Products > Test Equipment
Fluke 289 - yet a good investment nowadays?
rsjsouza:
--- Quote from: Veteran68 on October 11, 2023, 07:01:57 pm ---Brymen is maybe a bit more progressive in terms of their product features and technology, but if you want a pace that's similar to smartphones, you're best served by the cheap gimmicky Chinese brands like Aneng and Kaiweets. Which BTW make some great little meters for the money. They're just not in the same league as a Fluke.
--- End quote ---
Well said overall. Interestingly enough, Brymen has been keeping good quality for at least 20 years (my BM857 meter was built in 2002) and naturally is paving a great road towards long-term reliability and stability. Sure, they are innovating more in the portable DMM arena but it is their core business. I think they are a great contender to Fluke. Older brands such as Mastech and Uni-T are probably as old or even older than Brymen but had a lot of hits and misses that keep being repeated even in modern units.
The cheaper brands, naturally, benefit greatly from the immense manufacturing capacity of China and can take more adventurous routes with very little NRE. My biggest pet peeve is the sheer lying on CAT specifications - otherwise it is as you said: they are great meters for the money.
Fungus:
--- Quote from: coromonadalix on October 10, 2023, 12:04:21 am ---Uni-t in some models have upped their game ...
--- End quote ---
In some, sure, but it's hit and miss. For every good model there's a really bad one.
I wouldn't buy Uni-T myself because they're neither one thing or another.
eg. If you're buying Uni-T because they're "better than Aneng" then you're doing it wrong. Their safety/robustness is borderline, joesmith has killed many Uni-Ts with his most basic tests.
Save up a few more $$$ and get a Brymen.
--- Quote from: rsjsouza on October 12, 2023, 12:47:32 pm ---My biggest pet peeve is the sheer lying on CAT specifications - otherwise it is as you said: they are great meters for the money.
--- End quote ---
Just accept it.
Treat them like CAT I meters and they're fine for working with Arduinos, batteries, other 5V/12V stuff.
It's much better to buy a $20 meter and use it while you're saving up for a Brymen than to buy a Mastech or Uni-T, IMHO.
(and in the end you'll have two meters for measurements that need that)
PartialDischarge:
I got a UT181A only for the standalone logging capability, but its also *very* accurate.
However I wouldn't choose it for everyday use (neither a Fluke 289), daily I use a 87V and a Brymen BM839
arturmariojr:
After reading all comments and thinking a lot, I decided to keep the Fluke 289, as it is really an excellent meter.
My unit is an old one and doesn't get newer firmware versions.
Does anybody know the differences on hardware (on usability too) between both versions of it? I read some post here and there, but nothing conclusive.
Thanks a lot for your precious comments!
Artur
bdunham7:
--- Quote from: arturmariojr on October 18, 2023, 06:03:23 pm ---Does anybody know the differences on hardware (on usability too) between both versions of it? I read some post here and there, but nothing conclusive.
--- End quote ---
Having gone from an earlier version to a current version due to a warranty replacement I don't see any substantial differences. Here are a few minor ones:
1. Battery life in storage seems much better with the newer one. They've eliminated the supercap and some related stuff and I think the normal power off drain is less, let alone what the drain of the ones with issues. I use Eneloop rechargeables and I can take it out after 2-3 months and the batteries are still good. It will log for over a week on the NiMH cells.
2. I think the LCD looks better on the new one, but perhaps that's because it is new. Still, I don't recall that the old one faded or changed, so perhaps they've improved it.
3. The AC ranges don't have any residual counts on the new one, the old one had 200+. With my sample size of 1 each I don't know whether that's random luck or perhaps the newer firmware zeroes out at low readings.
The long settling time and instability in the LO-OHMS range has not changed.
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