What do you think of the new Fluke 87 V MAX?

[james_s]

No, but Fluke meters *used* to be built right near me in Everett. Who knows how the production is done anymore, it probably is just trivial assembly work, I don't think I'd buy a brand new Fluke, there is little compelling reason now. There was in not too distant history though.

[pjones]

Here's the   Not Made In Rome Fluke 28-II/28 11/28-ii/28!!/28 Round#2/28-2 RELOADED   Fluke 87V MAX Youtube video > youtube.com/watch?v=iInW6CL3RFE

afaict they aren't really 'roughing it', in fact any decent meter in a zipped lunch bag might handle those 'extremes' just as well.
Perhaps the cash strapped film crew with the sweaty muddied tradie actors only had one 28-MAX/87FATBOY meter to work with? 

Better value to fly in and tradie dressup EEVblog host DJ in that shoot,
showing punters how it's actually used in the field, the modes, apps, proving, and precautions,
and how lead tangles and pinches, drops, drags, stomps and selector oopsies happen.

Bonus footage: what to do with worksite tool and multimeter snatchers   

--------------

Youtube Comments:

"MEATBALL POWER

Is there a difference between the fluke 27/28 series and this 87v max?



Fluke Corporation

Hi there - Yes, the 87V MAX is a step above the original, successful 28 II. The 87V MAX is the most rugged DMM Fluke has ever built, drop-tested to 4 meters (over 13 feet), while offering a waterproof, dustproof IP67 rated case. The 87V MAX also gives the user TL157 TwistGuard™ test leads. These test leads not only offer adjustable CAT ratings through the TwistGuard probe tips, they remain flexible and usable from -20°C to 55°C (-4°F to 131°F) – the first time both a meter and its test leads have carried such an extreme environmental operating range.



TropicalEncounter

​@Fluke Corporation Aside from the additional meter of drop rating, the rest of the technical specs of this DMM appear to be identical to the 28II, not the 87V like the marketing literature implies. The description on Flukes website says "The 87V MAX contains all the trusted features of the most popular DMM used today, the Fluke 87V, plus much more", but that statement is not true, for example the diode test function is not created equal to the 87V DMM it is identical to the 28II. Why was this model not labeled as the 28III since that product line is what it most closely resembles?"

--------------------

No reply yet   

EDIT: after a curiosity search    for Fluke Corporation's mention of  "TL157 TwistGuard™ test leads"  ( )
there is no such item, perhaps a typo and meant the TL175 TwistGuard™ test leads > www.fluke.com/en-us/product/accessories/test-leads/fluke-tl175
which fwiw are one of the better/best/hard to beat multimeter test lead sets I've used   

Perhaps the scrape and rebadge TL157MAX leads were late for the revamp party?   

(ED = )

They are sure taking their time on a response...

[Mr. Scram]

It honestly looks like the Danaher Method is in full effect. Buy a reputable company and extract every last cent out of it instead of developing it further. Don't invest or develop but instead ride the reputation until it's evaporated. I'd like to believe otherwise but I don't see what they're doing as the products being good as they are. Most people would agree something like the 289 has room for improvement but instead they come up with a rebadge. Looks like Fluke is doing a Tektronix.

[Electro Detective]

They are sure taking their time on a response...

Yeah, don't hold your breath waiting    I had another peek to see if any progress or reply at that video > youtube.com/watch?v=iInW6CL3RFE

Youtube commenter 'TropicalEncounter' has come back 3 days later to stick in the boots expand his/her previous observation based comment


"MEATBALL POWER 1 week ago

Is there a difference between the fluke 27/28 series and this 87v max?


Fluke Corporation 1 week ago

Hi there - Yes, the 87V MAX is a step above the original, successful 28 II. The 87V MAX is the most rugged DMM Fluke has ever built, drop-tested to 4 meters (over 13 feet), while offering a waterproof, dustproof IP67 rated case. The 87V MAX also gives the user TL157 TwistGuard™ test leads. These test leads not only offer adjustable CAT ratings through the TwistGuard probe tips, they remain flexible and usable from -20°C to 55°C (-4°F to 131°F) – the first time both a meter and its test leads have carried such an extreme environmental operating range.


TropicalEncounter 5 days ago

​@Fluke Corporation Aside from the additional meter of drop rating, the rest of the technical specs of this DMM appear to be identical to the 28II, not the 87V like the marketing literature implies. The description on Flukes website says "The 87V MAX contains all the trusted features of the most popular DMM used today, the Fluke 87V, plus much more", but that statement is not true, for example the diode test function is not created equal to the 87V DMM it is identical to the 28II. Why was this model not labeled as the 28III since that product line is what it most closely resembles?



