memory needs a more active access to what I need for the job. For all intents and purposes, I was headed down the path toward massive builds anyways. (I still, also, want to build a Purgola for my building’s patio area… I don’t like Asymetric designs, and one wing of the building has cover and shade, where the other is urbanized, fenced in, and all Patio area. I’d like to cover it over with some shade, so we can increase the green space using the structure… maybe even mount some solar panels to the top and reduce the building’s utility bills a little. I haven’t lost 100% of my ambitions.)
I ramble… I’m sorry… I think my point really is, I totally agree with you about the Multimeter, hence why I’m looking into the Fluke models mentioned by Adam Savage. They’ll be more expensive than my $50 CAD investment, back in 2001, but every penny above that is worth $100 in the long term reliability of the meters. Hence Fluke. I just really wish I could remember the two model names right now. It’s in the huge pile that is the dark recesses of my brain. Here be Monsters, as they say.
I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out. I keep learning, the longer I stay on ToolGuyd. So, Thank You!
Franck B.
You’ll have to look at what particular receptacle tester you’re using, but I believe most of the “old school” ones are using neon bulbs for indicators! A conversion to LED would require changing the resistor.
I like that you’re adapting what’s available to something that works better for you. Just keep in mind that if you’ve messed with it, it could change the reliability and accuracy. If it were me I would adjust my expectations based on what I know about my skills.
JoeM
Well, my current recepticle tester is a pretty simple one. A really cheap Gardner-Bender? I think I got it at Home Depot because it was there, and I needed one. And since I don’t have the factory capacity to mess with more complex equipment, it’s only the most basic of things I even bother to adapt.
To some degrees I’m a bit lazy. If I can upgrade to something that does exactly what is needed, without modification, I’d rather do that. But wherever possible, I try to preserve what I have for as long a life as possible, so I don’t have to spend money. I have enough skills accumulated to do a majority of things in the world myself. But I do get tripped up by areas I’m not very good at. (Social interactions for example. Notice I don’t seem to know when to shut up, or where the TMI line is? Yeah… I’m not good at this.)
ToolGuyDan
Do yourself a favor and get a proper, auto-ranging multimeter, ideally with AC/DC detection. Klein and Fluke both make great ones, or EEVBlog sells three different varieties, any of which will be at least twice as good as anything the big-box store will have, and at half the price.
Just the upgraded probes alone are worth the cost of entry. After laughing for years at the EEs with their fancy screens as I fiddled with my analog multimeter, I’ve been ruined; I just can’t use halfassed multimeters any more.
JoeM
Looking into One, or both, of two Fluke multimeters. I sound like a broken record on this site, but I saw them on Adam Savage’s Tested YouTube page, and I’m banging my head against the desk trying to shake loose their model numbers. Very basic types of Multimeters, the kind I trained on in College in fact. I believe they’re ranging, but the key feature on both is that they have a feature my old one doesn’t: Continuity Tone.
And honestly? The only difference I can find in the two Adam uses is that one is a full-sized multimeter, the other is a pocket/belt sized one. Rated to test Amperage, DC Voltage, AC voltage, Resistance, and Continuity. The feature my old one has is a Transistor Tester, but there’s no transistor I have ever used that has ever made it work. So it’s a useless feature, when I could invest in a Fluke that has a Continuity tester. Very handy if you’re really angry at a hard network connection, and you want to verify the correct wiring inside the cable, while ensuring you don’t have any breaks in it.
Bonus… Yeah… That tone will tell me if I’ve wired something wrong or not with Electrical stuff too. Sometimes I get ambitious and circuits emit smoke that, unfortunately, doesn’t grant wishes.
I also already have a receptical tester that has three indicating LEDs… I think it may even be a Klein… reading the lights is fine… Reading the chart printed on top? Not great for me. I’m Blue-Blind. I can see the Red, but not the other two. Fine for Black/White/Green American Standard wires (Black Hot, White Neutral, Can’t See It? Ground!) but if you’re salvaging a Japanese computer power cord for reuse as an extension? Those three colours are very different, and I can’t see them properly. The RT250 would just say “It’s working” or “Wrong, switch these.” and I could tell which screws to swap the cables around to.
My shopping list is getting long, but I’m working through it. Luckily, these are for hobbies, not career-centric, or I’d have lost the job long ago.
MotoJ
Thank you for the EEVBlog mention, this was a new site for me. Looks interesting, added to my reading list now.
