It's Time for a New DVM

That don't look a bad bit of kit! My Fluke is coming to the end of it's life too! Unfortunately, I'd want a clamp meter and a insulation tester built into it! And I have to pay for the thing myself

Hows about a nice new Fluke Scopemeter? They're handy, and not that expensive, compared to the Agilent. And they're the proper color (yellow).

My Fluke 192 lasted short of 5 years on it's first life, and after a $500 facelift from a Fluke repair outfit, I got another 6 months or so out of it. Fluke repair service was totally inadequate. Fluke quality has evaporated, based on several failures over the past few years (pressure transducer, current clamp plugin, now my 89-IV, etc.). Extech seems to offer a better value for the DMM, while I would tend to look at Tectronix for the handheld scope...Agilent should be a good make, although it has been many years since I have been in a position to afford their products (in fact, they were still called Hewlett-Packard, last time I bought one of their instruments).

I'm totally unimpressed with Fluke over the last few years.

"Fluke repair service was totally inadequate. Fluke quality has evaporated, based on several failures over the past few years"

You got that right. We use Raytek IR thermometers all the time at work ( a division of Fluke). They're way over priced, and when you need to fix one, their repair service is the only game in town. They won't sell you the software, or their proprietary computer interface to diagnose the problem. So, your stuck with sending it out to Washington state, with a flat rate of $732, to fix even the smallest of problems.

I've been trying out this IF, IRTeck and so far, so good. The Raytek is $2800, the IRtek is under $2000. And they provide you with the diagnostic software.

Anyway, the reason I like the above meter is the totally cool, and highly readable display.

I just bought a few of these for my technicians, Extech meters.

A nice little DVM, with a built in IR, for about $120.

I was just looking for something special for myself, that I can see without putting on the reading glasses.

Oh ya, and if there's any "third party" looking over my sholder, whilst I'm taking a reading, he can kiss my ass, being in the perfect position to do so.

I agree, money should be green, meters should be yellow, and a Harley-Davidson should be black.

When you buy something with the companies money: shouldn't the decision process include:

"If I was paying for this myself: what would I buy?"

I know that there are situations where absolute accuracy and reliability are important, but for most engineering tasks (that I get involved with): functionality ease of use (goes without saying for a DMM) and resolution are the most important things. I've had really cheap meters for years which have never been calibrated, and, still read exactly the same as a Fluke which costs ten times as much.

The only advice I would give for buying a DMM, and, I know this is getting more and more difficult, is: get one which is not autoranging.

I know I'm regarded as a heretic, but, so was ............

Added to the mix of decision factors;-

How bounce proof is it? (will it need to be?)

Do you need on occasions to show readings to a third party where the industry standard of Fluke brings confidence to the reading?

regards

Chas

I did not see anything in the specifications regarding touchhold, my favorite function. Fluke is good for this,I would not buy a meter for serious trouble shooting without it.

Hi Bricktop,

Nice looking meter! I've been using a Hewlett Packard 973A with the yellow trim, and I like it, but I'm jealous of the blue. Nice choice.

S