There’s a hard lesson every sparkie or maintenance tech eventually learns: a bargain-bin multimeter costs you far more in wasted time and wrong readings than it ever saves at checkout. Whether you’re chasing a voltage drop in an industrial switchboard, verifying isolation on a 400 V drive system, or checking VFD output waveforms on a conveyor line, you need a meter that tells you the truth — every time.

The Megger AVO840 True RMS Digital Multimeter is built for exactly that environment. Rated CAT III 1000 V and CAT IV 600 V to IEC 61010, it covers the full sweep of Australian trade and industrial applications, from 230 V residential circuits right through to 415 V three-phase industrial plant. It’s not just a safety rating on paper — the AVO840 is double-insulated, drop-tested to 2 m, and rated IP44 for dust and water resistance. You can use it in a motor control centre, a roof cavity, or a construction site in the rain.

True RMS Measurement — Why It Actually Matters

An average-responding meter will give you a dangerously misleading reading on anything other than a pure sine wave. The AVO840 delivers genuine True RMS measurement across both AC voltage and AC current — meaning it accurately captures the real heating value of distorted, pulsed, triangular, and trapezia waveforms with an AC bandwidth of 50 Hz to 1 kHz.

In practical terms: when you’re testing VFD motor outputs, power supplies, UPS systems, or any load with non-linear switching characteristics, the AVO840 gives you the number you can actually act on. Average-responding meters on these signals can be off by 10–40%. That’s the difference between a pass and a missed fault.

Low-Z Mode — Silence the Ghost Voltages

Anyone who’s worked on modern energy-efficient buildings or long cable runs knows the frustration of ghost voltages — stray induced voltages that show up on dead circuits and make you doubt whether something is truly de-energised. The AVO840’s Low-Z mode switches the input to an approximately 3 kΩ impedance, loading the circuit enough to collapse any capacitively coupled phantom voltage while still measuring genuine supply voltages accurately.

This is especially important for compliance verification: when you need to prove a circuit is isolated before working on it, a ghost voltage reading on a high-impedance meter creates unnecessary risk and paperwork. The AVO840 gives you a clean, reliable answer.

Stay Connected — Bluetooth & the AVO Link App

The AVO840 pairs wirelessly with Android or iOS devices via Bluetooth, giving you access to the free Megger AVO Link App. This lets you log readings remotely, monitor measurements from a safe distance when working near energised equipment, share live data with a colleague or supervisor, and run more sophisticated diagnostics from your phone or tablet.

For solar installers doing string voltage checks on rooftops, or maintenance technicians monitoring motor current trends across a shift, the ability to capture and export readings without transcription errors is a genuine productivity gain.

Built for the Trade Environment

The AVO840 isn’t a lab instrument dressed up for field use — it’s designed from the ground up for working tradies and technical professionals:

Drop resistance: Tested to survive a 2 m fall onto a hard surface. In an enclosure panel or on a scaffold, meters get dropped. The AVO840 is built to survive it.

IP44 enclosure: The double-moulded housing keeps out dust and water splashes, making the AVO840 suitable for outdoor work and harsh industrial environments.

Built-in LED torch: The working light means you can probe junction boxes, switchboards, and dark cable trays without needing a second set of hands. Small detail, big difference on the job.

Analogue bar graph: Useful for tracking signals that fluctuate over time — motor startup currents, contact bounce, voltage instability — where a numerical display updates too slowly to capture what’s happening.

Auto power off: Activates after approximately 15 minutes of inactivity so you’re not chasing a flat battery on the job.

Measurement Capability at a Glance

The AVO840 covers the full range of measurements a working electrician or maintenance tech needs in a single instrument:

• AC & DC Voltage to 1000 V (6000-count resolution, True RMS)
• AC & DC Current to 10 A (μA, mA, and A ranges)
• Resistance to 60 MΩ (6 ranges from 600 Ω to 60 MΩ)
• Capacitance to 6000 μF (6 ranges)
• Frequency to 10 kHz with duty cycle measurement
• Temperature −20 °C to 760 °C via K-type thermocouple (included)
• Continuity with audible beep (< 50 Ω threshold)
• Diode test (1 mA typical test current, 3 V open circuit voltage)
• Min/Max/Average recording for signal fluctuation capture

Who the AVO840 Is Right For

Electrical Contractors: Everyday voltage proving, fault finding, continuity checking, and load current measurement — from domestic switchboards through to commercial switchgear. CAT III 1000 V and CAT IV 600 V coverage handles the full range of Australian installation work.

Industrial Maintenance Teams: Motor current trending, VFD output analysis, PLC signal verification, and HVAC system diagnostics. True RMS and Low-Z are non-negotiable for this environment. The AVO840 handles it all.

Solar Installers: String voltage checking, insulation testing preparation, and inverter output measurement. Bluetooth data logging means fewer errors when recording results at height or in awkward positions.

