87 V Arrived today

[apelly]

Bad batch of Agilents?

Irritating to read that thread. Will probably still get one though. Can't have all Flukes 

[calexanian]

I have a 87 around here somewhere. Its in my field service box now and has been banged to hell and back. Since we got a couple of gen 1 189's in the shop we switched to them for anything development related but I never found the 87 wanting for anything.

[nanofrog]

Talking about Agilent U1525B, some talks on the NiMH battery and it's charger, I think you should read throughly and check this thread -> HERE

Keep in mind, saturation's unit is an A series, not a B series (easy to tell by color; A = Blue, B = Orange).

I've the newer B version, and haven't had any issues from the charger (I do leave it unplugged when not being used), nor has the rubberized coating (what's orange), flaked anywhere.

So I'm taking it from the perspective of his being an older unit (teething problems if you will).

Bad batch of Agilents?

Irritating to read that thread. Will probably still get one though. Can't have all Flukes 

See above. 

[VK5RC]

I have had a U1253B for a few years now, no problems with the charger but the NiCad sells out after year 2, the push on probe clip cover also hardens and fragments after a few years but are cheap to replace AUD11. The leads are otherwise ok, nice and flexible,
I have not found the slowish continuity a major hassle but the Fluke 87 is much faster.
The OLED display is great for me, I reach for the Agilent meter first, invariably the meter is on the other side of my desk, wires everywhere and I have bumped the meter out of line by the time I am trying to read it!
Recharging is a bit of a pain.Regards Rob

[nanofrog]

Recharging is a bit of a pain.

It can be, particularly if it gets too low when using it and have to stop whatever you're doing to charge it through the meter.

Simple solution though. Get a separate NiMH charger + 2 - 3 spare NiMH batteries. Always have one ready to go should the meter's current battery get to low. 

[calexanian]

I know others have posted pictures like this before, but here is mine. I only used the older meters as the 189's were all in use.

The reason I buy FLUKE! Even old used ones off Ebay that "Did not work"

[Napalm2002]

Joe o
Did I miss something? I can't seem to find the 87-5 for 318$ us. The link u posted says 399?  Any ideas?

[JoeO]

Joe o
Did I miss something? I can't seem to find the 87-5 for 318$ us. The link u posted says 399?  Any ideas?

Looks like the deal is gone.

[BravoV]

Curious why the heck 87V new price is still relatively high ?   

[apelly]

Do the math: Reputation-supply-demand-substitutes.

If the math didn't work out they'd obviously be a bunch cheaper. ( More likely obsolete, with a new 1087 carrying the gauntlet)

[smoothtalker]

Joe o
Did I miss something? I can't seem to find the 87-5 for 318$ us. The link u posted says 399?  Any ideas?

Yea it's gone. I can back him up. It was $309 during thanks giving to blackfriday on Tequipment before 6% eev discount code. That sums up to $290

I was quite upset over that because I bought it from transcat for a lot higher. But transcat won't honor a price match. It's ok. In life we gain some, we lose some.

Curious why the heck 87V new price is still relatively high ?   

Yea. I kinda find the 87v to be junk for the price. I hate the old school battery holder and much prefer the 117 or 289 battery compartment design. The fuses also lack access port.

Fluke seems to be having issues recently too.. Look at the leaking super capacitor of 28X series. Disappointing

[JoeO]

Is there any chance that we could have a "sticky" to use to post good deals on test equipment?

[Kryoclasm]

Yea. I kinda find the 87v to be junk for the price. I hate the old school battery holder and much prefer the 117 or 289 battery compartment design. The fuses also lack access port.

 

Clearly I hear hyperbole. Calling the 87V Junk for the price is a bit silly at best, obtuse at worst.

On a side note, do you seriously go through that many batteries and fuses with your 87V that the access is a huge deal? That would make one wonder if you respect your test equipment to begin with.

While working as an industrial electrical technician I have never had to replace a fuse in any multimeter I have owned going back to 1992, Fluke or otherwise.

Batteries typically last me at least a full year at which time the calibration company will replace it. On a busy year I may need to replace it once my self.

I respect the fact that you prefer the 117 and 289, but those meters are different animals and designed for different reasons. The 117 is a light weight GP electricians tool and the 289 is for high precision data acquisition. Not to mention the 87V is a 20,000 count meter compared to the 6,000 count 117.

Different tools for different purposes. None of those meters are bad, in fact they are all top notch meters.

[BravoV]

Yea. I kinda find the 87v to be junk for the price. I hate the old school battery holder and much prefer the 117 or 289 battery compartment design. The fuses also lack access port.

About the battery compartment, excluding the size and batteries cells required of course, the 280 design definitely has it's own advantages, with only finger nail you can access the fuses and replace the batteries. Also since its separated, if there is any batteries leak, it will be sort of isolated from the main DMM circuit, and should there is any nasty liquid spillages from the leak, they will be contained and separated in the compartment physically separated from the main DMM board space.

But remember, this 287/289 compartment design is only possible because it's humongous size and volume inside, don't think it is easy to have that similar design at other mainstream sizes DMMs like 87V does.

Different tools for different purposes.

+1 Agree, they're just like different species and can not be compared straight away like that. I own 287 and 87V, the fat and tall 287 with it's better accuracy, logging/chart + all it's bells & whistles is more suitable to be called handheld benchtop multimeter  . While 87V is more for general purpose and also more suitable for field work than 280 series.

My analogies, 287 is like current state of the art cell phone with sleek design, big touch screen based with all those cool features, while 87V is like those pre smart phone era metal cased cellular phone, which has physical buttons and used only for calling/answering phone + minor texting.

Btw, at Fluke 280, the yellow rubbery jacket is molded permanently together with the meter body and can not be separated, while 87V is detachable.

Attached foto below clues about the size & volume of Fluke 280 series vs 87V, quite significant imo, and especially for 87V owners, just imagine it without the yellow protector jacket. 

[calexanian]

An observation and rationale why I prefer meters with 9 volt batteries. When 9 volts go bad and leak the mess stays inside for the most part due to it having a outer jacket and 6 cells inside. This construction does not foul the battery terminals in the meter as often. Otherwise I have no preference.

[neslekkim]

for those who changed battery in an 87-v also knows that the battery is not places close to any electronics, and it's almost inside its own compartment..