Another Multimeter Question

[dragonbat13]

I have a portable fluke 117 true RMS. My problem is that it's really my field meter for all kinds of work I do and it never seems to be with me when I need it because it's sitting on my amp bench.

Looking at eBay I searched bench top meters.

I saw a few fluke meters for rather low prices.

I was wondering what fluke bench top meters to look for and what to stay away from.

Thanks.

Except for those old Simpsons, I have had bad experience with other brands and want to stay with fluke. One thing with a cheap "just as good as a fluke" was the probe inputs were junk and gave intermittent reading problems. I simply don't have the patience for that and it messed up my glorious amp building experience for the day. So I'm willing to pay for a used fluke over a new china one.

[passfan]

I keep my expensive fluke at home and use a cheap o greenlee out in the field.

[pompeiisneaks]

I've got a Fluke 87-V now and love it but used my Fluke 117 for a long time. I take that one out on the road with me as I don't want to risk losing my 87-V

If you really want a bench multimeter, look for some of the Fluke's, Agilent/HP or some of those old great ones on ebay, you can often find a great deal on one there. I almost pulled the trigger a couple times before I finally just bought the 87.

something like this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/164840133753?h ... SwwoFgiu2H

but I can't guarantee any of them being 'working' that's on the seller lol.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/294116124293?_ ... 1195.m1851

etc. some will go for more than others. Occasionally you can find one for really cheap but since EEVBlog did a video on these types they're going up sadly.

~Phil

[Phil_S]

If in working order, you can't really go wrong with something like this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/393237186965?e ... SwNVNgbfi9
Some of them have a rechargeable battery that, IMO, makes it not as good. Get one that plugs into the wall and no battery. I have a model 8600A with the battery and wish it was the model without the battery. You must leave the old battery installed even if it won't hold a charge and there is no reason I can think of the get a new battery.

As already noted, there are other brands of older bench meters that will give you a lot of bang for the buck: HP, B&K, etc.

I also have a Fluke 8025B hand held that I bought on eBay for very little money. I just looked and prices seem to have gone crazy on that model.

[dragonbat13]

Ok I totally changed my mind. For the costs that folks are asking for stuff like mentioned above I found some modern bench top stuff, although they are not "fluke quality". I got to thinking and maybe I was a little harder on the Chinese stuff since I was using it in the field.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/det ... 1/12326025


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QT3RTV0/re ... UTF8&psc=1

Let's say the budget is 500. But it must be new and have a warranty.

Two features I like off the top of my head are 5.5 digit dual display. Oh yeah and true RMS.

The majority of my work is tube/analog related. But I do come across more modern stuff and radio stuff too.

What are the most important features to look for?

My handheld is a fluke 117 true RMS.

[sluckey]

If I had to have a separate bench meter and a field meter, I'd just get two 87Vs. What kind of field stuff do you do?

[dragonbat13]

Most of my field stuff I use my 117. It's house work and automotive/tractor/semi/industrial work riding around in a nasty mechanic truck with oil grease, chemical, who knows.

I don't want to use a handheld meter on my bench. I want a designed for the bench meter. If. I got another handheld I'm going to end up with two handheld meters somewhere besides where I can get to it. The problem is not that I keep using my bench meter in the field, it that my field meter keeps getting left on the bench.

I do not want to use a handheld as a bench meter.

Besides, the handhelds lay flat on a table, get moved around, blah blah. I want to take a benchtop meter and have a set place next to my benchtop Weller iron. Along with my tool rack that is benchtop mounted.

[pompeiisneaks]

I'd say spring at least for the siglent, I know of owon, but it's the lowest end of the chinese stuff. Siglent is better, rigol is best, of that category, from my personal experience and reviews I've seen. I've got a rigol scope and a rigol bench power supply and they're really well built, but I know the rigol bench multimeter is over your budget. The Siglent I've heard on reviews is 'almost as good as a rigol' in most ways.

Obviously there's a reason the companies like Agilent, etc cost a ton more as they're either US or EU companies, but likely they too have all their products built in china as well, but they have better warranties, and QA/QC for their acceptance criteria.

IMO the Siglent/Rigol brands have really started showing how the chinese manufacturers can make great stuff, that's at a medium price point, instead of the super cheap junk. I jokingnly posted a cheap bench multimeter from china that had bluetooth speakers in it as the worst of the worst.... it was so cheap I still wanted to try it, but never did lol.

~Phil

[Phil_S]

https://www.tequipment.net/multimeters/ ... e_300-500/
Looks like some good choices here. No affiliation with this seller. I bought something one time and now I get their spam regularly. I'm too lazy to unsubscribe.

[pompeiisneaks]

Oh wow I didn't realize the rigol 5.5 digit was that low now. I saw one somewhere else at 600, but maybe it's their 6.5 digit or some such...

~Phil