Harbor Freight Tools that don't suck

[mvwicker]

Ours are holding our "Shelter Logic" temporary garage down to the ground augers and therefore keeping our tractor covered....

Thomas
No matter where you go; there you are...

That should stand up to a pretty good wind.

Essentially the same thing (2" strap, ratchet tightener, but with 80 ft of strap) is sold for $90 to crazy kids for "slackline" exercise, like tightrope walking only closer to the ground:

Gibbon Red Classic Long Slackline Kit - 25 meters - Free Shipping at REI.com

I'm thinking of revisiting my youth and using one HF strap between two trees. How hard can it be?

 

[BigE_]

I was using similar straps when trailering my tractor, but then switched over to chains (Grade 70 from HF). I didn't have any of my tractor straps break, but I was transporting a small chipper and had two of the straps get worn through enough to break. They were new when the trip started out... I don't know how the chipper stayed on the trailer, honestly.

Anyway, it woke me up enough to realize that I didn't want to trust nylon straps when I had the option of chains.

 

[California]

I think Dargo posted long ago in this thread that his HF nylon straps wore through, frighteningly fast.

 

[caver]

I'll never buy anything electronic from them again. I got burned twice. $80 bore scope failed with little use in less than a year. The reviews looked ok when I bought it. Now several have had failures. Well, it was a fun tool while it lasted.

 

[sixdogs]

I think Dargo posted long ago in this thread that his HF nylon straps wore through, frighteningly fast.

I think most any strap will if it rubs against a sharp bolt or object that has the potential to cut it.
The straps I have now are "Allied" brand that I have had for 14 years. They are doubled-up heavy nylon and have lasted all this time. They weren't all that expensive and I sure wish I could find them again. Most of the straps today look way too thin yet I hate to use chains because of the weight and hassle.

 

[stonypass]

Re: Clamp-On Multimeter

Did you have to do anything funny to get that to work? I got one last year and the clamp part doesn't seem to work.

Aaron Z

Did you know that it has to be clamped around one side of a circuit?
You can't just clamp it around a power cord.

Try taking the cover off your breaker box and clamp it around each wire hooked to a breaker, set it for AC amps and it should work fine that way.
You can also use a line splitter so you don't have to split the wires on a power cord.
I have a Kill-A-Watt that does the same thing and also calculates operating costs.

You might also make sure the hold button isn't pressed in, that would keep it from showing any new readings on the display.

 

[aczlan]

Re: Clamp-On Multimeter

Did you know that it has to be clamped around one side of a circuit?
You can't just clamp it around a power cord.

You learn something new every day. When used properly, it works just fine
Now I know that my on demand tankless hot water heater pulls 44 amps at 240V

Thanks

Aaron Z

 

[stonypass]

Re: Clamp-On Multimeter

You learn something new every day. When used properly, it works just fine
Now I know that my on demand tankless hot water heater pulls 44 amps at 240V

Thanks

Aaron Z

Seems like a lot, but I guess its only drawing power when needed and has to make hot water quick.
Highest draw in our house is the Range/Oven combo, with all four burners and the oven on it draws 45 amps at 240v although in actual use I'm not sure they have ever all been on.
Even the next hungriest appliance doesn't come close, the Clothes Dryer at 24.5 amps at 240v.

 

[aczlan]

Re: Clamp-On Multimeter

Seems like a lot, but I guess its only drawing power when needed and has to make hot water quick.
Highest draw in our house is the Range/Oven combo, with all four burners and the oven on it draws 45 amps at 240v although in actual use I'm not sure they have ever all been on.
Even the next hungriest appliance doesn't come close, the Clothes Dryer at 24.5 amps at 240v.

It is a lot, but it only runs for ~40 mins/day when we are using hot water. We mainly run it in the summer as in the winter when we are heating the house, we use an indirect HW heater that is connected to the hot water heating system (they are connected in series so the indirect heats the water and if it runs out or is off, the on demand one turns on).
Will significantly change our backup generator needs though...

Aaron Z

 

[California]

Re: Clamp-On Multimeter

on demand tankless hot water heater pulls 44 amps at 240V....
Will significantly change our backup generator needs though

Is your power down very often? I wonder if a second, smaller heater on a single faucet (or shower?) might be sufficient during power outages. This might allow a smaller generator sized to whatever else is critical.