Cool Tools: FLUKE Handheld Digital Multimeter - Review

Table of contents

RoadTest: Cool Tools: FLUKE Handheld Digital Multimeter

Author: palagoa

Creation date:

Evaluation Type: Test Equipment

Did you receive all parts the manufacturer stated would be included in the package?: True

What other parts do you consider comparable to this product?: Fluke 902 FC

What were the biggest problems encountered?: Accuracy with position the wire in the correct place , and feedback from the rest of the cabinet wire.

Detailed Review:

Detailed Review:

First of all I would like to thank  Element14 and the opportunity for my second road test with the tester from Fluke that was put a prove in a industrial environment, with the day to day of a electrical engineer. 

 

I just sorry not to provide photos or videos of the trial testes executed, due to the risk of providing some confidentially information of the industrial layout or technologies i was not allowed by the company administration.( Still under evaluation at the moment of this publication.)

 

Overview:

 

The Fluke brand name is enough of a selling proposition for most electrical Pros – and with good reason since the company makes solid products. But the novel selling proposition of the T6 – an industry first – is its ability to display both voltage and current simultaneously. And that’s not all. It shows these power supply measurements without making contact to live voltage. Using its 17.8mm open fork it can measure up to 1000V AC, 200A, 1 Ω to 100 kΩ, and 45 Hz to 66 Hz on 4/0 wires. It’s a true-RMS (Root Mean Square) meter, measuring both sinusoidal and non sinusoidal waveform by converting AC waveform into their DC equivalents.

 

 

 

Characteristics

    (From Fluke website)

 

Fluke T6-1000 Electrical Tester Features

  • FieldSense technology for AC voltage, current and frequency measurement without making electrical contact to live voltage
  • Simultaneous voltage and current display – shows all power supply measurements at a glance for efficient troubleshooting
  • 1 to 1000V AC or DC (T6-1000)
  • 0.1 to 200A AC
  • True-RMS voltage and current
  • Resistance 1 Ω to 100 kΩ
  • Frequency measurement 45 Hz to 66 Hz
  • Works with wires up to AWG 4/0 (120 mm2) with a 17.8 mm jaw opening
  • HOLD button temporarily freezes the reading for easy viewing
  • Easy to read display with backlight
  • Accepts optional Fluke TPAK Magnetic Meter Hanger for convenient operation
  • Standard two-year warranty; extendable to 4 years through product registration within 45 days of purchase

 

Fluke T6-1000 Electrical Tester Specifications

  • Model Number: T6-1000
  • Calibration: 1-year calibration cycle
  • Dimensions: 61.1 x 259.3 x 43.8 mm
  • Jaw opening: 17.8 mm
  • Weight: 0.78 lb
  • Temperature Operating -10 °C to +50 °C (14 °F to 122 °F)
  • Storage -30 °C to +60 °C (-22 °F to +140 °F)
  • Altitude Operating 2,000 m (6,562 feet)
  • Storage 10,000 m (32,808 feet)
  • Relative Humidity:Battery Type and Life: 2 x AA (IEC LR6); 360 hours continuous, typical; 200 hours using FieldSense
    • a) 0% to 90%, 5 °C to 30 °C (41 °F to 86 °F)
    • b) 0% to 75%, 30°C to 40 °C (86 °F to 104 °F)
    • c) 0% to 45%, 40°C to 50 °C (104 °F to 122 °F)
  • Temperature coefficient:Safety: IEC/EN 61010-1: Pollution Degree 2
    • 0.1 x (specified accuracy) / °C for <18°C or >28 °C
    • 0.1 x (specified accuracy) / °C for <18°C or >28 °C
  • Electromagnetic Environment: IEC/EN 61326-1: Portable

 

Opening the box

 

 

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Documentation certificate and manual

 

 

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All the items came in very clear layout and with all the certificate and accessory need to the tester.

 

The manual is written in a very clear way with all the necessary info explain with pictures.

 

The most important thing that i found missing from the kit is the holster to the T6 in an practical use is necessary to protect it.

image

 

 

Trial and Performance

 

To this tests i used a certified industrial equipment that i normally use in the day to day, this will be a competition between the 2 devices from the same supplier.

There is a lot talk online to this device saying that he not safe to use, i will not chase the mislead information and i will check is performance.

 

          Fluke T6-1000          VS          Fluke 902 FC

 

imageimage

 

 

Test's

 

Measurements  voltage AC/DC

 

In all measurements done inside of the cabinet with the leads with great accuracy no differences were found between the 2 tester's,  the T6 appear to be more sensitive them the 902 and the change is voltage update first in the T6.

 

Measurements with field sense(Hz A V )

    (ground made with the arm to the door of cabinet, have a too good shoes for this tester)

 

I disappointed with this part of the test it work with accuracy only with one wire but when reading the voltage the wire must be right in the middle ;(, but this can be manage in stand alone installation.

frequency current and voltage read fine but must be in a control environment.

 

In the test i used in a cabinet with 43 VSD from 1.1kw till 50 kw of power  when a tried to red current with it i only was able to get a good reading when  pull out the wire 10 cm apart from the other or else a add misreading, with the 902 i just had to put the wire inside the clamp to get a good reading.

 

The same happen when tried to read the frequency of a motor without VSD that i know it was working at 50hz and 400v and the frequency was reading between 30 hz and 110hz this was not real . it probably was reading harmonies in the cabinet from the other vsd.

Regarding the voltage reading surprising was accurate with all the interference's but once again it must be exactly in the middle, no diference was found using the back ground to the and or using the lead directly to the earth wire.

 

Every time that a put the tester less them 10 cm from any circuit inside of the cabinet the warning to voltage present fire away.

 

 

Measurements conductivity and resistance

 

Accurate with the 902  with measure  industrial motors, heat elements, coils.

 

 

Evaluation

 

To a day to day tester need temperature read and capacitor reading.

Performed fine for the items that have filed sense and open clamp not optimal for industrial environment.

 

 

  under construction waiting authorization to use photos

Anonymous
  • I'm used to using the clamp style - after reading your review I'm not sure what the benefits would even be for an open-ended style. I would just constantly doubt the readings as if it was getting noise or a bad reading from imprecise wire placement.

     

    Another benefit of the clamp style is that you can 'hang' the meter by the clamp - yes, probably not ideal but the meter doesn't weigh much and the wire if it is good shape can surely support it.

     

    I usually hang the meter then go and turn the machine and come back and watch the readings. That just would be impossible with this meter since you'd have to find some way to prop it up and it would probably fall constantly; even more so with any vibrations. It is more likely you would electrocute yourself trying to catch the meter from falling.

     

    I like the idea of displaying both voltage and current at the same time, though.

  • Good real world test.

     

    The open clamp is always going to be susceptable to other sources of magnetic flux, but the clamp of the 902 removes that by enclosing the wire.

     

     

    I always liked Fluke DVM's as they were good at discriminating between AC and DC voltages while other meters struggled and never got it right.

     

     

    Mark

  • Intriguing that you struggled with the open clamp around VSD fed apparatus. There is a lot of that about now, so it is a bit of a concern if it susceptible to it.

     

    Shame about the photos, it can be a problem these days getting permission to publish them, hopefully they will release them for you soon.

     

    Kind regards

  • Very nice roadtest review.

    Gene