What Fluke Clamp meter should I buy?

[MakeMePower]

Fluke 323 Clamp Meter For Commercial/Residential Electricians, Measures AC Current To 400 A,Measures AC/DC Voltage To 600 V, $120 it rocks.​

View attachment 268514​

Does not do DC amperage, which is a big one here.

Fluke is not needed for 99% of people, my calibrated unit, which work bought me, measure within 1% of every other meter I own.

I like the UNI-T lines and Mastech for my inrush, with logging.

most advanced I own is a 2 channel moosmeter, with data sd logging. prolly the most accurate, its like 6 to right the of the decimal.

 

[DPC]

P

Fluke 323 Clamp Meter For Commercial/Residential Electricians, Measures AC Current To 400 A,Measures AC/DC Voltage To 600 V, $120 it rocks.​

View attachment 268514​

Got one like that too but a 377
Good universal too

 

[robby]

My experience with cheap Chinese meters is that they typically have good Accuracy but low Precision.
Fluke meters are the standard for most techs because they have high accuracy and high precision.

 

[BarracudaBob]

My experience with cheap Chinese meters is that they typically have good Accuracy but low Precision.
Fluke meters are the standard for most techs because they have high accuracy and high precision.

I have had some pretty cool off brand meters with some great features but I eventually killed them. I have been using the same Fluke for 15 years so no complaints.

 

[outboard1196]

Buy once cry once.

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

you guys know that fluke makes a lot of their meters in china these days right?

but what the hey.. go tim the toolman and get the "Binford 8200" of meters... you now you want to

 

[sunsurfer]

Fluke tards are as bad as Victron tards. Yes, I own both. I have spent $3k plus on a fluke oscope. It was...so..so...but looking back, it was a waste of money vs other options just as good. I do love all my victron gear though....

Uni-T is now my choice. I bought a $250 Uni-T IR with DOUBLE the resolution of a Fluke for $1,000 and it kicks ass. Screw Fluke and their over priced gear. I'm done getting ripped off by Fluke.

 

[BarracudaBob]

Never saw this model before:

Fluke 393 FC Solar Clamp Meter CAT III 1500 V​

 

[sunsurfer]

Does not do DC amperage, which is a big one here.

Fluke is not needed for 99% of people, my calibrated unit, which work bought me, measure within 1% of every other meter I own.

I like the UNI-T lines and Mastech for my inrush, with logging.

Yep, allot of people switching over to Uni-T. Done getting ripped off for a name. I love Uni-T gear. Its really good for the money.

 

[BarracudaBob]

Yep, allot of people switching over to Uni-T. Done getting ripped off for a name. I love Uni-T gear. Its really good for the money.

I am open minded and not blinded by brand names. I would like to find a new DC clamp meter

 

[BarracudaBob]

They are cheap WOW.... Great until I drop it ?

 

[sunsurfer]

I have several meters.

I use what ever is best for the job.
I have fluke 77 in my bag and T5 on my hip...

Yea, I have TWO 77's and they both have random problems. I keep them in spare tool bags in my cars now since I can't rely on them for daily work.

 

[DPC]

Fluke tards are as bad as Victron tards. Yes, I own both. I have spent $3k plus on a fluke oscope. It was...so..so...but looking back, it was a waste of money vs other options just as good. I do love all my victron gear though....

Uni-T is now my choice. I bought a $250 Uni-T IR with DOUBLE the resolution of a Fluke for $1,000 and it kicks ass. Screw Fluke and their over priced gear. I'm done getting ripped off by Fluke.

Like it or not fluke became the meter to use because they are a defacto standard
Ever large organization want you to do the same thing over and over

And to some extent flukes are backwards compatible to earlier units
A fluke meter test done on an inspection in the 90s is probably going to read the same with new similar model

That is the expectation….

A different brand can not say that…

This is the latest hand held meter I am using

A new direction now where I am using a computerized piece of test equipment to run the tests for me
It’s much faster and hopeful will help with predicting failures

And any idiot should be able to give us useful data as long as they follow the proceedure
Won’t matter who they are

 

[sunsurfer]

I am open minded and not blinded by brand names. I would like to find a new DC clamp meter

You just need to know what you want it to do first, then start shopping.

 

[sunsurfer]

Like it or not fluke became the meter to use because they are a defacto standard
Ever large organization want you to do the same thing over and over

And to some extent flukes are backwards compatible to earlier units
A fluke meter test done on an inspection in the 90s is probably going to read the same with new similar model

That is the expectation….

A different brand can not say that…

This is the latest hand held meter I am using

Life has caught up with Fluke. There are just as good meters for a fraction of the price. Flukes are anything but perfect, I have had issues with them over the years. They are good but not bullet proof.

Not more than two ours ago, I was using a Fluke DVOM and was getting way off DC readings checking some LFP batts in storage. Quick power cycle fixed it.

