Alternative DMMs to Fluke?

[DaveC]

Thus spake Keith:

I agree. I've had Fluke 77s for fifteen years. The only reason I bought a
bunch of $4 HarborFreights was that my Flukes had a habit of taking a
walkabout. One hasn't been seen in 12 years. THe HF's can now go walk. BTW,

I've only replaced the batteries in the 77s once in those fifteen years.
They still work quite well.

OP, here.

I have 73 and 77. Both work quite well, also. The only reason I'm looking for
another meter is that neither of these are true RMS reading meters. Mfr of
equipment I'm servicing is spec'ing pulsed DC voltage as an RMS value. I
can't accurately measure this with these meters.

I've been quite happy with these meters, but I need true RMS measurement, and
my eyes would appreciate larger display and a backlight. I've been eying the
Fluke 87, but would like to at least see what *doesn't* measure up to the
Fluke before I plunk down the $$.

Thanks,

 

[Smitty Two]

Let's go back! The OP's bitching because he bought a FLUKE, with Company
B's label on top. He *DID NOT* buy a Fluke. The IBM deal is quite like
the GE deal. They're selling their name as part of the unit sold. The
name is worth money. ...and they're still servicing the products *THEY*
sell. I suppose you don't think GoodYear should sell tires under the
GoodYear name in Sears.

Nope, the OP simply asked whether there were alternatives to Fluke, of
comparable quality. Someone opined that Omega was good. I offered that
Omega doesn't make things.

You're wrong. He was claiming *FRAUD* (until I challenged this
absurdity), which clearly it's not.

If you're talking about me, and again, I'm not the OP, you're right, I
do think it's fraudulent. Legally fraudulent, maybe not. Morally
fraudulent, yes. That's my opinion, and there's not one damn thing
"absurd" about me having an opinion, even though it's one you clearly
don't share, most of the time, except in certain circumstances.

 

[Smitty Two]

No contradiction at all. In the US it is illegal to put a "Made in
&country." sticker on a device that's only &country. content is the
insertion of a battery. I can't imagine this being kosher in the
EU. It has nothing to do with re-branding.

Actually, it seems to me that your logic is flawed, your position is
nebulous, and your analogies irrelevant.

But just clarify this one issue for me, and then I'll let it drop.
Suppose I buy a chassis made in Japan, some electronic components made
in China, a blank PWB fabricated in Maylasia, a battery made in Mexico,
and a can of spray paint made on the moon. And I put it all together
into a product. Now, can I say it was made in America?

And if so, where and when do I cross the line to illegality? You say
that if all I do is add the battery, I can't claim I made it here. What
if all I do is add the battery and spray paint it? What if all I do is
add the battery, install the assembled board into the chassis, and paint
it? What if all I do is add two components to the PWB, install the
board, paint it, and add the battery?

And how is this different than re-branding? One company can take another
company's product and stick their name on it, but one country can't do
that with another country's product?

Your standards are indefensible, because they're undefinable.

 

[Bud--]

Nope, the OP simply asked whether there were alternatives to Fluke, of
comparable quality. Someone opined that Omega was good. I offered that
Omega doesn't make things.

Seems to me like an entirely reasonable observation. I was surprised
when I figured out some 'Omega' equipment was from other manufacturers
and cheaper under the manufacturers name. My impression is that Omega is
a convenient source for a wide range of stuff but you pay more for it.

bud--

 

[Spokesman]

Actually, it seems to me that your logic is flawed, your position is
nebulous, and your analogies irrelevant.

But just clarify this one issue for me, and then I'll let it drop.
Suppose I buy a chassis made in Japan, some electronic components made
in China, a blank PWB fabricated in Maylasia, a battery made in Mexico,
and a can of spray paint made on the moon. And I put it all together
into a product. Now, can I say it was made in America?

And if so, where and when do I cross the line to illegality? You say
that if all I do is add the battery, I can't claim I made it here. What
if all I do is add the battery and spray paint it? What if all I do is
add the battery, install the assembled board into the chassis, and paint
it? What if all I do is add two components to the PWB, install the
board, paint it, and add the battery?

