Fluke 117 Digital Multimeter, Non-Contact AC Voltage Detection, Measures Resistance/Continuity/Frequency/Capacitance/Min Max Average, Automatic AC/DC Voltage Selection, Low Impedance Mode

The Fluke “110 series” is Fluke's cheapest "Fluke Branded" line. (Note: as of 2015 there are two cheaper lines made by Fluke but I know little about them aside from the fact that they are stripped down a bit.) It's a Fluke so you know you're getting an instrument worth its salt. The 117 is the most feature packed and highest priced in the series. It's a smaller form factor than some of the other Fluke meters. It features all the traditional fields that you'll find on most modern DMMs. Volts AC (True RMS) & DC both to 600V. A full mV range. Resistance, continuity, diode check, capacitance, and frequency. It features AC & DC current measurement to 10A however it lacks a mA and uA range since this is an electrician's meter, not an electronics meter. Two more modes it offers are “volt alert” and a LoZ voltage measurement.What sets the 117 apart...The 117 has a 6000 count display with 4 updates per second, plus a 33 segment bar graph with 32 updates per second. The bar graph I find extremely responsive and reliable. This is a True-RMS meter as you would expect from Fluke (and any meter in this price range.) That's not such a big deal if you're taking measurements from a clean / pure sine wave source, but if it's a distorted waveform or not a sine wave (such as a measurement on a modified sine wave AC inverter), your measurement can be off quite a bit on non-RMS meter. The 117 has a CATIII rating. It has a maximum working voltage of 600V in both AC and DC ranges. The CAT ratings can a bit ambiguous but I'll attempt to summarize CATIII. Basically, you can work on most panel boards / switch gear and anything down stream of them (i.e. - feeders, outlets, hard wired equipment, and anything plugged into them.) CATIV is the only rating higher and it adds service drops to the list as well as underground installations. So basically CATIII is the MINIMUM rating you want on your meter and you can't probe the main drop from the power company. But “generally” once you're on the switched side of your main breaker, you're in CATIII territory. DO NOT exceed the CAT rating of ANY meter because doing so, in a Murphey's Law scenario can open you to the possibility of a potentially fatal shock or catastrophic failure of your meter. The voltage that accompanies the CAT rating isn't all that complicated. It's simply the maximum "working voltage " or "max line voltage" of the meter, maximum surge and destructive voltage can be a little harder to find if not posted in the literature. I believe the 117 has a peak surge rating of 6kV. I love the sturdiness of this meter, it a Fluke, so it's the brick crap house of DMMs. I'm serious, this can really take a beating. It does have a protruding dial on the face which in a face down drop could be venerable, but I still believe the 117 to be one of the sturdiest meters on the market. The rubber holster offers excellent 5 side protection and it feels good in the hand. Also there are some terrific tear down videos on the web if you're interested in the guts of the device. I love the battery access compartment! It's very innovative...no thin wires to worry about yanking out of the PCB. It features direct PCB soldiered tabs and a “one-way” 9V battery door that helps in properly installing the battery. The mode dial is great aside from what I mentioned above. It has an off center design that can be rolled from the side with your thumb. It's large and easy to grip with gloves on. The over current protection is another win. Most people fail to realize just how much force 10A can carry; this meter uses a single high quality ceramic HRC fuse and all of the standard additional suppression devices to give the user maximum protection. The case is designed with a deep lip / blast shield as well to protect against debris being blown out the sides in the event of truly catastrophic failure. I love the LoZ Volts voltage measurement. This is a low impedance voltage test that operates on something close to a 3,ooo Ohm resistance. Quite often if you have parallel runs of wiring where one line is de-energized and another is not. The "dead" line can show a voltage reading on a traditional DMM. Very simply this happens due to induction, but the voltage present is at an almost non-existent current level that cannot “push through” a typical high resistance resister used in DMMs to measure voltages. I've personally seen 70V on supposedly “switched off” 120V circuits. Flipping to the low impedance mode allows this ghost voltage to “dissipate” and read what's really on the line (which should be less than half a volt on a