30 or 35 years ago or so I bought a Fluke. We had hired an electrician to modify one of our Italian made processors chemical heater for the tanks. I asked him about a meter and he said Fluke is all he ever used.

He said he really liked the accuracy of the ohms readings when working on equipment. Mine has been flawless for decades.

We had very strict rules for voltages greater then 500 VAC, gloves, floor matts, gowns. Took all the fun out of it.

I had some close calls when I was younger...I prefer not to think about how close I came.

The meter was never the problem, it was the operator...

As always you get what you pay for.

Did anyone else have a classic GI Joe doll? I always wanted this set... lol

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606745715.jpg

Buy the $20 Amazon meter and put the savings towards a new fishing rod...you know you want to.

Yes I called it overkill, Vash is using it to check low voltage DC. I picked up mine for use with 600VAC, where I would not use a $30 meter.

anybody know the best way to clean the yellow 'protector' on a grimy Fluke?

For cleaning try Vim, works well for grimy boat fenders.

I have a fluke 17b+ which is a genuine high quality fluke, but it is built for lower cost markets. Around 125$ on ebay or another gray market importer.

Tons of youtube videos and positive reviews online

25$ meter would be fine for me but I like nice tools. Cap meter really useful for ac use and has a thermocouple probe as well

For Vash, one of the best battery testing videos I've seen, describing the 3 methods of testing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVPLUzGyaDk

Now, in response...if all Vash does is test DC voltage? No need to buy a Fluke brand.
However, if he can afford it, why not? Great for status, right? Actually, I have an old Craftsman autoranging multimeter. When Ron in LB was here on one of his big rides, we compared it's reading with readings from his fluke over a variety of tests. Got the same readouts from either. The fluke obviously put together better, but for occasional use? No problems with my Sears unit.

I killed my older fluke by cleaning it. I wiped it down with some gp cleaner, and it cleaned up really nice, but never turned on again . I did not soak it or anything either, not quite sure exactly what happened, but I will never do that again
Be careful whatever it is you end up using

Vash is a discerning gentleman who appreciates having only the best. Therefore, he should give Fluke a ring and order this while keeping the suggested add ons in mind:

https://www.fluke-direct.com/product/fluke_88v_a_automotive_multimeter_combo_kit

cheaper than a pool table

Overkill for the hobbyist on a budget, but they sure are a lot nicer to use.

I'm a big believer in buying quality tools. The Fluke meters are well designed and have good inter fusing for the inevitable oops.

I have several fluke DMM's (77 & 87), a Fluke 105 Scopemeter, a Fluke Wire tracer, and a Fluke ethernet tracer, and a variety of accessories (e.g. clamp-on current probe) most of which were obtained lightly used.

I have non-Fluke electronics tools (including my old Heathkit tube tester!) but I trust Fluke more than any other brand.

Having said all of this, it really comes down to what you need the tool to do, and how often you will be using it. Unless you are a pro, Fluke full-price new tools are probably overkill.

I've used Fluke since my Beckman meter given to me by A. Beckman finally died.
I have also recently consulted on an Fluke E-Maint CMMS implementation.
They are heavily into PdM & CBM on the asset management side.

Definitely, especially in light of the cost of adding a game room in order to have one.

But then I could have many fun hours with a pool table. 9' Diamond professional with 4.5" pockets and simonis cloth please.

Never did consider using a multimeter fun...

Still, Vash just deserves nothing but the best, right?

give him your wood stove

Wood stove stays. It's seen us through many days long power outages...

The yellow bump cushion on the older Flukes can be removed.

I'd take it off the meter and then use wax and grease remover to get it clean. Never use lacquer thinners or anything like that on older plastics. And Fluke supply them as spare parts. (Or they did a few years ago)

My next meter is going to talk to me. I'm am tired of trying to hold two probes on wires while I'm ass deep under a hood and trying to contort my way around to see the meter read out. I want to focus on the probe connections and let the meter tell me out loud what the reading is.

straight up genius.!!

Time to buy new probes. Variety allows you to clip or hook and not always have to hold...

