Specification, authorised supply, calibration, safety ratings, scope of supply, support, total cost, delivery terms, tenders and training: ten checks to make before buying test equipment in Jordan. From EE Electronics, Amman.
In this article
Key takeaways
- Specify what the instrument must do, not only the brand and model. A clear specification gets you comparable quotations and fewer surprises at delivery.
- Buy through the manufacturer’s authorised channel. Grey-market and counterfeit instruments may carry no valid warranty, and a fake meter can fail to protect the user.
- Insist on a calibration certificate, the right CAT safety rating and documentation your consultant or client will accept.
- Compare quotations on total cost: accessories, calibration, warranty, delivery terms, the 16% general sales tax and support, not just the unit price.
Buying test equipment in Jordan looks simple: find the model, ask for a price, place the order. In practice, the purchase decides whether your team gets a genuine, calibrated instrument that consultants accept and the manufacturer supports, or a cheaper unit with no valid warranty, the wrong accessories and a certificate nobody can trace.
Procurement officers, project engineers and maintenance managers across Jordan face the same questions on every order. Is this the right specification? Is the supplier authorised? Does the quotation include the probes, the software and the calibration certificate? Will it arrive before commissioning? This article from EE Electronics, a supplier of test and measurement equipment in Jordan for more than 30 years, sets out ten checks to make before you order. Use them for a single multimeter or for a full commissioning kit.
| Check | What to do | What it protects |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Specification | Define what the instrument must measure, to what accuracy and safety rating | Comparable quotations |
| 2. Authorised source | Buy through the manufacturer’s authorised channel | Genuine product, valid warranty |
| 3. Calibration certificate | Ask for a certificate with every instrument | Accepted test results |
| 4. Safety and compliance | Check CAT rating, standards and markings | Safe use, consultant approval |
| 5. Scope of supply | Confirm leads, probes, software and cases are included | No missing items on site |
| 6. Warranty and support | Who repairs it, where and how fast | Less downtime |
| 7. Total cost | Add calibration, accessories and training over the instrument’s life | Real budget |
| 8. Delivery and terms | Lead time, delivery terms, currency and tax | On-time, no hidden costs |
| 9. Tender documents | Datasheets and compliance statements | Faster technical evaluation |
| 10. Training and handover | Make sure the team can use it on day one | Return on investment |
1. Write a specification, not just a model number
Most requests that reach a supplier in Jordan contain a brand and a model, copied from an old purchase or a colleague’s recommendation. That works until the model has been replaced, the old one no longer suits the job, or a competing offer quotes something “equivalent” that is not. A short specification avoids all three.
For each instrument, write down what it must do. The table shows what to include, using an insulation tester as the example.
| Item | Example requirement | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Insulation resistance with PI, DAR and step-voltage tests | Lists every test you will run |
| Range | Test voltages 500 V to 5 kV; measurement up to 10 TΩ | Covers your highest asset class |
| Accuracy | ±5% of reading at mid-range | Makes offers comparable |
| Safety | CAT IV 600 V to IEC 61010 | Protects the user at the point of use |
| Standards | Meets IEC 61557-2 where applicable | Accepted by consultants |
| Data | Internal memory, USB download, report software | Test records for handover |
| Scope | Leads, clips, carrying case, software, calibration certificate | Nothing missing on delivery |
Not sure what to specify? Our electrical testing equipment list groups the instruments by job and lists what to look for in each, and our buying articles go deeper on insulation testers and thermal imaging cameras.
2. Buy from the manufacturer’s authorised channel
Test and measurement instruments are safety equipment. A meter connected to a live 400 V busbar has to survive a voltage transient without exposing the user to an arc. That protection depends on design, components and testing you cannot see from the outside, and it is exactly what counterfeit and some grey-market instruments lack.
Manufacturers are clear about the risks. Fluke, for example, warns that counterfeit test tools “can be especially dangerous” because they may fail to protect users from shock, and states that only tools bought from authorised distributors or directly from Fluke are eligible for its product warranty and free warranty repairs. Fluke also notes that warranty service can only be obtained in the country of original purchase, so an instrument bought abroad and carried into Jordan may not be covered locally.
| Authorised | Grey market | Counterfeit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | Manufacturer’s authorised channel | Sold outside the authorised channel | Fake product |
| Warranty | Valid, serviced locally | Often not valid, or only in the country of sale | None |
| Safety | Tested to the stated rating | Genuine but no guarantee of storage or handling | Unknown, often unsafe |
| Calibration | Certificate supplied | Often missing | Meaningless |
| Support and training | Local | Usually none | None |
A price far below what authorised suppliers quote, a seller with no physical address or contact details, poor packaging, spelling mistakes on labels, and missing serial numbers are all reasons to stop and check before you pay.
When in doubt, ask the supplier how it sources the product, and check the serial number with the manufacturer. A genuine supplier will not mind the question.
