Rant: I thought those new wireless testers were just a gimmick until a job in Seattle

Honestly, I was convinced my old Fluke multimeter was all I'd ever need and that the wireless ones were just expensive toys. Then I got stuck trying to diagnose an intermittent fault on a 15-story bank building's controller from the machine room, and the wireless unit let me monitor the car top signals from the pit without running a 200-foot lead. What specific wireless tools have you guys actually found reliable enough for daily use on commercial jobs?

3 comments

3 Comments

seanperez1mo ago

Wait, you'd rather run a 200-foot lead down an elevator shaft than use a wireless tool? That sounds like a nightmare to set up and a real trip hazard... I get being worried about batteries, but that's why you keep spares. The time saved not messing with all that wire is huge.

ward.fiona1h ago

Wait, @fisher.reese, isnt it a bit unfair to call it a gimmick just because of battery life? I mean, yeah, batteries die, but thats true for any cordless drill or meter too, right? You just keep a spare pack in your bag and you are good. The Bluetooth dropouts you mentioned are real with cheap units I agree, but the good ones like the Fluke Connect stuff have the range and stability for a full shaft run. Idk, maybe Ive just had better luck with them, but the time I save not dragging 200 feet of lead around feels like a huge win. And for the record, a helper isnt always an option, especially on a quick solo service call.

fisher.reese1mo ago

Still seems like a gimmick to me. That's a very specific problem you could solve with a long lead or a helper. Battery dies on your fancy wireless unit and you're stuck. Seen too many techs waste time messing with Bluetooth connections instead of just getting the job done. Old tools work because they're simple and always ready.