<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TbEtcpM0RGc" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Zero
Zero
Zero
Negative Thirteen point one
Negative Thirteen point two
Negative Thirteen point two
Dude - You have the leads backwards
Zero
Zero
Zero
Thirteen point two
Thirteen point one
Thirteen point two
Thirteen point two
Thirteen point two
Thirteen point one
Zero
Thirteen point two
Thirteen point two
Thirteen point one
Zero
Zero

Yeah, it had better have some thought put into it

Can someone explain why my Simpson 260 Series 5 that I have had for 30yrs, still works, has the original batteries (1) D and (4) AA, and never leaked. I never use it anymore, but I opened it up, just to look, expected to see a corroded mess. Nope, looks just like new with the original batteries and the batteries are good.



Why don't they make batteries like that anymore? 30yrs! no corrosion!

Did someone say test leads?

https://probemaster.com/dmm-multimeter-test-leads/

Vash, if you go cheap, make sure to get one that is out off. Not all are.

Also, if all you want to do is check battery levels (12v?), I bought a couple of water proof digital voltmeter gauges and plan on putting clips on them for in the boat and ice fishing house. Advantage? No batteries to go dead.

Something like this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Waterproof-Monitor-12V-Battery-Meter-2-5-30V-DC-Auto-Gauge-Digital-Voltmeter-LED/171568461831?hash=item27f246f807:g:JycAAOSw0vBUgDG d

The two times I've bought a Fluke, they got stolen. Like when you buy nice sunglasses.

I really liked the thermocouple function on them, but it was pricey BOTH times. Just have a generic Craftsman one now for basic troubleshooting.

The test reel makes everything pretty easy. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606857960.jpg

You sir, are indeed.... the probe master.

Thank you for the link

my wife bought me my Christmas gift..and it wasnt a Fluke.

and yes, i drop hints starting from October...or i get sweaters.

I don't think I've seen even one serious justification of buying a Fluke in this entire thread.

So far, it seems like the Snap On of multimeters.
Good product but costs 1000% mark up because USA quality.
Snap On is simply not worth buying for anyone who is not a professional,
and even most pros probably don't need to pay Snap On's outrageous cult premium.

But, can someone speak to the FEATURES of Fluke?
Or is it really just Snap On?

Can anyone actually explain why a Fluke costs $500
and what it can actually do that a $16 Sears can't do?

This one might look nice on you Vash. Better than owning a silly ole Fluke.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1606867897.jpg

I use one like this
https://www.sears.com/craftsman-cm/p-A028382415#Imagezoom

Does amperage and voltage.

Unless you are an Electrical Tech or some other profession that requires perfection, the Fluke 87 III a true RMS metering device is overkill.
You want quality. Ideal's 61-702 is more than you will ever need. It is inexpensive and what I like
is that you can clamp it around a circuit and read AC current. Great meter and does everything.

The Fluke is a good meter and I used the 87 for years. I also grew up with the analog Simpson
270.

Forget the Fluke. Get an Ideal. Why spend a lot of your hard earned money on a name?

The $100+ one I suggested is RMS and has a Thermocouple Input (And a Themocouple!). I think the TC is typically used for reading temp on an Air Con unit.

Umm... Porsche comes to mind

And Maple acts as trollish as a few guys from the upper left coast

Of course there are intangibles..

Does anyone here know the difference between a $43 Fluke and a $397 Fluke?
https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-FLUKE-87-V-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B0002YFD1K/
https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-101-Multimeter-Equipment-Industrial/dp/B00JT5RUUU/

I did some reading and the massive price differences are due to CAT voltage ratings.

The basic $43 Fluke (or $16 Craftsman) is for CAT III or 600V.

The $400 Fluke is rated CAT IV which is industrial level stuff like transformers and junction boxes.

Since this is a car forum, this is small peanuts, and the $16 Craftsman is all you'll need
unless you're planning on climbing power lines or something.

The guy testing an automotive power window with a $400 Fluke
seems like the guy using a 1000 ft.lbs. Ingersoll air impact wrench to assemble a desk from Ikea.
Or a guy playing Smoke on the Water with a $10,000 guitar and amp setup.
Or the guy in PCA DE Green group with his GT3 Cup Car

People with very expensive "best" equipment
who barely are scratching the surface of its capabilities,
or worse, don't even know what it can do,
always look foolish.

Speaking of looking foolish, I'd like to buy a book on how to be better with my multimeter. I really know very little other than battery voltage, mains voltage, and ohms.

i'd love to know how to check the smart meter on the house and see if it is actually correct.