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Author Topic: 5-15 multimeter leads?  (Read 13462 times)

Frank Koenig

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #20 on: October 29, 2018, 12:23:38 PM »

Seems to me a "cheater plug" should work just fine for bypassing the shutters of tamper resistant receptacles.

Trouble with a cheater is that it doesn't have a ground prong (or it wouldn't be a cheater, would it ? :) :) ).  A really short extension cord, like one of those wall-wart extenders might be useful, but you'd like one with a ground connection. I assume they exist. -F

A molded 3-wire cube tap would do the job.
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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #21 on: October 29, 2018, 12:52:22 PM »

Trouble with a cheater is that it doesn't have a ground prong (or it wouldn't be a cheater, would it ? :) :) ).  A really short extension cord, like one of those wall-wart extenders might be useful, but you'd like one with a ground connection. I assume they exist. -F

A molded 3-wire cube tap would do the job.

Oh, those short extension cords exist, in NEMA 5-15 (grounding) configuration. I've used dozens of 'em.

Tripp Lite Power Extension Cord, NEMA 5-15P to NEMA 5-15R - 10A, 120V, 18 AWG, 1 ft., Black

Or, if you prefer, here's a block adapter with a NEMA 5-15P (plug) on one side and C13 (IEC female) on the other:

Tripp Lite NEMA 5-15P to C13 Power Cord Adapter - 10A, 125V, Black
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Tim Hite

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #22 on: October 29, 2018, 02:07:06 PM »

I don't even want to guess what the product liability insurance would look like for whipping up a batch of suicide cordsets.

What would UL say?

It sounds like what we need is a simple molded piece with 5-15 prongs on one end and well-labeled and color coded banana jacks on the other. Actually, a set of these to fit L14-20, L14-30, L21-whatever would be a nice kit. Just in time for Christmas. With that you could perform whatever tests you want with meters, NCVTs, etc. It could be combined with a 3 light tester. -F
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Tim McCulloch

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #23 on: October 29, 2018, 02:53:45 PM »

I don't even want to guess what the product liability insurance would look like for whipping up a batch of suicide cordsets.

What would UL say?

UL won't care unless they're paid to.

Look at RV "power cord adapters" for some stuff that *likely* carries some kind of approval sticker but violate Electrical Code when used.
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Frank Koenig

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #24 on: October 29, 2018, 04:27:33 PM »

I don't even want to guess what the product liability insurance would look like for whipping up a batch of suicide cordsets.

What would UL say?

Come on Tim, while dangerous if misapplied, I'm not suggesting a suicide cord. This would be a meter accessory that would have a (male) power plug on one end and recessed (female) banana jacks on the other. Used in combination with meter leads that have the sleeved banana plugs this would be no more dangerous than a regular non tamper-resistant receptacle. You could go a step further and mold sleeved meter leads into the adapter but that would give up some flexibility. I assume Fluke pays a bit in liability premiums for all the stuff they sell. -F
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Stephen Swaffer

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #25 on: October 29, 2018, 06:43:41 PM »

A 5-15 wired to shrouded banana plugs is arguably no more dangerous than a test lead wired to the same shrouded banana plug.
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Tim Hite

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #26 on: October 29, 2018, 10:30:43 PM »

I wasn't shooting down the idea, at all. It's what I was considering making for myself at the start of this thread.

Frank mentioned "just in time for xmas" and I was thinking about the liability of manufacturing something like this to put in the hands of others.

Come on Tim, while dangerous if misapplied, I'm not suggesting a suicide cord. This would be a meter accessory that would have a (male) power plug on one end and recessed (female) banana jacks on the other. Used in combination with meter leads that have the sleeved banana plugs this would be no more dangerous than a regular non tamper-resistant receptacle. You could go a step further and mold sleeved meter leads into the adapter but that would give up some flexibility. I assume Fluke pays a bit in liability premiums for all the stuff they sell. -F
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Frank Koenig

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #27 on: October 30, 2018, 10:26:32 AM »

I wasn't shooting down the idea, at all. It's what I was considering making for myself at the start of this thread.

Frank mentioned "just in time for xmas" and I was thinking about the liability of manufacturing something like this to put in the hands of others.

Sorry. Another case of no one gets my bed pan humor :) I looked through the entire Fluke accessory catalog to see if they make such a thing and found none. Truth is, sticking regular meter probes into the receptacle works OK -- if you wiggle them around a bit you usually find voltage. Where they are less satisfactory is if you are trying to verify that a circuit is dead.

Another thought on the adapter, which came to me as a result of looking through the catalog, is that one could incorporate some resistors into the adapter to lower the effective meter input resistance to make readings less susceptible to stray voltage. Fluke makes such a device but it goes in-line between the meter and the test leads. In any case, all these are just one more thing to fiddle with and lose.

--Frank
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Tim Hite

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #28 on: October 30, 2018, 11:30:00 AM »

Part of the reason I want to use a test plug instead of test probes is that the plug dummy checks that the outlet is in OK physical condition. I've gotten caught out a couple times on outlets that have OK power on the probes but are too physically damaged inside to accept a plug.

If I can get a little better with my multimeter juggling act, I'm going to go audition for Cirue De Soleil. . .

Sorry. Another case of no one gets my bed pan humor :) I looked through the entire Fluke accessory catalog to see if they make such a thing and found none. Truth is, sticking regular meter probes into the receptacle works OK -- if you wiggle them around a bit you usually find voltage. Where they are less satisfactory is if you are trying to verify that a circuit is dead.

Another thought on the adapter, which came to me as a result of looking through the catalog, is that one could incorporate some resistors into the adapter to lower the effective meter input resistance to make readings less susceptible to stray voltage. Fluke makes such a device but it goes in-line between the meter and the test leads. In any case, all these are just one more thing to fiddle with and lose.

--Frank
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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #29 on: October 30, 2018, 02:05:44 PM »

Part of the reason I want to use a test plug instead of test probes is that the plug dummy checks that the outlet is in OK physical condition. I've gotten caught out a couple times on outlets that have OK power on the probes but are too physically damaged inside to accept a plug.

If I can get a little better with my multimeter juggling act, I'm going to go audition for Cirue De Soleil. . .

Might want to add something like this to your toolkit:
MOLEX/WOODHEAD 1760 Receptacle Tension Tester

(Not an endorsement. I've never actually used a tension tester. Available cheaper elsewhere.)
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Re: 5-15 multimeter leads?
« Reply #29 on: October 30, 2018, 02:05:44 PM »


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