Hi John, An ultra-cheap multimeter can be a useful tool under certain circumstances. However, some of them are VERY dangerous at AC line voltage. If you have one laying around, it is likely that at some point it will be close at hand when you want to make a line voltage measurement and you will use it and take a big risk. This is certainly especially true in an industrial environment (as in the case we are discussing). Connecting an ultra-cheap meter to 480V is really asking for trouble. I would say that any meter which states on the front that it has a >100V scale but which is not actually built safely internally for such measurements should NOT be purchased. I would be OK with cheap multimeters which do not claim to measure higher voltages. Sean On Sun, Sep 2, 2012 at 2:37 PM, John Ferrell wrot= e: > I gave it my 1-hour cooldown but I still need to RANT! > There was a time in my youth when I could not afford a meter. Not any > kind of meter. There are folks out there now in that situation. I do > give away a few of these things. I don't support any program that limits > access to tools. > > Einstein said something to the effect that "Stupid is a greater force > than Genius because genius has its limits" > > As I see the photo evidence, Stupid laid a tool on top of a power > terminal board and managed to generate magic smoke. > There is no tool problem here. Stupid is as Stupid does! While you are > certifying the meter give him a shot at the hammer & screwdriver! I bet > they will do the same thing! > Access to power connections must be controlled to keep Stupid from > getting us all killed... > > Harbor Freight deserves an award for their contribution electronics > education wherever they operate. > BTW, I have one of these screwed to the desk so I always have quick > access. I will try to check out its accuracy against the Fluke if the > Fluke chooses to work today. > > Who let Stupid in?? > go do something > else for a while>.... > > Let's get Stupid some help... we let him get to close to the fire this > time... > > Later, > > On 9/2/2012 11:06 AM, Bob Blick wrote: >> This post is half-admin, half informative. >> >> Multiple postings =3D not cool. >> >> BTW, Use extreme caution with their multimeters on AC, especially over >> 120V: >> >> http://www.bnl.gov/userscenter/Immediate/cen_tech.asp >> >> Not the same model, but the same brand and typical of their products. >> >> Again, do not use multiple posts or multiple topic tags. Pick one. Thank >> you. >> >> Best regards, >> >> Bob >> >> On Sat, Sep 1, 2012, at 11:40 PM, Chetan Bhargava wrote: >>> This qualifies for [EE] also. >>> >>> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- >>> From: Chetan Bhargava >>> Date: Sat, Sep 1, 2012 at 11:39 PM >>> Subject: [ot] Harbor Freight (USA) free multimeter >>> To: pic microcontroller discussion list >>> >>> >>> I was at Harbor Freight today and they had a coupon for a cheap >>> > > -- > John Ferrell W8CCW > =93During times of universal deceit, > Telling the TRUTH becomes a revolutionary act=94 > George Orwell > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist --=20 http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist .