Has to have the inductive type clamp as I need a meter to measure the
amperage draw my machines are using... have mostly single phase stuff,
and a couple of VFD driven 3 phase motors. I would also like to be
able to measure the alternator output on some of the older shop
vehicles.

I would like some suggestions for a good fluke or equiv brand meter,
with the "amp clamp" add on deal... I will be taking my chances at the
local pawn shops so a model number suggestion would be fantastic!!!!!

TIA!

wrote:
Has to have the inductive type clamp as I need a meter to measure the
amperage draw my machines are using... have mostly single phase stuff,
and a couple of VFD driven 3 phase motors. I would also like to be
able to measure the alternator output on some of the older shop
vehicles.

I would like some suggestions for a good fluke or equiv brand meter,
with the "amp clamp" add on deal... I will be taking my chances at the
local pawn shops so a model number suggestion would be fantastic!!!!!

TIA!

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

On Nov 7, 12:00*pm, wrote:
...
I would like some suggestions for a good fluke or equiv brand meter,
with the "amp clamp" add on deal... I will be taking my chances at the
local pawn shops so a model number suggestion would be fantastic!!!!!

TIA!

The only one I had trouble with was a Sears with a DC current scale
that wouldn't hold zero. I have several used analog Amprobe clamp-ons,
one of which reads low. It has a suspicious typewritten calibration
tag that suggests it may have been customized.

The KillAWatt is reputedly accurate enough to use for calibration;
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=93519

On Nov 7, 10:00*am, wrote:
Has to have the inductive type clamp as I need a meter to measure the
amperage draw my machines are using... have mostly single phase stuff,
and a couple of VFD driven 3 phase motors. *I would also like to be
able to measure the alternator output on some of the older shop
vehicles.

I would like some suggestions for a good fluke or equiv brand meter,
with the "amp clamp" add on deal... I will be taking my chances at the
local pawn shops so a model number suggestion would be fantastic!!!!!

TIA!

For occasional shop use, HF has a clamp-on digital at a price that
can't be beat, frequently around $8 on sale in the stores. AC-only on
the clamp-on, if you want DC, go get a Fluke. You WILL want the
single loop break-out for in-line appliance measurements, it plugs
into the wall and the appliance plugs into it, Fluke is the only place
I've seen that recently. If you want to measure BIG currents, you'll
need the 100:1 transformer, too.

At the HF price, get two, if you smoke one, you aren't out much.

You might find an old Simpson or Triplett clamp-on MRO-type analog
meter in a pawnshop, chances are it'll be beat to hell and a lot more
than HF wants. I have one of these I inherited, it seldom gets used,
though. Ohms scale is just about good enough to check fuses and
bulbs.

Stan

Cydrome Leader wrote:

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

Yup. Not that this will help OP, my trusty Model 12 got dropped one time too many and the
case cracked away and I didn't notice the chunk was missing while there was a chance to
find it. Work is replacing it with an 117, ordered today.

I'm not a tool snob but when it comes to ammeters and DMM's, Fluke is always a safe
choice.

I'm not a fan of the all in ones with the amp clamp. Seems like most I've seen are half
arsed at everything.

Wes

On 2008-11-07, wrote:
Has to have the inductive type clamp as I need a meter to measure the
amperage draw my machines are using... have mostly single phase stuff,
and a couple of VFD driven 3 phase motors. I would also like to be
able to measure the alternator output on some of the older shop
vehicles.

I would like some suggestions for a good fluke or equiv brand meter,
with the "amp clamp" add on deal... I will be taking my chances at the
local pawn shops so a model number suggestion would be fantastic!!!!!

Well ... my Flukes (model 27 and model 37 are officially
obsolete now. But I use separate plug-in clamp-on ammeter heads at the
end of a coiled cable, so they would work with any version. All you
need is the 3/4" spacing pair of banana plug jacks and you are there.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

wrote in message
...
Has to have the inductive type clamp as I need a meter to measure the
amperage draw my machines are using... have mostly single phase stuff,
and a couple of VFD driven 3 phase motors. I would also like to be
able to measure the alternator output on some of the older shop
vehicles.

I would like some suggestions for a good fluke or equiv brand meter,
with the "amp clamp" add on deal... I will be taking my chances at the
local pawn shops so a model number suggestion would be fantastic!!!!!


