Fluke fake multimeter fuse WARNING! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: cowboy
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 12:50:36 am
content: I wanted to call attention to something that many of you already realize, but many other folks are unaware of.This concerns the Bussmann, Littelfuse and other OEM fuses for Fluke meters.I will use an an example of the two most common fuses for Fluke meters, the ones used on the Fluke 83, 85, 87 series and many other models.These fast-acting Bussmann fuses (11A and 0.44A) are about US$34 each at retail, however Fluke has a special pricing on these fuses for Fluke owners of $9.30 and $7.00 respectively through Fluke distributors such as Digikey, Mouser, etc. - This is what the Fluke corporation pays for these fuses direct from Cooper Industries- Bussman, in lots of many 1000's of fuses, they don't mark them up over their wholesale cost in order to encourage people to use the correct fuses for their precious Fluke meter.When you see these fuses on ebay or other websites for $3.50 or $5 or something like that,these are Chinese COUNTERFEIT Bussmann fusesand could easily endanger your expensive meter at best, or even start a fire and endanger your life at worse. The real genuine ones are not even made in China, they are made in Mexico (and the fakes are also marked Mexico) You think you are going to buy them in lots of one or two cheaper than Fluke buys a tractor trailer truck load for? wake up! It doesn't matter what country the seller is in, or what the fuse looks like, it's fake!Example auctions:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bussmann-DMM-B-11A-1000V-DMM-11A-Multimeter-Fuse-for-Fluke-87-V-88-V-287-289-179-/261536107575http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fluke-11A-1000V-DMM-11-A-Digital-Multimeter-Fuse-87-V-88-V-287-289-179-US-SELLER-/161104330017regardless of what the price is, or what the photo looks like, buying fuses on ebay is a bad plan, just like with capacitors, 99%+ of the auctions are of very crafty done fakes. Ebay is better suited to finding that great piece of vintage HP or Keithley or Fluke or Tektronix test equipment, NOT fake fuses and caps!I am all about living frugal, but this is one place where you want to stick with authorized sources, and a great discount from Fluke, or you could pay dearly!

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 06:15:32 am
content: I've always thought Fluke fuses are way overpriced, a rippoff actually. I'm almost afraid to measure current on my meters for fear of blowing a $10 fuse... lol

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 06:31:15 am
content: Is there any proof they are fake, other then the price difference?$34 for a fuse!

author: Vgkid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 06:36:00 am
content: I know fluke did offer a 5 pack of fuses for about $25.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 06:46:11 am
content: For end users: having fake fuses is not the direct issue, it's whether or not they provide the same level of protection.I don't have any Fluke's or Flukey fuses, but I did notice that cheap and brand name fusesseem to have different innards. I think the sand is there to help quench the fuse faster, but I'm not sure.Cowboy: could you crack open a fake and a real fuse and show us the differences?

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 06:51:04 am
content: Maybe photonicinduction should test some.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 07:54:36 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on November 01, 2016, 06:34:43 amAFAIK this kind of fuses are to protect the equipment and/or to protect against fire hazard at most. They can not save people from electrocution. It is hard to imagine how someone might die because of a Fluke with a cheaper 10A fuse, but there is no thing such 'idiot-proof' so it might be possible somehow.Still, I totally agree with you to order the expensive ones for somebody else, and I will probably do the same. The psychological comfort may worth more then $30, especially if the $30 are not from my pocket. Marketing people certainly noticed that too, so I bet this is the main reason for a piece of wire in ceramic tube to be sold at the price of an average DMM. For personal use I will order the cheaper ones, because I see no real benefit from the expensive fuses.

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 08:22:24 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on November 01, 2016, 08:08:53 amBulletproof fuses essentially.I've seen the shrapnel of ceramic fuses embedded in the inner case of an ancient television, it's amusing until you realise that could have happened with your eye, I would definitely prefer my multimeter to have the correct fuse even though I am highly unlikely to approach the energy ratings (there was an unfortunate incident with a 'scope tube EHT supply but that's rather embarassing and for another time)

author: cowboy
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 08:37:46 am
content: The point is - if Fluke will give you the very high quality $35 fuse for $7 or $9 depending on which one, why would you risk a $500 meter or a fire or whatever in order to save $4 on a fuse that rarely, if ever, will need to be replaced? - It's crazy.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 09:43:56 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on November 01, 2016, 06:27:28 amA lot of counterfeit things are sold in "original" packaging. Some eevblog members bought multimeter fuses from China and they were fake.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 09:52:46 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on November 01, 2016, 09:49:57 amWhy not, if all of you are looking is in the same price range.

