Good multimeter for an Industrial Tech

[Matt Hatter]

Hey all, I am currently employed as an industrial maintenance and repair tech and find myself in need of a better, and more importantly safer meter. There is the obvious Fluke 87-V, but I have also seen similar models by FLIR and other manufactures and was wondering if you all had any suggestions. The primary usage case for the meter will be high voltage (220-480 volts) mains and motor wiring, etc. Not afraid to spend a bit of money as the meter is the only thing between me and death haha. I've included a link to several FLIR meters below.

Cheers

http://www.flir.com/instruments/dm90/
http://www.flir.com/instruments/dm9x/

[shteii01]

If I recall correctly FLIR is owned by the same company that owns Fluke.

I would suggest Fluke 117.  It has a feature to detect live wire remotely.  Has backlight.  You can get "refurbished" from Fluke direct, with 3 year warranty, but it will probably not have any of the standard accessories: https://www.flukeonlinestore.com/products/factory-reconditioned/fluke-117-electricians-true-rms-multimeter

Then there is ebay too.

Check local pawn shops.  I couple of weeks ago I saw Fluke 177 and Fluke 179 in the same shop.  177 was under 100 USD.  179 was just over 100 USD.  Of course they are used and for all we know they might be fried so inspect before you buy, bring some known value resistors and batteries to try them out before you buy.  If you have local university with some kind of engineering program, you can swing by and see if they keep labs open, and take measurements of the components.  That way when you try the meters with those components you will know exactly what the meter should read.

There are also Agilent/Keysight surplus/new old stock meters on ebay for around 200 USD.
I bought from this seller the B model.  Seems they are out of B and only have A model: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Agilent-U1252A-With-Carrying-Case-/292214966352?hash=item44095e8850:g:p7wAAOSwXXxZPdz9

[Lightages]

I can highly recommend a Brymen BM089. Having a clamp meter is a very good thing for industrial uses. This meter also measures 3 phases at once:
http://www.tme.eu/en/details/bm089/meters-and-acdc-clamp-probes/brymen/

[retiredcaps]

If I recall correctly FLIR is owned by the same company that owns Fluke.

No they are competitors.

Then there is ebay too.

Check local pawn shops.

I buy my meters used and abused, but I will NEVER use them like the OP in high voltage mains. 

I recommend buying new from an authorized reputable dealer so you don't get one that has been abused.  And I also suggest never lending out your meter.

[DaJMasta]

Too many stories of fuses being jumpered over and whatnot to trust a used meter for high power use unless you're willing and capable to open it up and verify it yourself.


Fluke seems like a good go-to as they've sort of made their name on stuff like this, but there was a thread discussing at least one Brymen meter in an industrial application and the guy using it seemed to be quite pleased overall, maybe worth a search.  I've been quite happy with my Brymen too, but I don't deal with those voltages generally, so my usage case probably doesn't apply all that well to the OP's.  I remember Dave did some comprehensive durability tests on some of the Keysight meters, they seemed like they held up well.  Keysight currently has at least two meters rated IP67 and CAT III 1000V / CAT IV 600V.

Don't know if you've already considered it, but once you find a meter you consider up to your standards, maybe look at going with probes with a more comprehensive guard or better insulation rating too.  A capable meter will probably come with good ones, but getting probes that are easy to use with all the safety precautions in place and that are comfortable and grippy in your hands may be slightly different than the ones supplied with the meter.  Worth considering, maybe not necessarily required.

[Vtile]

http://en-us.fluke.com/products/portable-oscilloscopes/fluke-190-ii-portable-oscilloscope-190-104.html
https://www.gossenmetrawatt.com/english/produkte/metraline-exm25.htm (US have NEC HAZLOC ? as ATEX equivalent)
https://www.gossenmetrawatt.com/english/produkte/metrahitenergy.htm
http://en-us.fluke.com/products/installation-testers/

 

[Fungus]

Hey all, I am currently employed as an industrial maintenance and repair tech and find myself in need of a better, and more importantly safer meter. There is the obvious Fluke 87-V

I wouldn't say Fluke87V is the best for your job. The 87V is for electronics engineers - you don't need 0.05% accuracy when looking at big motors, you don't need to measure capacitance. You probably don't even need amps (and if you do, you'll be using a clamp because the 87V can't measure that many amps).