Craftsman 82369 works for me. Both AC and DC current clamp is fine. EBay is
your friend...sometimes!

--
Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC

writes:


For occasional shop use, HF has a clamp-on digital at a price that
can't be beat, frequently around $8 on sale in the stores. AC-only on
the clamp-on, if you want DC, go get a Fluke. You WILL want the
single loop break-out for in-line appliance measurements, it plugs
into the wall and the appliance plugs into it, Fluke is the only place
I've seen that recently. If you want to measure BIG currents, you'll
need the 100:1 transformer, too.

Making a breakout is trivial. Use an extension cord; break the two
conductors so you can clamp around one, and that's it.

Clamping around both is what a GFI does; the two currents SHOULD be
exactly equal. If not, it's leaking to ground somehow, maybe through
you..


If your meter is insensitive, then use 2 loops of the one conductor;
5 amps actual will indicate as 10, etc.


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

On Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:00:29 -0800, rbce2003 wrote:

Has to have the inductive type clamp as I need a meter to measure the
amperage draw my machines are using... have mostly single phase stuff,
and a couple of VFD driven 3 phase motors. I would also like to be able
to measure the alternator output on some of the older shop vehicles.

I would like some suggestions for a good fluke or equiv brand meter,
with the "amp clamp" add on deal... I will be taking my chances at the
local pawn shops so a model number suggestion would be fantastic!!!!!

TIA!

Anything plug in you could do with a regular meter and a shunt plug,
without the amp clamp. Although an amp clamp is so profoundly convenient
you probably wouldn't want to even think about it for the AC equipment.

Unless the world has shifted a bunch since the last time I looked, you'll
have to pay bigger $$ for a DC amp clamp for the vehicle charging systems.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

Wes wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

Yup. Not that this will help OP, my trusty Model 12 got dropped one time too many and the
case cracked away and I didn't notice the chunk was missing while there was a chance to
find it. Work is replacing it with an 117, ordered today.

I'm not a tool snob but when it comes to ammeters and DMM's, Fluke is always a safe
choice.

I'm not a fan of the all in ones with the amp clamp. Seems like most I've seen are half
arsed at everything.

Wes

Yes, you can't beat a Fluke. However a good Fluke isn't cheap, and the
$3 on sale Harbor Freight DMMs are very handy, and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.

David Lesher wrote:

writes:

For occasional shop use, HF has a clamp-on digital at a price that
can't be beat, frequently around $8 on sale in the stores. AC-only on
the clamp-on, if you want DC, go get a Fluke. You WILL want the
single loop break-out for in-line appliance measurements, it plugs
into the wall and the appliance plugs into it, Fluke is the only place
I've seen that recently. If you want to measure BIG currents, you'll
need the 100:1 transformer, too.

Making a breakout is trivial. Use an extension cord; break the two
conductors so you can clamp around one, and that's it.

Clamping around both is what a GFI does; the two currents SHOULD be
exactly equal. If not, it's leaking to ground somehow, maybe through
you..

If your meter is insensitive, then use 2 loops of the one conductor;
5 amps actual will indicate as 10, etc.

--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

I got a hall effect AC/DC clamp probe rated 1,600ACA / 2,000DCA at Fry's
for something like $60, TPI brand or something like that. Vastly cheaper
than the Fluke equivalent and works just fine with my Fluke 87. The hall
effect DCA is really handy when working on an electric forklift, among
other things.

"Pete C." writes:


I got a hall effect AC/DC clamp probe rated 1,600ACA / 2,000DCA at Fry's
for something like $60, TPI brand or something like that. Vastly cheaper
than the Fluke equivalent and works just fine with my Fluke 87. The hall
effect DCA is really handy when working on an electric forklift, among
other things.

Yep. But that's Bridgestones to Surface grinders the HF Special.

The guy wanting to measure how much a tool draws is a long way from fixing
DC forklifts....


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

Pete C. wrote:

Wes wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

Yup. Not that this will help OP, my trusty Model 12 got dropped one time too many and the
case cracked away and I didn't notice the chunk was missing while there was a chance to
find it. Work is replacing it with an 117, ordered today.

