Digital multi meters

[ATM]

Fluke T5-1000 is cheap, tough and handy for basic electrical.

Fluke 787 ProcessMeter is far saltier but excellent for electronics.

 

[trillobite]

Fluke 77, here, and was a electronics tech back when circuit boards were repaired, and SMDs were just showing up. Bought mine outside a pawn shop in Bloomington, back in 1988. The guy had tried to pawn it, and a Gil Hibbens Raven, and the pawn shop told him they'd give him $5 for the Fluke. He sold the Raven for $15, left, and I followed him out. Best $30 I ever spent.
My son had been using some Chinese VTMs, and was wishing for a Fluke, but they cost too much for his budget. Last year, picked up a used 73 for him off eBay. He acted like it was the best birthday present he'd ever gotten

 

[hornadylnl]

It looks like you can get some great deals on used Flukes on eBay but I'm Leary of buying a used one. Especially without being able to test it against a known good meter.

 

[hornadylnl]

Anybody know who makes the Klein meters? They look like they'd be decent for the price. I can't imagin Klein putting out junk.

 

[LtScott14]

Amprobe for clamp meter, UEI #DM383 for VOM. Use to use a Simpson 260, but the clunky, yellow, big number, digital, UEI replaced it. 2004.
Fluke is a real quality meter, and wouldn't mind having a couple different ones. My work was HVAC-Commercial Refrigeration, so lots of uses for a meter.
The UEI survived a 2 story drop off of a roof couple times. (have the rubber holster attached).

 

[churchmouse]

I use a Fluke VOM amp clamp meter combo for quick checks. I have an old Gray fluke 27 that is still in perfect shape as a back up to my Fluke 123 True HMS meter. I also have a Fluke Mega-Ohm meter to check motor winding's. Fluke rules.

Edit...My Simpson mirror scale 260 is resting peacefully in the electronics cabinet in the shop. Analog had its place in the day. Had it since Mid-70's

 

[kawtech87]

I use two. My Main one is a Fluke, I cant remember the model number right now but its the best one Ive ever used by far.

The other is a Bluepoint branded Snap-On one. Its a good back up but the Fluke is better.

My dad is an electrical engineer and all his test equpiment is Fluke. Im not sure how much that means to anyone else but if its good enough for him on his job then it must be good enough for me.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

Simpson 260 rawks. For some things, you need to see the needle move. That means more than the number you come out with.

My life, my very existence, led to me being EE, and I was for a while, as well as a programmer and a fix-everything-electronic-that-broke guy for a whole factory. Then my life broke, which wasn't so easy to fix. I do have a killer bench, some older stuff, but capabilities that most engineers would pee their pants over. DMMs are just the start.

 

[mike8170]

I just use a Greenlee since that is all I can really afford right now, but a Fluke is on my list after my next GI bill payment. Here is a pick of a Columbia clamp on Ammeter that I recently acquired. I thought it was pretty cool.

 

[indyjoe]

I really want to pick up a Simpson 160 or 260. Take me back to taking electronics in High School.

 

[churchmouse]

Simpson 260 rawks. For some things, you need to see the needle move. That means more than the number you come out with.

My life, my very existence, led to me being EE, and I was for a while, as well as a programmer and a fix-everything-electronic-that-broke guy for a whole factory. Then my life broke, which wasn't so easy to fix. I do have a killer bench, some older stuff, but capabilities that most engineers would pee their pants over. DMMs are just the start.

My 260 Simpson got me through so much in the "Old" days. Control systems were a lot simpler then. I had mine refurbished and I put it away. Once in a while
I get it out, put the batts. in it and just test stuff. Analog, what a concept.

 

[Tactical Dave]

Fluke all the way

My dad has an old 80's air force issue battery powerd brick style meter... Still going strong water tight and built like a tank.

 

[danielocean03]

Fluke fan here. They just plain work.

 

[sepe]

I had a Fluke and was a big fan of it. I was using it daily until it grew legs and walked away...from a locked tool box, in a locked tool cage. I borrowed a Fluke from a friend when I needed one after I was done working on cars daily and needed one. Recently, I picked up a cheap DMM because I needed one for working on an electric golf cart. It is an Actron. I prefer Fluke but I didn't have the $$$ and I needed it immediately. A Fluke will be reappearing in my tool box when money allows even though I don't NEED it for everyday use. For what I've had to use the Actron on, it has been accurate enough...but it has been limited to load testing and testing some switches.

 

[Robert Richardson]

Fluke 88

 

[woowoo2]

The new job gave me a used Fluke 187 (I think), this is my first time using a DMM for audio measurements, I always used a 260 before.

After a couple weeks on the job, we discovered that someone had entered an offset into the audio scale.
Everything I did was 2.5 Db. hot.

I restored the meter to factory and all is good now.


Personal meter is a 20 year old Beckman.
And I work in television.