Fluke 289 Meter

[Black Phoenix]

Good deal here! https://www.ebay.com/itm/FLUKE-289-TRUE-RMS-INDUSTRIAL-DATA-LOGGING-DIGITAL/133205904451?hash=item1f03b0cc43:g:LegAAOSw-IhdqEWP

It's exactly the same ad from were Gandalf_Sir bought. At least the item image is the same.

[Gandalf_Sr]

Good deal here! https://www.ebay.com/itm/FLUKE-289-TRUE-RMS-INDUSTRIAL-DATA-LOGGING-DIGITAL/133205904451?hash=item1f03b0cc43:g:LegAAOSw-IhdqEWP

Yup, there were 2 and I bought the first one - seems the second has gone too now.

[Electro Detective]

I use Energizer lithium in all my meters, Fluke 289 included and never had a problem. They last a long time and no leaks so far!

Panasonic Eneloop (Rechargeable NiMH) works well with zero issues to report.

I have heard quite a few people recommending the Eneloop rechargeable batteries. I will grab a couple of packs and try them next battery change.

Any battery, be it a good rep/bunny endorsed/high price 

or cheaper than cheap flaky packaged no name/Blah Power/  two dollar type

or 1000 shot rechargeables   

are only good batteries to buy if they don't leak ! especially if not used and or just past their use by date.

and hang the so called 'performance' and 'longevity' advertising BS,
which doesn't wash when the leaked gunk has trashed an expensive multimeter 

or worst case scenario: killed off junior's FAVORITE shutup TOY      =   parents

I've also seen rechargables leak that were left for a period and discharged

and up to a few years ago, crapped out Enerjizzer alkalines used to be a guaranteed find in big dollar multimeters, especially Flukes,
and DSLR cameras and bells n whistles flash units and slaves etc

Big dollar lithiums have leaked in new sealed packages stored in 'ideal conditions'
just when called in for backup duty in a flat camera, out in the middle of picturesque nowhere.. 

fwiw I've seen a lot less instances of Duracell alkalines crapping out, staying intact years past their expiry date 
The spent 9 volt ones in smoke detectors are handy as multimeter batteries, as most meters will work fine at 8xx volts

Hoping that the leaker trend dies with Eneloops, time will tell

and then again, which Eneloops will hold up better? The real deal or the knockoffs? 

[mr.fabe]

I have never had any problems with the Panasonic Eneloops.  I use the 4th generation version.  So far, so good as long as my equipment can handle the lower voltage without issue, I will continue to use them.

Duracell's are my favorite brand but they leak in certain types of equipment.

[BravoV]

Use Eneloops too for my 287, no complain at all and I do lots of logging and their capacity is more than enough.

[Gandalf_Sr]

Now I'm starting to worry that the eBay seller is a scammer; the meter hasn't shipped yet and there's a few comments like...

Items never shipped, never arrived, no word from seller. Scammer, AVOID.   Buyer: a***o (private). More than a year ago Fluke 289 (#132752242130)

Although there are a few that say that they did receive Fluke 289s.

In the US there are poor consumer protection laws but buying through PayPal solves that so I'm not worried about losing my money.

[Black Phoenix]

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/what-did-you-buy-today-post-your-latest-purchase!/msg2647587/#msg2647587

Same as me mate, the seller of my 87V also had 3 negative feedbacks, one of them on the 87V that someone won and he didn't sent but refunded the money.

I was also having cold feet when I saw that, after paying a so low price for the equipment in question... Although it was real and I received. But yes, Paypal will be your friend, 30 days after the end of the auction, if you didn't have it in your doorstep, open a dispute and the money comes right back to your account.

[Gandalf_Sr]

It has happened to me before - what I don't understand is why anyone would go to all the trouble of listing something, getting a buyer at the asking price, and then not shipping it.  Is there a scam angle that I am unaware of?

[Black Phoenix]

In this post is some of the things related with that:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/buysellwanted/(ebay)-new-der-ee-de-5000-w-tweezers-etc-for-cheap/

Basically Hacked accounts, the typical "Too Good to Be True". Account is Hacked, money is transferred from hacked account to another hacked account with a hacked bank account, money is then converted in cash on a ATM. Or Account is Hacked, received money from sellers, buy other items delivered to PO Boxes with fake names, sell items on locally or other websites like Craigslist, cash in.

