I WANT MY FRICKIN' METER!

RetiredUSNChief

RetiredUSNChief

Get over it, snowflake.
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My Fluke 233 has been missing for some months now. Misplaced, borrowed, stolen...whatever.

Last month I bought a Kobalt meter at Lowes so I'd have something. Worked just fine while I was working on my sister-in-law's car.

Today my son couldn't get the lawnmower started. Wouldn't turn over. Jumped around the solenoid and it cranks fine. Checked the ignition switch...doesn't seem to be working.

Fiddled around a bit more...then the mower cranks over, but the switch still doesn't check out.

😠

Anyway, finally got it running, yay! Hopped off the mower...aaaaand forgot about the safety switch in the seat. No problem, hopped back on to start it up...no cranky.

😠

Disconnected the safety seat switch and defeated the safety at the connector...still no crank.

Jumped the starter solenoid and it fired right up.

My Kobalt SUCKS at measuring resistances. The response time on the meter is all messed up. Leads are good, but it's iffy of the meter will recognize when they're shorted together. I even pulled the leads to check them independently, then used a piece of copper wire to jump directly across the lead connections at the meter. Still sucks.

I WANT MY DANG FLUKE!

I need a new start switch, a $20 part at Lowes, and it should have taken me 5 minutes to figure this out!
 
I have a very cheap Klein, works well, other than I'm a diesel tech and it auto ranges to ACV, not DCV. Usually unless I have a known resistance value I do voltage drop. That's mostly a lie, I go there only after my test light tells me things are ok, but they clearly aren't.
 
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I like my old fluke meter. Thing must be 30 years old. A friend gave it to me after finding two in a dumpster at work. One had a bad display, one had a ruined control board. He salvaged parts of both and made a good one.

To be fair, some of their products have bugs. We discovered one in a high end meter involving how it calculates RMS. I forget the exact details, but I think it was using future samples, which isn’t correct.
 
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UNI-T and Amprobe both offer good budget DMMs. It could be entertaining to open up that Kobalt meter and see what horrors lie within. Especially in terms of protection circuits.
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
My Fluke 233 has been missing for some months now. Misplaced, borrowed, stolen...whatever.

Last month I bought a Kobalt meter at Lowes so I'd have something. Worked just fine while I was working on my sister-in-law's car.

Today my son couldn't get the lawnmower started. Wouldn't turn over. Jumped around the solenoid and it cranks fine. Checked the ignition switch...doesn't seem to be working.

Fiddled around a bit more...then the mower cranks over, but the switch still doesn't check out.

😠

Anyway, finally got it running, yay! Hopped off the mower...aaaaand forgot about the safety switch in the seat. No problem, hopped back on to start it up...no cranky.

😠

Disconnected the safety seat switch and defeated the safety at the connector...still no crank.

Jumped the starter solenoid and it fired right up.

My Kobalt SUCKS at measuring resistances. The response time on the meter is all messed up. Leads are good, but it's iffy of the meter will recognize when they're shorted together. I even pulled the leads to check them independently, then used a piece of copper wire to jump directly across the lead connections at the meter. Still sucks.

I WANT MY DANG FLUKE!

I need a new start switch, a $20 part at Lowes, and it should have taken me 5 minutes to figure this out!
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I have Fluke meters stashed around the house like I do extra guns or mags. Never know when you need one. Seriously, most are old from my days working as a field tech or super on jobs but they get the job done.

Funny story. My son was installing a new radio in his new to him 2013 Toyota Tundra. He ordered the radio from Crutchfield which is awesome by the way, and was having issues. I went out to help and we couldn't figure out a couple problems with the wiring harness and also the factory backup camera. After spending a couple hours on it, I gave up and told him to call crutchfield. Went through a couple techs wanting us to try things and call back. Third guy got us on video chat. He was impressed by my old Fluke 87 in the video and that we actually knew how to use it. Ended up being a bad adaptor harness and also the steering wheel control module was bad out of the box. Never had this happen before in at least 5 other installs over the last few years with parts from Crutchfield.
 
If it works...It's a Fluke. I sent a Klein plug in receptacle checker back to Amazon. Rated 150volts. What happens when you plug it into a receptacle that is wired to 2 hot legs...i.e 240volts? I didnt want to find out. Had a no name brand receptacle checker blow up in my hand. How I did not get burned, I have no idea. The Flukes I have used and owned have always been rock solid. Used the same one for 20 years supporting mission critical data centers and computer labs.
 
I keep a couple of Extechs around the house and the shop. They’ve been great so,far, one of them got me through the latter half of my time at school with daily use.

but yea,…I keep a Fluke in the work bag. 87V
 
This was a sad one for me. Notice the switch on but nothing on the display. Batteries corroded inside but just barely. I've pulled it completely apart and tried cleaning, checked all fuses, several sets of batteries etc.. but it is just dead.
2022-11-21 19.56.31.jpg
 
I got put on a project in a lab that required expensive specialized equipment to measure resistance in hand-made fluid filled glass electrodes for sinking into a rat brain. but i was given no equipment or funding to get it... fluke to the rescue.

ug. i gave one of my flukes to my wife's niece when she took up an interest in electronics, only to find out her real interest was in a boy the electronics class. no idea what happened to that fluke, but i know it wasn't used like it should have been.
I even gave her my good set of leads.

On the bright side i still have the gooder fluke. and a spare in-between fluke.
 
Scsmith42 said:
Three of the six.

View attachment 550380
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Simpson, the only meter with a faster response than a fluke!

