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Teardown Tuesday
What's inside the cheap Made-in-China Fluke 17B Mulitmeter
NOTE: This meter is only available in the China and Indian markets. But you can get it from Chinese dealers on Ebay.
Thanks to www.toddfun.com
SIBA Fuse used: www.download.si...
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[@saisardesai5548]

Hey! Your videos are nice . We use these mutlimeters heavily in our college (India) and they are highly reliable for the price we pay (which is very high for east economies)!The way some students damage them really hurts me ! But these are tough and worth the price. Best for beginners!😊 Please make a teardown of 17B + and 15B+😋

[@raytech6049]

Sir we do service all these devices in Kolkata at Emco Instruments with best class accuracy 👍👍 believe it or not.

[@EEVblog]

The 87V comes with a lifetime warranty and is made in the USA. That costs money. It's not just about the BOM cost.

[@morelenmir]

I have watched the guides to soldering and then come on to this - absolutely fascinating!!! I am a slightly versed hobbiest (without any sort of Fluke!), but certainly no EE BSc and almost no practice since I was a teen. I think this will be a tremendously interesting channel to follow in depth and hopefully soak up some learning along the way! What I like the most is the straightforward, nuts and bolts 'do not be affraid of it' tone. Just what I am looking for. Many thanks.

[@AdenMcKinley]

Don't forget to put the screws back into the input terminals

[@stuartkerr1012]

+Aden McKinley SHIT you beat me to it...

[@rng8891]

I've used the Fluke 11's and 15's. They're not bad. Sometimes when troubleshooting all you need is volts and resistance. These models do a good job at a low price.

[@marklowe7431]

When you tear down these other meters it really highlights how well designed and made the 87 is. Saying that this 17 looks like great value.

[@Ts6451]

MOVs, as others have said, are metal oxide varistors. The word varistor is a combination of the two words of "variable resistor" and refer to a component that is intentionally designed to have a resistance that changes with the voltage across it, that is, at low voltages they have a high resistance, but when the voltage approaches the specified voltage of the component, the resistance start falling rapidly. This means varistors can be used to limit the voltage to protect other components.

[@elboa8]

Got mine about a week ago. Very happy with it. Thank's Dave, for NOT spoiling the illusion. Best Regards..

[@wbegg1]

I love the upspeak. You could sing soprano in a choir.

[@arconiluka]

Yeah, It's an Australian Sydney western suburbs thing. It's known as a working class inflection. Very common among working class women and commonly parodied by aussie comedians.

[@arconiluka]

Not sure if Dave always talks like that. It might just be his excited KZbin voice. But then again he lives not too far from me in sydney's western suburbs so maybe it is his normal voice, god bless him. On Sydney's wealthier north shore it's reversed to a downspeak , to let others beware of their much higher social status.

[@f-s-r]

I seen a newer version of this multimeter recently. It has min/max, and backlight, and they got rid of the trimpots. It seems that fluke as updated their design. Model 17B+

[@MrDoneboy]

Got one on the way!

[@pychoncy]

True. The 15B does not have frequency measurement. Anyway I am very happy with it because it provides me the basic functionality I need (AC/DC current and voltage measurement) and I did not want to pay more money for functions I will never use.

[@saswatasatapathy]

Yes it's available in india ,i'm buying this from amazon.in today.and watching your video here to confirm the fluke quality but unfortunately fluke does not deliver it's quality like in the USA

[@douro20]

I have an Innova 3320 automotive multimeter which I bought a while back and I was quite impressed with what I could get for just $27.

[@theorgandude]

great attention to detail, no stone left unturned!

[@brollenius]

As always, great teardown/review by Dave Jones, your one of my favourite electronic reviewer! Just ordered a 17B+ for 90usd from eBay. Going for "a Fluke is a Fluke". Although a lot of other DMM offers more, like Mustool MT826, I prefer a brand name with a good rep. At the end of the day, I wonder how many really really need that extra features...