Rinse and Repeat. Bonus points if you put a very sought-after item in a lower price (iPhone new model by half price or even less).

That's the gist I got from their modus operandi.

[dab147315]

I bought a new meter from ebay that was manufactured in January 2019 and after I got it, installed new batteries made by Duracell Optimum 1.5 V Alkaline AA kind of never used it, but made sure it worked and set the time and date and shut it off and after about 2 week tried to turn it on but was dead. Took the battery compartment out and you could see the batteries actually were bad and corroded the battery pack a little. Actually bought a new cover for 50 bucks, but clean the contacts in the old one that was new with the meter and have been watching the batteries and meter for about a week Turning it on everyday and seems ok. I know the meter will drain down the batteries over time but in two weeks of not being used! What do you guys think is going on. Can I use lithium battery? But what to think about this problem and also bring new. Maybe possible when I put it in its new case I hit the power button, but not sure. Advise would be nice!

So far with the new Lithium batteries and new battery case holder I am good, but wonder why when I turn on the light it goes to high, then hit button again goes to low.Seems like all the videos I see it's the opposite. Maybe it's because of this being made in January 2019?

[dab147315]

@Gandalf_Sr Hope all goes ok for you! FYI this is the second 289 I bought from eBay. The first one I bought from a seller in California went down ok but when I got it after you turn it on it had a line that went down the middle of the screen!  I contacted him and sent a picture of it through eBay and he offered to send another one ,but I said no and returned it and got my money back through PayPal.

[mr.fabe]

Last year, when I purchased my 289 on ePray, they had discount promotions for 15% off of anything for several different days.  Who knows if they will do it again these holidays but might be worth the wait...

[Gandalf_Sr]

Thanks guys, I sent a message to the seller this morning but nothing heard yet.  It occurs to me that the picture on the 289 was generic/lifted from somewhere else so I'm close to convinced that my seller was a scammer, ah well.

[Black Phoenix]

Thanks guys, I sent a message to the seller this morning but nothing heard yet.  It occurs to me that the picture on the 289 was generic/lifted from somewhere else so I'm close to convinced that my seller was a scammer, ah well.

At first glance it doesn't look like a scammer, at least it wasn't in the past. I just counted all the Positive Feedback transactions this user had only on Fluke Items and as a seller he sold more than US$19,000 (more precisely US$19,164) just in Flukes, not Counting a Gipson Les Paul Guitar and some other high price items.

With that kind of sales past, that's an account that anyone at first glance would not bat an eye, even having some negatives (some people are shit, just give negative even if the item arrives or expect the item to arrive in 5 days instead when it's international sent or create a dispute to keep the item and the money).

My seller spent a week to send me the item in question to Hong Kong, after 3 messages sent to him and me expecting well I was basically scammed. But he sent, tracking no coincided with, and then when I received that thing was well packed, no damage and everything new. The item tracking was funny since it was Huston to LA, LA to South Korea, South Korea to HK. 1 week to move from Huston to LA Airport, 3 days for the delivery in Hong Kong.

Of course I don't rule the point that the guy just turn bad but he had an account that if I had a lot of stuff to sell I would love to have it. And accounts like that sometimes are sold in obscure websites...

You now just have to play the "wait game" and as soon as the window for delivery passes and you can dispute and recover the money.

[edit] Forgot to add a + in the calculation, gave me more that US$350,000. That is an error, the correct value is the one on the post, US$19,000...

[Terry01]

I agree wait another couple days and see what happens. Maybe you will get a happy resolution and your meter will be delivered.

[Gandalf_Sr]

Thanks guys.  I followed through the eBay system on my active order, clicking on the 'I haven't received it yet' button and the response was, as you said, that I should wait until the estimated delivery date which is Sat Oct 26, especially of this seller has sold $350,000 worth of stuff.

I sent superdeal85 a message on Oct 21 simply asking 'when are you planning on shipping the item to me?' but haven't received anything back. Another look at the original listing shows a line that says shipping '1/2 weeks' which, if I were being picky, could mean 0.5 weeks or 1 to 2 weeks. I placed the order on Thu Oct 17 so I suppose it's possible that he could ship it to me on Thu Oct 24 and still have it arrive by Sat Oct 26.

I am not worried about the money, I know I'll get a full refund if I don't get the item, but uncommunicative sellers cause unnecessary worry IMHO.

