My Fluke died.... what now? Please recommend me one.

[The Guy]

Hi,

Well, my 187 fluke multimeter just died and now I need to get a new meter but I don't want no flukes no more, done with flukes 

 ...which great meter could I get instead?

My main concern is reliability, i don't want to waste 700 dollars again.

Thanks

[Lightages]

You can't get it repaired under warranty? If not I can understand why you would not want one again. Really, no warranty?

Well in that case have a look at the Brymen BM525S, BM869S, or some Keysight models. Much less money but not all have the same functions so pick your poison.

The BM525S is 10,000 counts but has internal logging. The BM869S does not have internal logging but has 50,000 counts and 500,000 on some functions. Both have optional USB connectivity and logging.

[IanB]

Did it die or was it killed? In other words, what do you mean by reliability? The most likely way for a meter to fail is due to some kind of stress, either electrical, mechanical, or environmental. So if you can define what kind of stresses you want your meter to hold up to, it will help you to pick a meter that is most robustly designed to withstand them.

[ataradov]

Get a couple of $20 UNI-Ts and stop worrying about them dying and caring about them like they are heirlooms.

[The Guy]

Did it die or was it killed? In other words, what do you mean by reliability? The most likely way for a meter to fail is due to some kind of stress, either electrical, mechanical, or environmental. So if you can define what kind of stresses you want your meter to hold up to, it will help you to pick a meter that is most robustly designed to withstand them.

It died man... it died like a sucker.
I was measuring around 450VDC and then it suddenly stopped giving data... the goddarned voltage divider resistor network got fried.

[The Guy]

You can't get it repaired under warranty? If not I can understand why you would not want one again. Really, no warranty?

Well in that case have a look at the Brymen BM525S, BM869S, or some Keysight models. Much less money but not all have the same functions so pick your poison.

The BM525S is 10,000 counts but has internal logging. The BM869S does not have internal logging but has 50,000 counts and 500,000 on some functions. Both have optional USB connectivity and logging.

Asi no ma' po compadre...

No warranty for my fluke in my country it sucks right? Anyway, will check out your suggestions.

[PowerNet]

Buy Fluke 87 VI 

[BU508A]

...which great meter could I get instead?

Probably one of these:

Agilent U1252B - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Agilent-U1252b-Digital-Multimeter-/292140659554
Brymen BM869s - http://www.tme.eu/en/details/bm869/portable-digital-multimeters/brymen/bm869s/

or, if you are not in a hurry, wait for the EEVBlog DMM GW121 - https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hear-kitty-kitty-kitty-nope-not-that-kind-of-cat/msg1243525/#msg1243525

BU508A

Edit: Typo

[HackedFridgeMagnet]

have you got a photo of the damage?

[lowimpedance]

have you got a photo of the damage?

Link to repair thread where the problem part has been identified and meter considered BER.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/urgent!-my-fluke-187-multimeter-stopped-reading-voltages-(ac-and-dc)/
Therefore now this thread !.

If the Hioki meters are readily available at a good price where you are then look at those too.

[Fungus]

Brymens are well-regarded.

Or ... if you want cheap 'sacrificial' meter, the Fluke 101 is only $42 (delivered!) and is the toughest meter so far in the electrical robustness thread.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hear-kitty-kitty-kitty-nope-not-that-kind-of-cat/

[Electro Detective]

Get it FIXED please !    

187 will still be miles ahead in many respects compared to bug riddled eye candy meters many drool over,

cheaper than buying an equivalent new Fluke, or a current expensive "Flook 87veee Made In TBC" (oops...I need to watch that)

'good as it gets' proper CAT rating

fast as lightning continuity chirping buzzer!   (operates without bird food afaict)

AC+DC 

NO MENU BS !!!

User modifiable multiple preset Startup Options

FWIW no one is going to take you seriously at most job sites waving a cheapo RED meter around (FACT!) 

I can keep going all day if you like...   


or if you really are THAT over the Fluke vibe  , get an EEVblog meter and get on with the job   

[PA4TIM]

but I don't want no flukes no more, done with flukes 

 i don't want to waste 700 dollars again.

