💡
18
c/cable-installers•wadew51wadew51•17d ago

Appreciation post: my old Klein coax tester finally gave up the ghost after 8 years

It just died mid-job in a Phoenix attic yesterday, and I had to finish the run using the tone generator from my truck. Anyone have a tester they swear by now that can handle the heat?
3 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In
3 Comments
ray_martinez82
Eight years in Phoenix attics is a good run for any tool. My old Fluke meter cooked itself in a Vegas crawlspace last summer, just went blank. The plastic casing actually warped. Had to finish the day using the continuity beep on a cheap backup multimeter, which was a pain. Heat out here just eats electronics.
5
charlescraig
Feel your pain, my backup meter's beep sounds so sad and weak it makes me apologize to the wires. I dropped my good one off a ladder into a bucket of drywall mud once, which is a different kind of tool death. At least the heat just melts things quietly, my mistake sounded like a sad cartoon splat. Honestly, eight years in that oven is like a medal of honor for a piece of gear.
1
charlescraig
Grab a small insulated cooler bag for attic work. Keep the meter in there when you're not using it. It blocks the radiant heat and keeps the plastic from baking. My current one has lasted three summers that way, even with the black case. What's the hottest you've seen your attic get?
2