 

[DPC]

I agree there are cheaper and arguably better meters

But the inspection and test procedure for example calls for a 77 fluke
And I have a 177 fluke so that’s backwards compatable…

Doesn’t Matter what’s better that’s what your told to use for consistency
The big organization will pay that money for a meter today knowing in 20 years there will be a fluke meter like the one I use today to run the same test…

If I had my way I would use a scope meter don’t care who makes it
I’d have a good data loger
I might even use my AVO for some things
But it’s not an option for the majority of us who are required to do what we do for safety or for gov regulations, company policies

Or just because you can’t re write a test procedure for every brand of meter

 

[sunsurfer]

I agree there are cheaper and arguably better meters

But the inspection and test procedure for example calls for a 77 fluke
And I have a 177 fluke so that’s backwards compatable…

The 77 was not the best meter for Fluke, just a cheap DVOM by their standards. Fluke does make good meters but the 77 is not one of them...lol. I have two 77's. A work horse for general purpose but nothing special by any stretch. Open the hood on one, there is not much going on in there.

 

[DonnieT]

My Klein meter might dying ( When I measure Ground neutral bond resistance it changes depending on what probe I touch to the neutral. 0 ohms vs 4 ohms... really odd and frustrating when you spend a lot of time troubleshooting only to find out that your meter is screwed up)

So anyway I think I want to upgrade to a Fluke clamp meter. I'd like all the basic features to test solar equipment. AC/DC volts and amps. Basic Ground Neutral bond resistance and resistance across long wires...Basic stuff. But the main and probably most expensive feature I'd like is the "INRUSH" measuring feature(I believe this is different than the Min/Max feature). I mess with solar quite a bit on my home and possibly plan on installing a few systems for friends/family in the future...

Fluke has a lot of meters out there so it can be a bit confusing on what to purchase. I have an idea what meter to buy but thought I'd ask for your recommendations to make sure I'm purchasing the right one.

Thanks.

I’ve been a commercial/industrial electrician for 35years work on high/ low ac/dc voltage, ranging from 24v to 4160v currents as high as 3000 amps at times. My go to these days is a fluke 76 it’s a few years old but for general purpose use you can’t go wrong.

 

[DPC]

The 77 was not the best meter for Fluke, just a cheap DVOM by their standards. Fluke does make good meters but the 77 is not one of them...lol. I have two 77's. A work horse for general purpose but nothing special by any stretch. Open the hood on one, there is not much going on in there.

Ya I have a 177 I did not go back and correct that

Had. 77 I think at one time
Don’t recall problems

 

[DPC]

I’ve been a commercial/industrial electrician for 35years work on high/ low ac/dc voltage, ranging from 24v to 4160v currents as high as 3000 amps at times. My go to these days is a fluke 76 it’s a few years old but for general purpose use you can’t go wrong.

What are you using for testing potential?
Modiiewark?

Spell check does not like these names

 

[sunsurfer]

Ya I have a 177 I did not go back and correct that

Had. 77 I think at one time
Don’t recall problems

I think Fluke is on their 4th version of the 77. Biggest Issue I have had is drift on DC. I mean like mega drift.

 

[DonnieT]

I’ve been a commercial/industrial electrician for 35years work on high/ low ac/dc voltage, ranging from 24v to 4160v currents as high as 3000 amps at times. My go to these days is a fluke 376 it’s a few years old but for general purpose use you can’t go wrong

 

[DonnieT]

What are you using for testing potential?
Modiiewark?

Spell check does not like these names

My go to is a 376 spellcheck or old age got me

 

[robbob2112]

Fighting words.....
As bad as insulting the King!

I have a broken 260 sadly.
Its a shelf queen.

Navy guys from the USA love the Simpson because at one time its what they all used, they hold very good accuracy and reliability and all their inspections were done on it..
I assume your the same
The one you use I am not familiar with thats later unit...
Mine is series 7 or something...

Non Americans who speak English lol...
Seem to gravitate to the AVO especially navy guys too...
Its a bit bulkier and fussy about being used flat where the Simpson is less disturbed standing on something.
I don't recall the ranges and probe differences but my avo went to 2200 volts for a contact test..
This made the AVO 8 a good unit to use around tubes and such...

This is sitting by the TV...
Its Crompton also out of service and calibration.
I did use it at one time for generator service

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Everything else is someplace else
Wife won’t let me display my toys

Ha ha, I was Navy... worked in a calibration lab... my 260 is built from scrap parts out and the pre-expended bin. I had a set of the dial shafts from a scrap meter, a set of knobs from another, and a few other bits..from preex i used a circuit board and meter face.. I was bored and irritated having to work the weekend duty.. they took 10 minutes to calibrate and seldom needed adjusting.... interesting note, they were calibrated laying flat, then just checked again few positions vertical to verify the meter movement wasn't trashed.

People were always dropping the 260 of the wing of an A7 Crusader or a F-18.... they came in a zip lock a lot of the time. We would record it as scrap and tell the squadron to replace with a Fluke 77/AN.

Had to prove to a Squadron chief petty officer that the Fluke would work without damaging the contacts for the fire control. Setup to meassure the current on each range when using the Simpson for ohms and the same for the Fluke..... no shock the digital meter was around 10x less current than the analog.

 

[robby]

I still have my original Fluke 77 that is 40 Years old.
The only Issue I have had with it is some LCD blackening.
I use an 87V for most of my work. Great meter, never doubt the values I see on the screen and have had no issues. It's a joy to work with.