circuit that’s de-energized.) One note however, if you use this meter on electronics DO NOT use this mode. The resistance on a PCB in electronics circuit can often be much higher than 3,000 Ohms...you could short out that segment of your board by allowing current to flow through the meter as apposed in parallel to it. This is why traditional meters use mega ohm class resistors to test voltage, and most of the time that's fine. So always start out in "normal" volts AC or DC then if ghost voltages are suspect, then switch to the LoZ range.What else is there to like...The continuity check is great! It's a latched system which means you get a positive tone every time a circuit is completed. The response time is excellent as well. The "Volt Alert" is a non-contact voltage detector that functions the same as those pen style testers that have been on the market for years. It's nice to test walls for live electrical lines prior to drilling or nailing into them. Also it's handy if you need to trace the path of a run of wire behind a wall. It features high and low sensitivity modes for different wall thicknesses. Still I caution you not to trust your life to it. The Amperage range is decent. It's reads .001A to 6.000A in .001A increments and 6.01A to 10.00A in .01A increments in both AC and DC amps ranges. There is no mA nor uA range on this meter as it is geared primarily to electricians. However in my opinion the amperage range is quite useful for a general purpose meter and perfectly geared for electricians or homeowners. The resistance tester has a good range; going from .01 ohms to 40.00 mega-ohms. The capacitance tester is decent enough. Accuracy isn't too bad for it and its measurement range goes down to 1 nF. Honestly, this is more than enough for a general purpose meter. Any lower and you really should be looking for something more specialized like and LCR meter. The manual that comes with the 117 is great. It's written in 9 languages but it's still simple and easy to understand while at the same time giving the user all the information and data that they could possibly need about this meter. And of course you should read this start to finish before using your meter for the first time! This meter has good numeric resolution on the screen being a 6000 count meter. In brief terms I will attempt to explain accuracy vs. counts. This meter will display three digits after the MOST significant digit up to the significant digit being a 6, after that the meter drops to two digits after the most significant digit. In other words, it will display 5.999V but once the reading crosses the 6V threshold it will display 6.01V on the screen. This is true at any range. So it drops a digit every factor of 10 up to 600.0 (i.e - 6.000, 60.00, 600.0) Now having said all of that, the accuracy isn't reflected in the screen's numeric resolution. Still though, that's pretty standard in handheld meters. This meter has a basic DC volts accuracy of +/- 0.5% +2. "What the heck does that mean?!" Basically, you look at the reading on the display (we'll imagine measuring against a precision voltage reference of 1.000V) The first step is to add AND subtract half of a percent to get a range (in our example 0.995V & 1.005V) then you add and subtract 2 counts. A count is the least significant digit displayed on screen. So again if our meter is measuring against 1.000V source, the farthest out our meter “should” be displaying is 0.993V and 1.007V. Honestly for precision testing that could be quite a bit, which is why high accuracy bench top meters costs hundreds or even thousands of dollars, however for general purpose measurments, this is actually is really good accuracy. That said, this accuracy falls on a bell curve. In most cases you aren't going to be that far out and in fact will be close to spot on. There are videos on youtube that show meters being tested against precision voltage references and with most I've seen on Fluke hardware, their always right at the voltage or a count or two high or low. As for the rest of the accuracy, AC volts is +/- 1.0% + 3 cts, ohms to 6 mega ohms is 0.9% + 1ct (6-40 mega ohms is 5% + 2), and amperage is 1.5% + 3 (AC) and 1.0% + 3 on DC. Lastly on the accuracy point, it does float a bit as the meter ages. So a meter that’s new from the factory will have a much better chance of near pinpoint accuracy than a meter that’s been in the field for years.Areas that have room for improvement...The diode check is average (limited to 2V) but it works. Frankly I never check diodes so it’s of little consequence to me. The frequency measurement could stand to be a little better. It's limited to 50kHz which might me low for some users. The test leads that come with this meter are Fluke TL75's. They are of decent