Fluke makes meters for industrial electricians as well as electronics engineers, eg. Fluke 117 (which also has non-contact voltage detector).

First job: Make a list of what it is you actually measure.
Second job: Find a meter that matches that.

If you measure a lot of current you can get a meter with built in clamp, eg. Fluke 381 which has detachable display and everything.

If you worry about safety and you're open to non-Fluke then don't mess around, get an AMPROBE HD160C. It's the only CAT IV 1000V meter (that I know of). You'll be able to point at Fluke 87V owners and laugh at how unsafe their meters are.

http://www.amprobe.com/Amprobe/usen/digital-multimeters/Industrial-Multimeters-/AMP-HD160C.htm?PID=73247

It's also cheaper than an 87V and the magnetic hanger is included, not just a photocopy of one.   

[Electro Detective]

Get a NEW 87V, bang it on your tax deductions and get on with the job, 

I doubt the 117 will give any AC reading past 666 volts much less test and verify an insulation test/er at 1000v DC, it's CAT rating may be iffy in a 480 volt 'situation' 

and that's not good in an  'anything goes on a bad day'  industrial maintenance and repair situation 

Get a good AC+DC TRMS clamp meter too,

current capabilities on multimeters blows, and so do the fuses

and sometimes the clumsy operators too   


BTW: Has the AMPROBE HD160C received a good electrical thrashing and field trashing yet?

Till then, I stick with the yellow...    

[shteii01]

http://www.amprobe.com/Amprobe/usen/digital-multimeters/Industrial-Multimeters-/AMP-HD160C.htm?PID=73247

200 USD?  Current measurement 2 A?  Have you lost your mind?

My 100 USD Fluke 27FM rated for 10 A and I bought it used from ebay.

Over the weekend I am going to the customer, the system I will be working on is set for 3 phase 460 VAC and 30 A.

[Fungus]

Get a NEW 87V, bang it on your tax deductions and get on with the job, 

That, too.

Or get a Fluke 28II, it's a tougher version of the 87V (more or less).

[Electro Detective]

28-11 has a lame diode test and some other issue/s

and you need a kids shopping trolley to lug it around, and pay the kid too   

[shteii01]

Get a NEW 87V, bang it on your tax deductions and get on with the job, 

I doubt the 117 will give any AC reading past 666 volts much less test and verify an insulation test/er at 1000v DC, it's CAT rating may be iffy in a 480 volt 'situation' 

and that's not good in an  'anything goes on a bad day'  industrial maintenance and repair situation 

Get a good AC+DC TRMS clamp meter too,

current capabilities on multimeters blows, and so do the fuses

and sometimes the clumsy operators too   

Might as well get 77 since uA are useless in this line of work.

Interesting point about the high voltage machines in the 600 VAC range.
I have never built anything that is more than 460 VAC 3 phase.  I am now on my second job and both places I work built machines for factories.  I have built 120 VAC, 240 VAC, 460 VAC.  Nothing higher.

Is there a lot of machinery being used that is 600+ VAC?

[Fungus]

200 USD?  Current measurement 2 A?  Have you lost your mind?

My 100 USD Fluke 27FM rated for 10 A and I bought it used from ebay.

Over the weekend I am going to the customer, the system I will be working on is set for 3 phase 460 VAC and 30 A.

In other words: You can't measure the current with the Fluke 27FM, you need a separate current clamp.

Am I right? 


PS: $100 for a used 27FM? I paid $60 for mine and it was new (old stock).

[Fungus]

28-11 has a lame diode test

Is that a problem when diagnosing 480V industrial motors?

[shteii01]

200 USD?  Current measurement 2 A?  Have you lost your mind?

My 100 USD Fluke 27FM rated for 10 A and I bought it used from ebay.