I'm not a tool snob but when it comes to ammeters and DMM's, Fluke is always a safe
choice.

I'm not a fan of the all in ones with the amp clamp. Seems like most I've seen are half
arsed at everything.

Wes

Yes, you can't beat a Fluke. However a good Fluke isn't cheap, and the
$3 on sale Harbor Freight DMMs are very handy, and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.

Don't even buy the fluke in this case. You'd be to busy keeping it safe
and using junk meters for all your real work.

That's what expensive tools and instruments are for- they'll take a daily
beating and still work better than cheaper things.

As for the "disposable meter" concept, I'm not buying that either. I'd
rather just buy fuses for a good meter with leads that won't electrocute
me in the first place, or mislead me with 0 or other garbage readings.

So, who here buys disposable chinese ladders and just tosses them out when
the rungs break or they collapse?

Cydrome Leader wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

Wes wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

Yup. Not that this will help OP, my trusty Model 12 got dropped one time too many and the
case cracked away and I didn't notice the chunk was missing while there was a chance to
find it. Work is replacing it with an 117, ordered today.

I'm not a tool snob but when it comes to ammeters and DMM's, Fluke is always a safe
choice.

I'm not a fan of the all in ones with the amp clamp. Seems like most I've seen are half
arsed at everything.

Wes

Yes, you can't beat a Fluke. However a good Fluke isn't cheap, and the
$3 on sale Harbor Freight DMMs are very handy, and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.

Don't even buy the fluke in this case. You'd be to busy keeping it safe
and using junk meters for all your real work.

That's what expensive tools and instruments are for- they'll take a daily
beating and still work better than cheaper things.

As for the "disposable meter" concept, I'm not buying that either. I'd
rather just buy fuses for a good meter with leads that won't electrocute
me in the first place, or mislead me with 0 or other garbage readings.

So, who here buys disposable chinese ladders and just tosses them out when
the rungs break or they collapse?

I'm not about to keep a good $300 Fluke meter in the truck in 100 degree
summers or -10 degree winters. A $3 HF meter, no problem, and it's
always there in the truck with my socket set and other tools for on the
road troubleshooting.

The same goes for having one of those $3 meters in every toolbox. I have
separate toolboxes for RF/video, phone/data, etc. and each one has one
of those meters in it. They are perfectly fine for continuity checks,
etc. and always handy.

Tim Wescott wrote:

Unless the world has shifted a bunch since the last time I looked, you'll
have to pay bigger $$ for a DC amp clamp for the vehicle charging systems.

It's shifted:

I got a hall effect AC/DC clamp probe rated 1,600ACA / 2,000DCA at Fry's
for something like $60, TPI brand or something like that. Vastly cheaper
than the Fluke equivalent and works just fine with my Fluke 87. The hall
effect DCA is really handy when working on an electric forklift, among
other things.

On Sat, 8 Nov 2008 04:11:19 +0000 (UTC), David Lesher
wrote:

writes:


For occasional shop use, HF has a clamp-on digital at a price that
can't be beat, frequently around $8 on sale in the stores. AC-only on
the clamp-on, if you want DC, go get a Fluke. You WILL want the
single loop break-out for in-line appliance measurements, it plugs
into the wall and the appliance plugs into it, Fluke is the only place
I've seen that recently. If you want to measure BIG currents, you'll
need the 100:1 transformer, too.

Making a breakout is trivial. Use an extension cord; break the two
conductors so you can clamp around one, and that's it.

Clamping around both is what a GFI does; the two currents SHOULD be
exactly equal. If not, it's leaking to ground somehow, maybe through
you..


If your meter is insensitive, then use 2 loops of the one conductor;
5 amps actual will indicate as 10, etc.
I made a ten turn coil for low current. Junior used it to determine
his requirements for a UPS then within a week he became the resident
expert in the computer store where he worked and sold 17 units to one
customer because he knew what he was talking about.
Gerry :-)}
London, Canada

On Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:14:25 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:


Wes wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

Yup. Not that this will help OP, my trusty Model 12 got dropped one time too many and the
case cracked away and I didn't notice the chunk was missing while there was a chance to
find it. Work is replacing it with an 117, ordered today.

I'm not a tool snob but when it comes to ammeters and DMM's, Fluke is always a safe
choice.