MT
Dave’s EEVBlog YouTube channel is huge, too, and covers all things EE. Very informative and entertaining.
TonyT
Just remember that the EEV forums can develop some group think – when I was choosing a scope for work, I did quite a bit of searching in the EEV forums, where a lot of the members push Siglnet, with Rigol second, but I decided Instek was a better match for our needs (and I’ve been very happy with Instek scope).
Mike
Lowes sells Fluke now. Pick up a Model 107. And stop playing with cheap-o offbrand
JoeM
I’m in Canada, so I’m thinking Amazon, if at all possible. I am definitely attempting to “Go Pro” on a Fluke. My old one is… Well, it’s too old. Upgrade is the plan.
TonyT
Look at your usage. I use a DMM a lot for continuity (checking cables & connections), so a beep for continuity is a must. Next comes checking 24VDC circuits; for this, I don’t want auto ranging – if I see a “5”, I want to make sure it’s 5V, not 5 mV. Good probes do make a difference – the “freebie” HF ones are total crap, their better models are OK, but top quality ones (e.g. Fluke, Pomona) are wonderful, and priced accordingly.
For personal use, I have some freebie HF’s I use for checking batteries, a decent ($40) HF 5-in-1 auto-ranging, an ancient (~25 year) but still working house brand DMM, and a Fluke 196 scope meter (needs a repair, might not be fixable) with an absolutely wonderful probe set (a replacement probe set would be ~$400, and I believe they’re made in Germany).
At work, we have a basic Fluke (~15 years old), which replaced a Fluke which got flaky, and a nice GW Instek scope, with some nice extra probes (with grabbers, alligator clips, and such) for both that make troubleshooting a lot easier.
TonyT
BTW, a good place for pricing probes and other test equipment:
https://www.tequipment.net/
(we bought the scope & probes from them)
JoeM
*Snicker* I appreciate the advice there. I’m already thinking in those terms anyways. My self-made probes will only last so long, so I’m aiming at a Fluke set. TL81? I haven’t checked in so long… a lot of funds got diverted to survival in the past few years. Still trying to recoup, and get back on my feet.
Funny enough I’m thinking Amazon for the leads. I’m not particularly fond of making my own (it was fun in College but… Fluke is so much better!) and I have about 12 industrial supply companies bookmarked, just in case they have better prices on the big Fluke lead kits. Eventually I would like to move to a bigger space so I can have a workbench, with real equipment I’ve invested in. And, maybe have the work area separate from my sleeping area, that’d be great.
I’ve had folks I know ask me why I’m not doing better financially, and the reality is… the .com bubble didn’t leave me with a lot of options, and my parents got very old, very sick, very soon after I graduated. Huge debts, tons of interests, huge amounts of exhaustion. When asked “If you had a Million Dollars, what would you do?” I’d answer “Spend it on about a thousandth of the total equipment and materials I need to get my life together.”
I’m definitely going with Fluke. No offense to these Klein packs, but… I’ve been eyeing Fluke for too long to stray. Meter and Leads… Lots of Leads…
TonyT
JoeM,
I ended up buying Cal Test (which I believe is owned by B&K Precision), because for our usage (we don’t use the DMM & scope daily) Fluke & Pomona were too expensive, while Cal Test is good quality (IIRC, most items were made in France or Taiwan) and offered a large selection.
What we bought: Cal Test CT3979B probe kit, CT2487 flex pincer, CT2665 spring tip probe, CT3286 elephant clip.
JoeM
Thanks for the advice, Tony! Your experience here is not going unnoticed. I’m not ignoring you, in fact your advice made me laugh because I think I already have that site in my list of suppliers for equipment. I haven’t checked the list in a while.
Funny enough, as you say the most common favourites seem to be Fluke and Pomona, I seem to have more access here in Canada to those two brands, than nearly any other brand of test leads. I literally have to step off into global markets like Alibaba/AliExpress to find shipping of anything “generic” or “off-brand” into Canada. One site even refused to sell me Fluke branded leads when my meter’s original set wore out, because they informed me that Fluke uses their own distributors in Canada, and no one from the US is allowed to sell Fluke products cross-border. So, also what made me laugh here, I ended up buying Pomona test leads off them. They’ve lasted ever since! And they were something silly like $10 too. Meanwhile, way better quality, and more ergonomic, than the leads they were replacing, so… Bonus!
