Author Topic: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?  (Read 42714 times)

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Offline X

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #50 on: May 19, 2017, 12:06:27 am »
I don't favor the 28-11 because of lame diode function and something else I can't remember   :-//
This works OK for most diodes though, and probably tiny red LEDs. You can apply a current source (9V battery plus 1k resistor in series will do) to the LED and measure the voltage across it. Not very convenient, but nothing worth dismissing the meter over entirely, unless the diode test was ridiculous, eg. <1.5V max.
Although given that there is three AA batteries, they can surely make the diode test at least 2.5V if not 3V, taking into account the voltage of partially drained (but usable) cells. Perhaps even a very tiny boost converter can be used to bump it up to 5V if need be.

Since when did serious techs and EEs gas about equipment looks and curves anyway?
Since the Useless Good Looks Apple corporation rocked up and made the average EE/tech less serioius, to the point where other companies wanted to copy their "innovation" out of jealousy?
 
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Offline james_s

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #51 on: May 19, 2017, 12:09:07 am »
One feature that would be great to have is a boost converter that allowed testing zener diodes up to say 40V. Even higher would be great but that could present safety issues.
 

Offline stj

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #52 on: May 19, 2017, 12:26:25 am »
to hell with safety, safety is the responsibility of the user, not the equipment.

my home-built zener tester ramps to 300v  >:D
 

Offline james_s

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #53 on: May 19, 2017, 12:31:40 am »
You're free to have that attitude when building your own equipment at home, as do I frequently, but when someone buys a meter from Fluke they expect it to be safe. That's one of the main reasons people buy an expensive meter like that.
 

Offline X

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #54 on: May 19, 2017, 01:35:40 am »
One feature that would be great to have is a boost converter that allowed testing zener diodes up to say 40V. Even higher would be great but that could present safety issues.
The problem is intrinsic safety. Even the ordinary 28-II states that it is suitable for methane environments.
It wouldn't surprise me if the move to AA batteries and lowering of the diode test voltage had something to do with intrinsic safety. Even at low voltages, there is a chance of an arc which could detonate an explosive environment.
 
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Offline zaokaTopic starter

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #55 on: May 19, 2017, 02:20:40 am »
I had a 28II for a while. On mine at least - the continuity beeper was barely audible compared to the 87V. Probably because of the IP67 case.

I think thats fixed in new edition of the meter, they had some upgrade and I think they upgraded beeper.

 

Offline oldway

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #56 on: May 19, 2017, 06:52:59 am »
A point that is never raised but that seems important to me: the high value of these multimeters on the second-hand market.
This creates the risk of theft

I already had a 87 that was stolen on site
I have a 87V, I "love" it, the best multimeter in my opinion, but I use an old 75 on site to avoid the risk of theft....

So if Fluke need to change something at 87V, it's the price that's really excessive.  |O
« Last Edit: May 19, 2017, 07:03:17 am by oldway »
 

Offline BravoV

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #57 on: May 19, 2017, 07:12:39 am »
So if Fluke need to change something at 87V, it's the price that's really excessive.  |O

Fluke is milking the 87V design & model, as even with crazy price, they're still selling like hot cakes.   >:D

Dunno, may be 87V model is their best selling DMM in their history ? As others models and also the supposed to be the 87V successors with various new models/variants, they are still pale in sales compared to it.

Purely subjective of course, the 87V does have sort of magic appeal & attraction when its held in palm, is it just me ?  :palm:

Offline Electro Detective

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #58 on: May 19, 2017, 08:22:35 am »
magic appeal & attraction when its held in palm,
inspired by maccas ?  ::)
« Last Edit: May 19, 2017, 08:24:25 am by Electro Detective »
 

Offline james_s

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #59 on: May 19, 2017, 03:23:11 pm »
If the other models pale in sales then that's a pretty good indicator why they still sell the 87. Why would anyone in their right mind replace one of their best selling products? Ford tried that with the Taurus and it was a disaster.

If theft is a problem, make sure you've recorded the serial number of yours.
 

Offline mmagin

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #60 on: May 19, 2017, 07:13:18 pm »
One feature that would be great to have is a boost converter that allowed testing zener diodes up to say 40V. Even higher would be great but that could present safety issues.

I wouldn't want that to be the default behavior, even safety concerns aside, there are places I might blithely use diode test around semiconductors only rated for 8 or 10 volts between their terminals.
 