[@MrDoneboy]

How do like using this model?

[@brollenius]

@@MrDoneboy yes, nice clicky dial, clear backlit displayed and an overall solid "real Fluke feeling". Only negative is the probes, quite cheap and stiff. Will be replaced with better ones. Nothing wrong with them, just seems more fitting to a generic cheap DVM. The old cheap DWM hasn't been used since I got this :)

[@cwr56]

12:00 The 10A shunt is made of Manganin, not Nichrome.

[@MrDoneboy]

Thanks, Dave...for the truth!

[@EEVblog]

More than safe enough for poking around the mains. Although the probes I got with mine were CATI only. I would not trust those. One ebay seller is including real TL175 probes.

[@pychoncy]

The Fluke 15B is the best digital multimeter one can buy under 80 USD (it is the same as the 17B without the temperature function).

[@Volta500]

Very simple: As current passes through the thermistor, it gets warm because of that. But since it is an thermistor the hotter it gets, the higher the resistance. So at low currents it stays cold and nothing happens, until something goes wrong and a lot of current goes though it. Thats why they are often used in conjunction with MOVs.

[@cods41]

Mine is still going strong after more than 10 years. Only thing I replaced were the leads. It came with cheap pvc leads.

[@Monkeh616]

Lots of other, non-Fluke probes around which are acceptable at lower prices. I primarily use a set of surplus milspec leads, which are modular. Unrated, but I trust 'em.

[@douro20]

It's actually quite possible to get good output from one of those buzzers if it's made right. I've certainly noticed that with my cheap Innova automotive meter.

[@georgegherghinescu]

The Fluke 87 has pots too, it is not a closed case calibrated meter! I find that to be an advantage cause with a manual and a calibrated source you can do the calibration yourself. Owned a Metrahit 23s with no pots, had to send it to Germany for calibration, great! Oh and about the Metrahit 22s-26s series, the slowest AC range on the planet and the touch hold takes forever if the signal is stable enough.. if not it does not even trigger. Great build quality tho.

[@CristiNeagu]

8:21 It's defective! There's no way that it can function properly with that resistor put on backwards! Send it back and collect warranty.

[@tollav]

I'm hoping you are joking and the 11 people who thumbed up are laughing to."Resistors are blind to the polarity in a circuit"

[@CristiNeagu]

Well... have you ever tried putting a resistor in both ways to see if it still works? It's possible that all this time we all have been just lucky and put resistors in in the correct polarity! You don't know! _PS: Yes, it's a joke._

[@tollav]

Fair enough. Just making sure. I will now be the 12th thumbs up

[@CristiNeagu]

Joseph Beasley Shoddy workmanship!

[@SwitchingPower]

Both (yes i have 2) my Fluke 17B meters have a chip on board in them. The boards are exactly the same as the one in your teardown.

[@stinkycheese804]

I also have a 17B with a chip, and the PCB is the same but it omits the LT134 opamp and a couple of trimpots, the resistors and capacitors around them.

[@robertomartin8731]

Chipset seems to be the FS9721_LP1

[@excavatoree]

As we discussed on your forum (eevblog.com) this meter was also sold as a Craftsman 81437 in the US. Mine even says "Fluke 17B" on the PCB. I'm missing some buttons, however. If this wasn't just a "collection piece," I'd do the old "drill mod...."

[@linksmith1057]

17B+ is one I have, it has a bobbed chip.

[@EEVblog]

Because it's a teardown. See the previous mailbag video.

[@AndreyAkTis]

Still, I took myself 17B +, but took the European version or USA what it is there, without hieroglyphs on the back cover and box. By the way, you have a version for the Chinese domestic market. So in the USA version, instead of a drop, there is a full-fledged FS98024-GEF chip. How glad I am that there is no drop. By the way, I really liked the device, simple, but so thoughtful and just done, nice to work! But he immediately threw his native complete tentacles into the trash heap...

