I just got my Fluke 17B multimeter yesterday. I bought it from DealExtreme for USD $92 delivered. I’d like to use this multimeter instead of my Fluke 77 III for my everyday electronics at home.

This Fluke model is only for sale in China, however you can easily get this model from Ebay or DealExtreme. Given that it is only for sale in China, there aren’t many in depth review of it. My concern is that this model may not be of the same quality as the other Fluke’s model.

This meter has a sister model, the Fluke 15B which does not measure frequency nor temperature.

For more information, calibration manual of the meter is avaliable from Fluke China website here.

First impression is good, the meter looks and feels like a Fluke meter. The meter feels sturdy. The LCD is big and clear. The function selector dial is good, it gives that positive “click” feeling.

Compared to the Fluke 77, this meter has better functionality in that it measures current down to the µA range, measures capacitance, and measures temperature using the provided K-type thermocouple probe.

The downside of the meter is that it doesn’t have Fluke’s auto touch hold, no-bar graph, and no LCD backlight. The overvoltage CAT rating is also slightly lower (300V CAT III vs 600V CAT III).

Compared to higher end Fluke models, this meter lacks the min/max function, does not measure true RMS and has no incorrect probe socket detection.

Internal contruction of the meter is really good. You can see the well designed PCB, the high quality components and the good soldering from the photos below. You can also see the big HRC fuses and the MOVs used for input protection.

Here is a link to the high resolution photo.

I have yet to evaluate the performance of the meter I will post my findings in a later blog entry.
Update (9 SEP 2010): Continue to the second part of my review.