Time for a new electrical meter....

[jpsmith1cm]

My Simpson 260 has got a lot of miles on it and just took a nasty fall that cracked and broke it pretty badly.

Am looking for a comparable digital meter.

I've heard a lot of good about the Fluke 87.

Thoughts and suggestions?

[Paul Bee]

One of the companies I used to work for supplied our meters. They supplied the fluke 85 (very similar to the 87). It is a great meter but I did NOT LIKE IT FOR FIELD SERVICE. Too many ranges,too many buttons. A good meter for electronics but not for field service. I just bought the Fluke 116 and I love it. Johnstone has it on sale in august for $149.95. I paid $154.95 plus $10.00 shipping from grainger but I needed it now and I didn't know it was going on sale. Those old Simpsons were the best! Accurate, dependable,durable, let us observe a moment of silence in the passing of a faithful servant.

[grayghost]

the 116 is a good meter but if you have the need for 4-20 ma it will not work for you. The 87 is a very good meter, but a little bulky to me for everyday use. It is less cumbersome than the 260 though.

[Pascone10]

I vote for the 28 ii. It is the 87-5's big brother. ( it is a little bigger overall) but water proof and that drop your simpson took would not put a scratch on the 28. I use it everyday. I got used the the size..

[jpsmith1cm]

This isn't an 'everyday' meter, but rather a 'go-to' meter.

Grounded compressors, flame signals, temperature sensors (precision DC readings) etc.

Regular 'everyday' work is handled by a Fluke 322.

Pascone,

That ruggedized meter sounds like just the ticket for me. I'll look into that.

[jpsmith1cm]

One of the companies I used to work for supplied our meters. They supplied the fluke 85 (very similar to the 87). It is a great meter but I did NOT LIKE IT FOR FIELD SERVICE. Too many ranges,too many buttons. A good meter for electronics but not for field service. I just bought the Fluke 116 and I love it. Johnstone has it on sale in august for $149.95. I paid $154.95 plus $10.00 shipping from grainger but I needed it now and I didn't know it was going on sale. Those old Simpsons were the best! Accurate, dependable,durable, let us observe a moment of silence in the passing of a faithful servant.

I agree. I'm not at all ashamed to admit that it nearly brought a tear to my eye to see that meter bounce off the concrete.

The first GOOD meter I ever had. It was used to start with, but it worked as well or better than any other meter.

I've got a cheapie analog to get me by for now, but I don't trust it the same as that 260.

[cjett]

I gave my 260 away 15 or so years ago to a worker of mine that didn't have a meter. I have regretted that ever sense.

Among several other Fluke multimeters that I have I think I would put my 189 up close to the Simpson for it's accuracy. I also use a 179 on a daily basis.

[Texas-Tech]

I didn't think anyone used a 260 now a days, damn fine tool. Sorry to hear you lunched it.

[corny]

I gave my 260 away 15 or so years ago to a worker of mine that didn't have a meter. I have regretted that ever sense.

Among several other Fluke multimeters that I have I think I would put my 189 up close to the Simpson for it's accuracy. I also use a 179 on a daily basis.

Your 189 and 179 are miles above a simpson 260 in terms of accuracy of measurements. The simpson has a needle you can watch which in some instances might give you a little more insight into what is going on.

I dont believe the simpson or any other analog meter has any sort of advantage in our biz.

I know guys who still use them......and I know guys who still use wiggies.....

Its a 10 percent world we live in so they work fine.... but in my opinion they are just to fragile to be lugging around.

[snewman24]

My Simpson 260 has got a lot of miles on it and just took a nasty fall that cracked and broke it pretty badly.

Am looking for a comparable digital meter.

I've heard a lot of good about the Fluke 87.

Thoughts and suggestions?

Did the 260 get completely totaled out or do you just need a new case? They sell parts on Ebay if the meter is nostalgic for you (even if you do go digital anyway).

[hearthman]

write down your specs. While most front line HVAC DMMs will have the voltage range in AC, few can do millivolts DC. Most have the flame rectification, mfd, etc. but not all have temps in the range you may want even with a transducer. Then the big decisions is whether to buy a separate stand alone clamp, built-in, or as an attachment.

If you really want to get fancy, you can get meters with non-contact voltage detection, in-rush amps,etc.

Also look at their magnet hanger, probe storage, size and what attachments and extra leads you may want and what comes with it. If you have a digital manifold with clamps then this may affect your choice of meter, too.

I'm thinking about buying two new meters: Fieldpiece SC77 for front line then a Fluke 116 for backup/ second kit with the 322 clamp meter. For instance, on some calls you may be bouncing back and forth from AHU to condenser and it sucks lugging your gear back and forth. Also, if you set the Min/Max, they will log these values for you so you won't miss a trend.