Offline jpb

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #61 on: May 19, 2017, 07:13:47 pm »
I've just bought my first 87V (£190 new other off ebay) and am impressed by the accuracy so far - I checked it relative to my 6.5 digit Keithley 2000 and it agreed to +-1 in the last digit (of the 87V) even on the extended range (measuring voltages between a few 10s of mV and 32V).
I measured a Silver Mica 1800pF capacitor which measures 1813pF on my DE5000 after calibration and using delta mode with long leads the 87V was measuring between 1.79 and 1.80 nF.

These aren't terribly scientific tests (I'm just looking around my chaotic lab to find things to measure to check the meter is ok) but it is looking good so far.

The nice thing about the 87V being around a long time is that there are plenty on e-bay at reasonable prices in a new state.
 

Online Fungus

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #62 on: May 19, 2017, 07:16:01 pm »
One feature that would be great to have is a boost converter that allowed testing zener diodes up to say 40V. Even higher would be great but that could present safety issues.
I wouldn't want that to be the default behavior, even safety concerns aside, there are places I might blithely use diode test around semiconductors only rated for 8 or 10 volts between their terminals.

Yeah, I would want that to only be available after a long and complicated sequence of button presses. If at all.
 

Offline jaja_622

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #63 on: January 08, 2018, 06:33:28 pm »
2018 and still Fluke 87-V  ::), i was wondering if in this subjects are there usually leaks or infos about future products like there are for example in the smartphone bussiness. I'm in the market for a new DMM and the fluke 87-V is in the top of my list right now, but it draws to my attention that there are features missing form the 87-V that the (lower end)117 has, for example the loZ mode or the non contact voltage detection, those two and maybe compatibility with fluke connect app are the the features that in my opinion reveals the age of the design.
So is there some info about a 87-v successor anytime soon? do you think that is it worth to pay ~400 USD for a new fluke 87-V now?
PD: I'm tired of cheappy meters, i already had two which failed.
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #64 on: January 08, 2018, 06:44:53 pm »
2018 and still Fluke 87-V  ::), i was wondering if in this subjects are there usually leaks or infos about future products like there are for example in the smartphone bussiness. I'm in the market for a new DMM and the fluke 87-V is in the top of my list right now, but it draws to my attention that there are features missing form the 87-V that the (lower end)117 has, for example the loZ mode or the non contact voltage detection, those two and maybe compatibility with fluke connect app are the the features that in my opinion reveals the age of the design.
So is there some info about a 87-v successor anytime soon? do you think that is it worth to pay ~400 USD for a new fluke 87-V now?
PD: I'm tired of cheappy meters, i already had two which failed.
Don't buy an 87V to have the latest and greatest. It's likely to last many years, decades even, so it will inevitably be outdated at some point. Buy it because it's the meter you want or need now. It's a very nice no-nonsense meter and that's not going to change, no matter how fancy new models might be. And I really wouldn't count on that too much anyway, because the perfect meter would inevitably come with a huge Fluke premium.
 

Online Fungus

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #65 on: January 08, 2018, 07:43:21 pm »
It's still selling well, it's got the reputation, there's no major problems, why would they change it?

 

Offline Electro Detective

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #66 on: January 09, 2018, 12:23:48 am »
If they do produce a Fluke 87-6  :-//   they may include the Low Z feature, perhaps an AC proximity sensor alert,
and maybe some SIMPLE by-passable wireless output thingy for computers and phones to receive data.
Otherwise why change a corporate bread winner? 87V is good for another 10 years or more unless they cheap out the quality to line apathetic shareholders and CEO pockets   

The 187 and 189 (discontinued) were sort of the successor to the Fluke 87V for years, easy to use like the 87, and great specs, especially on AC. 

The current bells n whistles 289 is great too, but the user needs to be familiar with the on-board menus, and wait for it to boot up if needing to use it asap.
It's also bulky but worth lugging around for all the features it sports  :clap:

FWIW if you need Low Z on an 87V just get the Fluke adapter for it,
or better still buy a used Fluke 114 or 117 that includes that feature,

with the benefit that having two decent meters on a job is way better than just relying on one
especially after a textbook fatal drop on a concrete floor   :'(   
 
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Offline jaja_622

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #67 on: January 09, 2018, 12:37:13 pm »
I understand that there really isn't much that the 87-V is missing, aside from the features I already mentioned, that is why is on the top of my preference list... I am an electronics engineer and have a Minipa et2033b multimeter that served me well for years but now I'm getting into mains work and I really don't trust that meter for that.
A few days ago my my suspicious proved right, I accidentally forgot the meter in Amps range and measured a high voltage source (I know.. stupid!! but errors happen :-[ ) the breaker tripped and nothing really especial happened, aside from the fact that the  15 amp glass fuse inside the minipa was in mint condition after the short but the banana plug was wasted, needless to say that I no longer want to touch mains voltage with that meter.
The 117 is not on the top of my list because I need the electronics functions (uA, mA, temp too would be nice).
As a side note, what do you think about buying the 87-V from USA Ebay? I do most of my online shopping from amazon, but noticed that they go a good deal cheaper on Ebay, anything to take into account aside from the fact that I'll probably lose the warranty and taking a good look at the seller references? Why is it so much cheaper on Ebay(~400USD vs 479 USD for the e2 kit)?
Thanks for all the help guys!
 