If I read the pictures well on my tiny screen the Fluke is 15 years old, all electronic devices die someday by themselves, others, like probably yours, are killed by the user. So I would not say waisted money, it served you 15 years well.

If the resistor network is burned, I do not think you can blame Fluke for that. I think the 450V was a bit more as 450V. Maybe some inductive kickback.
I killed a RF diff probe measuring in the 5V part of some gear. This probe can handle 250V differential but only
25V common mode. Turned out the guy who tried to repair it before me switched some connectors and now there was a >200V common mode signal on the point I measured.

[Fungus]

Get it FIXED please !    

The Fluke 87 that failed in the robustness thread failed was because of a couple of transistors in the input stage (maybe like the two-transistor clamp shown in EEVBLOG #1000?). Quite easy to fix.

[MosherIV]

The Fluke 87 that failed in the robustness thread failed because of a couple of transistors in the input stage (like the clamp in EEVBLOG #1000?). Quite easy to fix.

Firstly, the OP said it is a Fluke 187. It is not clear how and why it died. The ceramic resistor divider network has an open circuit on it BUT none of the input protection components are damaged.
So, maybe PA4TIM is right and the component just failed. I find it hard to believe myself, these things are pretty robust electrically.

Secondly, the OP has not specified what he wants exactly or what he want to do with a new meter.
Hard to make recommendations if a) we do not know what he wants to replace or b)what he is looking for

[LabSpokane]

Whatever you get, get a couple of cheapo meters, too. For when you're measuring really nasty voltages. $15 jobbies that you really don't care about. Even a "Harbor Freight" DT830B will do, just get some crocodile clip leads and attach it before you power on (ie. don't hold it in your hand or mess around with it while it's connected to bad voltages). If it goes 'boom', no problem.

Boom is a problem. A major problem.

The whole raison d'etre for high-quality meters is so those "really nasty voltages" don't become really nasty currents in an arc-flash incident after a poorly-designed meter arcs over internally.  450V and the amperage its finger-thick conductors typically can carry falls squarely into the "serious business" category.  One uses junk, mystery meters in this application at their own peril.

Connecting such a cheap meter, then powering on the circuit to make such a device "safe" is completely unrealistic and frankly, dangerous. This procedure does not make such things safe. The meter will not explode in ones hand, but the arc-flash incident will occur anyway. The burns and eye damage from these incidents are horrific, so I would recommend in the strongest possible terms to NOT use a cheapo meter as a sacrificial device in a high-energy environment.

[Fungus]

Connecting such a cheap meter, then powering on the circuit to make such a device "safe" is completely unrealistic and frankly, dangerous. This procedure does not make such things safe. The meter will not explode in ones hand, but the arc-flash incident will occur anyway. The burns and eye damage from these incidents are horrific, so I would recommend in the strongest possible terms to NOT use a cheapo meter as a sacrificial device in a high-energy environment.

You're correct. I'll fix my post just in case anybody gets the wrong idea.

If you're on a budget and need an occasional 'sacrificial' meter, get a Fluke 101. At that price there's really no excuse.

And ... if you regularly measure 450VDC then get a meter that's designed for the job.

Even if the sparks don't get you the temporary blindness might and the hearing damage isn't worth it.

[Electro Detective]

How much time has passed since Mr. JQS did the 101 series tests,

how old was the 101 meter back then,

and where are the new lot made, same place, same quality standard?

will the latest batch survive the same JQS tests again?

I would want to know for certain, before recommending it as a 'sacrificial' meter to anyone


101 is feature starved compared to a 187

[Fungus]

How much time has passed since Mr. JQS did the 101 series tests,

how old was the 101 meter back then,

and where are the new lot made, same place, same quality standard?

will the latest batch survive the same JQS tests again?

Still looking for a ban...?

101 is feature starved compared to a 187

One of the reasons a Fluke 101 achieves its high safety rating is there's no current measurements. All input paths on a 101 are high-impedance.

