Fluke multimeter or..?

[FiendFX]

I just wanted to update this thread and say that I chose to go with the SnapOn EEDM604C. There were a lot of great recommendations in this thread, but SuzukiGS750EZ recommended the Test Products International (TPI) model 194. This is the same unit SnapOn resells as this EEDM604C. Putting this unit side by side with Flukes, I feel like this thing competes with what Fluke can do but also has additional features that make this thing stand out. I was going to buy a TPI new but then noticed that the SO version sells super cheap on Ebay for some reason. Surprisingly, it sells cheaper than the lesser model EEDM504C. Maybe they're not as popular, or maybe some people get confused by how much these can do and want something more basic. I dunno, but I got the SO version, which is $450 new, for $94 shipped.

It was "used but new", the seller said it was used one time. The pictures showed it in great shape, and I believe what they said - this thing still had the plastic wrap on the screen and the test leads were sealed in their original packaging.

My first impression is that I'm going to like it a LOT. The size of this thing makes my old Fluke 73 look like a toy! Granted, my picture is a little skewed because the ratchet is a tiny TN72 I had on my desk, but it really is a lot of meter.

Thanks so much for everyone who contributed.

Don't know if it really matters but that meter you bought COO is from Korea. I'm not sure what's the COO of the Fluke 87.

 

[bareass172]

I knew the COO when I bought it, but it's hard to argue with what it can do. Besides, TPI sells it for $250 - it's Snap On who marks it up to $450 and sells it as their own, so getting it for $94 shipped makes me happy regardless of COO.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Fluke is the meter to buy. I've had one for decades and it is still going strong.

My BIL worked in a calibration lab for 10 years and he told me that he never saw a single fluke meter that was out of calibration.

Chris

 

[nanofrog]

...COO of the Fluke 87.

COO of a Fluke 87V = USA

Besides, TPI sells it for $250 - it's Snap On who marks it up to $450 and sells it as their own, so getting it for $94 shipped makes me happy regardless of COO.

Don't blame you one bit.

 

[Old Engineer]

Of the meters mentioned here, I did some quick reduction in the lot by simply finding out which ones didn't fit the one real spec I listed - I wanted it to have DC Amp resolution below .1mA.

Fluke 115 - only good to .01 Amps
Fluke 287 - only good to .5mA
Klein MM2000 - only good to .4mA
Klein MM6000 - only good to .6mA
Agilent U1253B - only good to .5mA
Agilent U1252B - only good to .5mA
Brymen BM869 (Greenlee) - only good to .5mA
Amprobe 34XR-A - only good to .4mA


Thanks for all the input, and thanks for the ways to test my draw problem.

It doesn't matter for you anymore, since you already bought a meter. But, for other readers looking at this thread, who may want to also buy a meter, I would like to make a correction.

You say the Klein meters only go down to .4mA, and that is not true. It goes down to .4mA when in the 400 mA jack. But, these meters also measure micro amps. It will measure from 1 micro amp (which is .001 milli amps) up to 2000 micro Amps (which is 2 milli Amps). So, with the Klein you can measure from 0.001 milliamp to 2 mA with .001 resolution. Once you hit 2 mA, then you can move to the mA jack, and get up to a 400 mA reading.

I own 2 Klein's, so I know they can do this. Even the $60 MM1000 will do the micro Amp reading like this.

 

[xwarp]

It doesn't matter for you anymore, since you already bought a meter. But, for other readers looking at this thread, who may want to also buy a meter, I would like to make a correction.

You say the Klein meters only go down to .4mA, and that is not true. It goes down to .4mA when in the 400 mA jack. But, these meters also measure micro amps. It will measure from 1 micro amp (which is .001 milli amps) up to 2000 micro Amps (which is 2 milli Amps). So, with the Klein you can measure from 0.001 milliamp to 2 mA with .001 resolution. Once you hit 2 mA, then you can move to the mA jack, and get up to a 400 mA reading.

I own 2 Klein's, so I know they can do this. Even the $60 MM1000 will do the micro Amp reading like this.

So what is the burden voltage of those meters at that level?

Edit:

The manual doesn't even mention burden voltage ..... (not surprised by from a big box store), just an accuracy of 1.2% - plus/minus 5 digits.

Burden voltage and accuracy are a huge concern when you are down in the micro amps range.

 

[nesw20]

i used to be an automotive tech and now i'm a service engineer. i have yet to use a dvom that i prefer over my Fluke 87 V.