Facility Managers & Safety Officers: Voltage verification before maintenance tasks, continuity confirmation in emergency lighting systems, and general electrical safety spot-checks. The AVO840’s ruggedness and clear CAT rating make it a defensible choice for compliance documentation.

HVAC Technicians: Temperature measurement with included K-type thermocouple, motor current measurement, capacitor testing, and low-voltage control circuit verification.

Technical Specifications

What’s in the Box

• AVO840 Multimeter (1015-514)
• 1 m 4 mm non-fused right-angle connector test leads × 2 (rated CAT III 1000 V / CAT IV 600 V / 10 A max)
• 4 mm exposed metal probes × 2
• Exposed tip probes for CAT II probing × 2
• Red and black crocodile clips (rated double insulated, CAT III 1000 V / CAT IV 600 V / 10 A max)
• K-type multimeter adapter
• K-type thermocouple lead
• Soft carry case
• 4 mm cap plugs × 2
• AAA alkaline batteries (pre-installed)

What is the Megger AVO840 used for?

The Megger AVO840 is a professional True RMS digital multimeter used for electrical fault-finding, industrial maintenance, and compliance verification. It measures AC and DC voltage to 1000 V, AC and DC current to 10 A, resistance to 60 MΩ, capacitance to 6000 μF, frequency to 10 kHz, and temperature via K-type thermocouple. Common applications include switchboard testing, motor current measurement, VFD output analysis, HVAC diagnostics, and voltage proving on de-energised circuits. It is suited for licensed electricians, industrial maintenance teams, solar installers, and HVAC technicians working across Australian residential, commercial, and industrial sites.

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What does Low-Z mean on a multimeter?

Low-Z (low impedance) mode switches the multimeter’s voltage input to a low input impedance — approximately 3 kΩ on the AVO840 — rather than the standard high-impedance input (> 10 MΩ). This loads the circuit under test enough to suppress ghost voltages: stray induced voltages that appear on de-energised conductors near live cables due to capacitive coupling. In Low-Z mode, a genuine live voltage will still read correctly, but phantom voltages will collapse to near zero. This makes Low-Z mode essential for safe absence-of-voltage verification before commencing electrical work.

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Is the Megger AVO840 True RMS?

Yes. The AVO840 measures both AC voltage and AC current using True RMS (Root Mean Square) calculation, not average-responding simulation. True RMS accurately measures the real heating value of any AC waveform — including distorted, pulsed, triangular, and trapezia waveforms — with an AC bandwidth of 50 Hz to 1 kHz. This is essential when measuring variable frequency drive (VFD) outputs, UPS systems, electronic ballasts, switching power supplies, and other non-sinusoidal loads where average-responding meters can produce readings that are 10–40% in error.

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What safety rating does the Megger AVO840 have?

The AVO840 is rated CAT III 1000 V and CAT IV 600 V in accordance with IEC 61010-2-033. CAT III 1000 V covers fixed electrical installation work including distribution boards, switchgear, and industrial equipment operating from a 230/400 V supply. CAT IV 600 V covers measurements at the origin of a low-voltage installation — such as utility metering points and overhead line connection points. The meter also complies with IEC 61010-1 Pollution Degree 2 and carries EMC certification to IEC 61326-1 / CISPR 11 Group 1 Class A.

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Does the Megger AVO840 work with a phone app?

Yes. The AVO840 connects to Android and iOS smartphones and tablets via Bluetooth, and is compatible with the free Megger AVO Link App. The app allows you to view live measurements remotely, log readings over time, capture Min/Max/Average data, and share results digitally — useful for reporting, commissioning documentation, and monitoring readings from a safe distance when working near energised equipment.

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How tough is the Megger AVO840?

The AVO840 is rated IP44 (protection against solid objects > 1 mm and water splashing from any direction) with a double-moulded enclosure. It has been designed and tested to withstand a 2 m drop onto a hard surface. It operates in temperatures from 0 to 40 °C at up to 70% relative humidity, and can be stored down to −10 °C. The fuses are high-rupture-capacity types: 10 A / 1000 V / 30 kA on the amp input and 800 mA / 1000 V / 30 kA on the mA input, providing substantial overcurrent protection in the event of a test error.

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What accessories come with the AVO840?

The AVO840 (part number 1015-514) ships with a comprehensive accessory set: two 1 m 4 mm right-angle test leads, two 4 mm metal probes, two exposed-tip CAT II probes, red and black crocodile clips, a K-type thermocouple lead and multimeter adapter for temperature measurement, a soft carry case, 4 mm cap plugs, and AAA alkaline batteries. All included leads are rated double insulated, CAT III 1000 V / CAT IV 600 V / 10 A max. Optional accessories include fused test leads (part 1002-015), unfused test leads with crocodile clips (1002-001), and a magnetic hanging strap (1010-013).

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