Is that a bad thing? That's up to you.

As an EE you'll need another meter for the missing ranges, but... you probably have more than one meter anyway and the Fluke 101 is a dirt cheap second meter with reasonable specs.

[The Guy]

...which great meter could I get instead?

Probably one of these:

Agilent U1252B - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Agilent-U1252b-Digital-Multimeter-/292140659554
Brymen BM869s - http://www.tme.eu/en/details/bm869/portable-digital-multimeters/brymen/bm869s/

or, if you are not in a hurry, wait for the EEVBlog DMM GW121 - https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hear-kitty-kitty-kitty-nope-not-that-kind-of-cat/msg1243525/#msg1243525

BU508A

Edit: Typo

Whaaa? The eevblog gw121 looks like my ticket.... Is it going to be manufactured in the usa?

[The Guy]

The Fluke 87 that failed in the robustness thread failed because of a couple of transistors in the input stage (like the clamp in EEVBLOG #1000?). Quite easy to fix.

Firstly, the OP said it is a Fluke 187. It is not clear how and why it died. The ceramic resistor divider network has an open circuit on it BUT none of the input protection components are damaged.
So, maybe PA4TIM is right and the component just failed. I find it hard to believe myself, these things are pretty robust electrically.

Secondly, the OP has not specified what he wants exactly or what he want to do with a new meter.
Hard to make recommendations if a) we do not know what he wants to replace or b)what he is looking for

I want it for building audio equipment, mainly tube amplfiers. The 187 was a great metter for that purpose feature-wise

[MosherIV]

I want it for building audio equipment, mainly tube amplfiers. The 187 was a great metter for that purpose feature-wise

Then I agree with BU508A,
Any Keysight (previously Agilent) U124x or U125x
(there is a deal on at the moment :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/292140659554
(Do not know if the link is working or if this is the guys latest - ebay blocked at work  )

or
Brymen BM869s

Those ones are competing with each other.

I think it is worth fixing the Fluke187, it is even better then the Fluke87
I know you have not had the excellent reliability of Fluke, it is just bad luck 
Sorry

[The Guy]

I want it for building audio equipment, mainly tube amplfiers. The 187 was a great metter for that purpose feature-wise

Then I agree with BU508A,
Any Keysight (previously Agilent) U124x or U125x
(there is a deal on at the moment :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/292140659554
(Do not know if the link is working or if this is the guys latest - ebay blocked at work  )

or
Brymen BM869s

Those ones are competing with each other.

I think it is worth fixing the Fluke187, it is even better then the Fluke87
I know you have not had the excellent reliability of Fluke, it is just bad luck 
Sorry

Thanks for the recommendations.

Will give it a shot at fixin it... the expenses are the main issue, specially the re calibration. Need to find a guy that will re calibrate it for cheap

[Electro Detective]

I want it for building audio equipment, mainly tube amplfiers. The 187 was a great metter for that purpose feature-wise

The 187 (and 189) has a 100khz AC bandwidth (same as 289/287 and 8060A) and would be a MUST HAVE for any audio work.
In reality you can expect a decent flat-ish response up to 30 to 50 khz depending on levels and settings

The older Fluke 87-1 and 87V (the GENUINE Made In USA ones)  have 20khz AC bandwidth and whilst they sort of start rolling off at about 14 to 15khz (clean ultra low distortion sine waves) , they do the audio thing well enough. I have tested both side by side and performance is identical. 

Usually these Flukes provide an honest AC performance graph and specs, and one department where they leave most other meters in the dust

If the Agilent/Keysight/NextName , Gossen and Brymen crowd want to pit their  -???khz-- meters against the Flukes it would be an awesome shootout   

[IanB]

Thanks for the recommendations.

Will give it a shot at fixin it... the expenses are the main issue, specially the re calibration. Need to find a guy that will re calibrate it for cheap

Even if you fix your Fluke, the BM869s would be a handy second meter to have. It is inexpensive enough that you don't have to worry too much about not liking it.