Fluke’s newest offering in the emerging market for Visual IR Thermometers is the Fluke VT04. I recently posted about the Fluke VT02 and mentioned that it has some limitations. Many of these issues have been addressed in VT04 and have set it at the head of the pack for this new kind of tester.
Today I will be discussing the Extech CT70 AC Circuit Load and Outlet Tester. This circuit load tester may be small, but it packs a big punch. The first thing you notice about this load and outlet tester is the digital display. This innovation is oddly late to the party but makes life so much easier. When using the CT70 as an outlet tester the display will shine Blue for Pass and Red if there is a problem. The outlet functions that it handles are as follows,
This is a follow up to the smash hit, must read blog of the summer, Fieldpiece CO Detector Accessory Head. All kidding aside, the ATIR3 IR Thermometer Accessory Head by Fieldpiece is a much simpler product that every HVAC technician worth his weight in refrigerant will use.
In my last installment I wrote about the Fieldpiece HS36 Stick Meter. This meter accepts the accessory heads that Fieldpiece makes to expand its meters to fit its customer’s specific needs. The ACM3 CO Detector Head (pictured at right) is a snap-on Accessory that adds the capability of measuring CO to your Fieldpiece Stick Meter.
When we last left off, I gave a small introduction to Fieldpiece and their philosophy regarding Multimeters in the HVAC world. Today we are going to discuss their HS36 TRMS Stick Meter. The Fieldpiece HS36 TRMS Stick Multimeter represents the top of the line Stick meter that Fieldpiece currently offers. For those unfamiliar with Stick style meters, this post should be a great introduction.
Fieldpiece Instruments is a California based manufacturer that produces professional-grade testing equipment with a specialty in the HVAC/R market. While most Multimeters are designed for laboratory work or for use by electricians, Fieldpiece wanted to create a meter that was specifically designed with HVAC technicians in mind. What they came up with was the Stick Digital Multimeter.
When I first took this product out of the shipping box, I was looking at what appeared to be an awkward, box shaped wheeled suitcase. After allowing my mind to drift to myself walking through an airport terminal with this thing in tow I quickly got down to business. Upon opening the suitcase you immediately see the care taken in design that ensures not only a tight fit but also safety for travel. The instrument sits inside a foam insert that keeps it from shuffling around and also lets you know exactly where all the pieces fit.