[@DaveMcAnulty]

Don't forget that it's missing the fluke min/max auto hold functionality.

[@Ts6451]

I expect that it is the MOVs that limit the voltage, but as they do this by decreasing resistance, this causes an increase in current in the circuit that could potentially cause overheating, so the thermistor is put in to limit this current to a safe level(as the current increases, the thermistor starts heating up(due to heat loss in it's resistance) this heating causes an increase in the resistance, and so limiting the current)..

[@Monkeh616]

Looks like they skimped on the shielding and such in favour of decent input connectors, input protection, and fuses. Not a problem with such relatively low specs. That 500mA fuse is probably rated for 1.5kA or more, which IMO is perfectly adequate for the mA range. Anything using that little current on 240VAC will be using similar types of fuses or even glass, and remember the CAT rating limits potential fault current. Seems like a decent meter for basic electronics and safe to poke mains with.

[@nightfiremovingpictures5632]

A bit late, but for future reference for others: The 500mA fuse is manufactured by SIBA, a very reputable german manufacturer. I also worked with their NH fuses for power distribution cabinets, very well made stuff, also they had great knowledge when you would ask about special applications. This looks like a standard 6.3mmx32mm fuse, could be a #7017240. This is specified for 30 kA AC/DC Energy- yes, Thirty Kiloamps according to catalogue! And: To produce a short circuit current of well over 1000 A you will need a very powerful electric distribution- usual short circuit currents in an ordinary household installation which operates on 230V AC are usually in the range of 200A-500A, rarely reaching 1kA...

[@ismzaxxon]

These are available in any country. There is another blog with a comparison with a 6 decimal place high end calibrated meter. These are very, very accurate.

[@thescreamngshitter]

aVe sent me.

[@AlanDampog]

me too, then i realized I am already subscribed here...

[@ElectricGears]

I looks to me like the fuses are protected form axial movement by protruding tabs molded into the back case. You can see them at 15:30 I also think the battery compartment or the row of input jacks would provide some side protection if the fuse exploded, although not as good as the 87V.

[@sonodrome]

I often find those little pcb mount buzzers are louder if you block off the port. I normally screw a tiny bolt into them and it makes them considerably better. They are pretty useless though, not of any use in a noisy environment.

[@isashach]

Thanks!

[@jhamm021406]

Tell me what u think of the new 17b+ in comparison to the older 17b

[@thenerdyouknowabout]

Blow it up!

[@EEVblog]

The 17B is better for electronics use. 117 is for electricians.

[@gerikuper6473]

Hello can you help me witch I buy fluke17b or fluke 117 for tv repair

[@joisnaveen]

Hello From India, Yes its Available in India....

[@MrDoneboy]

Dave, you should've done a review of the Fluke 17B+ multimeter.

[@czorgormez]

dave, it is called OSP (organic surface protectant )

[@over2there]

The IC at 12:20 is actually a LT134 (temperature ic), 10-97 is the daycode. I guess U5 might be the OpAmp or so.

[@loadingpower279]

FLUKE Fluke digital multimeter chip 15b 17b FS9721-LP3

[@EEVblog]

Canon HF G10 with x10 Opteka macro lens

[@joaorp]

there is a plastic flap on the back cover to prevent the 10Amp fuse to come out of its place

[@dalriada842]

Maybe they plan to sell it in other markets in the future. They may be using the Chinese market to test how well received it is.

[@RealationGames]

Exellent teardown, as always. I'd like to see some autorange speeds and other useful tests you do. I also wonder, does it have voltage protection for all ranges. This is what low price meters usually lack. That's a pretty hazardous test though. These are available in Chinese web stores with worldwide free shipping for about 100$. I just bought UNI-T UT90D, with same functionalities for ~40$. I will have ter it down and see does it have as well built interior as this Fluke!

[@EEVblog]

Yeah, that's a big annoying exclusion.