I hope it's not a scam as it's a pretty good price for a 'new' 289 but it wasn't like a Black Friday special.

I'll play the waiting game 

[Gandalf_Sr]

@Gandalf_Sr Hope all goes ok for you! FYI this is the second 289 I bought from eBay. The first one I bought from a seller in California went down ok but when I got it after you turn it on it had a line that went down the middle of the screen!  I contacted him and sent a picture of it through eBay and he offered to send another one ,but I said no and returned it and got my money back through PayPal.

A missing line or column through the LCD is usually due to the seating of the LCD on the zebra strip and can be solved by removing and refitting the LCD but, in your situation, I would have returned the meter too.

[Black Phoenix]

Thanks guys.  I followed through the eBay system on my active order, clicking on the 'I haven't received it yet' button and the response was, as you said, that I should wait until the estimated delivery date which is Sat Oct 26, especially of this seller has sold $350,000 worth of stuff.

My mistake, the correct value is the one on my post, US$19,000.

The US$350,000 was because when adding 2 items, I forgot the + between that 2 items, so it gave me the sum of everything plus the error of the 2 prices together.

Still US$19,000 is still credible. And it's all the feedback that I can see in the first page as a Seller, since I didn't search on the others, so the total amount of sales of that user could be double or even triple, since he had more that 200 feedback.

As I said, if most of the transactions were small amounts to just get feedback, but no, the average of selling price of his items are around the US$300, just comparing the Flukes only. Again that doesn't mean anything, but If I was the owner of such account with such background I would think twice if I wanted to start scamming and loose all the credibility I had. But that's me.

@Gandalf_Sr Hope all goes ok for you! FYI this is the second 289 I bought from eBay. The first one I bought from a seller in California went down ok but when I got it after you turn it on it had a line that went down the middle of the screen!  I contacted him and sent a picture of it through eBay and he offered to send another one ,but I said no and returned it and got my money back through PayPal.

A missing line or column through the LCD is usually due to the seating of the LCD on the zebra strip and can be solved by removing and refitting the LCD but, in your situation, I would have returned the meter too.

May be not: The screen itself is not an LCD with Zebra Strips. It's an 1/4 VGA display with white backlight, that looks like the B/W ScopeMeters, so with Flex Cable (I may be mistaken, I don't know if this kind of display still uses the elastomeric connector on the assembly then connected to a PCB and then to the flex cable).

An Image of the screen assembly itself:

[drumbum]

My last two purchases from sleazebay have been scams.

First a 328 type component checker...never arrived.  Seller refunds money, but says will you please send money when item arrives, which it never does.  Second time I have had that story, ...I feel that language is to dupe sleazebay.

Second was a purchase of a DE-5000 (full kit w/leads, tweezers etc.).  Two sellers popped up with cheap meters, (1 from NY for $69 and 1 from Hong Kong for $49) showing two available.  Then they show 20 sold. Both listings disappeared the next day. Shipped and arrived in US, only to get delivered to another state (or so the tracking indicates).  All listings in their store vanished and feedback became private. Sellers feedback score was 98% when ordered and now at 67% IIRC.

I learned from a sleazebay rep that the sellers in foreign countries don't print the shipping label automatically as sellers do here.  They hand print the address .

Sleazebay gives the scammers a platform to operate and feel no responsibility to rectify.

I opened a case on Oct. 17 and scammer opened a case on the 22nd .  Should have went directly to PayPal to resolve.

Been a member of sleazebay since 1999 with a feedback score of 100%, but it seems to not matter.


You would think the risk of scams would be rather low as the items are not exactly well known products, i.e. like an Iphone or a jetski.

[drumbum]

I hope the above is germane to the discussion and not considered a threadjack.

[Gandalf_Sr]

I hope the above is germane to the discussion and not considered a threadjack.

I consider it's germane, thanks for sharing. I have heard nothing about my order.

[Electro Detective]

What's going on in October?

Scams form $9 to $900 meters appear to be rampant 

[Terry01]

Have you heard anything postage wise on your meter yet?

[Gandalf_Sr]

Have you heard anything postage wise on your meter yet?

Nope.  I sent a message to the seller but got no reply.  Not looking good.  If he/she does eventually send it, they will score low marks for communication.

[Gandalf_Sr]

I just rechecked the eBay purchase info - it says shipping will be by USPS Priority Mail but I would still expect to get a shipping notification, is that right?