author: Zbig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 01:25:06 pm
content: Quote from: cowboy on November 01, 2016, 08:37:46 amGet real, it's not a "$35 fuse" and never was. That someone tries to charge you that much for it - well, that's a whole different story.

author: oldway
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 02:45:29 pm
content: I think it's more an academic debate than anything.The danger with these fake fuses only exists when measuring on high energy circuits.First, this is not the majority of users.Next, industrial electricity and power electronics are disciplines where technicians/engineers must have the proper training.This is my area, I know of what I am speaking about.1) NEVER measure a current on high-energy circuit with a multimeter, always with a current clamp.2) we always check and recheck before making a measure ... the possibility of error or distraction is excluded.3) an industrial electrician / power electronics engineer use his multimeter WITHOUT FUSE for safetyTo measure the voltage of a busbar 5000A 550Vcc is not done without extreme précautions because even the original fuse will probably not interrupt such a high DC voltage with high energy.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 06:55:35 pm
content: 1) Sometimes you're an idiot and measure Volts while the meter is connected in Amps. Flukes will beep at you. But you won't hear that in all use cases.This will cause a plant-wide blackout when you're fixing the 10kV load sharing.2) When you're doing repeated work. This will be a point of mistakes.3) He doesn't have a multimeter. He has an Voltage Tester. Such as anFluke T90.Sometimes you have to measure busbars, but you don't do this on the live busbars unless you can't possibly do it elsewhere. Often, busbars are near some kind of cabinet with control and/or measure electronics, and you can measure after the fuses or mcb.

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 07:32:08 pm
content: Quote from: CJay on November 01, 2016, 08:22:24 amI did a test where we put very cheap multi-meter which had a glass fuse across a 440V supply (the meter was rated for 600V). I found part of the meter case on the other side of the room. We drew enough current to trip the 75A breaker.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 01, 2016, 11:19:21 pm
content: You should buy your fuses from an authorized distributor because counterfeit is so abundant. Not just Fluke DMM, but also automotive, and anything where safety is paramount; for cheaper fuses you can destructively sample test fuses to insure its to spec.http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/dam/public/bussmann/Electrical/Resources/product-datasheets-a/Bus_Ele_DS_1047_DMM-B.pdfFor DMM fuses, you have quite a margin for error before they blow. To save money get the Bussman brand, not Fluke [ they are made by Bussman anyway], they are about $7-10 each or less.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2016, 12:59:44 am
content: This subject came up not too long ago. I would not mind getting some known counterfeit HRC fuses from a few different sources. The 440mA were about $5.00/ea from Digikey last time I bought them. $10 for the higher current.I wonder what is worse, replacing a blown fuse with a counterfeit or jumping it out with some magnet wire. At least with the wire, you're just being stupid. With the counterfeit you may have just been scammed is all. The end result may be the same.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2016, 01:18:28 am
content: Quote from: RoGeorge on November 01, 2016, 07:54:36 amYeah, right, better alternatives too for your reference ...

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2016, 03:32:04 am
content: I recently purchased a Fluke 88 used for $25, and when I opened it up to fix the LCD ghosting issue, I found both fuses blown. Some genius had wrapped aluminum foil from a gum wrapper around the blown 15Amp fuse. I wish I took a picture to post...

author: BMack
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2016, 04:34:29 am
content: Buy the fuses from Authorized dealers. $10 for a fuse isn't that bad unless you're blowing them all the time...and if you're blowing your DMM's fuse a lot your problem isn't with the fuse price, it's the thing holding onto the leads that's the problem.

author: P90
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2016, 06:50:05 am
content: Quote from: BMack on November 02, 2016, 04:34:29 am

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 02, 2016, 09:49:44 am
content: I wanted to thank the OP for the link. I never measure high voltage/energy with my precious fluke. But I do have a brain fart once in a while and forget to switch the leads.I'll have to order some of these!