[@thelastofthemartians]

I bought one of these off ebay 12 months ago and it's...well, ok, but I still find myself reaching for my trusty 1995 vintage Fluke 11. The precision of the 17B is better as you would expect but continuity testing and capacitor measurements are painfully sloooow. I'm always wondering whether the probes are actually contacting the DUT.

[@theater40]

huh... my fluke has been having issues and im doubting its capabilities in accurate reading. it didn't even occur to me it has a warranty.

[@Hhtfvhrcbgrejkkjhffvbhb]

Same multimeter , ac range use in db , how to use it It's use mosfet gate and source voltage? Please guide sir

[@blinkenlichts]

It's interesting that it bares a CE mark on the back. Why bother if it is only targeted for the chinese (and possibly indian) market?

[@mokranlechat]

hello dear, perhaps you could help me about my digital multimeter. i have got victor vc9801A+. after i opened the multimeter, i have lost the 6 small metal which making shirt circuit inside when movinf the switch for selection(voltage, ohm, current...etc). could you help me to know the right position??

[@Ts6451]

Actually they are MOV without ellipsis indication, the use of punctuation to indicate ellipsis is pretty much extinct in modern English acronym styles.

[@VictorMilare]

in Brazil a fluke 87 cost 10000 reais, thats equal to 2500 us dollars, sad wolrd ....

[@aylons]

+Victor Milaré Don't overstate. I can find it for less than R$4000. Still expensive, but not this expensive.

[@maxsnts]

Why would they need an o-ring fro the input jacks if they are molded into the case? No way water goes in through there.

[@ajhiggins1]

Can you please test the reading against the 87 to see how good it really is. Thanks David good video !

[@ivanv754]

Dave, have you changed your rendering settings or video quality? I can't even watch 5 continuous seconds of video at 240p.

[@sunhuatom]

what is the diode CR4 near the input terminals doing?

[@dalriada842]

Also, they can be had on eBay anywhere. Their legal department probably likes its arse covered!

[@isashach]

I hear MOVs all the time... what are they? As in the component, not the video file.

[@excavatoree]

I spoke too soon. The Craftsman is missing the U6 IC - so it isn't just the buttons with this model. Was the 19 before or after the Chinese made 73's and 70's? I haven't noticed a problem with any of those.

[@Stealthmatty]

What I would like to see is how it compares to an 87 in terms of speed, sensitivity, etc

[@Polished_Perspective]

For just the basic use would you say it's worth to buy 17B over 117 if someone wants to save some money?

[@Clio198000]

Sorry I'm sure you've been asked a hundred times, but what camera are you filming with?

[@WooShell]

I've considered grabbing a Fluke 17B+ as an upgrade to my FlungPoo 08/15.. but not sure whether ~120$ are really worth it. I wonder how this compares to the recent Uni-T models.. at least they admit they're China stuff, but for roughly 30$ more than the China-Fluke here they offer PC connectivity, TrueRMS and a few more measurement options.

[@MrDoneboy]

Not a true RMS meter, but fairly good quality and accuracy.

[@johnoboy2011]

hi Dave grate videos as always just wanted to ask what you think about the GREENLEE DM210A DIIGITAL MULTIMETER as i know brymen also make this meter under a different model no would you say its a good meter as iv got a fluke 116 and a cheap vici vc97 i was going to get the greenlee dm210a as a upgrade for the vici vc97 as the fluke 116 doesn't have a amps range and just wanted your opinion thanks all the best john.

[@Erolanya]

Is this multimeter to crazy for motherboard repair, or can I better look for something more expensive?

[@sallowsandy]

Hit the quality (gear) button and hit 720/1080p if you so desire. maybe it was automatically 240 for some reason or another.

[@asdwjure]

Can you do a video how a Thermistor works as a overvoltage protection device?

[@Shit_I_Missed.]

For a thermistor being used as current-limiting device for circuit protection, current through the device causes a small amount of resistive heating. If the current is large enough to generate more heat than the device can lose to its surroundings, the device heats up, causing its resistance to increase, and therefore causing even more heating. This creates a self-reinforcing effect that drives the resistance upwards, reducing the current and voltage available to the device.