I'm not a fan of the all in ones with the amp clamp. Seems like most I've seen are half
arsed at everything.

Wes

Yes, you can't beat a Fluke. However a good Fluke isn't cheap, and the
$3 on sale Harbor Freight DMMs are very handy, and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.

I would concur with this. Keeping a fluke in the average metalworking
shop would be a total waste of money. A cheapy HF unit is more than
accurate enough for virtually all the measurements you will be making
- and if you leave it on the bench and drop something on it, drop it
on the floor, back over it with a cart, leave it on a
friend's/customer's pickup/trailer/under hood, you have lost ten bucks
- and you are not in a fix because you have another one in the other
toolbox, one in the car, one in the pickup, and one in the kitchen -
all for 1/4 the cost of one Fluke.

ANd you know the slogan - "If it works, it's a fluke"

On Sat, 8 Nov 2008 04:51:09 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

Wes wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

Yup. Not that this will help OP, my trusty Model 12 got dropped one time too many and the
case cracked away and I didn't notice the chunk was missing while there was a chance to
find it. Work is replacing it with an 117, ordered today.

I'm not a tool snob but when it comes to ammeters and DMM's, Fluke is always a safe
choice.

I'm not a fan of the all in ones with the amp clamp. Seems like most I've seen are half
arsed at everything.

Wes

Yes, you can't beat a Fluke. However a good Fluke isn't cheap, and the
$3 on sale Harbor Freight DMMs are very handy, and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.

Don't even buy the fluke in this case. You'd be to busy keeping it safe
and using junk meters for all your real work.

That's what expensive tools and instruments are for- they'll take a daily
beating and still work better than cheaper things.

As for the "disposable meter" concept, I'm not buying that either. I'd
rather just buy fuses for a good meter with leads that won't electrocute
me in the first place, or mislead me with 0 or other garbage readings.

So, who here buys disposable chinese ladders and just tosses them out when
the rungs break or they collapse?




The man does have a point.

Gunner, with Fluke in all his tool boxes

I have both Flukes as well as $3.99 Harbor Freight multimeters.

The HF ones indeed have many "issues", but they are good for checking
car batteries, or whether voltage is present etc. They certainly have
their place and, like Pete C, I have one in the "machine removal
toolbox" in my pickup.

i

On Fri, 07 Nov 2008 18:54:43 -0500, Wes wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

Yup. Not that this will help OP, my trusty Model 12 got dropped one time too many and the
case cracked away and I didn't notice the chunk was missing while there was a chance to
find it. Work is replacing it with an 117, ordered today.

I'm not a tool snob but when it comes to ammeters and DMM's, Fluke is always a safe
choice.

I'm not a fan of the all in ones with the amp clamp. Seems like most I've seen are half
arsed at everything.

Wes

As an industrial service tech, the BEST unit Ive ever used for general
duty...is the Fluke T5-600

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006Z3GZU

Ohms, tone, AC/DC volts, AC amps to 100, auto off, rugged as hell,
easy to use, rugged (dropped one off a 12vt ladder, and it bounced as
I cringed in pain...and it still works just fine.)

Gunner

Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional,
illogical liberal minority, and rabidly promoted by an
unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the
proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

Pete C. wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

Wes wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

Yup. Not that this will help OP, my trusty Model 12 got dropped one time too many and the
case cracked away and I didn't notice the chunk was missing while there was a chance to
find it. Work is replacing it with an 117, ordered today.

I'm not a tool snob but when it comes to ammeters and DMM's, Fluke is always a safe
choice.

I'm not a fan of the all in ones with the amp clamp. Seems like most I've seen are half
arsed at everything.

Wes

Yes, you can't beat a Fluke. However a good Fluke isn't cheap, and the
$3 on sale Harbor Freight DMMs are very handy, and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.

Don't even buy the fluke in this case. You'd be to busy keeping it safe
and using junk meters for all your real work.

That's what expensive tools and instruments are for- they'll take a daily
beating and still work better than cheaper things.

As for the "disposable meter" concept, I'm not buying that either. I'd
rather just buy fuses for a good meter with leads that won't electrocute
me in the first place, or mislead me with 0 or other garbage readings.