quality being rated to CATIII 1000V/CATIV 600V if the tips are shrouded. That said I still have pet peeve. The jackets on these are not as flexible as other Fluke leads and even some of their competition. The TL71’s sell right here on Amazon for roughly $10-20... The TL175's which are much nicer in both feel and usage are roughly $25... Seriously, tack on the $10 to the MSRP and give us the better leads. Still, they do work and work well. (Note: Some lower end meters from other manufacturers are shipped with leads that are not rated to the same CAT standard as the meter they’re paired with and in some cases, not rated at all. This is something watch out for when purchasing a DMM.) Another place I see room for improvement is the backlight. I might be being a little overly critical here but I did a backlight comparison with my 87-V. I have to say the 117's backlight isn't nearly as bright. It's bright enough, but in a side by side comparison it just felt like it was lacking.This section is dedicated to things I don't like about the 117...First is the hold feature. Fluke traditionally offers an "auto hold" AKA “touch hold” feature. I have to say, I'm disappointed they didn't include that feature on this model. With a push button hold, you have to find a way to push a hold button with both of your hands tied up holding probes. Now let's say for instance I used an alligator clip to attach one probe to a bus bar and used the other to probe around. This would leave my other hand free to hold the meter and push the button. But if I could hold the meter, I could just get it in front of my face and LOOK at the digits on the display...completely eliminating the need for a hold feature. The second complaint is with the Fluke company's lack of accessories. This is a common problem with all of their meters and products. No case! I want something to store my meter in! And I don't want to spend 10 or 20 dollars on it either. Just mark the price up another 2 bucks and give us a pouch for our meters here Fluke! A set of alligator clips would've been nice, but alas nope... Sold separately. I have several meters and thus have them laying around, but I'm speaking from the value standpoint. Honestly, I have a few Fluke products and a disappointing lack of accessories is actually a common problem. If you find a Fluke Kit for the meter you're interested in at a reasonable price...GET IT! You'll spend more buying cases and lead accessories piece by piece then getting the kit up front. That said, being part Fluke's economy line...I don't know of any kits offered for this meter. Go figure...So assuming you've made it this far I hear your question. This all sounds great but this meter is ~$140-$170 and I can get most or all of this in a meter in ~$100-$120 range right? Why should I spend 50 more of my hard earned dollars to get this? Well it can be summed up in three words, "build quality" & "safety". Most manufactures build their equipment to a price that was set the day they started planning to build that instrument (or even prior to designing it.) Sure Fluke has a "market" and therefore a "price" in mind, but they build their units to a "standard" first. The final price reflects what it took to get there. Back up in the first section I spoke of safety ratings, this meter is a genuine CATIII meter that is ready for commercial and light industrial use. To ensure that, Fluke sends every one of their products to several of the major safety & standards testing groups for testing and proofing. That is why Fluke is the industry standard in nearly all commercial and industrial environments and why nearly all electricians have at least one their products in their tool box. At the end of the day, they know that these units have been tested rigorously and "proven" so that when they need quality and survivability, as well as maximum personal protection these meters will perform. Personally, I wouldn't use anything BUT a Fluke on CATIII installations. Just about the time the high voltage transient comes down the electric utility and causes a flash arc inside the meter's casing is not the time to be wishing you had something built and tested to protect YOU against it. Expensive meters are still cheaper than the cheapest hospital stay.

You can’t beat the quality for the price. I will never need to buy another multimeter especially with the features this unit has.

Great tester

Great multimeter, easy to use, good size, and rugged. The wireless voltage detection is awesome and quite sensitive

The Fluke 117 is a rock-solid multimeter—accurate, reliable, and built like a tank. The non-contact voltage detection and backlit screen are super handy for quick diagnostics. Perfect for both pros and DIYers. Definitely worth the investment!