TropicalEncounter 2 days ago

​@Fluke Corporation My previous post wasn't a rhetorical question, I am genuinely curious why Fluke has decided to take, what appears to be, the 28II DMM and put a better padded housing over it, then figured that (what appears to be) single change was worthy of a name change for it and bumping it over to the 87 series product line. What has actually been improved or changed from the 28II model? I'm curious what the considerations were when this change was decided. is this the beginning of the phase out of the 28 series models? I consider leads to be an accessory to a meter so I didn't add it to the list of features changed. Were there any changes in production or design of the board or internal components? Basically, what I'm asking is, if I go out and buy the TL175 leads and the upgraded case for the 87V MAX, from what the literature says, have I essentially upgraded the 28II to the 87V MAX? I like the fact that 9V batteries are relatively reliable and that was a great feature of the 87V DMM, but you've changed that to use AA batteries which can be quite prone to leaking even with high quality batteries. Is damage caused by leaking batteries covered by the warranty? If it's not are you going to provide parts available to us so it can be repaired if it happens? In my opinion, for a company that sells high quality equipment, the TL71 leads that you provide are a slap in the face to the people who just purchased that equipment. I know thats a harsh statement but they are clunky to use and feel cheep when you pick them up. It created doubt and makes us wonder if the rest of the meter was built with the same quality as the test leads, not a good first impression to give with a new piece of equipment. The change to the silicone leads was a smart move that I believe everyone will be happy with. I use the TL175 leads every day and have been very happy with them."

------------------

I doubt even the company's best feelgood motormouths would dare rock up to contest that. I reckon they'll pull the video instead
The corpotrolls are running late to the party, probably demanding extra pay to begin their Youtube  attacks and insults on this too hard basket 

And is that "better padded housing" something new, or pretty much the same with a stylish curve or whatever added?
At about 0:32 seconds into the paused video, and other parts that show the sides and rear, it looks EXACTLY like the holster on mine, including the grubby smudgework,
and same silly wonky stand that's close to useless   

@ 'Fluke Corporation': please just fess up 'umm yes, it's a 28-11 rebadge',
a bored marketing team's light bulb attempt to give customers a heavier duty 87V option,
and pump the recognised sales line for another 10 years.

Nothing really wrong with that, the product is still good, and business is business.. 
but PLEASE don't overprice it to fill lazy investard parasite pockets

[tooki]

Easy: US military and other government that require critical equipment to be made in USA. (People don’t realize that even many brands that manufacture everything abroad have minor domestic manufacturing facilities in order to be able to sell a version to the military that is “Made in USA”. But you’ll never see those on the web store, they have to be ordered through government sales offices.)

With the US COTS policy and apparently large amounts of counterfeit parts found in everything up to and including fighter jets there doesn't seem to be a requirement to have military DMMs made in the US.

Not specifically for DMMs. But for most military purchasing, period: https://www.pogo.org/analysis/2015/09/dod-buying-from-everywhere-but-america/

(With incomplete success, obviously.)

Similar rules exist for many other branches of the federal government, with even less adherence...
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/24/us/politics/secret-service-uniforms-mexico-trump-trade.html

[R2DAW]

I recently bought 28-II (for unknown reason, here it's cheaper than 87-V). I regestred it on Fluke website, providing them my e-mail.

Today got a newsletter from Fluke, featuring new 87V MAX. When I saw it my first reaction was like: "Wait, what?!" Almost identical except it's size but even weight is same not mentioning other things.
My second reaction when I saw photos from their advertisement campaign was "Déjà vu". And yes - they even reuse their photos from advertisement campaign for 28 II
Original:
https://testeribg.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/FLUKE_28II_5.png
Little Photoshop for 87V MAX:
https://dam-assets.fluke.com/s3fs-public/87v-max-dustproof.jpg
Unbelievable (c).

P.S. And MAX is unlucky product name, IMHO.

[Black Phoenix]

I recently bought 28-II (for unknown reason here it's cheaper then 87-V). I regestred it on Fluke website providing them my e-mail.

Today got a newsletter from Fluke, featuring new 87V MAX. When I saw it my first reaction was like: "Wait, what?!" Almost identical except it's size but even weight is same not mentioning other things.
My second reaction when I saw photos from their advertisement campaign was "Déjà vu". And yes - they even reuse their photos from advertisement campaign for 28 II
Original:
https://testeribg.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/FLUKE_28II_5.png
Little Photoshop for 87V MAX:
https://dam-assets.fluke.com/s3fs-public/87v-max-dustproof.jpg
Unbelievable (c).

P.S. And MAX is unlucky product name, IMHO.

That's even less funny that I expected...  Really Fluke?

