Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[thepumpguysc]

U hit it on the head Code54.. Whats the 1st question anyone asks??
ARE U GETTIN JUICE?? IS THE BATTERY CHARGED?? UH, I don't know..
Hold on.. I'll go to my locked toolbox & get my 500.00 Fluke meter, oh wait I have to go find the key..
OR.. I'll open the glove box & pull out the HF meter..

 

[Code54]

Exactly - I have one of the meters in my work truck just in case I need to check something real quick. Also if someone needs a meter I show them how to use it then give it to them so they have something to start with.

 

[Rock Crawler]

Have you guys noticed this one.... This is 33% off, that's actually a really good coupon.

 

[Rock Crawler]

So grab that, and then grab the adapter kit at $69.99 with the 3 day 25% off at $52.50 and for around $115 your all set for 1 ton ball joints on your Dana axles, your Jeeps, your U Joints and a bunch of other press like things.

Boom! Making money!

 

[California]

Seems like 9 out of 10 times I am just looking to see if I am getting any reading so they are good for that.

Come to think of it my most frequent use of a multimeter is to check AA and AAA batteries, to see if they are still good. The variety of readings I saw on my HF meters was a distraction. That was when I went looking for the next step up in quality and found the Bosch meters in a local Fry's ad.

I always need an excuse to go to Fry's!

 

[Travelover]

Come to think of it my most frequent use of a multimeter is to check AA and AAA batteries, to see if they are still good. .......

I've got a 3 LED tester from Dollar Tree that works amazingly well. Even does 9 volt batteries.

 

[John_Mc]

... Voltage reading is identical between the two Bosch meters and matches a lab-grade bench multimeter I had borrowed to calibrate the HF meters.

By "calibrate the HF meters" do you mean you actually adjusted them to read more accurately, or did you just check how far off they were? If you did adjust them, how did you do it? I haven't opened one up yet to see what they look like inside.

 

[newbury]

<snip>
I always need an excuse to go to Fry's!

You should never NEED an EXCUSE to go to Fry's!

 

[4get gto]

Come to think of it my most frequent use of a multimeter is to check (THEIR) AA and AAA batteries, to see if they are still good.

Made an adjustment... :laughing:

 

[Diggin It]

I have several of the meters. They all seem to have died over the years. Some of them don't even turn on any more. New batteries accomplish nothing.

 

[John_Mc]

I have several of the meters. They all seem to have died over the years. Some of them don't even turn on any more. New batteries accomplish nothing.

Yeah... they're not the most durable thing out there. I bought one for about $5, got 3 more for free. If I'd actually paid real money for them, I'd be a bit more upset about the one that failed. The others vary from 1 to 4 years old and still working.

 

[Wasmeneh]

I've also had several. None have worked consistently. Some never worked.

 

[Ford850]

I only tried one of the HF meters. First time I used it, both wires fell out of the plug ends. I tossed it in the trash. I guess I should pick up a couple more when I see them for free so I can give them another chance. I agree that having a 'not great but ok' meter always handy beats having an exceptional meter tucked away somewhere.

 

[Diggin It]

Really all I ever use them for is an 'is or isn't' test. Is there voltage or isn't there. Is there continuity or isn't there. I would never try to take a reading that really mattered

 

[reb]

I got one of the free HF meters. It didn't work when I got it home. The Fluke in the workshop still works, so I use that. I bought it about 20 years or so ago for somewhere around $100. Are they $400 to $500 now?

 

[downsizingnow48]

95% (maybe 99%) of all electrical faults in the home do not require a wagging pointer to figure out what is wrong. I use a non-contact probe which is very safe and much faster and easier to use than a voltmeter. And a plug in outlet tester. Also much easier to use than a voltmeter. I do have a couple decades old Fluke meters, originally bought for fixing and building guitar amps, but seldom use them these days. I cannot see any use for a hit or miss, here today gone tomorrow HF meter. The one thing you really DO want in an electrical tester is predictable reliability, which they do not have.

 

[bcp]

The one thing you really DO want in an electrical tester is predictable reliability, which they do not have.

Needle doesn't move. Either the circuit is dead or the meter is dead.

Bruce

 

[downsizingnow48]

Needle doesn't move. Either the circuit is dead or the meter is dead.

Bruce

exactly. I am not ready to bet my life on a HF meter.

 

[Rock Crawler]

I made good use of that ball joint press coupon and the 25% off this morning. I took my father out to breakfast and then ran to HF to make my calculated move.

I feel that this is actually a really great price at $59 for the ball joint press kit with the coupon and then the 25% off of the adapter expansion kit.

What I didn't know and I learned today is that no Maddox is lifetime warranty. And not all Pittsburgh or Pittsburgh Pro are lifetime. Only hand tools, as in told that you pick up and use in the hand. I'm not sure where that line is drawn because sockets, extensions and impact sockets are lifetime.... But the adapter expansion kit and the ball joint press kit are not hand tools and are 90 day only... Unless you pay up for the 2 year. I did not.

I'm not sure that I understand how or where that line is between lifetime and 90 days.

 

[KubotainNH]

I've eyeballed that ball joint press set but don't replace them often enough at this point. Plus some of my cars would get a full control arm over a new ball joint as no one sells just the ball joint. Last time I borrowed one from Autozone. I always need to watch the line between want and need seeing I have limited space and finances.

That Braun bar light for $20 may end up in my workshop though. The coupon is good for quite awhile.