I'm a weekend electrician in my home and I do a lot of projects that involve both AC and DC electricity. I even use this to check operation of portable solar panels for camping. Fluke makes quality products and I regularly appreciate the features (like well insulated leads) that can make a real difference in my life.The product has 2 knocks. First, it's really expensive (partially because it is high quality). Second, I need to read the manual frequently to use it. Nothing seems particularly intuitive and, if I'm doing an operation for the first time in a while, I need to read the manual to make certain I use the meter correctly. In an age of cheap microprocessors, I'm wondering why Fluke can't make a version that is easier to use for people with experience working with meters but who don't do it every day.The ease of use is an issue because there are less expensive meters that have more intuitive user interfaces. The interfaces may seem similar, but they are not.Electricity needs to be respected. I usually watch refresher Youtube videos before doing even relatively simple projects that I haven't done in a while to help myself think through all of the steps for safety. Fluke could help us all into this new age.

Fluke has a reputation for being the best of the best, and I won't argue with that. I've been using this meter for going on two years now and have never had a single issue with it. I haven't even had to change the battery yet. And so I fully expect that this meter will serve me well for many, many years. Until recently, in fact, I thought there was no point in even writing a review: It's a Fluke, and everyone knows you can't go wrong with Fluke. But as time passes and I gain more experience with this meter and more exposure to the broader market, I find that I do have more thoughts about this product than I thought I would.First and foremost, while I don't disagree with labeling this an "electrician's multimeter," I do think it can be a little misleading or confusing and requires further explanation. I am not an electrician, but my impression is that real electricians tend to reach for something more like the Fluke T6-600 (or the T5-600, which is probably a better value for the money) as their daily go-to device. It's more nimble for moving around with and shoving in your pocket or tool bag. That product is technically marketed as a "tester" and not a "multimeter", so it wasn't even on my radar when I was meter shopping. I suppose the difference in labeling is to say that it's not the same precision instrument that the "real" multimeters are. You're only going to be measuring voltage in 1-volt increments, for example, and it has a relatively limited set of capabilities that cover just the essentials for an electrician. But that tester is less expensive and I want to note here that it includes one capability not found on the 117: a set of sensing jaws that can measure current up to 200 amps (100 amps on the T5) without breaking the circuit. The 117 is disappointing by comparison when it comes to current measurement. Sure, if you can rig it up so the current flows through the device (which you're not likely to want to do while troubleshooting household circuits), then you can measure up to the basic 10 amps. But the meter doesn't have a milliamp range, which means not only that you can’t make really fine current measurements (which I can’t say I’ve ever needed to do) but also that you can't buy the basic i400 current clamp if you want to add a T5/T6-like no-touch high-current sensing capability. You would have to get the much more expensive i410 if you're trying to add that capability -- at which point you're probably going to seriously consider just buying a separate meter that has a built-in clamp. So the complete inability to provide even a halfway economical option for a current clamp is fairly frustrating for an “electrician’s meter” and I feel the need to deduct one star. But for any other function, the 117 is a far superior device to the T5 or T6. The 117 will give you more precise readings over a larger range for the things that both meters can measure, and adds capabilities like capacitance (great for troubleshooting a heat pump or other motor with a run capacitor) and low-impedance voltage measurement, which has actually proven a lot more useful than I'd expected (although, to be fair, while the T5 and T6 don’t offer the ability to switch between two different input impedances, for electrical work they do strike a pretty good balance of low-but-not-too-low on the one input impedance that they do give you). It's just a little frustrating when you compare to something like the Klein CL800, which has a current sensing clamp and a temperature probe. Klein admittedly isn’t quite as highly regarded in the multimeter game as Fluke, and if it came down to it I’m sure the Fluke is a safer and more reliable instrument, but Klein is a respected brand. And the