Fluke 17B+ (Plus) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: TELCO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2014, 11:14:51 pm
content: Hello to everyone. I am new to the EEVblog Forum but I have recently ordered the Fluke 17B+ from China. I have been trying to find information such as a review and or comparisons with the older Fluke 17B. Anyone out there has or using this 17B+ model? I understand that this newer version has a backlight, 600V CATIII rating and larger display. Would appreciate any input, thanks

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2014, 01:57:31 am
content: Quote from: TELCO on August 09, 2014, 11:14:51 pmBe aware AFAIK there is no warranty outside China for 15 or 17B.When you get the DMM there will probably be documentation claiming this is the case.Of a lot of 15 units I got only 1 had to be tweaked for accuracy after 12 months, however it was still within factory accuracy limits.

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2014, 01:58:42 pm
content: The meter is also available in India.Apart from what you mentioned already, the capacitance range was extended to 1000uF (100uF before), an overvoltage visual warning was added to the faceplate and it comes now with a Min/Max feature for some of the measurements.The new meter is also slightly larger and heavier.It still lacks a true RMS function for its 4,000 count Fortune IC.Someone also mentioned better responsiveness, compared to the older model.

author: TELCO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2014, 10:22:00 pm
content: Thank you all for the replies so far. Does anyone know if the continuity test on the new 17B+ latches on good or is still scractchy like what Dave tested on the review of the old 17B??

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2014, 05:10:01 am
content: Quote from: TELCO on August 10, 2014, 10:22:00 pmAFAIK the internals are the same as a 15B and the continuity test is excellent for a cheap DMM

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2014, 06:50:02 am
content: The original Fortune IC (FS9721 LP3) is limited to 100uF capacitance and doesn't provide a Min/Max feature, so the 17B+ must be using a different DMM IC . The continuity tester will thus be different, as provided by the new, unknown as yet, IC.

author: TELCO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2014, 02:29:37 pm
content: That is my thought exactly, that the 17B+ having so many new features compared to the old 17B has a more "reliable" continuity tester. I already own a Fluke 87V and I know it will not even begin to compare with the 17B or 17B+ but I sure hope that the continuity tester latches on good like my 87V.Thanks again.

author: Pedram
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2014, 10:21:19 am
content: may i ask where did you order them from ? Aliexpress ?

author: TELCO
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2014, 07:59:26 pm
content: UPDATE: I finally got the Fluke 17B+ Plus in my hands, I have to say that the quality construction is excellent and as expected from Fluke but there is no comparison to my Fluke 87V. I ordered my 17B+ from a vendor located in China through Ebay, that was painless but it did take a bit to get it in the mail. The continuity tester IMHO works better than the one showed on the "old" 17B it is not scratchy at all but it is slow to latch on. So far I am satisfied for the price and it is going to be my everyday use carry around DMM. Thank you all for the replies.

author: Wytnucls
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2014, 08:45:14 pm
content: Glad it meets you expectations. Give us some pics of the pc board and a quick review when you find the time. Cheers.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2014, 09:43:56 pm
content: Quote from: TELCO on August 26, 2014, 07:59:26 pmIs it because you are worried your 87V will get stolen if carried around on a daily basis?

author: Lightages
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 26, 2014, 10:12:44 pm
content: I would certainly like to see some pictures, inside and outside!

author: Aleksey
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 20, 2014, 07:51:49 pm
content: Hi guys. I have one 17b+ too. Yes, it void warranty out side of China. I guess as Europe has a lot of 15-17-18b in stock yet. If I will have a free time I could make a review.

author: Avinash lewis
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 08, 2015, 08:30:58 pm
content: Hi Everyone I purchased a Fluke 17b+ from ebay.in, well it took a Bombay tour before it reached me... i was worried that it may get damaged in this unwanted tour.. after 14 calls and 2 emails i had to go on by new honda bike good 7 kms to pick it up.. stay away from this Aramex courier guysi felt likethem real hardIt was a new years gift to me recieved it today :-) after much painyes, the new 17b+ had capacatance range raised to 1000 uf, i saw that mine one was manufactured in Everett wa US, Came with two Energier alkaline AA battries, looking closely at the batteries it seems they were made in singapore secondlast image says so.. i guess in some way these batteries or this DMM have been in singapore not sure which.. lets see how it serves.. my older DMM went kaput after 12 years

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 08, 2015, 09:24:28 pm
content: Quote from: Avinash lewis on January 08, 2015, 08:30:58 pmThe holster might say Everett WA, but the Fluke 17B+ is likely made in China.What does the grey back case say where it was made?

