The is a branch from another topic where I was wondering if "CAT II" is a useful safety marking.
The standard says that:
CAT III:
Appliance outlets with short connections to service entrance
CAT II:
Outlets at more than 10 meters (30 feet) from CAT III source.
Outlets at more than 20 meters (60 feet) from CAT IV source.
( ref:
https://www.fluke.com/en/learn/blog/safety/multimeter-guide )
So, given that:
a) There's basically no difference in price between a CAT II multimeter and a CAT III multimeter.
b) You can't tell what rating a mains socket is just by looking at it so you have to assume it's CAT III.
What use is CAT II when you're looking to buy a multimeter? Shouldn't you just go for CAT III and be done with it?
To me CAT II marking just seems to say "Don't buy me, get a CAT III meter instead!"
nb. I'm not arguing that there shouldn't be a difference between CAT II and CAT III safety precautions and procedures, eg. use of PPE in CAT III environments. Maybe
that should be separated out from the markings on test gear.