Author Topic: If you only had one meter?  (Read 13797 times)

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Offline 4thDoctorWhoFan

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #100 on: April 22, 2023, 04:36:36 pm »

I bought a Beckman Tech 310 new in 1980.   It still works and is still in spec.   It was about $140 from Mouser, a huge amount of money for me at the time.   That's $500 adjusted for inflation.

I keep the 310 in my desk at work.  I still use it ocassionaly.

I have a Beckman HD110 in the yellow case.  I also still use it every now and then.  Not sure why, but I like it.

 
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Offline NoisyBoy

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #101 on: April 22, 2023, 06:22:47 pm »
For the sake of easy repair service, lifetime warranty, and calibration services, I would pick my Fluke 179.  I like its smaller form factor for handheld uses. 
 

Offline vk6zgo

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #102 on: April 23, 2023, 12:55:00 am »
I bought a Beckman Tech 310 new in 1980.   It still works and is still in spec.

Liar! Only Flukes can do that!!

(froth)
;D    The orginal made in California Beckman DMMs were very durable.




Telecom Aust standardised on the Beckman in the 1970s, at least in the RadioComms & Broadcast sections.
I think they were put off Fluke by some of their early bench meters.
At my depot, we had a quite early one which was solid enough, & although not trouble free, was easily fixable, & a slightly newer one which was a total pig.

The old "Beckpersons" were rugged & reliable----what more could you want in a handheld DMM?

I never had a Fluke handheld DMM till I left & went to the Private Sector & got the 77.
Hiding at the Transmitter site was one of the Flukes with side push button switches, which I never liked, as one button was missing.
I had a "Dick Smith" clone with the same switch idea, although much more crappily done.

The "convenience" of side buttons never was a convincing argument to me, especially as the 77 offered pretty much the same advantage of "one handed" setting whilst using a conventional rotary switch.
 
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Offline tooki

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #103 on: April 29, 2023, 05:01:18 pm »


It even wins without any probes connected!

Wait, is that a mains breakout box? With unshrouded plugs?...in those colours? OK, must stop as I'm starting to sound like some kind of comedy sketch, but that looks a bit "how ya doin", even by my generally quite relaxed standards.
Huh? I see only shrouded plugs.
 

Offline Fungus

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #104 on: April 29, 2023, 05:12:55 pm »
Huh? I see only shrouded plugs.

Huh?  :-//


 

Offline slurry

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #105 on: April 29, 2023, 05:22:22 pm »
Metrix MTX3293 has all that and some...

I had one of those MTX in the past, i like the display and now I have the MX5292-BT, new in box, capable yes absolutely.
I really tried but I can not get accustomed to the user interface at all! - so i´m thinking of selling it and buying a Hioki DT4282.

Returning to the question,
if ease of use and small size is important i think the Fluke 17B+ is a great companion for most electronics work.

If i have the money, a Fluke 289 is a no-brainer, i still regret selling mine.
If you are on a budget, i like my Brymen BM867s, it is cheaper than BM869s and still have most of the functions.
« Last Edit: April 29, 2023, 05:23:53 pm by slurry »
 

Offline Andrew_Debbie

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #106 on: May 02, 2023, 08:32:10 am »


I have a Beckman HD110 in the yellow case.  I also still use it every now and then.  Not sure why, but I like it.

The HD110 is a ruggedized 310. Absolute tank.  I belive they were waterproof too.

Beckman sold their DMM division to Emerson Electric and the brand name changed to Beckman Industrial.    Eventually everything moved to Taiwan.  I belive production went first followed  by design, but I could be mistaken.    I think Emerson moved the brand downmarket in the 1990s but that could be a memory error :)

Emerson changed what was printed on the back side.   I'd be interesed to know what yours has.     


« Last Edit: May 02, 2023, 08:36:24 am by Andrew_Debbie »
 

Offline tooki

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #107 on: May 02, 2023, 04:10:08 pm »
Huh? I see only shrouded plugs.

Huh?  :-//


Yeah but that's not metal. (IMHO obviously so, since it also doesn't look like a banana plug, but like a smooth cylinder.)

Anyhow, those are Hirschmann retractable-shroud banana plugs. (The shroud in those is spring-loaded, but is locked in the shrouded position. A release button on the side of the plug allows the shroud to be retracted to the unshrouded position.)
 
See attached pictures.

This is the product line: https://www.sks-kontakt.de/en/test-measurement/products/4-mm-sliding-sleeve-system

LMAO! This line from the product page for the assembled test leads is glorious: "Contact protected test lead on both sides sprung plug Ø 4 mm, insulated by latching and sprung insulated, which is only released by pressure on the lateral locking spring, and rigid socket Ø 4 mm to the far pluginess."

(In the original German, the sentence translates to "... and rigid Ø 4 mm socket for stacking.")
 

Offline kripton2035

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #108 on: May 02, 2023, 05:21:56 pm »
fluke 867B


 
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Offline Fungus

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #109 on: May 02, 2023, 07:55:39 pm »
fluke 867B



Never seen that one before, but, yeah... looks like a fun meter.
 

Offline kripton2035

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #110 on: May 02, 2023, 08:23:07 pm »
planning to replace it with some owon hds22xx but not sure it will be as good as the 867B ...
 

Offline shakalnokturn

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #111 on: May 02, 2023, 09:54:34 pm »
planning to replace it with some owon hds22xx but not sure it will be as good as the 867B ...

The scope section can only be better. Then there's the DMM, UI, build quality...
 

Offline David Hess

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Re: If you only had one meter?
« Reply #112 on: May 03, 2023, 09:35:15 pm »
I would love to have a meter with good thermocouple measurement.  Most use those adapters which compromise accuracy.  I guess if you want something better, you just get a dedicated thermocouple meter.  I get my best results with Fluke 80TK thermocouple adapters.

 


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