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 27, 2017, 11:48:39 pm
content: I think I may have acquired some fake SIBA branded fuses. I was thinking to make some sort of video comparing what I believe is a real one showing the following:Non-destructive:markingslengthweightDC resistancevoltage drop at max currentcase temperature at max currentDestructivetrip currentcheck filler

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 12:05:12 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on April 27, 2017, 11:48:39 pmI bought some SIBA fuses on eBay recently for an old Fluke I picked up for $20.I'm not intending to use the meter on AC mains but it would be interesting to know if the fuses are fake.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 12:27:13 am
content: I'm now selling genuine ASTM fuses in a mixed pack.

author: CustomEngineerer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 12:36:05 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on April 28, 2017, 12:27:13 amAt a genuine price?

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 12:41:05 am
content: How about cutting open a few samples of suspected counterfeit fuses to see what's inside them? I'd be curious to see just how junky they are. I'm sure someone could make a reasonable quality approximation of the real deal for a lot less but I'm betting most of the fakes are just a cheap fuse element inside a cardboard or plastic tube.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 12:52:47 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on April 28, 2017, 12:27:13 amI remember you mentioning it and I looked at your Amazon store but did not see them listed.Quote from: james_s on April 28, 2017, 12:41:05 amI bought a few and as I mentioned I plan to check the filler of the one after I check the trip current. I think depending what I see there, I may hook one up to the transient generator. Not very scientific but if there is no filler we may get a small bang.Even Asia Fuse are filled...

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 01:08:05 am
content: Quote from: joeqsmith on April 28, 2017, 12:52:47 amNot impossible, but ... they'd have to be total cheapskates to not put filler in them. You can get sand for free almost anywhere in the world.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 01:47:16 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on April 28, 2017, 01:08:05 amNothing is free. First they have to dig, sift, clean, dry and then install it. That's a lot of cost...

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 02:13:41 am
content: Picture showing what I believe is a real SIBA and the one I just bought. All of the SIBA fuses that have came in meters I have, have this same LOGO. Someone had posted the SIBA now has a factory in China. Did the logo change for that factory?

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 09:06:31 am
content: Looking closely, I'm fairly sure mine are fake. The printing is well below German standards.Oh, well.It would be interesting to know how the fakes perform. There's no reason why they can't do areasonablejob - it's just meltable metal and sand.

author: Alex P
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 10:54:02 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on April 28, 2017, 12:27:13 amShameless plug:https://www.eevblog.com/product/multimeter-fuse-pack/

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 12:21:50 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on April 28, 2017, 12:05:12 amI have to believe you are not alone in your idea that if you don't use the meter on mains that there's no problem. I can see this actually being the majority.I have enough data to say that the fuse is a counterfeit or SIBA has no quality control. I think rather run the second fuse on the half cycle transient generator where most people will think, that's not something I will ever do, I will run a low current time test on it. Something that hobbyist's could experience.The OEM parts have time rating curves. Say the real fuse will blow in a maximum of 10ms with 4X over the trip current applied and the cloned fuse takes 100ms to open. The circuit the fuse is protecting may become damaged.So no half cycle line test.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 28, 2017, 01:58:45 pm
content: Quote from: Alex P on April 28, 2017, 10:54:02 amIs there any way to get just a couple of the big ones?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2017, 01:20:25 pm
content: Years ago at the RS distributors i was shown a Fluke 77 meter they had recieved back from the Corporation, simply marked as "Faulty". Now, with the leads missing the probes on both, and being simply bare wire ends, you might be suspicious, given that the meter case looked like a truck had driven over it a few times, in mud, on a concrete road, and it was missing the holster completely.However, it did power on, and the display simply showed some random segments, and faded away. Shop owner took it apart, and we both looked inside. Never seen a copper coated case before, and even odder was this was on top of the foil shielding there as well, Battery was fine, checked on another meter and load tested with battery tester, and it passed with flying colours. Fuses were both perfect, and original ones as well. PCB however was slightly different, the entire copper track area around the input side was totally missing, leaving only components there on the landings, and with clear PCB where the traces were.Turned out that some sparktrician had tried to use this meter to measure the primary side of an 11kV substation transformer, and this had blown the 30A fuse in the supply line. Sparky survived mostly undamaged ( well, no more damage added), but this 2 month old meter was not covered under warranty. Never Done Correctly simply put in a purchase order for a new one.