As to Cal Test… I’ll have a look at them, probably through that site you listed. But my Pomona leads are still 100% after over a decade of use. So it’s nothing urgent. If I’m going to do the upgrade to Fluke, it’ll be because I either managed to buy the Fluke DMMs, or something awful happens to the Pomona set. Plus, the Pomona set is literally just a pair of standard leads. The upgrade to the Fluke TL81A kit is significantly more leads than just two basic ones. Add to the fact that I would love to try my hand at some Arduino/RaspberryPi stuff, and the more detailed Electronics test parts start to make sense. Normally I use my Test Leads on continuity, or checking batteries to see if they’re dead. Sometimes I do it to make sure I’ve soldered the correct wires in place on an Audio or USB connector of some sort (Colourblind, so… I double-check anyways.) so standard Test Leads, just regular probes, are all I’ve needed for nearly 20 years… 22?… Maybe 25? Anyways… I have some Pomonas that are alive and kicking, and I’m only prioritizing the Fluke meters for if/when I get the chance. I believe I found the 107 on Amazon for something ridiculous like $70 CAD… which is practically a hair away from them paying me to own it. And the 117 was something like $260 CAD which isn’t as good a deal, but it’s definitely in that “It’s Fluke-Worthy” price range.
You’ve helped me out with your experience a ton, Tony. It’s hard to show a lot of appreciation in text, but know I am deeply appreciative of your time on all this.
JoeM
Late Note: Went back to the Tested videos and the two meters Adam was talking about were the Fluke 77 and the 101.
I did some website comparissons on Fluke for the models in question, and decided I should aim for the 107 instead of 101, and possibly the 117 instead of 77. And I definitely have my eyes on the TL87A set of Leads. $300 CAD for a top-of-the-line Fluke Test Lead kit, plus their own bag to hold them in? That’s actually cheap, thank you very much.
Oh, and the Klein RT250 was hard to find… Not currently available on Amazon, but it is at Home Depot for $30 CAD. My biggest problem in finding the RT250? I kept typing in “Fluke” as the brand in the search bars, instead of the proper “Klein”… I post this so all of you who helped me out with advice, and had patience to read what I wrote, get a good laugh as my way of saying Thank You. You’re all awesome.
Albert
The autoranging version is only a little more:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/206517333
Aaron SD
I’d love to get that one but they don’t seem to put the autorange in a test kit.
Aaron SD
Amazon has a kit for $61 now and the MM400.
Is this now the best deal? Only $10 more to get autoranging though a more basic outlet tester but no NCT. I
Klein Tools Digital Multimeter, Auto-Ranging, 600V MM400 & RT210 Outlet Teste… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095S4PH8F/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_api_i_B1AKPX11WK65DY58CJX6
Bruce
NCV has never been trustworthy for me. False positives, false negatives. Getting the one with a flashlight would at least mean there is some use for the extra space it takes up in the kit.
I’ve owned dozens of these always hoping for one I could trust, they last a week or two in the tool bag and then get discarded.
Franck B.
Try removing the battery when you’re not using it. I don’t have a problem with the Fluke ones. Pay a little more up front, don’t have to throw it away in a week or two. Or at least convince yourself you don’t because you paid $30 for it.
Wayne R.
The fancier receptacle tester was reviewed on YouTube by “Catus Maximus”. My takeaways: You have to turn it on (it does not just come on when plugged in to power), and the power switch/design meant it was always using the battery – so he expects it to be dead when he reaches for it. It uses two AAA, and must have them – it won’t work even with AC.
Nathan
yeah what a concern – oh my this higher capable tester requires smooth DC power to do the additional tests of the GFCI circuit. Seems fair to me – I mean it’s not like your multi meter works off the circuit it’s probed to.
JoeM
Yep… I am with Nathan here… What you are calling faults on the RT250 are just common sense.
After all, how will it draw the power it needs to operate from a socket with faulty wiring? Would it be nice if it used some kind of Lithium Ion battery instead of traditional Alcaline? Of course. But some decent rechargeables will solve that forever. Isn’t Stuart fond of Eneloop from Amazon? I would say this counts as a reason to buy in there.
That eliminates all the complaints about it, so… I guess arguments against it are down to subjective preferences?
Raycr
Thanks Stuart for the detailed explanation.