So, who here buys disposable chinese ladders and just tosses them out when
the rungs break or they collapse?

I'm not about to keep a good $300 Fluke meter in the truck in 100 degree
summers or -10 degree winters. A $3 HF meter, no problem, and it's
always there in the truck with my socket set and other tools for on the
road troubleshooting.

I doubt you can even read the LCD on a $3 meter at -10F, or tell the
actual readings from 1888 on the 100 degree days.

Cydrome Leader wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

Pete C. wrote:

Wes wrote:

Cydrome Leader wrote:

I can't think of any equivalents to a fluke. Just get one of those.

Yup. Not that this will help OP, my trusty Model 12 got dropped one time too many and the
case cracked away and I didn't notice the chunk was missing while there was a chance to
find it. Work is replacing it with an 117, ordered today.

I'm not a tool snob but when it comes to ammeters and DMM's, Fluke is always a safe
choice.

I'm not a fan of the all in ones with the amp clamp. Seems like most I've seen are half
arsed at everything.

Wes

Yes, you can't beat a Fluke. However a good Fluke isn't cheap, and the
$3 on sale Harbor Freight DMMs are very handy, and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.

Don't even buy the fluke in this case. You'd be to busy keeping it safe
and using junk meters for all your real work.

That's what expensive tools and instruments are for- they'll take a daily
beating and still work better than cheaper things.

As for the "disposable meter" concept, I'm not buying that either. I'd
rather just buy fuses for a good meter with leads that won't electrocute
me in the first place, or mislead me with 0 or other garbage readings.

So, who here buys disposable chinese ladders and just tosses them out when
the rungs break or they collapse?

I'm not about to keep a good $300 Fluke meter in the truck in 100 degree
summers or -10 degree winters. A $3 HF meter, no problem, and it's
always there in the truck with my socket set and other tools for on the
road troubleshooting.

I doubt you can even read the LCD on a $3 meter at -10F, or tell the
actual readings from 1888 on the 100 degree days.

I expect you might need to put the meter in your pocket for a few min on
a -10F day to get the display warmed up, but you do on the Fluke as
well. The HF meter does indeed work perfectly fine in 104F, I've tried
it.

On 2008-11-09, Pete C. wrote:
I expect you might need to put the meter in your pocket for a few min on
a -10F day to get the display warmed up, but you do on the Fluke as
well. The HF meter does indeed work perfectly fine in 104F, I've tried
it.

I just put my $3.99 multimeter into a freezer. After I put kids to
bed, I will report on how it works. My feeling here is that its
performance depends on how much voltage the cold battery would
provide.

--
Due to extreme spam originating from Google Groups, and their inattention
to spammers, I and many others block all articles originating
from Google Groups. If you want your postings to be seen by
more readers you will need to find a different means of
posting on Usenet.
http://improve-usenet.org/

On 2008-11-09, Ignoramus3975 wrote:
On 2008-11-09, Pete C. wrote:
I expect you might need to put the meter in your pocket for a few min on
a -10F day to get the display warmed up, but you do on the Fluke as
well. The HF meter does indeed work perfectly fine in 104F, I've tried
it.

I just put my $3.99 multimeter into a freezer. After I put kids to

and my Fluke 79

bed, I will report on how it works. My feeling here is that its
performance depends on how much voltage the cold battery would
provide.


--
Due to extreme spam originating from Google Groups, and their inattention
to spammers, I and many others block all articles originating
from Google Groups. If you want your postings to be seen by
more readers you will need to find a different means of
posting on Usenet.
http://improve-usenet.org/

On 2008-11-09, Ignoramus3975 wrote:
On 2008-11-09, Pete C. wrote:
I expect you might need to put the meter in your pocket for a few min on
a -10F day to get the display warmed up, but you do on the Fluke as
well. The HF meter does indeed work perfectly fine in 104F, I've tried
it.

I just put my $3.99 multimeter into a freezer. After I put kids to
bed, I will report on how it works. My feeling here is that its
performance depends on how much voltage the cold battery would
provide.

The LCD readout freezes up below some particular temperature, so
you need to warm it up for that reason -- even if the batteries are
happy.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Ignoramus3975 wrote:

On 2008-11-09, Pete C. wrote:
I expect you might need to put the meter in your pocket for a few min on
a -10F day to get the display warmed up, but you do on the Fluke as
well. The HF meter does indeed work perfectly fine in 104F, I've tried
it.