[floobydust]

Wait a sec - are we getting snookied? 87V 9V battery verses 87V MAX three of AA battery?
That means the battery weight is 1.5x, energy is doubled, run time is doubled... so it actually consumes 15% more current and has lower compliance voltage on ohms and diode-test 

What pisses me off, Fortive has $24B in market cap, $6B in revenue and this nothing burger is what rolls out?
They have multimeters grouped and tailored to use - automotive, lab, industrial, electrical, plant etc.
It makes no sense to take a lab DMM and add a few outdoor features to it, mainly a big fat bumper, change over to the 28II's board, and give it the legend's model number.

[Electro Detective]

Check out the video > youtube.com/watch?v=iInW6CL3RFE

the only difference physically I can see and spec wise comparisons to a 28-11, is the 87V MAX logo

i.e. it's a rebadged 28-11 and some marketards wet dream to impress the bosses/shareholders with some idiotic 87V 'reboot' 

FYI: why bother to obese and reboot a classic that will keep selling forever 'as is' ?


@ 28-11 owners: hold up your 28-11 next to the video and tell me I'm wrong, and or one latte too many 


EDIT: Here's the latest WHOPPER comment and reply at that Youtube video:

Ray So  4 days ago
Is the 87V Max assembled in USA?

Fluke Corporation 2 days ago
Yes, the 87V MAX is manufactured in Everett, WA. Thanks!

----------------

@ Chinese EEVblog members: with all due respect folks, is there such a place in China? 

[Gandalf_Sr]

Yes, the 87V MAX is manufactured in Everett, WA. Thanks!

Maybe the Chinese created a place called 'Everett, WA'?  They created a place called Sheffield so they could stamp 'made in Sheffield' on their cutlery.

Happy Thanksgiving to all; especially the indigenous native North Americans.

[tooki]

Yes, the 87V MAX is manufactured in Everett, WA. Thanks!

Maybe the Chinese created a place called 'Everett, WA'?  They created a place called Sheffield so they could stamp 'made in Sheffield' on their cutlery.

That's just urban legend. No evidence whatsoever of that being true: https://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/topic/202374-made-in-sheffield-china/#comments

[Doom-the-Squirrel]

I recently bought 28-II (for unknown reason, here it's cheaper than 87-V). I regestred it on Fluke website, providing them my e-mail.

Today got a newsletter from Fluke, featuring new 87V MAX. When I saw it my first reaction was like: "Wait, what?!" Almost identical except it's size but even weight is same not mentioning other things.
My second reaction when I saw photos from their advertisement campaign was "Déjà vu". And yes - they even reuse their photos from advertisement campaign for 28 II
Original:
https://testeribg.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/FLUKE_28II_5.png
Little Photoshop for 87V MAX:
https://dam-assets.fluke.com/s3fs-public/87v-max-dustproof.jpg
Unbelievable (c).

P.S. And MAX is unlucky product name, IMHO.

I noticed that as well. As if they just edited photos of the Fluke 28 II and pasted the new badge on it.

Aside from the 4 meter drop, it's just the same thing.

Now, if they offered higher voltages for diode tests and a low impedance as well as high impedance, then I might consider it.


I wonder if Dave will get one and do some drop tests.

[rammy]

I'm expecting to see the tough test too.
Btw,does anyone know is the 87v max released already?

[rammy]

Check out the video > youtube.com/watch?v=iInW6CL3RFE

the only difference physically I can see and spec wise comparisons to a 28-11, is the 87V MAX logo

i.e. it's a rebadged 28-11 and some marketards wet dream to impress the bosses/shareholders with some idiotic 87V 'reboot' 

FYI: why bother to obese and reboot a classic that will keep selling forever 'as is' ?


@ 28-11 owners: hold up your 28-11 next to the video and tell me I'm wrong, and or one latte too many 


EDIT: Here's the latest WHOPPER comment and reply at that Youtube video:

Ray So  4 days ago
Is the 87V Max assembled in USA?

Fluke Corporation 2 days ago
Yes, the 87V MAX is manufactured in Everett, WA. Thanks!

----------------

@ Chinese EEVblog members: with all due respect folks, is there such a place in China? 

Also find the same reply in ig

[Doom-the-Squirrel]

Looking at Fluke's page, they still have their banner that appears, asking for a notification when it is ready to ship.
I would assume it isn't released yet.

I wonder if they're rethinking the idea, or if they're looking for other ways to differentiate it from the 28-II.

[Electro Detective]

EDIT: Here's the latest WHOPPER comment and reply at that Youtube video: youtube.com/watch?v=iInW6CL3RFE

Ray So  4 days ago
Is the 87V Max assembled in USA?