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 20, 2015, 09:55:43 pm
content: This 17B+ video came out last month, but I forgot to bring it to the forum's attention.

author: aryasridhar
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 27, 2015, 03:21:38 pm
content: I was so close to buying one today, it felt heavy too. But i dropped out of getting it, since I have the 87V literally etched in my head.

author: Andrey_Ak
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 09, 2023, 10:46:17 am
content: Still, I took myself 17B +, but took the European version or USA what it is there,without hieroglyphs on the back cover and box. So in the USA version, instead of a drop,there is a full-fledged FS98024-GEF chip. How glad I am that there is no drop.By the way, I really liked the device, simple, but so thoughtful and just done, nice to work!But he immediately threw his native complete tentacles into the trash heap...

author: Andrey_Ak
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2024, 04:20:11 pm
content: Fluke is a piece of shit for a lot of money ... I bought Fluke 17B + so this infection, in the resistance measurement mode, you have to wait for a few seconds to measure, and the ringing is also slow.. Well, it's not possible to just work with such a device. How can a company with such a big name produce such an obvious marriage. The device is exactly the original, honest made in usa, I took it from the officials in our city, they also forced me to write a receipt from the company that I undertake to use it only here, and that I definitely will not resell it in the Russian Federation.

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2024, 04:38:58 pm
content: Quote from: Andrey_Ak on January 03, 2024, 04:20:11 pmDoes it say made in USA any where on the meter??? I doubt it.

author: Andrey_Ak
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2024, 05:05:27 pm
content: https://tis.kz/temp/Fl-01.jpghttps://tis.kz/temp/Fl-02.jpghttps://tis.kz/temp/Fl-03.jpgWell, this is definitely not a version for the Chinese market.Or do you think that there are no such problems with the old Fluke 17B+?

author: Veteran68
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 03, 2024, 07:44:47 pm
content: To my knowledge this 15/17/18 series of meters have always been made in China, or at least for a long time now. I might be misremembering but I thought at one time they were available in the US, but at least at the moment they are not for sale by Fluke here. You can go to Fluke's site and find the 17B Max (newest generation, which I have)... until you tell the site you're in the US, then it disappears from the catalog.Also the 17B Max has replaced the 17B+, upgrading to 6000 counts from 4000 and support for 2000uF capacitance, along with a few other new features. You can also buy it in a kit with both TL75 and TL31 (needle point) probes, which is what I got. BTW have I mentioned how much I hate TL75 leads these days? They're total crap. The TL75s that came with my 2013 vintage 87V aren't nearly as bad as the current ones. I use Brymen leads with my Fluke 117 and the still bad but less bad TL31's in the 17B Max. I'd use ProbeMasters for all of them like I do my bench meters, but they're a bit too bulky for use with smaller meters, IMO. The Brymen leads are excellent though for the money.

author: mqsaharan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2024, 04:34:25 pm
content: Hi Andrey_Ak,Thank you for the inside pic of your 17B+. Indeed, I haven't seen one without a COB.The following link is to a message I posted regarding a video I found on Youtube (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/fluke-1517-bmax-slow-settling-on-resistance-function/). The guy in the video pointed to this slow settling issue and offered a solution.Please note that I haven't tried it myself, yet. Also, if you look closely in the video, the problem of slow settling is not completely resolved.

author: Andrey_Ak
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 04, 2024, 05:00:44 pm
content: Yes, thank you, I have already heard about replacing this capacitor with a smaller capacity, but why did Fluke do this, I want to understand they did it on purpose? I don't want to try to change the capacitor yet, I wrote to the support service where I bought the device, let's see what they will say..

author: mqsaharan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 05, 2024, 04:41:01 pm
content: If they replied, please do share with us.The 27n capacitor they have installed between FTC (pin 7) and FTB (Pin8), ADC pre-filter capacitor connection pins, is suggested in datasheet of the multimeter chip on page 46, heading 8.2 ADC.May be its just the limitation of the chip itself.