 

[xwarp]

Being an electronics tech myself and using 8 digit meters on a daily basis, the 87 is a good hobby handheld, but I like the old Fluke 8060a's and the newer Fluke 189's.

 

[Old Engineer]

So what is the burden voltage of those meters at that level?

I don't understand why burden voltage is important for this application. The OP was trying to find a small current leak on a motorcycle. Even a very large burden voltage would not cause critical issues with the motorcycle electrical system. But, with that said, I researched it for you.

I don't own a Fluke 87V, so I looked up the specs on it. It lists the burden voltage in the micro amp range at 100 uV per uA. In the milli Amp jacks, the burden voltage is listed at 1.8 mV per mA. That means the internal resistance of the 87V is 100 ohms in the uA range, and 1.8 ohms in the mA range.

I measured the resistance on my Klein meter, and the resistance values are the same as the Fluke for both settings. So, it should work just as well as the 87V for these readings.

 

[ttpete]

I don't understand why burden voltage is important for this application. The OP was trying to find a small current leak on a motorcycle. Even a very large burden voltage would not cause critical issues with the motorcycle electrical system. But, with that said, I researched it for you.

I don't own a Fluke 87V, so I looked up the specs on it. It lists the burden voltage in the micro amp range at 100 uV per uA. In the milli Amp jacks, the burden voltage is listed at 1.8 mV per mA. That means the internal resistance of the 87V is 100 ohms in the uA range, and 1.8 ohms in the mA range.

I measured the resistance on my Klein meter, and the resistance values are the same as the Fluke for both settings. So, it should work just as well as the 87V for these readings.

Everyone is over thinking this. The simplest to detect a drain is to lift the ground cable from the battery and connect a voltmeter between the cable and battery. If there's a drain, the voltage indicated will be very close to the actual battery voltage. Once the drain is located and eliminated, the voltage indicated will be much less than the actual battery voltage. I was using this method over 50 years ago, and it's always worked for me. You can screw around with microamps and milliamps all you want, but the easiest way is to look at voltage drop.

 

[Brownsfan]

It doesn't matter for you anymore, since you already bought a meter. But, for other readers looking at this thread, who may want to also buy a meter, I would like to make a correction.

You say the Klein meters only go down to .4mA, and that is not true. It goes down to .4mA when in the 400 mA jack. But, these meters also measure micro amps. It will measure from 1 micro amp (which is .001 milli amps) up to 2000 micro Amps (which is 2 milli Amps). So, with the Klein you can measure from 0.001 milliamp to 2 mA with .001 resolution. Once you hit 2 mA, then you can move to the mA jack, and get up to a 400 mA reading.

I own 2 Klein's, so I know they can do this. Even the $60 MM1000 will do the micro Amp reading like this.

I own the MM2000 and the CL2000 Klein meters. I believe these are some of the most under rated meters out there. For all the features you get for the money. I do automotive electrical and these meters have been nothing short of great. I got a true rms meter and a ac/dc true rms clamp meter for less than one fluke. Now I would have bought the Snap On meter the op bought for that price even though I don't need another meter.

 

[bareass172]

It doesn't matter for you anymore, since you already bought a meter. But, for other readers looking at this thread, who may want to also buy a meter, I would like to make a correction.

Thanks for the correction, the data I posted earlier in the thread came directly from the Klein website. It showed those values as the lowest end of the range. Either their data is wrong or I misread something. Either way, thanks for the proper info.

Now I would have bought the Snap On meter the op bought for that price even though I don't need another meter.

If you're serious about that, the $100 price seems to be what they sell for on Ebay regularly - so just watch Ebay. They pop up at that price every few weeks.

 

[RCStocker]

The same company that makes Gearwrench, Allen, Craftsman and a host of other tools make the Fluke meters. The really kicker is the company is the worlds largest supplyer of surgical and medical tools. They make some of the worlds best electronic medical devices. I don't think there is anything better than a Fluke meter. You will not be sorry.

 

[nanofrog]

The same company that makes Gearwrench, Allen, Craftsman and a host of other tools make the Fluke meters. I don't think there is anything better than a Fluke meter.

Not anymore, FWIW.

Danaher rolled a lot of their hand tools into Apex (joint venture with Cooper Industries). Not on Danaher's books, but they still had control through ownership of Apex. But when Apex was sold off to Bain Capital, Danaher only retained the top end hand tool brands, Armstrong and Matco.

Fluke, Keithley, and Tektronix are still owned by Danaher.