Fluke 189 Multi-meter Questions

[LawnBoy-5247]

I have always kept an eye out for a nice multi meter for myself, I don't do a ton of electronics work but do model railroad and occasionally do electronic diagnostics at work and at home. I spotted a Fluke 189 at one of my local pawn shops for $160 and am considering buying it. It is just the meter and a set of leads nothing else. I am not finding much on the internet other than several on eBay for $300-$400, based on that I am assuming $160 is a good price. I just am looking for someone with more multi-meter knowledge than me to chime in and let me know a little more about what I am looking at so I can determine if I am being extreme buying something like this compared to what my needs are.

 

[RPH]

My go to meter is a fluke 189. It has the record option and can work with fluke view software. My other meter is a fluke 287, too many menu’s makes it harder to use.

 

[Ratchet Thunderstud]

LawnBoy-5247,

I tried to send you a private message, but it doesn't look like it went through for some reason? If you didn't receive a PM from me, can you please send me a PM? It's about the Fluke 189 at the pawn shop (I'm also in KC).

All,

I've been using Fluke meters for around 25-30 years now.... Everything from an old Fluke 23, on up to a Fluke 1750, and lots of stuff in between. I recently replaced my 189 with a 289, which is essentially the newer version of the 189. I can't remember when I bought the 189, but I used if for a few years +/-. It spent most of it's life banging around inside my tool bag in the back of my pickup, and was used regularly in some pretty harsh industrial environments all over the Midwest. Over the years it saw huge temperature extremes, occasional drops and bumps, etc. It was very durable considering the abuse it received.

All of my test equipment is calibrated annually. My 189 failed the last calibration slightly after maybe 4-5 years (?) of heavy use. Also, there was a problem with the battery holder which caused it to shut off sometimes when the battery became disconnected. It also went through batteries faster than my other meters like the Fluke 87. Despite these issues, I'd say it was an excellent meter and never let me down in the field.

The only feature the 189 lacked that I would have liked to have is the low impedance mode (LoZ). I kept an old Simpson 260 around for those rare situations when a lower impedance was needed. This isn't a big deal unless you're trying to measure voltage on longer wires that are run alongside other energized wires - like a bundle of wires in the same conduit.

Anyway, I think the 189 is a great meter, but might be overkill depending on what you're wanting to do. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Fluke products. I don' t keep track of the used prices, so I can't really comment on that. Mine was around $400 new if I remember correctly. I think that was for the combo kit which included extra accessories.

 

[todd_fuller]

EEvblog is where you want to go to get a good opinion. Brymen makes some pretty good (and safe) meters.

 

[BMack37]

I have about a dozen meters, mostly Fluke, several purchased from pawn shops. If you have leads bring them(in case the leads with the meter are bad) and a battery. Check resistance with the leads, should be a dead short. Then test in resistance with the red lead to the top of the mA and A, if it's open you have a blown fuse (I, personally, wouldn't buy it if that's the case). Test DCV with a battery, AC if they have an outlet nearby. If all tests good, buy it after seeing how low they'll go in price.

Find out the return policy, do you have 24 hours to bring it back or a week? Do they give you a refund or store credit? That way, after more extensive testing you have an out. Make sure this includes opening it up and making sure the fuses are intact and they're the proper Fluke fuses.

 

[Citation]

The 189 is a really nice meter. $160 is a good but not killer price. I have the 187 version. The 189 has a supercap that has been known to leak and can cause issues. The cap is a memory backup for the logging function. While I think the 189 is one of the best meters out there, it's also way overkill for most people.

You might be better off waiting for a low cost Fluke 27 to show up on ebay. They are mil-spec tanks and from time to time can be had for under $30 (without leads). The continuity could be faster but the touchhold function is great. Other meters like the Greenlee DM820 (a Brymen based meter) can be had used for under $100 and are probably just as good for most jobs and likely more rugged.

Still, if the supercap is OK, (and the batteries haven't leaked), the 189 is just a great meter.