[@fleuroman]

+eevblog someone at fluke must have watched this, my 17B has a backlight. My original 1988 fluke multimeter, was 6 times the cost and had no backlight switch or temperature capabilities, if anyone finds it, it has a 10 amp blade fuse wired in for the 10 amp fuse, and my licence number engraved in the grey case (australia)

[@bikingmnviking3801]

+fleuroman Likewise, much better than my 77 and a much larger, easier to read digits. It's a steal!

[@La-xb6os]

Wheres the FLUKE 88V Teardown?!?

[@Revstar89]

Maybe this was a rev A thing the team made and said hmm we'll ship these ones to china lol im still very impressed with it though

[@sepertude]

There is Fluke 77IV band new on eBay for $99, much better quality for few bucks more.

[@g1fsh]

Is the Fluke 85 III covered by a life time Guarentee?

[@Monkeh616]

What's wrong with it? If that's the fuse I think it is, it has a 50kA breaking capacity.

[@FireProofEagle]

Goto the CE marking page on wikipedia, at the bottom it explains how it has a CE marking. Sneaky Chinese. :P

[@firasgh871]

Hi i need diagram can u send to forum

[@EEVblog]

Not in that physical size, no.

[@santosrivera4786]

This is a great tear down but how does it perform? Would this be a good starter multimeter?

[@greenvm]

absolutely. check out kevin darrah's video on this thing

[@bikingmnviking3801]

7:49 better than a glass fuse? If you're a tech the glass one is better because when your meter is down you know its out because you can see it. You can't see through white ceramic. When I went to college our college store sold glass ones for replacement for my 77.

[@lorenzovanhethul1355]

You can test it with a cheapie meter. No big deal.

[@cjmillsnun]

Yes it's safer than a glass fuse. I've seen glass fuses shatter when they blow. The ceramic silica sand filled ones don't.

[@deanagoes2791]

Glass fuse and fast blow type is the best...

[@ndyag100]

a trip to the canyon with it. lasts 1 minute i bet

[@mikeadler434]

👍👍

[@Techn0man1aclive]

Дэйв как всегда делает фокус не на себя а на оборудование что за спиной.

[@user-ch9qy4mr4c]

Techn0man1ac live не завидуй

[@ventureelect]

The (JUAN) Hung Low brand you refer too. Is this a Mexican ,chineese brand. Iol. great video as usual.

[@nasihunamin1595]

Apakah tidak Original, kenapa IC nya cor.

[@Arijit_VU3ICT]

This meter available in India... I am from india..

[@EEVblog]

Sure, why don't you send me something original to tear down so I can do that?

[@BulletMagnet83]

If (when!?) I blow up my UNI-T, I'm having one of these :-))

[@MrGerbilBrain]

They are actually 'M.O.V.' not 'MOV' xD I hate saying 'MOV'. 'M.O.V.' = Metal Oxide Varistor - google it for more info :)

[@Leonelf0]

the LT1097 costs 2.55€ :D

[@amyisreallybored]

Don't turn it on, take it apart? It's already on silly! =)

[@CH_Pechiar]

Fuse assembled in Mexico. Ironic...

[@rlfrost]

Hi Dave, I really appreciate and learn so much from your DMM video reviews! My research (thanks in no small part to you) has pointed me towards the Amprobe AM140A. This looks like a good DMM to me (within my price range) but I can not find any reviews on it. I understand Amprobe was purchased by Fluke a few years back. Do you have any comments on the Amprobe AM140A or similar AM160A. I'm respectfully asking you if you would consider doing a review. Thank you for your time, Roger

[@Revstar89]

Wow i should sell my 680 dollar fluke and just get one of these so my boss doesnt see me using a shitty meter because this looks like a good fluke still lol i only measure dc stuff and work on 12-24v circuits i want one of these now