For this review PE Product Tester, Peter Gill, gives us his verdict on the Martindale ET4000 multifunction tester.
What attracted you to the tool in the first place?
I’ve used a number of different brands of testers in my work over the years – some that I’ve been
impressed with and others that I haven’t! Having seen the advertisements for the Martindale ET4000 I liked the professional look of the product immediately, as well as some of the features and functionality that it offers. Martindale has also been around for a long time, so I knew that it was at rusted brand with a decent reputation.
What were your first impressions of the unit?
I was extremely impressed with the tester from the get-go. It felt like a well-built piece of kit that is robust and strong enough for the rigours of everyday use on-site. It comes with a nice carry case that’s designed to house the unit and allows you to perform testing without having to take the unit out of the case, while the test leads can be plugged in via a zipped flap. It’s comfortable when worn around your neck and very easy to carry as well.
Was the unit easy to use and operate?
One of the real beauties of the ET4000 is how easy it is to use and there are so many options and features available on the unit that will save time and hassle for electricians. One example is that the tester has the latest amendment 3 fuse tables for Zs values built in to it so you can input the details of which MCB is being tested and the unit will then give you the maximum test value for that particular MCB. You can then set the ‘80% rule’ and, when the MCB is tested, the tester will light up green for a pass, or red for a fail, as well as giving you the actual value – a very handy visual indicator.
The visual display is clear and easy to read, offering the user the capability to see all results from an RCD auto test on screen, and the buttons, dial and help menus are simple to operate and understand. If you’re familiar with MFTs then you shouldn’t really need any additional training to use the ET4000 – it was a case of reading through the instructions and away I went.
Any examples of tasks that the product helped you with?
The ET4000 was used on a daily basis for a whole host of jobs, including minor works, EICRs and EICs. I can honestly say that it has performed effortlessly on each task I’ve used it for and there have been no issues at all.
Are there any features/benefits of the tool that you particularly liked?
As mentioned earlier, the 80% value option, with the green and red indicators, is a great feature and makes things far quicker and easier when you’re testing on-site. I was also impressed with the rechargeable batteries and charge lead. I can’t tell you how much grief this saved me, as at the end of the week I would just stick the meter on charge so that it was ready for the following week’s work. The carry case is very well made and durable, comfortable to wear and very practical when being used, especially for long periods of time.
Would you recommend the tool to other electricians?
I’d have no hesitation with recommending the ET4000 to fellow contractors as I found it to be a great piece of kit that is strong, robust, looks professional and is so easy to operate. If you’re looking for a good value tester, that does the job exactly as it should be done, then this is worth serious consideration!
For more information about the Martindale ET4000 MFT visit: www.martindale-electric.co.uk