I just put my $3.99 multimeter into a freezer. After I put kids to
bed, I will report on how it works. My feeling here is that its
performance depends on how much voltage the cold battery would
provide.

I've used my Fluke 87 in sub zero weather in CT and the display is a bit
sluggish if you don't put the meter inside your jacket now and then to
warm it up. Since I moved to TX I've bought a handfull of the HF $3
meters and have used a couple in 104F with no issues. I've not used the
HF in cold or the Fluke in really hot yet.

"Pete C." wrote: (clip) and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Me too. The result is that each time I go to use the Fluke it's time to
replace the battery.

On Sat, 08 Nov 2008 20:58:21 -0600, Ignoramus3975
wrote:

On 2008-11-09, Ignoramus3975 wrote:
On 2008-11-09, Pete C. wrote:
I expect you might need to put the meter in your pocket for a few min on
a -10F day to get the display warmed up, but you do on the Fluke as
well. The HF meter does indeed work perfectly fine in 104F, I've tried
it.

I just put my $3.99 multimeter into a freezer. After I put kids to

and my Fluke 79

bed, I will report on how it works. My feeling here is that its
performance depends on how much voltage the cold battery would
provide.


Don't get too carried away (probably too late for this
warning though...) with getting the Fluke cold.

I've got an old Regency hand-held scanner with a cracked LCD
display. It was in my service van when the temperature
outside dipped down to around -20 degrees. It still works,
but the display doesn't look so good.

Might want to take a look at the temperature storage specs
for your meter first.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

On Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:14:25 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:

snip
Yes, you can't beat a Fluke. However a good Fluke isn't cheap, and the
$3 on sale Harbor Freight DMMs are very handy, and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.

I'm pretty fond of my old B&K 2810 Digital VOM. It still
works fine and it is over 25 years old. I get a few more
features on the Fluke 87, but I better trust the B&K for
ohming out semiconductors. The B&K also has a full scale 10
ohm range that is nice for those ~.02 ohm type measurements
on some items.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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Leon Fisk wrote:
On Fri, 07 Nov 2008 22:14:25 -0600, "Pete C."
wrote:

snip
Yes, you can't beat a Fluke. However a good Fluke isn't cheap, and the
$3 on sale Harbor Freight DMMs are very handy, and at that price you can
keep one in every vehicle and every toolbox, and keep the good Fluke
somewhere safe.

I'm pretty fond of my old B&K 2810 Digital VOM. It still
works fine and it is over 25 years old. I get a few more
features on the Fluke 87, but I better trust the B&K for
ohming out semiconductors. The B&K also has a full scale 10
ohm range that is nice for those ~.02 ohm type measurements
on some items.

I still use the B&k 820 capacitance meter with the LED display. Each
generation after that lost more and more ranges.

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:46:41 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
wrote:

I still use the B&k 820 capacitance meter with the LED display. Each
generation after that lost more and more ranges.

I have that same meter, good piece of test equipment. It is
the same vintage as the 2810 VOM. The carry cases are one in
the same, both take 4 "C" cell batteries, same
charger/wall-wart, they look very similar too.

Those two items, especially the VOM, helped to
troubleshoot/repair a lot of radio equipment for me.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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Leon Fisk wrote:

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 22:46:41 +0000 (UTC), Cydrome Leader
wrote:

I still use the B&k 820 capacitance meter with the LED display. Each
generation after that lost more and more ranges.

I have that same meter, good piece of test equipment. It is
the same vintage as the 2810 VOM. The carry cases are one in
the same, both take 4 "C" cell batteries, same
charger/wall-wart, they look very similar too.

Those two items, especially the VOM, helped to
troubleshoot/repair a lot of radio equipment for me.


I recieved my Fluke 117 today. Much nicer than the model 12. Frequency to 9999hz, 0.1
mv, back lighting, current (ac / dc) and a non contact voltage check ability.

Took the 12 home with the broken case, used some JB putty (non steel reinforced to seal up
the case), I'll leave it in the car with my ODBII scanner that has been surviving summer
and winter in northern michigan just fine.

Wes