robin kts 1620 or Metrel EasiTest MI 2087 AL2 help needed or at least advice

[angellonewolf]

a bit of advice ive had a Metrel EasiTest MI 2087 AL2 for quite a while for some basic testing of circuits and motor cheaks mostly for the megger side of it and continuity tests its done me ok and find it easy to use

ive just got a robin kts multi unit was non working as batterys leaked in the back of the unit lucky it was contained to the battery contacts that cleaned up nice and near like new so after putting in new batterys and a quick clean powers on and seams good to go

now this puts me in a but of a what one do i keep the metrel looks a nicer unit but its well worn and possably looks like its more robust but heavy but the robin is a make i know looks tidy smaller unit not as automatic as the metrel

so i assume as a quick cheak on google the robin is 16th edition current and seams to beable to use on the 18th ed as well what about the metrel the info on that seams to be harder to find so dont know about if it can be used on the 18th (not that im going to be using most of the stuff both can do but dont want to get rid on the better one incase i end up needing some thing the other could have done

pics of units

 

[MetalMonkey]

Both units will do any tests you need to do - anything stating it is a "17th or 18th" edition tester etc is just a load of marketing w**k basically.
Newer testers will have features which make life easier, but the basic tests can still be done on those machines.

However, (and its a big one), the feature they are missing will be the anti-trip RCD testing - which is an absolute ball ache if you have to link out the RCD.
I'm fairly sure that Robin doesn't have D-Lock (which was Robins attempt at anti-trip), and it wasnt very good at the best of times. Some of the later Kewtech versions had ATT.
Other than that the Robins were bombproof.

The metrel has triplock, which I think is their version of anti-trip - but i have no idea how good it is - so that may be more useful. The metrel also takes their own special leads which is annoying.
Both units are still useful, for the money they are worth I'd keep them both around as handy to have a spare.

 

[dobbslc]

Yeah I remember D-lock, it never really worked.
I also remember the Robin units would instantly blow up if I connected it up the wrong way.
I don't know anything about the Metrel ones although your one seems to have something called "triplock" is that something to do with the loop test ?

 

[angellonewolf]

Both units will do any tests you need to do - anything stating it is a "17th or 18th" edition tester etc is just a load of marketing w**k basically.
Newer testers will have features which make life easier, but the basic tests can still be done on those machines.

However, (and its a big one), the feature they are missing will be the anti-trip RCD testing - which is an absolute ball ache if you have to link out the RCD.
I'm fairly sure that Robin doesn't have D-Lock (which was Robins attempt at anti-trip), and it wasnt very good at the best of times. Some of the later Kewtech versions had ATT.
Other than that the Robins were bombproof.

The metrel has triplock, which I think is their version of anti-trip - but i have no idea how good it is - so that may be more useful. The metrel also takes their own special leads which is annoying.
Both units are still useful, for the money they are worth I'd keep them both around as handy to have a spare.

theres positive and negatives that i can see for both the robin is light will probably do most of what i need but the metrel seams to be the better unit but well used and heavy bulky when in use fuse boards are never in easy places under stairs top of a wall some where up high so the light would be better but not if the metrel is a better unit its rare i use it

id like to keep both but space is some thing ive not a lot of and i keep getting tools i realy realy need and i need space for them