Seriously, the response time of when you put the leads in and the display reads is my pet peeve with cheap meters. Once you use a fluke and it immediately pops the reading in the display and then you use a cheaper meter that takes a few seconds to give you the displayed reading, its aggravating. It slows down troubleshooting to a crawl. Even the cheap fluke I posted above is faster than most of the high end cheap meters I've seen.
 
cold1 said:
Simpson, the only meter with a faster response than a fluke!

Seriously, the response time of when you put the leads in and the display reads is my pet peeve with cheap meters. Once you use a fluke and it immediately pops the reading in the display and then you use a cheaper meter that takes a few seconds to give you the displayed reading, its aggravating. It slows down troubleshooting to a crawl. Even the cheap fluke I posted above is faster than most of the high end cheap meters I've seen.
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Yep. Flukes are nice for that.
 
jimmyjames8 said:
If it works...It's a Fluke. I sent a Klein plug in receptacle checker back to Amazon. Rated 150volts. What happens when you plug it into a receptacle that is wired to 2 hot legs...i.e 240volts? I didnt want to find out. Had a no name brand receptacle checker blow up in my hand. How I did not get burned, I have no idea. The Flukes I have used and owned have always been rock solid. Used the same one for 20 years supporting mission critical data centers and computer labs.
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When I worked in bank data center 1985, the younger electrician did not want to take the elevator 19 floors down to the street to get his good meter from the truck, he grabbed a pocket radio shack model and the Sr. electrician told him do not use that meter, he said watch me and the thing exploded in his hand. He was checking a three phase panel. Good thing he had safety glasses on, only severe burn to his hand.
 
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Havent used a Simpson since the late 70's in college. It was the labratory standard. Diesel generator tech we had, had a meter blow up in his hand. I forget the details but he got burned pretty good. PPE is always a good idea. Gloves, flame proof clothing and a face shield, not required way back when but is now. Wrangler even makes it now.
 
I was an electronics tech in home entertainment field for over 45 yrs ,think tv,stero ,vcr tech.The Simpson 260 VOM was the first meter I carried in my tube caddy,(yeah that's how far back it was). I used different VTVM s and VOM s through the years including B&K and Fluke.The only one I have left is a B&K from about25 yrs ago.
 
I have no idea how many multimeters I have. At least 4 Flukes, 87s and 89s. Then a Fluke 199C scope basically used twice. A Fieldpiece, Fluke Amp meter, 2 Klein amp clamp with voltages, ohms, cap, etc… I rarely use my Flukes anymore. Easier for AC stuff a combo clamp/meter that fits in the Veto tool bag.

Had a Yokogawa digital in my truck until about 2 years ago that worked after 40 years. I just pitched it in the trash. Plan is to sell much of these tools I have 2,3, 4 of this winter. Got tons of stuff I have not touched in years and just pulled all the batteries out. Big waste of money.
 
BlackGun said:
I have no idea how many multimeters I have. At least 4 Flukes, 87s and 89s. Then a Fluke 199C scope basically used twice. A Fieldpiece, Fluke Amp meter, 2 Klein amp clamp with voltages, ohms, cap, etc… I rarely use my Flukes anymore. Easier for AC stuff a combo clamp/meter that fits in the Veto tool bag.

Had a Yokogawa digital in my truck until about 2 years ago that worked after 40 years. I just pitched it in the trash. Plan is to sell much of these tools I have 2,3, 4 of this winter. Got tons of stuff I have not touched in years and just pulled all the batteries out. Big waste of money.
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One of my six is an Ideal clamp on meter, also kept in a tool bag! It’s probably my favorite meter.
 
Carolinatlc said:
This was a sad one for me. Notice the switch on but nothing on the display. Batteries corroded inside but just barely. I've pulled it completely apart and tried cleaning, checked all fuses, several sets of batteries etc.. but it is just dead.
View attachment 550373
Click to expand...
bet you could send it to a repair company and get it fixed on the cheap. We just ditched out repaired multiple times fluke 789 and picked up a TREX process calibrator.... We made a slight upgrayde!
 
BlackGun said:
Cut my teeth on a Simpson. Never seen one fail.
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RetiredUSNChief said:
My Fluke 233 has been missing for some months now. Misplaced, borrowed, stolen...whatever.

Last month I bought a Kobalt meter at Lowes so I'd have something. Worked just fine while I was working on my sister-in-law's car.

Today my son couldn't get the lawnmower started. Wouldn't turn over. Jumped around the solenoid and it cranks fine. Checked the ignition switch...doesn't seem to be working.

Fiddled around a bit more...then the mower cranks over, but the switch still doesn't check out.

😠

Anyway, finally got it running, yay! Hopped off the mower...aaaaand forgot about the safety switch in the seat. No problem, hopped back on to start it up...no cranky.

😠

Disconnected the safety seat switch and defeated the safety at the connector...still no crank.

Jumped the starter solenoid and it fired right up.

My Kobalt SUCKS at measuring resistances. The response time on the meter is all messed up. Leads are good, but it's iffy of the meter will recognize when they're shorted together. I even pulled the leads to check them independently, then used a piece of copper wire to jump directly across the lead connections at the meter. Still sucks.

I WANT MY DANG FLUKE!

I need a new start switch, a $20 part at Lowes, and it should have taken me 5 minutes to figure this out!
Click to expand...
pick you up a used cheap fluke 87v off fleabay and have a spare.. I have purchased several for under $100.. 1 is none and 2 is one rule is absolutely the gospel on multi meters.
 
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My first meter was a Circuitmate I bought in 1979. I remember the year because I paid $79 for it, a lot of money for a kid mowing lawns for $5/yard.

It finally gave up the ghost 40 years later, in 2019. That's when I bought the Fluke 233. The 233 has a detachable display you can separate from the meter and set up in a more convenient location if needed. A nice feature. I figured if it lasted me another 40 years, it would still be found strong long after I kicked the bucket.
 
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