Fluke meter recommendations

[Donald]

I see a Fluke 117 DVM and 323 clamp-on meter for $380 with case. I have several DVM already but not a Fluke DVM. (I have a Fluke network cable tester. That was $$Fluke$$ dollars).

My question: is the Fluke 117 a decent Fluke DVM or on the basic end of things?

 

[jhellwig]

What are you wanting to use it for? That makes a big difference on whether it is decent for how you want to use it or not.

Personally it is not good enough for me but the way I work with and understand electricity makes it not capable enough for what I want.

 

[Traction]

I have a Fluke 87 and 323 with the clamp-on for measuring AC and DC current. The 323 is what I use most anymore, especially on the cars. Got the 323 meter for free when I bought a Fluke infrared camera.

 

[Escape08]

The Fluke 117 is designed for electricians. If you happen to have one, always keep an eye on it. It will easily get stolen

 

[supton]

I picked up a 101 for the kids, when I was trying to get them into Arduinos (failed), feels a bit cheap and small, but no complaints. Have had a 179 for years and it does what I want for most debug work, but it's my work meter, and not quite cheap.

Have some of the cheapo HF meters. Depends on what I need it for, but those get the job done for my hobbies IMO. Flukes are expensive, and worth it for daily use (and abuse), but I'm not sure I could justify the price. Not when I have no desire to calibrate nor plan to drop multiple times in the span of a week.

 

[sloinker]

If you do any instrumentation you will require 4-20 source. It is also nice to have meter that reads Hz.
This is mine among others it is the most versatile for me in the field.

Fluke 789 ProcessMeter™ | Ultimate Electrician Tool

Fluke 789 ProcessMeter is wireless via Fluke Connect & combines a DMM & loop calibrator. Large, bright dual display. Get specs and buy official Fluke here.

www.fluke.com

 

[Donald]

What are you wanting to use it for? That makes a big difference on whether it is decent for how you want to use it or not.

Personally it is not good enough for me but the way I work with and understand electricity makes it not capable enough for what I want.

Probably around the house and car/boat.

My days of building & troubleshooting Heathkit kits are probably behind me.

 

[Donald]

If you do any instrumentation you will require 4-20 source. It is also nice to have meter that reads Hz.
This is mine among others it is the most versatile for me in the field.

Fluke 789 ProcessMeter™ | Ultimate Electrician Tool

Fluke 789 ProcessMeter is wireless via Fluke Connect & combines a DMM & loop calibrator. Large, bright dual display. Get specs and buy official Fluke here.

www.fluke.com

Looks nice but over my budget for non boat hobby items. Boat hobby item budget is unlimited as it should be.

 

[jhellwig]

It will be fine for that.

 

[wpod]

All I know is my fluke 23 used at work is 30 years old well worth the $$$ but then so is my Simpson Meter. I like the Fluke much better.

 

[Traction]

I have a Fluke 87 and 323 with the clamp-on for measuring AC and DC current. The 323 is what I use most anymore, especially on the cars. Got the 323 meter for free when I bought a Fluke infrared camera.

Opps I meant my clamp on meter is a 325 which is great.

 

[Soft Cars]

I have a Fluke 77-IV. I can recommend it because I have one. Very nice instrument with outstanding build quality.

I waited a whole year for one to pop up on eBay at a fair price. In the end, I found one that was brand new with a calibration sticker on it.

It was the calibration sticker that scared away most of the bidders.

 

[sloinker]

I have a Fluke 77-IV. I can recommend it because I have one. Very nice instrument with outstanding build quality.

I waited a whole year for one to pop up on eBay at a fair price. In the end, I found one that was brand new with a calibration sticker on it.

It was the calibration sticker that scared away most of the bidders.

Strange, the Fluke's I have had didn't have a sticker attached from the factory, they came with a sheet of paper for quality control and the calibration specs. After sending them back for calibration they had a sticker and a new sheet of paper.

 

[Soft Cars]

Strange, the Fluke's I have had didn't have a sticker attached from the factory, they came with a sheet of paper for quality control and the calibration specs. After sending them back for calibration they had a sticker and a new sheet of paper.

It had a sticker that was printed up special and pasted across the front of the meter. I think the meter was in a company's inventory. Definitely brand new. Still had the screen cover attached to it. I'm sure glad it had that sticker on it.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I work with industrial electricians every day, and they all use Fluke. It will last forever, or the old ones would. If you want one that says Fluke on it for around home I would get a 77 off ebay - they sell pretty frequently for around $100. Just get one new enough to have the min/ max / hold features.

Having said that unless you need to calibrate instruments in your boat, a $12 meter from Harbor freight or Amazon works fine when the most accurate thing you need to do is a parasitic draw test.

 

[Soft Cars]

Just be aware that the 113, 114, 115, 116, and 117 are all made in CHINA.

 

[facility1]

for around the house or on the job ,look at ( Klein 420 meter) ,works fine or a (south-wire clamp meter,),though under hundered dollars each they have many useful features, I worked as a facility eng.,used a fluke clamp meter ,that of course was $$ ,a fluke meter maybe more than is needed in many cases unless you use it on a daily base professionally.

 

[Donald]

Of course I could just go with a Klein DVM for $50.

 

[Soft Cars]

Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics uses this one in his videos.

 

[Luftmasse]

I bought 2 of these new on ebay for like $100+ each 10 years ago. Still great till this day.