Which fluke multimeter should I use for electronics? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Porama6400
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 02:51:21 pm
content: I'm looking for a decent multimeter with acceptable precision for basic electronic designing.I will use it for basic electronic designing, I'm quite serious with voltage measurement precision.I don't serious about current measurement, and I have another crappy meter to do that jobI prefer it to be as cheap as possible, as I'm a student my mom will probably kill me if i ask for one that too expensive.QUESTION:Do I need backlight?Do I need bargraph?Any one one these suitable for my use?Fluke 101Fluke 107Fluke 114Fluke 117

author: Jon.C
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 03:27:27 pm
content: what is your budget ?I see this flukes them more for electricians than for electronicsFluke 101Fluke 107Fluke 114Fluke 117Fluke 117 is expensive for 6000 countslook at UNI-T UT61EI personally like having these featuresQUESTION:Do I need backlight?Do I need bargraph?

author: BU508A
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 03:30:34 pm
content: Quote from: Porama6400 on September 16, 2017, 02:51:21 pmI recommend to have backlight. A bargrah is usually needed to look at trends (analog electronic stuff). If you do not really need this feature,I would drop it.Quote from: Porama6400 on September 16, 2017, 02:51:21 pmThe 101 is a good meter (it is mentioned here several times in the eevblog forum) but it has not a backlight. Imho big disadvantage.The other meters from your list have backlight, but if I have to choose, I would go for the 117.It has a lot of more functions, which are very useful, e.g. diode testing.Cheaper, but no Fluke is the BM 235 EEVBlog meter:https://www.eevblog.com/product/bm235-multimeter/I have purchased this some weeks ago and I am very pleased about its performance.It is cheaper than the Fluke 117 and has a nice form faktor.I would recommend this meter to you.Andreas

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 03:54:07 pm
content: Quote from: Porama6400 on September 16, 2017, 02:51:21 pmOn the bench, playing with electronics I really don't need a backlight. Bar graphs on some meters are useless. I've seen some that were in the 2Hz range. The better ones are in the 40Hz and up. Hard to beat a scope.I looked at what Fluke had to offer a few years back. They offer some nice meters for electrical work. Of what they offered at the time, the 289 was about the only one I considered. I borrowed one to try but quickly decided against it.I bought an HP34401A when they first came out and have been very satisfied with it. What you buy really it depends on your needs. I would just download the manuals and start reading the specs.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 05:20:05 pm
content: Quote from: Porama6400 on September 16, 2017, 02:51:21 pmIf you are on a budget and you want to use the meter for electronics on the workbench, then you don't need to pay lots of money for an "industrial" multimeter like a Fluke. When you buy a Fluke you are (IMHO) paying a lot of money for the brand name. As a home user you can get better value from other brands.You might like to widen your options a bit and look at other makes like Brymen or UNI-T.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 05:42:02 pm
content: QuoteThis is true.But you're also paying for a service/repair network and a promise that extras and spare parts are available and a calibration service is in place. Not just this year and the next, but for as long as you need it.That's to me the clinching parameter and not the upfront price.

author: Porama6400
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 06:23:14 pm
content: So any reliable meter recommended?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 06:34:39 pm
content: Quote from: Porama6400 on September 16, 2017, 06:23:14 pmPick something from the Brymen range that matches your requirements on price and specifications.But nobody can really give you a model number for any meter as that will be a personal choice. Look at the specification charts for various meters and decide which features you want. Do you want min/max recording? A hold button? A rel button? A microamp range? How fast is the auto-ranging? Do you want temperature measurements? What is the battery life? How good is the backlight? Does the screen have large numbers and good contrast? Do you want true RMS? AC+DC measurements?The list is so long that you must do your own assessment and make your own choice.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 06:37:41 pm
content: Quote from: Porama6400 on September 16, 2017, 06:23:14 pmBy the way, every meter I have purchased for more than $10 has been reliable. By that I mean it has always switched on and worked every time since I bought it, and has given consistent readings each time. The point of failure on the $5 meters has been poor contact on the rotary switch, but I don't expect that to be a problem on meters costing more than $50.

author: Jon.C
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 06:42:39 pm
content: if you have :50 $ uni-t 61e100 - 150 $ ebay used KEITHLEY 197A (bench multimeter)200 $ ebay used AGILENT 34401A (bench multimeter)200 $ ebay used Keysight U1272A200 $ used Brymen 869shttp://www.ebay.com/itm/Brymen-BM869S-Industrial-Multimeter-/302451857980?hash=item466b891a3c:g:7csAAOSw4i5ZubQYor wait for Dave multimeter 121GW

author: Porama6400
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 07:16:39 pm
content: "UNI-T UT61E" seem to be pretty good, can it beat Fluke 17B?

