What multimeter to choice?

Thread Starter

Albertc30

Joined Nov 22, 2013
2
Hi all.

I have started a level 3 two year course on electrical installations after doing a 1 year level two.

Even though this is electrical, the amount of the course info that goes through circuits is phenomenal. So much that sometimes I wonder why would an electrician need to know all this like magnetism, motors, series and parallel circuits etc...

The fact is that if it wasn't for all this I would never be able to fault find a damaged capacitor on a computer power supply or a TFT screen or to trace an entire changing circuit on a laptop that was not charging the battery due to a damaged resister.

All that said, I am now looking to buy a good fairly decent multimeter suitable for this kind of electronics jobs.

I am contemplating FLUKE and a budget of up to £100.00 or up to £150.00 max.

I must say I have been looking at FLUKE 18B and FLUKE 117 though the 117 hasn't got mili and micro amps so I suppose 117 is not an option.

Anybody, please send in your opinions and help me out here.

Many thanks.

Albert
 

Dr.killjoy

Joined Apr 28, 2013
1,196
In my opinion if you are working on line voltage then Fluke is your meter ... If you are working low voltage the any meter will really work as long it's a quality meter because remember the the cheaper the model the less safety features ... Also look at the prices when you buy meters because most times when you can buy a used a fluke meter instead of buying some cheap Chinese meter for the same price and the fluke is alot safer..



Check out
µCurrent

http://www.eevblog.com/projects/ucurrent/
 

JohnInTX

Joined Jun 26, 2012
4,787
Fluke , of course is the best choice for most.

I know I will take some heat for this, but http://www.ebay.com/itm/180614882090?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2

I love mine.
It wouldn't hold up to abuse in the field, but is a great meter until your buget lets you get a high end fluke.

Use mine every day on the bench. Couldn't ask for more.
Why not? It looks like an OK first meter. As long as it stays reasonably accurate and stable (and keeps working), its nice to have all the functionality. It does not good to have high-dollar gear if it wipes out your experimentation budget.

One caveat: Some low cost meters I've seen don't have a very high degree of input protection. I once visited a client that claimed something was wrong with a power contactor circuit because every time he tried to measure the (48VAC) coil it blew his el-cheapo DMM (eventually he blew 3). The problem was the high voltage spike generated when the coil was turned off. The spike was about 2X the measly 500V protection of his meter. My Fluke had no problem (several KV of protection).

Even if it quits you can have $16.99 worth of fun kicking it around the yard.

EDIT: re: DrKilljoy - safer. Good point. Probably good enough for line voltage use with decent probes though. Don't know if I'd want to poke around a lot of 1KV stuff there.
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
Opinion?
$16.99 and it does everything except cook breakfast? Too good to be true. Probably the most miserable P.O.S. you could waste your money on. I wasted $100 on an Extech meter that died in about 3 measurements. I spent $300 on a Fluke in 1978. It rides in the truck to all my jobs, it is still my every day meter after 35 years, and it has never been repaired.
 

inwo

Joined Nov 7, 2013
2,419
Opinion?
$16.99 and it does everything except cook breakfast? Too good to be true. Probably the most miserable P.O.S. you could waste your money on. I wasted $100 on an Extech meter that died in about 3 measurements. I spent $300 on a Fluke in 1978. It rides in the truck to all my jobs, it is still my every day meter after 35 years, and it has never been repaired.
Going on two years. Use it every day.

I've had lots of junk meters. I can't find anything to complain about on this one.

Unless of course they cheapened it. I paid good money for mine, from a kit place. Vellman maybe? Then found it at low price on Ebay.

ps.
I've recommended it on another forum and users were pleased!
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,617
I have always used Fluke, they have excellent protection if a wrong range is used.
The one thing to look for is all of a sudden weird, unexplainable readings when the battery goes flat, and before the low battery warning comes on.
I had a maintenance Electrician ask my advice when he was testing a 120vac circuit and read 240v, I told him to change the battery and VOILÀ.
Max.
 
Top