And how is this different than re-branding? One company can take another
company's product and stick their name on it, but one country can't do
that with another country's product?

Your standards are indefensible, because they're undefinable.

Honda takes a bit of tin, bashes it into shape, installs a Japanese engine
with all
made in Japan electronic components. A Japanese radio, Japanese brakes.
and calls it " Made in North America"

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Seems to me like an entirely reasonable observation. I was surprised
when I figured out some 'Omega' equipment was from other manufacturers
and cheaper under the manufacturers name. My impression is that Omega is
a convenient source for a wide range of stuff but you pay more for it.

bud--

Not only that, but some of the manufacturers only sell in large
quantities so its actually cheaper to go to a distributor for small
orders.

 

[Dana]

I have a question. Why do they make lap tops so you have to keep the
battery installed to run it? I have an old compaq, that doesn't have a
transformer, and it doesn't care if the battery is in there or not. Is
there a way to bypass this problem?

 

[mc]

I have a question. Why do they make lap tops so you have to keep the
battery installed to run it? I have an old compaq, that doesn't have a
transformer, and it doesn't care if the battery is in there or not. Is
there a way to bypass this problem?

Your Compaq has a transformer, inside.

As far as I know, not all modern laptops require a battery to be installed
in order to run from their wall transformer.

You may have a rather low-powered transformer that can charge the battery
but cannot always run the laptop by itself. It uses the battery like a
holding tank for moments when the laptop requires more current. What kind
of laptop are we talking about?

 

[Dana]

It is a toshiba. If you take the battery out, it won't power up. I thought
there might be a way to bypass and just use the wall transformer. I am a
blind person, so don't work on theese that much, but don't want to pay
$100 for a battery either.

 

[DaveM]

It is a toshiba. If you take the battery out, it won't power up. I thought
there might be a way to bypass and just use the wall transformer. I am a blind
person, so don't work on theese that much, but don't want to pay $100 for a
battery either.

I wouldn't recommend trying to make your laptop work without a battery. Not
worth the risk. There are a number of battery suppliers on the web that will
sell you a battery for your computer for much less than $100. You might post
the laptop model, and if possible, the part or model number on the battery. We
can probably find a battery that will be easier on your bank account.

--
Dave M
MasonDG44 at comcast dot net (Just substitute the appropriate characters in the
address)

Some days you're the dog, some days the hydrant.

 

[C. Nick Kruzer]

I am a blind person...don't want to pay $100 for
a battery either.

I had a similar situation. I ride a bicycle and can't afford to keep and
operate a car. And I can't afford to pay for a cell phone but need one
in case of emergency in areas that don't have payphones.

I purchased an old, working analog cell phone with a bad battery.My cell
phone wouldn't operate with the wall transformer without a battery in
it.

Didn't want to buy a new, expensive battery so i insulated the contact
points on the battery then rewired the connectors to an outside
"batterypack" that could be plugged and unplugged and recharged. The
"old" dummy battery sat in the holder with a nice fit. The wires ran
outside of the phone and were attached to a cheap battery similar to the
original battery. It worked, but the only number I could dial was "911"
emergency...but that's what I wanted..and no monthly bill to worry
about.

It was also suggested:

There are a number of battery suppliers on the
web that will sell you a battery for your
computer for much less than $100. You might
post the laptop model, and if......

That would probably be a better idea. My hack could be a last resort if
you can't get a new, cheap replacement.

 

[C. Nick Kruzer]

Hi Dana, you wrote:

"I am a blind person, so..."

How do you access newsgroups like this one? Are you using computer
software that transduces written material into voice?

I post and read by a webtvplus® internet appliance box, not a
computer. The system I'm using is capable of creating a 30 (thirty)
second voice message for posting and e-mails. Would this voice message
be useful to you when reading/accessing posts in the newsgroup? Or do
you already have a system going that covers everything?

I rarely use the webtvplus® voice recording feature to post or write
and I'm always looking for reason to use it.