CL800 (or the cheaper CL700, if you’re not concerned with DC current) strikes me as a fuller “electrician’s meter” in that you’re not terribly likely to need to buy a second meter after it to round out the set with some missing capability (although it does still lack microamp and milliamp ranges). The Ames CM200A (which is not True RMS and has an AC-only amp fork but does provide in-line DC microamp measurement) also merits honorable mention here as a budget candidate for a person’s sole electrical/HVAC meter, but of course it’s not in the same class of products as these other meters that cost three times as much.In all, I think the 117 did turn out to be the best Fluke I could have gotten for my varied purposes as a homeowner — testing everything from a AA battery to a household receptacle to a heat pump run capacitor, and who knows what will come next. I do have two other cheapie meters in my arsenal, which I use for milliamps, microamps, and a current clamp. So I don’t want to give you the impression that this Fluke does everything for me. But I think it’s a pretty good compromise. Display contrast is okay but not brilliant. The probes are kind of cheap and tangle easily, but most people who really care probably have their preferred probes that they’d buy separately anyway. If you’re looking for something on a budget, I’ve been pretty satisfied with Kaiweets probes.If you're just starting out in the electrical trade, I'd urge you to take a good look at the T5-600 or T6-600 if you don’t already have something like that. But if you're looking for a more high-precision instrument or something more general-purpose that happens to also be suitable for use on mains electricity then the 117 is a great meter. Now, if your needs are more modest you might take a look at the Fluke 101. Adam Savage made a video gushing over that device, and if you just need to make basic voltage, resistance, and capacitance measurements (no current measurement capability) then that looks like a great way to get your hands on a Fluke without breaking the bank. And from a safety standpoint I'd feel a lot better about sticking that meter in a 120V mains socket than I would about some competitor's $50 meter with more features. If you’re willing to spend $100 or more, though, take a look at the Klein CL700 and CL800, which are feature-packed enough to go a long way toward solving the buying-two-meters problem that plagues the Fluke lineup. The Greenlee DM-510a (which lacks an amp clamp) would also be a fairly direct competitor to this Fluke and is a bit broader in its capabilities. Within the Fluke lineup, if you need a clamp meter instead of or in addition to the 117, the Fluke 323 might merit a look (or the 324 if you need one that measures capacitance too), but it doesn't have a low-impedance voltage mode, which again I'm a big fan of. (Fluke does sell the SV225 stray voltage eliminator as plug-in accessory for meters that don’t have LoZ built in, but it’s pretty pricey.) LoZ is really useful when troubleshooting to be able to determine whether a voltage is a "ghost voltage" or a real one. And I find that it works pretty well as a makeshift GFCI tester, although the current is probably a little lower than a proper GFCI tester (I estimate about 3.6 kOhm DC resistance). If you end up buying a multimeter that doesn’t have a LoZ function, you might consider supplementing it with something like a Klein ET60 tester, which is inherently low-impedance.I also have to mention the Brymen BM-235, Brymen BM-257, and Greenlee DM-510A (which is evidently a rebadged BM-257 intended for sale in the United States, and so perhaps likely to have a better warranty experience for US customers). These are not really electrician’s multimeters so much as they are general purpose, but they look like they do one heck of a job of being general purpose. I haven’t got my hands on any of these, but they appear at first glance to do everything that this Fluke 117 does and then some. You still don’t get an amp clamp, which is largely why I have to still tip my hat to the Klein CL800 as the best solution I can find for a full featured electrician’s meter, but you get temperature, microamps, milliamps, and a Cat IV 300V rating. And if you can tear yourself away from the Fluke name that (quite rightly) gives people a warm fuzzy feeling that their meter will be accurate and last forever, it’s pretty cool to see all that in one meter. And Brymen seems to be known for making very good quality meters.Whatever meter you decide on, be careful. Don’t attempt anything unless you’re confident you understand the risks. Turn off the power to anything you’re working on if at all possible, and call an electrician if you can’t do it safely yourself. If you’re working on an appliance with a big capacitor (which usually looks like a large cylinder), assume that component is holding enough charge to shock you even if the equipment isn’t plugged in.