My cheap multimeter cost me a $400 compressor

I bought a $12 multimeter from a hardware store last month to check a fridge compressor. It showed voltage fine but couldn't handle the start capacitor draw. Ended up guessing wrong and fried the compressor relay. Replaced the whole unit for $400 after labor. Anyone else had a cheap tool cost you big money down the line?

3 comments

3 Comments

davis.ruby20d ago

Yeah man, I feel your pain. I did something similar with a cheap temp gun. Was checking an oven element and it showed 350 but the actual oven was running way hotter. Ended up ruining a batch of product and had to trash a whole prep line. After that I just bit the bullet and got a Fluke meter from a pawn shop for like 40 bucks. Tested it against a buddy's pro meter first. Now I only buy the cheap stuff for garage sale finds or throwaway jobs, not for anything that'll cost me if I read it wrong.

abbyg6014d ago

Wait, did you test the pawn shop Fluke with a banana or a real meter?

jana_scott20d ago

12 bucks for a meter and now you're out 400 that math hurts just reading it lol. I stopped trusting anything under maybe 50 when I had a clamp meter that was reading DC amps as AC and about roasted my own arm off.