The bottom line is, do your homework because this is probably your single most used tool next to a severalteen-in-one screw/nut driver.

Please let us know what you choose and how it works out.

[jpsmith1cm]

Did the 260 get completely totaled out or do you just need a new case? They sell parts on Ebay if the meter is nostalgic for you (even if you do go digital anyway).

Case is broken on one corner and it is broken across the front of the meter as well.

I've been looking and comparing Fluke meters and the 116 (HVAC specialty) meter looks pretty promising.

[Paul Bee]

If you want some insight on how meters are constructed, go on youtube to "eevblog multimeter" and watch Dave Jones, (an electronics design engineer) he tears apart a fluke 117 and a fluke 85 and discusses quality of construction etc. There is also a $100.00 meter comparison of about 5 or so different meters. Check out eevblog #15 about fluke 189/289. This meter does it all! datalogging and ability to download to your pc for only $600.00.

[johnnymick]

Fluke 116/322 is a great combo... The 116 is true RMS and does temperature, does DC milli-voltage, DC micro-amps, capacitance, and of course all of the givens... voltage, amperage, and resistance. Comes with a temp probe, but while you are out spending money, pick up the 80-PK pipe clamp if you do not already have one. Don't go cheap, you will just regret it.

The 322 is just a simple non-true RMS clamp meter.

[jpsmith1cm]

Fluke 116/322 is a great combo... The 116 is true RMS and does temperature, does DC milli-voltage, DC micro-amps, capacitance, and of course all of the givens... voltage, amperage, and resistance. Comes with a temp probe, but while you are out spending money, pick up the 80-PK pipe clamp if you do not already have one. Don't go cheap, you will just regret it.

The 322 is just a simple non-true RMS clamp meter.

Not to stir up crap, but a K-type thermocouple isn't a selling point for me.

[Pascone10]

Dave jones does a 2 part video on the 28II. Now that is a must see!

[johnnymick]

What is an alternative to the K-type for using a pipe clamp?

What thermometer do you use? I have been looking a testo like a 905-T2.

What are your recommendations?

[jpsmith1cm]

For air temps, I use a Fluke 52. Yes, still K-type, but i've been looking at a Cooper SH66 (I think)

For pipe temps, Digi-cools all the way.

[trouble time]

Check out the Amprobe ACD14. Good little meter. I like it.

[itsiceman]

What is an alternative to the K-type for using a pipe clamp?

What thermometer do you use? I have been looking a testo like a 905-T2.

What are your recommendations?Not many DMM have an alternative for temp. A few have an I/R sensor along with thermocouple inputs.

The 905-T2 is a ribbon style thermocouple made for temporary contact measurements and is fragile IMO.

testo makes some pipe clamps of RTD sensor, thermistor sensor and thermocouple sensor but are very fragile IMO. Cooper makes some pipe clamps of all kinds too but seem to be more solid.

The different sensors can be made to work for other meters we use but I think a thermocouple clamp is the only pipe clamp option for a DMM.

[purge]

Simpson still offers repair of their vintage 260 meters. Maybe you could look into it if you have an attachment to that particular meter. They say their repair price also includes recalibration as well.

http://www.simpsonelectric.com/uploads/repair_cost.html

As a previous post mentioned, you can also usually can find old non-functioning Simpson 260’s being sold on eBay for repair parts only… often for a song.

[itsiceman]

I've been debating this one but think I might go with something water proof.
I always seem happy with whatever I get until it gets wet :rolleyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnNwk5kR8Bo&feature=relmfu

[Gunslinger]

Your 189 and 179 are miles above a simpson 260 in terms of accuracy of measurements. The simpson has a needle you can watch which in some instances might give you a little more insight into what is going on.

I dont believe the simpson or any other analog meter has any sort of advantage in our biz.

I know guys who still use them......and I know guys who still use wiggies.....

Its a 10 percent world we live in so they work fine.... but in my opinion they are just to fragile to be lugging around.

Have to respectfully disagree. The 260 has a definite advantage on some type of problems; especially when you measure a voltage but the unit doesn't run. If there is a poor ar high resistence connection, digital meters don't load the circuit and will tell you voltage is getting to the circuit. I have run across this with DC and AC (alternating voltages) numberous times.
I still have a 260 on the truck and one on a service bench.

[hvacrmedic]

Have to respectfully disagree. The 260 has a definite advantage on some type of problems; especially when you measure a voltage but the unit doesn't run. If there is a poor ar high resistence connection, digital meters don't load the circuit and will tell you voltage is getting to the circuit. I have run across this with DC and AC (alternating voltages) numberous times.
I still have a 260 on the truck and one on a service bench.

You might be interested in this.

http://support.fluke.com/find-sales/Download/Asset/2718074_6116_ENG_A_W.PDF