Over the weekend I am going to the customer, the system I will be working on is set for 3 phase 460 VAC and 30 A.

In other words: You can't measure the current with the Fluke 27FM, you need a separate current clamp.

Am I right? 


PS: $100 for a used 27FM? I paid $60 for mine and it was new (old stock).

Wrong.
I got A, mA and uA.

Regarding 27FM price.  Different timing.  I know they originally went for 25 USD on ebay.  By the time I got into dmm shopping those prices where long gone, like a couple of years gone.

[Fungus]

I have built 120 VAC, 240 VAC, 460 VAC.  Nothing higher.

Is there a lot of machinery being used that is 600+ VAC?

No, but where there's big motors there's big inductance.

Inductance can cause voltage spikes much higher than the input voltage.

[Fungus]

Over the weekend I am going to the customer, the system I will be working on is set for 3 phase 460 VAC and 30 A.

In other words: You can't measure the current with the Fluke 27FM, you need a separate current clamp.

Am I right? 

Wrong.
I got A, mA and uA.

Can you measure 30A using the 27FM?

Answer: No.

Conclusion: A 2A meter is as useful as a 10A meter for industrial work. "Indutrial Technitians"(sic) usually need a current clamp as well.

[nctnico]

I'd go for Fluke or Keysight. Both are respected brands and not likely to skimp on safety and if they do they have deep enough pockets to pay for your funeral and loss of income to your family.

[Electro Detective]

I'd go for Fluke or Keysight. Both are respected brands and not likely to skimp on safety and if they do

they have deep enough pockets to pay for your funeral and loss of income to your family.

Beat me to it     

Is there a lot of machinery being used that is 600+ VAC?

AC capacitor banks run at 660 volts and higher sometimes

If I'm going to be playing tech wizard in a factory with a nagging 'time is money' pushy asshole clueless supervisor,

I want my meter to read 440v and 666v AC, or 1058v DC  rather than   'OL'   (i.e. SOL)  on anything past 600

[Jeroen3]

What you want to spend? Is the Fluke 1587 FC within budget?
It does everything except non-invasive current. But you could buy an i30s for that, if you grow money.

[madires]

For mains I'd recommend something like a Duspol. Fluke offers similar testers in case you're a Fluke-aholic.

[Electro Detective]

A Duspol is a MUST HAVE before thinking about any meter   
My T100 has bailed me out of a lot of iffy situations   

And a Fluke 1587 FC is a waste of money with lame specs compared to an 87V especially if you don't need its insulation test feature

And it's EXPENSIVE    Nice meter though, but there are much cheaper meters out there with same features

[Jeroen3]

I don't think it's very expensive if you would have to buy an insulation tester as well. Which I think is a required tool for diagnosing motors and other GFCI troubleshooting.

[rjardina]

I can highly recommend a Brymen BM089. Having a clamp meter is a very good thing for industrial uses. This meter also measures 3 phases at once:
http://www.tme.eu/en/details/bm089/meters-and-acdc-clamp-probes/brymen/

I don't think it's very expensive if you would have to buy an insulation tester as well. Which I think is a required tool for diagnosing motors and other GFCI troubleshooting.

I would second both of statements. The Brymen BM089 along with the Brymen BM878 (insulation tester) has millamp (4-20)/mill-volt reading and having two meters for temperature readings at once is a must at times for a industrial tech. Both of these meters are my daily drivers too. I've had both of these meter for over a year and a half no problems. Oh as a bonus living in the USA, no one knows this brand, so unlikely someone will steal them either LOL.

[oldway]

In industrial electricity and power electronics, NEVER use a multimeter to measure current....that's a basic rule of safety !
Use a clamp instead.
If your multimeter has current input, I recommend to obstruct the current input with silicone or hot glue, so you can't make mistakes.

Buy only Fluke or Brymen brands multimeters.

Test leads are very important for you safety...If they are damaged, replace them only with original test leads and buy them by an official Fluke or Brymen dealer.