3. Insist on a calibration certificate
A test result is only as credible as the instrument that produced it. Consultants, utilities and international clients working in Jordan increasingly ask to see the calibration certificate of every instrument used for commissioning tests, and quality systems such as ISO 9001 require measuring equipment to be calibrated at defined intervals.
Know what you are asking for. A traceable calibration certificate shows the instrument was checked against reference standards linked to national or international standards. An accredited certificate, issued by a laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025, adds an independent check of the lab’s competence and normally reports measurement uncertainty. Many projects accept traceable certificates; some contracts specify accredited ones. Check before you order.
- The certificate shows the instrument’s model and serial number.
- It lists the test points, the readings and whether each passed.
- It states the date of calibration and the reference standards used.
- It is recent: most instruments are recalibrated every 12 months.
- For critical work, it reports measurement uncertainty or comes from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited lab.
If your organisation calibrates its own instruments, EE Electronics also supplies multifunction, process and electrical calibrators for in-house labs.
4. Check the safety rating and compliance
The measurement category (CAT) printed by the terminals, defined in IEC 61010, tells you where in an installation the instrument is safe to use: CAT III for distribution boards and fixed wiring, CAT IV for main switchboards, service entrances and outdoor supply points. Match the rating to the highest point your team will connect to, and make sure the test leads carry the same rating as the meter.
Beyond CAT ratings, check the standards your client will ask for. Installation testers should meet the relevant parts of IEC 61557; PV testers should support IEC 62446-1 tests; MV cable test sets should support the test voltages in IEEE 400.2, explained in our article on VLF cable testing. Ask the supplier to confirm compliance in writing when the specification depends on it.
Want a specification checked before you order?
Send EE Electronics your requirement or an existing quotation. Our engineers will check the specification, the safety rating and the scope of supply, and reply within 24 hours.
5. Confirm exactly what is in the box
Two quotations for the “same” instrument can differ significantly in price because of what is included. A thermal camera may be quoted with or without reporting software; a power quality analyzer with three or four current probes, or none; a relay test set with or without the software licence that makes it usable. Missing items usually come to light on site, on the day you need them.
Ask every supplier to list the scope of supply line by line:
- Main unit and the exact model or kit code.
- Test leads, probes, clamps and adapters, with their ratings.
- Software and licences, and whether updates are included.
- Carrying case, batteries and charger, and the mains plug type for Jordan.
- Calibration certificate and user manual.
- Any optional accessories you will need for your application.
6. Ask who supports the instrument after delivery
Every instrument eventually needs support: a firmware update, a replacement lead, a repair after a drop, or a user who forgot how to run a test. The question is whether that support is a phone call in Amman or a shipment abroad.
| Topic | Ask the supplier |
|---|---|
| Warranty | How long is the manufacturer’s warranty, and is it valid in Jordan? |
| Repairs | Who handles warranty and out-of-warranty repairs, and where? |
| Downtime | Is a loan or replacement unit available during repairs of critical instruments? |
| Spares | Are leads, probes, batteries and accessories available locally? |
| Recalibration | Who recalibrates the instrument each year, and how long does it take? |
| Software | Who helps with software, licences and firmware updates? |
7. Budget for the total cost, not the unit price
The purchase price is often less than half of what an instrument costs over its working life. A cheaper unit that needs an expensive calibration abroad, has no local spares or cannot be repaired can easily cost more over five years than a better-supported instrument.
| Cost item | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Purchase | Unit price, accessories, software licences |
| Calibration | Annual recalibration and the time the instrument is unavailable |
| Consumables | Test leads, probes, batteries, fuses |
| Repairs | Out-of-warranty repair cost and availability |
| Training | Getting the team to use the instrument fully |
| Downtime | The cost of a delayed test or commissioning if the instrument is not available |
8. Check delivery time, delivery terms, currency and tax
Handheld instruments from major brands are often available quickly, but specialist MV, calibration and laboratory equipment is frequently built to order. If the instrument is needed for a commissioning date, ask for the delivery time in writing and order early enough to absorb a delay.
Make sure every quotation you compare uses the same commercial basis:
| Term | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Delivery terms | Is the price delivered to your site in Jordan, or ex-works abroad with freight, customs clearance and local delivery still to pay? |
| Currency | Quoted in Jordanian dinars or in foreign currency? The dinar is pegged to the US dollar, but euro and other currencies move. |
| Sales tax | Does the price include Jordan’s 16% general sales tax, or is it added on the invoice? |
| Validity | How long is the price valid, and is it subject to exchange rate changes? |
| Payment | Advance payment, on delivery or on credit terms? |
| Delivery time | In stock, or built to order? From order or from payment? |
Put every offer into one comparison table with the same rows: model, scope of supply, calibration certificate, warranty, delivery time, delivery terms, tax and validity. The cheapest line on the first row is often not the cheapest offer once the rows below are filled in.
9. Prepare for tenders and technical evaluation
Public tenders in Jordan are increasingly run through JONEPS, the national e-procurement system, and private projects with consultants follow similar technical evaluation. In both cases, the offer that is easiest to evaluate has a clear advantage.
