Digital Multimeter

[OnMyWay]

So I bought a digital multimeter because my analog one has a sticky spot on the needle.  If I tap it, the needle will get by the sticky spot.

I think I posted before that I have high voltage in the house.  The analog MM measures it at around 240.  The new digital MM measures it at 250.

I have an AVR with 220 and 110 output.  The new digital MM measures those at 222 and 111, respectively.  So am I safe to assume the the new digital MM is more accurate than the old analog?

This 250 voltage is definitely a problem.  I have most of my expensive electronics on the AVR but there are quite a few appliances and all the lights running on 250.  My light bulbs, especially expensive LEDs, don't last even close to their rated lifespan.  I stopped buying LEDs.

Should the power company address this high voltage issue?

[jimeve]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

So I bought a digital multimeter because my analog one has a sticky spot on the needle.  If I tap it, the needle will get by the sticky spot.

I think I posted before that I have high voltage in the house.  The analog MM measures it at around 240.  The new digital MM measures it at 250.

I have an AVR with 220 and 110 output.  The new digital MM measures those at 222 and 111, respectively.  So am I safe to assume the the new digital MM is more accurate than the old analog?

This 250 voltage is definitely a problem.  I have most of my expensive electronics on the AVR but there are quite a few appliances and all the lights running on 250.  My light bulbs, especially expensive LEDs, don't last even close to their rated lifespan.  I stopped buying LEDs.

Should the power company address this high voltage issue?

I would ask them to look into it, I have a Transformer that I bought so any electric that comes into my house gets the correct voltage. 

[OnMyWay]

30 minutes ago, jimeve said:

I would ask them to look into it, I have a Transformer that I bought so any electric that comes into my house gets the correct voltage. 

I have a feeling I will be looking for one.  Are you speaking of your house here in the Philippines?  What type do you have?

[RBM]

My digital multi meter from Ace lasted less than a year with little use

[GeoffH]

DMMs are not even close to the quality that they used to be 20 years ago in most cases, but then cheap chinese made ones are much more affordable than they used to be... so swings and roundabouts as the saying goes.   The accuracy of some of the cheaper chinese made DMMs is... questionable, I'd be inclined to believe your analog meter before your new digital one, but YMMV.

[OnMyWay]

3 hours ago, GeoffH said:

DMMs are not even close to the quality that they used to be 20 years ago in most cases, but then cheap chinese made ones are much more affordable than they used to be... so swings and roundabouts as the saying goes.   The accuracy of some of the cheaper chinese made DMMs is... questionable, I'd be inclined to believe your analog meter before your new digital one, but YMMV.

I stopped by the electric co. office to ask about it (they were not answering the phone) and the guy told me the voltage is displayed on the digital meter outside, which I did not know.  It says 238 for both me and my neighbor.

An hour later a couple of guys stopped by and checked the meter and inside.  Still 238 on the meter, then they got 236 inside using their digital MM, which appears to be a high quality one.  I stuck my digital one in and it read 240, 4 volts more than theirs.

This was the same socket that earlier displayed 250-252 on my digital.  I will keep checking inside and on the meter to see if there are any high readings.  They said 238 outside is acceptable.  However, I think many light bulbs say max 230, so going over that wears them out and voids the warranty.

Although it is made in China, I thought this digital mm was better quality than the analog.  I bought it at American Hardware here.  It is Cen-tech brand, and apparently is a brand of Harbor Freight in the U.S.  Harbor Freight is mentioned in the instructions.  Harbor Freight is a discount tool outlet chain and I was never impressed with most of their stuff.  Mostly made in China.

[GeoffH]

25 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

They said 238 outside is acceptable.  However, I think many light bulbs say max 230, so going over that wears them out and voids the warranty.

The Philippines is nominally 220V AC and 60Hz and 238V is less than 110% of the nominal voltage so the voltage swell is less than the code states and they are correct in saying it is acceptable.

 

NB See Chapter 3, Page 37 - PST 3.2.3 of the file attached to this post.

 

25 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

I think many light bulbs say max 230, so going over that wears them out and voids the warranty.

That may well be the case with bulbs you have now but there are bulbs sold on Lazada rated for use between 220V and 240V which should be a better match for your needs (they might be available at your local hardware store also).

 

PGC2016Edition(ResolutionNo22Seriesof2016).pdf

Edited June 5, 2018 by GeoffH

[KurtVD]

As far as I know, if you live closer to a power plant (or a distribution point), you'll always have higher voltage at your house than 220/230 (or 110), so that's not unique to the Philippines. The farther away you go, the more it will drop. If they wouldn't start with higher voltage current, it would drop too much (or the distances would have to be much shorter), so I think any electric appliance should be able to withstand some variation. The problem is probably more pronounced on 110V networks, since 10V more (or less) make up double the percentage (but that's just a guess of mine). 

[bastonjock]

The old analogue meters give you a truer reading ,you don't get what is called a false neutral with an analogue

Treat all multi meters as indication only their accuracy is not great 

I pay about £400.00 GB pounds for a fluke ,I then pay a further £75.00 GB pounds to have it calibrated

My most expensive multi tester costs around £1500.00 GB pounds ,that one is used for certifying electrical circuits and I have to have it calibrated on an annual test 

If I could get away with a 100 peso Chinese multimeter I'd buy it for the savings

If your meter has not been calibrated and has a current certificate ,then the readings at best are tough guides

[GeoffH]

2 hours ago, bastonjock said:

Treat all multi meters as indication only their accuracy is not great 

I pay about £400.00 GB pounds for a fluke ,I then pay a further £75.00 GB pounds to have it calibrated

 

I used Fluke meters at work before I retired, reliable and good value for money quality but as you say they need to be calibrated.

Back then I could get my work Fluke calibrated and then take my 'cheaper but still not cheap' meter in and roughly calibrate it against the Fluke but off the shelf the cheaper meters varied quite a bit.

Edited June 5, 2018 by GeoffH