The EC&M Product of the Year award honors excellence in product innovation and development. For 2021, Everett, Wash.-based Fluke Corp. won the Platinum Award for its T6-1000 PRO electrical tester, which simultaneously displays voltage and current measurements.
“The T6-1000 PRO is the tool of choice for a lot of commercial and industrial electricians and technicians,” says Brian Painting, product manager for Fluke Corp. “These users really like the ability to see both voltage and current at the same time and on the same screen. This ability helps our users get all of the information they need at a glance.”
The tester leverages true-RMS technology, which gives users accurate results on different waveforms, often common in the industrial space. In addition, the tool allows users to work more safely and efficiently, Painting says.
“Thanks to FieldSense technology, they no longer need to make metallic contact with live electricity to be able to make a voltage measurement,” Painting says. “This is much safer than the traditional method of measuring voltage with test leads. Electricians and technicians love the increased safety and efficiency that comes with being able to do that.”
The FieldSense feature also enables users to make a voltage measurement at any point along a wire, not only at the panel. As a result, they can now make measurements in locations such as a junction box.
Fluke first introduced the FieldSense technology in 2017 with its original T6-600 and T6-1000 testers. After listening to feedback from industrial customers, the company made modifications to the T6-1000 PRO to meet their needs.
For example, customers wanted the FieldSense area to be larger so that they could more easily take noncontact voltage measurements.
“They were looking for solutions to both of those problems,” Painting says. “We took that information and Fluke engineers did an amazing job increasing the area in the fork where FieldSense will measure voltage.”
With the expanded FieldSense measurement area, those measurements can be obtained more easily than ever before.
Visual Continuity is a new feature on the T6-1000 PRO that allows users to check for continuity in situations where it may be difficult to hear the beeper. This feature illuminates the screen at the same time as the continuity beeper sounds, giving users both a visual and audible indication of continuity.
“This was a great solution for those loud work environments,” Painting says. “The Visual Continuity has resonated the most with the industrial users. This is a unique way to let the users know that they have continuity, and it solves a pain point that they’ve been dealing with for years.”
In addition to FieldSense and Visual Continuity, the tool also features other upgrades from the T5, including a screen backlight, dual readings, frequency measurement, and increased resistance measurement range.
“Users of the T6-1000 PRO need a reliable tool that’s safe, easy to use, and has all the features they need for quick diagnostic work,” Painting says. “They need a tool that is versatile enough that it can be used in various areas of a factory or plant. The T6-1000PRO meets all these needs.”
Retailing at $299.99, the T6-1000 PRO, which became commercially available in November 2020, includes an alligator clip for grounding and a holster that allows it to be easily carried on a belt.
“We did several months of testing leading up to that launch, which helped us to refine the product and get it just right,” Painting says. “Being able to measure voltage without making metallic contact is quite difficult and making that measurement area as large as possible is an even larger challenge. Fluke engineers explored several different methods to perfect the experience for our users.”
When designing the product, Fluke’s designers and engineers paid particular attention to its safety and ruggedness.
“We want to make sure that our products will be able to stand up to years of use reliably while also keeping our users safe,” Painting says. “As with all our products, the T6-1000 PRO went through an extensive series of electrical, durability, and ruggedness tests to ensure that it will meet our customers’ expectations years from now.”
For more information, visit www.fluke.com.
GOLD AWARD
WIRE CONNECTORS
SNAP! Connectors from Greaves, which won the Connectors & Terminating Devices category in the 2021 EC&M Product of the Year competition, was the first runner-up. The SNAP! hybrid compression/mechanical connector allows for installation in tight, limited spaces using just a common wrench. The UL-listed connectors are available in one-hole lugs, two-hole NEMA lugs, and splices. In addition, the American-made product covers wire sizes from 2 AWG through 500MCM.
SILVER AWARD
CIRCUIT BREAKERS
The silver award goes to ABB’s SACE Tmax XT7 Molded Case Circuit Breaker, the category winner for Protective Devices. Designed to work in extreme conditions, SACE Tmax XT molded-case circuit breakers monitor and control distribution. The Tmax XT7 and its motorized counterpart, the XT7M, are available for heavy-duty applications up to 1,200A. Commissioning is simplified by the company’s software, optional Bluetooth connectivity, and touchscreen HMI. The products also feature embedded load shedding and peak shaving capabilities; real-time load monitoring; and advanced protections for voltage, frequency, and power monitoring.
The EC&M Tradition Endures
Established in 2001, the EC&M Product of the Year competition recognizes excellence in new product development for the electrical industry. Honoring inventiveness in product design, as well as improvements in safety and efficiency, the competition’s two-fold judging and voting process determines the most ground-breaking products of the past year that allow electrical design professionals, installers, and maintenance personnel to perform their jobs more efficiently and effectively.
Products eligible for this year’s competition were those introduced to the market between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020. A hand-picked panel of judges ranked the 103 products entered into this year’s contest based on a uniform list of scoring criteria, ultimately selecting 31 category winners for the first phase of the competition. These category winners were then narrowed down to just three finalists through an online poll available to our readers on the EC&M website. EC&M subscribers determined the platinum, gold, and silver award-winning products of the year by casting their votes.
