Electronics > Beginners

fluke dmm, really need help

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james_s:

--- Quote from: Z80 on July 13, 2018, 08:50:00 am ---This is a textbook example of the bad advice given to beginners, to get something like a Fluke 87 on the basis of 'safety'.  The OP has discovered that the fuses for this thing aren't cheap and out of desparation fitted random items from the local hardware store and has ended up with a 'safe' meter that's now more dangerous than the cheapest, crappiest ebay special.  Even worse, say out of frustration he sells it on and it ends up back in an electricians toolbag (where it belongs) and gets used in real CATIII CATIV environments with dollar store fuses inside, I don't think need to say what may happen next.
To the OP, I'm sorry you got taken for a ride by your neighbour and you ended up with a bad choice of meter for what you want to do.  If you do decide to sell it, please either fit the correct Fluke fuses or remove them and let the buyer know they are not fitted.

--- End quote ---

I don't see how a good meter with cheap fuses fitted is more dangerous than a cheap meter with those same inappropriate fuses. The fuses are one of the areas cheap meters most often skimp, but putting those same fuses in a Fluke does not suddenly make it *more* dangerous than the cheap meter.

Anyone who buys a used meter and takes it to a jobsite without even having a look inside first has only themselves to blame if something goes wrong. Whenever I buy used gear I always open the lid and inspect it for any sort of surprises prior to even trying to use it.

Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: hayatepilot on July 13, 2018, 09:45:29 am ---Proper fuses are not too expensive (at least in the US).
I found those on ebay from a US seller:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fluke-440-mA-0-4A-1000V-Fuse-44-100A-DMM-44-100-Digital-Multimeter-fuses-/152636593083
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fluke-11A-1000V-DMM-11-A-Digital-Multimeter-Fuse-87-V-88-V-287-289-179-US-SELLER-/161104330017

Directly from China they are even less:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/322201723932

--- End quote ---
Please get your fuses from reputable sources.

MosherIV:

--- Quote ---Well done for working to get what you needed! That mindset will take you very far.

Regarding the fuses, I think I can help you out. Please send me a PM with your address.
--- End quote ---

That is really nice of you rsjsouza.

Just love the community spirit here   :-+

Cody Turner OKC:
Hey guys, thanks everyone for the advice, as I had said earlier up I ended up taking the fuses out due to the advice! And the problem is not that im being cheap trying to get some cheap fuses, the prob is that I am to young for a debit card or any way to order something from the internet and parents/ "family" could care less to help me with something! which is why i posted all of this to begin with, if I had the money and was old enough to order, trust me i would have some proper fuses on the way now! And wow, thank you very much to rsjsouza!

ArthurDent:
One red flag I see is the meter as you received it had blown fuses which could mean that it was abused. If you are correct that it reads incorrectly on other ranges then maybe the fuses aren't the only problem. If you could get in touch with a local ham or technical school and explain your situation they might be willing to do a quick check to see if there are other problems.

On the fuses, definitely get fuses of the correct rating. The FNM-5 fuse you got has 2 problems-1st the 5A is way too high and 2nd it is a slow blow fuse and the meter specifies a fast blow fuse. Even a slow blow fuse of the correct rating will take longer to blow and may not protect the meter. The fuses specified are filled with a powder to prevent arcing if you blow the fuse when measuring current on higher voltages circuits.   

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