Fluke Corporation 2 days ago
Yes, the 87V MAX is manufactured in Everett, WA. Thanks!

----------------

@ Chinese EEVblog members: with all due respect folks, is there such a place in China? 

Also find the same reply in ig

If they stick with that reply at a few more websites,
over time all here at this post, and Fluke themselves, may believe it too  ( )

Everett in Western Australia is a top Butcher's shop in Kalgoorlie 
no mention of the 87V MAX or subbing for Fluke on their Facebook page 

[james_s]

I wonder if they offer any kind of tour of the facility? I'm about 20 minutes from Everett, probably would have to know somebody who worked there though.

[Doom-the-Squirrel]

I wonder if they offer any kind of tour of the facility? I'm about 20 minutes from Everett, probably would have to know somebody who worked there though.

They used to, I believe.

There is a video on Youtube that showed a Fluke facility, that including the chamber where the meters are subjected to high voltage on ohms. They demonstrate this with a cheap multimeter that blows up.

[floobydust]

They're hiring a Digital Multimeter (DMMs) Business Unit Manager
"Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Technical/Engineering; MBA preferred" 
I'm sure business and marketing types know what a volt is, or the difference between 87 and 28. Sigh.

There's a Fluke Injection Molding building in the research park, that would be neat to tour. I wonder what products are done there.

[Electro Detective]

I wonder if they offer any kind of tour of the facility?

I'm about 20 minutes from Everett, probably would have to know somebody who worked there though.

about 20 minutes from Everett? Lose the tour and rock up with a resume 

https://careers.fortive.com/job/FORTUSFLU008609/Digital-Multimeter-DMMs-Clamps-EPROD-Business-Unit-Manager

you may get lucky as there is no human on Earth that will meet those requirements, plus you have the advantage of being close by


1. Pump up your resume a bit ( ) they won't check

2. Do not mention this post 

3. Take an 87V along 


= in like Flynn 

[Fungus]

https://careers.fortive.com/job/FORTUSFLU008609/Digital-Multimeter-DMMs-Clamps-EPROD-Business-Unit-Manager

you may get lucky as there is no human on Earth that will meet those requirements, plus you have the advantage of being close by

Jeez, was that job advert generated by a buzzword-script?

[Gandalf_Sr]

They're hiring a Digital Multimeter (DMMs) Business Unit Manager
"Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Technical/Engineering; MBA preferred" 
I'm sure business and marketing types know what a volt is, or the difference between 87 and 28. Sigh.

There's a Fluke Injection Molding building in the research park, that would be neat to tour. I wonder what products are done there.

The first time the word 'engineer' or 'engineering' appears in that job description is 94 words in, almost an afterthought - the main role seems to be to "drive growth and profitability"

That speaks volumes to why their newer products suck so badly.  It's also sadly ironic that they chose the term 'Max' when the Boeing 737 Max series were the planes that fell out of the sky killing all on board because engineering safety concerns were overridden by business requirements (aka profit & greed).

[tooki]

They're hiring a Digital Multimeter (DMMs) Business Unit Manager
"Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Technical/Engineering; MBA preferred" 
I'm sure business and marketing types know what a volt is, or the difference between 87 and 28. Sigh.

Talk about misleading quoting there...

That is an eminently reasonable requirement, but it's not the salient one. Let's look at that bullet point in context:

Professional Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Technical/Engineering; MBA preferred
• Minimum 8 years of progressive leadership experience in a technical environment
• Demonstrated team management experience
• Ability to build strong high-level executive and peer relationships
• Strong business acumen and technical/engineering knowledge; experience in T&M industry desired
• [...]

So they're not looking for a green-faced college graduate, as your selective quoting implied. They're looking for an industry veteran, and a degree is merely a prerequisite.

[tooki]

What fantasy land do you guys live in, if you think companies don't need business-side product managers whose job it is to plan and drive sales? They're a publicly traded company, they HAVE to have business people just to manage basic SEC compliance.

The issue is whether those people have respect and deference for a) customers and b) their engineers, in equal measures. And a corporate, written-by-HR-drone job listing like that tells us nothing about that.

[tooki]

That speaks volumes to why their newer products suck so badly.  It's also sadly ironic that they chose the term 'Max' when the Boeing 767 Max series were the planes that fell out of the sky killing all on board because engineering safety concerns were overridden by business requirements (aka profit & greed).

*737 MAX. There is no 767 MAX.

Anyhow, I, too, think the 87V MAX name is unfortunate (I think I said this earlier on). Perhaps the T&M business unit manager position has been vacant for a while now, and the 87V MAX sign-off was by some random Fortive MBA who REALLY doesn't know the business.