6.5 digit DMM questions 8845A vs. 34401A vs. Siglent

[Jester]

I’m looking for another used  6.5 digit DMM…….

EBay prices for the 8845A seem about $200 higher than for the 34401A. For anyone that uses both meters regularly is the Fluke worth the $200+ premium?

I’m also wondering if anyone has used both the 34401A as well as one of the new 6.5 digit Siglent  meters, is there anything you don’t like about the Siglent?

[bdunham7]

EBay prices for the 8845A seem about $200 higher than for the 34401A. For anyone that uses both meters regularly is the Fluke worth the $200+ premium?

I have the 8846A and the 34401A and while the 8846A has a few additional features over the 8845A (1G resistance, capacitance), both of them are much easier to use than the deep-menu 34401A.  Almost anything can be conjured up in 2 button pushes.  The selectable diode test (5V/10V) and current (1mA/0.1mA), selectable continuity threshold (1/10/100/1000R) and USB/LAN connectivity are probably the main advantages over the 34401A for me.  The only downside to the 8845A/8846A in the used market is that you have to be sure to get a good, non-abused unit.  They don't take kindly to rough physical treatment and the VFD display will burn a bit if you leave it on full brightness for years on end. 

The 34401A prices have skyrocketed recently, I don't know about the Flukes.  When I got mine, there was about a $1000 price premium for the 8846A and I still think it was worth it.

[MadTux]

Fluke 8845A/8846A internal design is garbage. Mechanical design, reliability and repairability isn't great either.
Display and it's replacement, if it fails, could be quite horrible as well.
100MOhm seems standard for half sized DMMs, except Keithley 2001/2002 or 8846A.
For full size DMMs, 1G seems standard in HP instruments (3455A/3456A/3458A)
Good diode and continuity is much more useful IRL, which is unfortunately lacking in most full sized DMMs as well as Keithley 2001/2002

Keithley 2000/2015/2010 and HP 34401A are build much nicer, IMO. For pure metrology in 1/2 size, Keithley 2001/2002 is best.

[mawyatt]

We have a few weeks old DMM6500, few months old SDM3065X, a 2 Year old KS34465A, and much much older AG34401A and a even older HP34401A. Of all these my least favorite is the SDM3065X, and most favorite is the DMM6500, even preferring it over the otherwise excellent KS34465A.

The large display and touch screen graphics just place the DMM6500 in another level of user experience, it has become our "goto" DMM for most usages.

Another thing to consider is if the DMM has back terminals. These have already proven useful in that we hang a thermistor (or thermocouple) off the back terminals of the KS34465A and DMM6500 to read ambient or an instrument temperature, and don't have to disconnect what's connected to the DMM front. Just push a couple buttons and you can read or graph the temperature, and another couple bottom pushes and you are back to where you started

Best,

 

[bdunham7]

Fluke 8845A/8846A internal design is garbage. Mechanical design, reliability and repairability isn't great either.
Display and it's replacement, if it fails, could be quite horrible as well.

I'd say maybe a bit odd and hard to understand, not garbage.  Your other points are more or less true, which is why I would only buy one new or mint and then treat it very kindly.  And probably not use the front/rear switch too much, although that is actually fixable if it is damaged.  It's definitely not a model you buy as a fixer-upper like many earlier types.

However, where the 8846A excels is......measuring stuff!  Well, except for certain current ranges where it embarrasses itself a tiny bit.  But for everything else, it exceeds all of those other meters in multiple areas that are important to me, at least.  Somebody just posted about their 34465A not measuring 175uVAC.  I often need to measure ~1000VAC, the 34465A can't do that either.  The 8846A does both.  YMMV and everyone's needs are different.

[dorkshoei]

One thing possibly worth bearing in mind is that 34401a parts such as VFDs, handles,  bumpers etc have been reproduced and are available inexpensively from China.   You need to be careful (with all Chinese stuff) but I bought two of the Samsung marked clone VFDs and they work great.  I put them away in my parts stash in case I ever need them.

Agree that the HP deep menus are not that user friendly.

[bdunham7]

Agree that the HP deep menus are not that user friendly.

If I had to use one daily, I'd make a laminated pull-out menu!

[dorkshoei]

I have a 34401a for sale in case it interests the OP

[HighVoltage]

I bought a 8845A and a 8846A many years ago to fix them. But since parts were not available it was near impossible. I got them working and used them for a while, before I sold them both.

The 34401A is much more straight forward to me and parts are available.


 

[Zucca]

The 34401A is much more straight forward to me and parts are available.

++++10000 time this, schematics are also available. For me 34401A is the best!
VFD brightness problem? There is a quick solution.

[coromonadalix]

the 34401a  is a class of its own, schematics and many parts are available

Connect it to a pc with some logging software(s) links found here  and it get hard to beat


Sure some meters have more functions, But personally i would avoid the flukes ones, seen too many problems and scarse parts availability, the Tektronix models seems to have better help in some case(s).


For others brands like siglent and others, slowly they get better over time with some good eevblog members here

[tooki]

Fluke 8845A/8846A internal design is garbage. Mechanical design, reliability and repairability isn't great either.
Display and it's replacement, if it fails, could be quite horrible as well.
100MOhm seems standard for half sized DMMs, except Keithley 2001/2002 or 8846A.
For full size DMMs, 1G seems standard in HP instruments (3455A/3456A/3458A)
Good diode and continuity is much more useful IRL, which is unfortunately lacking in most full sized DMMs as well as Keithley 2001/2002

Keithley 2000/2015/2010 and HP 34401A are build much nicer, IMO. For pure metrology in 1/2 size, Keithley 2001/2002 is best.

Agreed. I have a Keithley 2015 and it’s a joy to use. (Including superb continuity and diode modes.)