- Datasheets for every item, in English, from the manufacturer.
- A compliance statement that answers each clause of the specification: compliant, partially compliant with explanation, or alternative offered.
- Certificates: calibration certificate templates, CE or other markings, and the manufacturer’s authorisation letter where the tender asks for it.
- Delivery and warranty stated clearly, in the format the tender requires.
If you are writing the tender, the same list in reverse makes evaluation faster: ask bidders for exactly these documents, and specify by performance rather than by a single brand unless there is a technical reason.
10. Plan training and handover
A modern diagnostic instrument can do far more than most teams use it for. A thermal camera’s reporting software, an analyzer’s long-term logging or a relay test set’s automated test plans only pay back when the team knows how to use them. Ask for a handover session on delivery, and for formal training on complex instruments.
EE Electronics offers electrical testing and commissioning training, calibration and metrology training and high voltage safety training for teams in Jordan, alongside the instruments.
How to send a request for quotation that gets a fast, accurate reply
- Describe the applicationWhat will you test, at what voltage, and where? One sentence often tells the supplier more than a model number.
- Attach the specificationInclude the performance requirements from check 1, or your tender specification.
- State quantities and the deadlineHow many units, and when you need them on site.
- Ask for the commercial basisDelivered price in Jordan, tax treatment, validity, payment terms and delivery time.
- List the documents you needDatasheets, calibration certificates, compliance statement and authorisation letters.
Send your RFQ to EE Electronics
Email or WhatsApp your list or tender specification. We will reply with one quotation covering every item, the full scope of supply and the delivery time, within 24 hours.
Buying test equipment in Jordan from EE Electronics
EE Electronics has supplied test and measurement equipment in Jordan for more than 30 years, from its office in Khalda, Amman. Its customers include utilities, contractors, solar developers, telecom companies, universities and industrial plants. The ten checks above are a good way to judge any supplier, including us.
- One supplier for 50+ brands: Fluke, Megger, OMICRON, FLIR, Kyoritsu, Hioki, Metrel, Beamex, Fujikura, Keysight and more. See the full list of brands we supply.
- 13 product categories, from electrical test instruments and MV/HV test equipment to calibration, solar PV testing, fibre and network testing and laboratory equipment.
- Technical guidance before you buy: help matching the instrument to your application and specification.
- Clear quotations: full scope of supply, delivery time and commercial terms, with a reply within 24 hours.
- Local support after delivery: training, accessories and help from a team in Amman.
Need testing services rather than equipment?
For one-off tests and commissioning, our partner AQ Electric provides on-site testing across Jordan and the region. Read their advice on choosing a testing and commissioning partner.
Frequently ordered by procurement teams in Jordan
Supplied with calibration certificates on request and local support from our Amman office.
The instrument on every purchase list.
Required on every installation and handover.
Energy audits and harmonics studies.
Substation commissioning and maintenance.
For in-house calibration labs.
Browse by category
Electrical & Electronic EquipmentMultimeters, clamp meters, IR and earth testers
MV/HV Test EquipmentVLF, transformer, breaker and relay testing
Measurement & CalibrationElectrical, process and temperature calibrators
Solar PV Testing EquipmentPV testers, IV curve tracers
Safety & Protection EquipmentHV detectors, gloves, arc flash kits
Training & Engineering SolutionsTesting, calibration and safety trainingFrequently asked questions
How do I know if test equipment is genuine?
Buy through the manufacturer’s authorised channel, check the serial number with the manufacturer, and be wary of prices far below those of authorised suppliers, poor packaging and sellers without a physical address. Ask the supplier how it sources the product.
Does test equipment bought abroad have a warranty in Jordan?
Often not. Some manufacturers, including Fluke, provide warranty service only in the country of original purchase, and only for products bought through authorised channels. Check before you buy abroad.
Do I need a calibration certificate with new test equipment?
For professional use, yes. Consultants, utilities and quality systems increasingly ask for the calibration certificate of every instrument used for testing and commissioning. Ask for it in the quotation.
Do quotations in Jordan include sales tax?
Not always. Jordan’s general sales tax is 16%, and some quotations include it while others add it on the invoice. Confirm the tax treatment before comparing offers.
How long does delivery of test equipment take?
Popular handheld instruments are often available quickly. Specialist MV, calibration and laboratory equipment is frequently built to order and takes longer, so ask for the delivery time in writing and order well before commissioning.
What should I include in a request for quotation?
The application, the specification, quantities, the deadline, the commercial basis you want (delivered price, tax, validity, payment) and the documents you need, such as datasheets and calibration certificates.
Where can I buy test and measurement equipment in Jordan?
EE Electronics supplies test and measurement equipment from more than 50 international brands from its office in Khalda, Amman. Send your list or specification for a single quotation within 24 hours.
Buying test equipment in Jordan? Start with one message.
Send EE Electronics your list, specification or tender. We will check it against these ten points and reply with one clear quotation within 24 hours.