Online Fungus

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #68 on: January 09, 2018, 01:33:09 pm »
If they do produce a Fluke 87-6  :-//   they may include the Low Z feature, perhaps an AC proximity sensor alert

a) It would be called the 87 VI  :palm:
b) They wouldn't add new features in an existing product line, they'd create an exciting new line (and charge accordingly).

I understand that there really isn't much that the 87-V is missing

Ability to default to DC in current mode?
« Last Edit: January 09, 2018, 01:35:38 pm by Fungus »
 

Offline Jeroen3

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #69 on: January 09, 2018, 03:22:50 pm »
I recently worked with an 87, and an 87V and notices the bargraph is much faster on the 87 than the 87V.
When adjusting controllers for stability the 87 wins.
 
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Online Fungus

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #70 on: January 09, 2018, 04:17:41 pm »
I recently worked with an 87, and an 87V and notices the bargraph is much faster on the 87 than the 87V.
When adjusting controllers for stability the 87 wins.

The 87V updates 40x per second, that's pretty fast.  :-//

Maybe it's affected by hires mode or something, are you sure they're equivalent?
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #71 on: January 09, 2018, 04:21:40 pm »
The obvious improvements to be made to the 87V would be changing the batteries to AA or AAA. Of course, having the fuses accessible without taking it apart would be an upgrade too. The meter is simple and quick in every day use, but having to tear the entire device down to get to a FRU is a pain. It's a pain in the actual field too, as I can't see anyone doing it on a windy platform or anything. Obviously, if you insist on doing it that way, you'll need to use metal inserts, which are currently missing too.
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #72 on: January 09, 2018, 04:22:50 pm »
The 87V updates 40x per second, that's pretty fast.  :-//

Maybe it's affected by hires mode or something, are you sure they're equivalent?
The numbers on paper aren't always reflected by the actual behaviour. It might very well update 40 seconds a minute, but if the bar blurs out at that speed leaving you guessing, it might not be as effective as it seems.
 

Online Fungus

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #73 on: January 09, 2018, 04:33:10 pm »
The numbers on paper aren't always reflected by the actual behaviour. It might very well update 40 seconds a minute, but if the bar blurs out at that speed leaving you guessing, it might not be as effective as it seems.

Maybe the difference is in the LCD.

The obvious improvements to be made to the 87V would be changing the batteries to AA or AAA.

AA would make it much bigger, AAA wouldn't last as long if they need to be boosted to 9V internally.

Edit: Change from AAA to AA.

Of course, having the fuses accessible without taking it apart would be an upgrade too.  I can't see anyone doing it on a windy platform or anything.

Anybody who's blowing Fluke 87V fuses on a windy platform should probably be carrying a current clamp accessory instead of a spare set of fuses.
« Last Edit: January 09, 2018, 06:12:54 pm by Fungus »
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Re: Fluke 87V successor from Fluke?
« Reply #74 on: January 09, 2018, 05:56:55 pm »
Maybe the difference is in the LCD.

AAA would make it much bigger, AAA wouldn't last as long if they need to be boosted to 9V internally.

Anybody who's blowing Fluke 87V fuses on a windy platform should probably be carrying a current clamp accessory instead of a spare set of fuses.
Why would going with AAA make it much larger? Even without changing the current design much, you could already accommodate 2 x AAA. A new model would involve a complete review of the design and redesign where needed, so fitting them shouldn't be a problem.

The capacity won't be an issue either. A single AAA alkaline battery has a capacity of 860–1200 mAh. A 9 V alkaline has about 550 mAh. You could have the lossiest boost converter in the world and still come out on top. Obviously, you wouldn't use that converter a lot, as most things could be powered from a lower voltage without issue.

Perhaps the best argument is that the competition manages to use both AAA batteries and fit accessible fuses. Brymen does this in the much smaller and cheaper BM235 and Keysight does the same in the Agilent U1231A, even fitting four batteries for a capacity of almost 10 times that of a single 9 V battery. It shouldn't be much of a challenge to fit both in an 87V successor and it would make maintenance as easy and simple as actually using the meter is.
 


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