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 07:20:15 pm
content: If you're not going near high energy (line voltage) just buy a UT61E from the cheapest supplier. It has all the bells and whistles, isn't made of complete poo and isn't the end of the world if you do manage to kill it. It's quite respectable really.If you're a beginner you shouldn't be going near line voltage anywayThe bottom end flukes aren't worth it IMHO. Buy something cheaper or save up for a second hand 87V.

author: Jon.C
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 07:29:39 pm
content: I have a 18b+ the + is big display17b or 17b+ have temp measurement 18b+ not temp measurement but have led tester (more useful in my case )17 and 18 are good backlightuni-t 61e not have backlight but have 1 more digit (important for me ) and 22000 counts

author: Porama6400
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 07:31:33 pm
content: Quote from: bd139 on September 16, 2017, 07:20:15 pmThen I guess it's good for meBut what if i have to go near power line, maybe not often but sometimes i may have to test them

author: Jon.C
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 07:37:39 pm
content: Then I guess it's good for meBut what if i have to go near power line, maybe not often but sometimes i may have to test themI have not had problems testing with 240 volts (I do not work with more voltage)

author: retrolefty
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 07:39:58 pm
content: Let me make it simple. Don't make the mistake thinking that your first DMM will be your last DMM. It won't be.

author: Jon.C
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 07:47:19 pm
content: @Porama6400compare sizes and display fluke 87V , Fluke 18b+ brymen 257s and uni-t 61e

author: Porama6400
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 07:53:35 pm
content: Quote from: retrolefty on September 16, 2017, 07:39:58 pmIt's my third one, but as I getting much more serious than when I buy the second one, I want to make sure that I will not have to use crappy meter for few years

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 07:59:52 pm
content: May I suggest that you consider the BM235 that Dave sells, or even better the BM257S? These are extremely well built meters and have more features than the Flukes you have listed. IMHO, the UT61E is OK but people have been unhappy with some problems with drifting of accuracy, some have died from unexplained causes but most likely static electricity discharge, and I would not use a UT61E in a distribution panel in a house, at least I would prefer not to.The Brymens I mentioned will be close to the prices you seem to be considering and are highly regarded here.

author: oldway
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 08:04:00 pm
content: Quote from: Porama6400 on September 16, 2017, 06:23:14 pmI bought a used Fluke 73 in 1993 (modified to have manual ranges like the 75) and I still use it .... So I would say a used Fluke 75 ...

author: bd139
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 08:53:29 pm
content: I'll admit I use a UT61E regularly for mains and high voltage work. The issue is transients really. Stay away from anything before the consumer unit/breakers in your house and you should be fine. You should be wearing eye protection on any high energy circuits, probe with one hand (or avoid probing at all), use decent probes with shroud and caps/insulated clips (I have some Pomona ones), try and make changes when everything is off and isolated and think three times before you do anything.My father used a Philips analogue meter for mains stuff in the 1970s and it had an exposed half inch gap on the input terminals next to the range switch and the probe had no finger ridge and the tip extended part way up the handle. He didn't electrocute himself. Even a UT61E is a LONG way from those days.

author: Benta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 16, 2017, 09:52:20 pm
content: QuoteI think this is a very good suggestion.The stumbling block is, whether you'll be able to buy it. It's only available through Amazon, and last time I checked it's not possible to buy it in continental Europe, but only the UK. How it works with Thailand I don't know. I suppose it can be shipped to Australia and the US.

author: Porama6400
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 17, 2017, 03:04:01 am
content: Quote from: Benta on September 16, 2017, 09:52:20 pmThe problem that I don't buy that one because it's doesn't ship to ThailandSo sad......

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 17, 2017, 04:54:13 am
content: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brymen-BM257s-Digital-Multimeter-6000-count-Brand-New-Fluke-alternative-/200922627340?epid=2071190520&hash=item2ec7ebfd0c:g:hQEAAOSw0vBUdEM2

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 18, 2017, 05:28:58 am
content: Buying a BM235 is a better bet than joining the CHEAP Fluke Owners Clubwhy bother?I'm in both Fluke clubs btw, and can vouch first hand the BM235 is miles ahead of the cheaper _feature starved_ Flukes,some with or without decent CAT ratings, no AC RMS, annoying stiff Al Dente leads..I reckon you'd need three different Fluke cheapies (they aren't that cheap btw!) to keep pace with the lil rippa BM235

author: JustSquareEnough
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 18, 2017, 07:16:22 pm
content: for what it may be worth, I have two of Dave's bm235s . As a beginner they have done everything I have needed so far. My next meter will be a 60000+ count bench meter that supports logging etc, probably the siglent 3045x. after that I may look to another 6000 count handheld been looking at the extech ex355 which seems to have similar specs to the bm235s I have now.edit: the bm235 accuracy specs are better than the ex355...