Advice Please: Cheap Meter Recommendations

Yes because I'd send it to Fluke and have it repaired and calibrated, it's a lot cheaper than buying a new one and it has true RMS which is a feature all of my meters lack and it's very handy when working with HID lamps and ballasts.

On 30 Oct 2005 08:52:59 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@mail.con.com put finger to keyboard and composed:

I have the same negative experience with Fluke stuff. One day when I get sick of looking at my dead PM97 Scopemeter (AUD$2750) I'll take out my frustrations by stomping on it.

Buy a cheap meter, any cheap meter, and calibrate it to +-/0.02% with a precision reference circuit costing ~$5.

You can build your own single-chip precision voltage reference using Maxim's MAX6350 (5.0V), MAX6341 (4.096V), or MAX6325 (2.5V):

"The MAX6325/MAX6341/MAX6350 are low-noise, precision voltage references with extremely low, 0.5ppm/°C typical temperature coefficients and excellent, ±0.02% initial accuracy. These devices feature buried-zener technology for lowest noise performance. Load-regulation specifications are guaranteed for source and sink currents up to 15mA. Excellent line and load regulation and low output impedance at high frequencies make them ideal for high-resolution data-conversion systems up to 16 bits."

-- Franc Zabkar

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

Well, that is not what I need a meter for. And as far as cheaper than buying a new one. That's a new Fluke. I was looking for a reliable cheap meter that is relatively accurate so I won't have to spend money on a "new Fluke" for the simple purposes I need a meter for.

Darren Harris Staten Island, New York.

Don't Fluke meters have a lifetime warranty?

(Well, if you buy them somewhere other than eBay)

That'd be a big attraction for me. I have a $20 multimeter I can use when it's off being repaired.

Well, you did use the word "crap".

Lots of electronic stuff with intermittent problems winds up on eBay.

For any one serious about electronics, a Fluke meter is a good investment. Sorry that you had bad luck.

To me, the answer to your question is that it depends on what you plan to do with it and what features you require. Based on what you have stated, I would think a cheap DMM from Sears or RS would meet your needs just fine. You just will need to make sure you double check your function before you connect your test leads since they will not offer any overvoltage protection (measure voltage or current on the resistance setting for instance.)

Bob

Fluke are the best meters on the market today. The people who sold them, probably dumped them to get new ones, due to them failing.

Fluke will service their products at a reasonable rate, in respect to their value. They have a high quality produce and will make sure that their products are properly calibrated before shipping them back out to their customer.

If you want a new good meter, the Fluke should be of the first consideration. They are very stable and accurate. If the meter is properly taken care of, and not abused, it should last many years and maintain its accuracy.

True, and the same principle holds for plenty of other meters.

But unlike Fluke, there are (or were) manufacturers that will include a circuit diagram of the meter with the sale.

Another good point to consider is that for most basic electronic servicing anything beyond 1 - 3% accuracy is not required and that makes many Fluke's a waste of money!

There is such a big choice on the market no one is forcing you to buy Fluke. Personally, I find mine a delight to use - same as any well crafted tool. In the same way as my Makita cordless drill does over a 20 quid Chinese one that still drills holes or drives screws after a fashion. ;-)

If all you want of a DVM is occasional use then it makes no sense to pay for a Fluke - but use it a lot and it starts to make sense.

... And about as much sense as limiting oneself to one manufacturer.

There are many good manufacturers out there with excellent meters. For multiple input recorder/meters, Westronics (now Thermo) beats Fluke any day.

As per subject line: In my opinion Extech, Wavetek, Instek all have nice meters that are a lot cheaper than Fluke and just as good. For even less expensive meters visit "The Source" formerly Radio Schack and your local hardware store may also stock some useful meters.

--- Expensive does not always mean that it is the best!

How about a Fluke 12? It can take an over voltage hit that wiil destroy lesser meters and it costs a little over $100.00 new. Chuck

On 31 Oct 2005 04:47:38 -0800, " snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com" put finger to keyboard and composed:

-- Franc Zabkar

Please remove one 'i' from my address when replying by email.

| My second of two Fluke 8060A meters turned out to be crap(just like the | first), and it is becoming obvious that I just need to buy a cheap | meter with basic functions. | | Can I get recommendations?(Reliablilty being the number one criteria).

It sounds like cheap is the #1 criteria ...

If so, go down to your local Harbor Freight Tools, and find their digitial meter that's usually on sale for $2.99, and buy 10 of them.

I suspect I'll get a lot of flack for even suggesting them, but I've had nothing but good results from them. I've found them to be accurate within 1% and I've never had one break except when they were physically abused.

And at $3 each, I can have them all over the house, and if I do break one, just throw it away.

Mostly I use them to do low voltage DC measurements, low amperage measurements and simple resistance checks, and they work extremely well for that. They don't have the features that better models have (like true RMS) but they're pretty good, and awesome for the price.

Count me in as another in the minority with bad Fluke experience. I had an 8060 die, and an 87. My current 87 was making constant beeping noises, as if the probe was installed in the amp jack while in volt mode. I took it apart and snuffed the beeper, and it's still running, but that's what my other 87 was doing for about a year before it croaked. I have a 77 as a backup, and it's been troublefree.

The best meters I ever used were the old Beckman meters when they were still made in USA. I still have a Beckman 100 and the yellow HD100 version. They both work perfectly, but I'm spoiled by the autoranging of my Fluke (not to mention the recording function which I use almost daily). The Beckmans were also able to read the DC value on a high pulse (like a horiz out) when the Flukes would spazz out. The newer Flukes work ok in this regard.

BUT, when all is said and done, I will still replace my dying 87 with another Fluke.

John

You obviously don't need a high end meter, just go buy a cheapie, all the cheap meters are pretty much the same so get whatever one you find on sale that has the features you need, which most any meter will have.