author: Jester
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2017, 12:58:08 am
content: IMO, it depends what you are using the meter to measure. If your working with a high energy circuit, for example a 600V industrial distribution circuit, you would be foolish to use anything but the originally specified fuse. On the other hand if all your work is limited to repair of 3.3V, 15A power supplies and you blow a fuse once a week one could argue your foolish to spend $37 on a fuse when a $1 fuse will suffice.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2017, 01:04:20 am
content: Quote from: SeanB on April 29, 2017, 01:20:25 pmThat job would be dangerous enough, but I imagine the life span is pretty short when you are untrained and stupid. What's a little strange is I would have thought in most counties you would not just walk up and make a measurement like this.

author: joeqsmith
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2017, 01:49:16 am
content: Quote from: Jester on April 30, 2017, 12:58:08 amIf were only using the meter on the bench with the voltages and currents you mention and I knew that that meter would never be used by anyone but me, I would rather buy a fuse from a major brand with the same or faster trip times and not an HRC counterfeit. The cost should be reasonable.If this was for a disposable meter I may not care if a counterfeit fuse damaged it. There is no way I would risk damaging a $100+ meter to save $5 to $15 on a fuse.Then again if I was blowing a fuse in my handheld meter once a week, I would most likely find a hobby that better suited me.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2017, 02:02:49 am
content: Quote from: Vgkid on November 01, 2016, 06:36:00 amDigikey sells 5-pack of440mAand11Afor US$25.30 and US$46.50 respectively.Quote from: Jeroen3 on November 01, 2016, 06:55:35 pmNot all Fluke meters beep at you. I am that kind of idiot that do this from time to time - thus this is one of the reasons why I now prefer meters that at least beep - otherwise I yank the fuse out of them.

author: biggerpizza
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 01:11:15 am
content: I am so happy to know Digikey sells 440mA fluke fuse for 9USD only. However 1minutes later, I figured out it's for US market only.Digikey Australia sells the same thing for 119AUD.What a rip off.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 01:57:49 am
content: I can't see any 440mA fuses on Digikey, can you share a link?It's probably worth going for a similar fuse (+/-20% or so from the 440mA original is probably fine) from a good brand and similar time rating.

author: J-R
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 05:10:18 am
content: Come on guys, think before you post! I typed "440ma fuse" into the DigiKey search box, hit Enter, then clicked the first Top Result and got all the links being discussed.Double whammy, the two DigiKey links in rsjsouza previous post still work!But to answer the question, the 119AUD listing states Bulk Package and if you scroll down it's for quantity 10.

author: boggis the cat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 06:49:59 am
content: Quote from: biggerpizza on December 11, 2023, 01:11:15 amAlso try RS and Element14. Usually one or the other will have them at a lower price.

author: Whales
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 07:00:16 am
content: I got zero hits earlier, now the search is finding them under speciality fuses

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 10:55:41 am
content: Some here said that don't use the precious Fluke meters on the main then what do you use to measure 480VAC if you don't use the Fluke?

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 01:51:10 pm
content: Quote from: BeBuLamar on December 11, 2023, 10:55:41 amThey probably use the M830B...YOLO, right?

author: SteveLTN
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2024, 04:16:37 pm
content: I'm trying to buy some fuses here. And I'm in China. Certainly I want to avoid fake ones.Interestingly though, I found Fluke China is actually selling the 11Amp ones at 55 CNY each, which is about 8 USD. Other sellers (Fluke authorised sellers) are selling them cheaper, tapping $3.5-$5 range.Now I'm curious. If the cheap sub $10 fuses are counterfeit ones, how would Fluke themselves be selling them? Maybe the cheaper ones on Ebay aren't counterfeit ones after all.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 23, 2024, 10:45:32 pm
content: Quote from: SteveLTN on March 23, 2024, 04:16:37 pm$10 is just a normal price you can get them for. $3.5 most likely is fake. You can get genuine stuff for a bit more than $5 thoughhttps://item.szlcsc.com/5734030.html?mro=1

author: jonpaul
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2024, 10:58:53 pm
content: Assume Everything from Communist China is counterfeit and fakeGet genuine parts of safety or work is invloved.j