Raycr
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61xZtUfGpuL._AC_SX679_.jpg
Nathan
OK now for something different.
first most home owners and even most technicians don’t “need” auto ranging. Let along AC/DC detection. I’m a firm believer in you need to think about what you’re jamming your probe into (yes read that however you wish)
but if you’re testing a car battery circuit you one should know what voltage type you expect – AC or DC and 2 you should have a bit of an idea of the expected range. I use a UEI meter that is not autoranging and I bought it for it’s accuracy. WHich is far far more important than other features.
If you are testing a house circuit then you should at least have thought enough to think hey this is AC and I should read something near __________. If you get the wrong range guess what it tells you and you can pick another. OK it takes 2 seconds to turn the dial but whatever.
So in my book I look for this.
1) accuracy in the 0-30 DC range
2) accuracy in the 0-30 AC range
3) accuracy in the 90-140 AC range.
4) Ohms resistance reading with continuity ringer. one feature I do love as I don’t have to watch it – is the continuity ringer. meter is under the hood clamped to a ground or such – wire lead in hand under dash – and check circuit ground – rings I know it’s good. I don’t have to look for near 0 OHM.
some manual range multi-meters have better accuracy in a dependent range than their auto range counterparts.
Wayne R.
Of course accuracy is nice, but usually unnecessary. For most meter applications, power & otherwise, the Goldilocks method is most used: Too much, not enough or just right.
Accuracy is secondary, usually, and thinking about the problem itself rather than thinking about operating the tool is usually more productive too.
Also, autoranging is hard to beat usually, but I’ve seen guys focus on the number and not the units and end up way down the wrong rabbit hole.
TonyT
As mentioned above, for me a continuity beep is required, and if the meter is auto-ranging, I like being able to set it to a fixed range.
One nice feature is a light that blinks for the correct probe position, so when you’re measuring high current, the probes are in the right connectors.
Nathan
One follow on bit – since i haven’t shopped for a multi-meter in a while I noticed most of the better meters are auto ranging – but some others that I really like also have a manual range setting. so they do both. I would suggest that if you were getting one. sure for most common work auto range is fine – but it’s not in any way necessary. The UEI I use at home is old enough it’s been replaced and it’s replacement is both auto range and manual set.
Brad
I do not see where ether meter says “true RMS” so that’s a nope.
The pen and socket testers look fine.
Nathan
indeed. I didn’t mention it because I didn’t think anyone still made non RMS meters.
Ball_bearing
I have had bad experiences with auto ranging multimeters (Mostly user error), so manual ranging is a plus. The socket tester is definitely better than the GB one. I honestly don’t understand why GB decided to use red and amber as the covers for the LEDs, they look so similar, that they blend and it’s quite annoying.
Wayne R.
I’ve never seen a DMM whose autoranging can’t also be set to a fixed range (though I suppose they exist).
Ball_bearing
*Mostly User error*
But got a particularly bad one as part of a hvac tool kit. Ranging would not settle, would pickup random noise, temperature probe/setting way off, It wasn’t possible to zero it. I bet it fell or something while in transit.
Nathan
one more note on the accuracy thing – while I agree for most home DIY use nearly any multi-meter is accurate enough. Is the plug getting 115VAC or 120 or 122 – even 5% of range accuracy is probably good enough. OK.
but if you want to also work on your car I really want it a bit tighter – especially for a modern car. (CAN buss built after 2005). There are systems in a new car that are sensitive to voltage so I want to know when I put the meter on if it gets 10Vdc vs 9.5VDC – as that might be enough to drop it out. so a meter that will read accurate to say 9.94 or 10.04 Vdc matters here – and alot of meters can do that. It’s why I won’t let a person use a cheapo depot meter.
I mean different in an Amprobe 35 dollar meter or a Klein/Ideal 40 dollar meter or vs a HF 5 dollar job. They probably all work but I really try to teach people to know what they are probing which is why I don’t like auto range – it can give a person the wrong impression if they aren’t careful. which to be fair is true of a lot of measurements. fair enough.
Raycr
Today Amazon has Digital Multimeter Electrical Test Kit, Non-Contact Voltage Tester, Receptacle Tester, Carrying Case and Batteries Klein Tools MM320KIT
It is the better 302 meter kit plus carrying case plus a GFI tester for $52.49
https://www.amazon.com/Multimeter-Non-Contact-Klein-Tools-MM320KIT/dp/B08W1THSM8/
Raycr
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61xZtUfGpuL._AC_SX679_.jpg
Raycr
I just got this 5 piece 320:set for $52 for household use since my Sears analog unit is coming to the end of its service life.