JIMMIE wrote:

Its also built with safety in mind but be
damned if Im going to measure a thousand volts while holding the Fluke
in my hand any quicker than I will a $3 meter.. The damage I see to
meters is more abuse than anything else. From dropping them from top a
30ft ladder to measuring 440 while set to ohms.

You don't have to be measuring a thousand volts. Measuring in a power
panel with a low quality can result in you wearing the meter. For
instance, measuring the bus voltage on ohms.

There is a "category" rating for meters based on the energy available at
different parts of the supply circuit. Meters for panels have, among
other things, fuses with high enough interrupt ratings to provide
protection, and leads that are not likely to get you into trouble.

The fuses in a Fluke meter are far better than you are likely to find in
a HF meter.

Most Fluke meters have category ratings. If you are in the service panel
a cat rated meter is a real good idea. If you are an employee and in a
service panel OSHA might have opinions on what is an adequate meter.

Some industrial settings might be subject to transients that are over
the meter rating and cause the meter to arc over with resulting arc flash.

If you are working on something like audio equipment it doesn't much
matter.

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