Anyone tested a Fluke multimeter against
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 221
Likes: 1
From: Gurnee IL
The cheap $2.99 digital Harbor Freight multimeters are more then sufficient to measure battery voltage accurately... The IC in them is incredibley accurate for a single chip multimeter solution, accurate enough for almost everything the average consumer needs... The $2.99 HF ones claim ±1% accuracy (@ 2000mV - 200V) and from my experience they do indeed make that cut just fine... So on a 13.7 volt system you might be off 0.14 volts either way, hardly enough to worry about...
If you want to invest in a Fluke for simply measuring batteries you are really wasting your money... But if you need it to be certified & calibrated for fine tuning electronics then yeah they are worth it for those that need those accuracy levels...
If you want to invest in a Fluke for simply measuring batteries you are really wasting your money... But if you need it to be certified & calibrated for fine tuning electronics then yeah they are worth it for those that need those accuracy levels...
Racer
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
From: Houston TX
well a battery should read 13.7 volts when the engine is running and the alternator is charging.
it will read about 11.5 volts with the key in ACC. engine off.
it will be about 12 volts when disconnected from the car.
the walmart special will get you those nuimbers.
the fluke will get you the same numbers plus one decimal point?
is the decimal point after the number worth the price decimal before the number?
I.E. $25.00 for a 12 volt reading vs
$250.00 for 12.2 volts?
it will read about 11.5 volts with the key in ACC. engine off.
it will be about 12 volts when disconnected from the car.
the walmart special will get you those nuimbers.
the fluke will get you the same numbers plus one decimal point?
is the decimal point after the number worth the price decimal before the number?
I.E. $25.00 for a 12 volt reading vs
$250.00 for 12.2 volts?
Last edited by hk940; Feb 19, 2010 at 08:01 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 221
Likes: 1
From: Gurnee IL
Fluke's are nice, but almost always overkill for most of the people who get them...
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 4
From: Brookfield Wisconsin
Actually I use Voltage meters on vehicles I work on on a regular basis when installing GPS units and never had any vehicle register under 12V when the key is in the ACC position....
Battery Charge Table
12.6V or higher: 100% charge
12.4V - 12.6V: 75-100%
12.2V - 12.4V: 50-75%
12.0V - 12.2V: 25-50%
11.7V - 12.0V: 0-25%
11.7V or less: 0% (and probably not capable of being recharged).
Yep the Harbor Freight meter for $2.99 will do the job just as good as a $250 dollar unit!
Battery Charge Table
12.6V or higher: 100% charge
12.4V - 12.6V: 75-100%
12.2V - 12.4V: 50-75%
12.0V - 12.2V: 25-50%
11.7V - 12.0V: 0-25%
11.7V or less: 0% (and probably not capable of being recharged).
Yep the Harbor Freight meter for $2.99 will do the job just as good as a $250 dollar unit!
well a battery should read 13.7 volts when the engine is running and the alternator is charging.
it will read about 11.5 volts with the key in ACC. engine off.
it will be about 12 volts when disconnected from the car.
the walmart special will get you those nuimbers.
the fluke will get you the same numbers plus one decimal point?
is the decimal point after the number worth the price decimal before the number?
I.E. $25.00 for a 12 volt reading vs
$250.00 for 12.2 volts?
it will read about 11.5 volts with the key in ACC. engine off.
it will be about 12 volts when disconnected from the car.
the walmart special will get you those nuimbers.
the fluke will get you the same numbers plus one decimal point?
is the decimal point after the number worth the price decimal before the number?
I.E. $25.00 for a 12 volt reading vs
$250.00 for 12.2 volts?
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Instructor
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 221
Likes: 1
From: Gurnee IL
BTW I'm and electronics hobbiest, I design and build electronics almost daily and for 99% of my quick and dirty diagnosis work I use these cheap meters... Because they are so cheap, I litterally have a dozen of them laying around in various locations so they are easy to access and always availiable... I do have a high dollar meter as well, but most of the time it's just a dust collector on the shelf, as these cheapy models get the job done...
