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Fluke 902 FC Meter

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TBrazin

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I am picking this up today, wondering if there's any feedback, looks like a good meter for pm's quick SH AND SC I have the fluke temp clamp that goes up to 2 1/2 inch pipe od, I think it is model 80pk-10 or whatever was 280$$ ouch, also have the fluke amp clamp, it has a wire so I don't have to place whole tool inside machine can clamp, and hang outside unit to get readings, its can test flame rods, i'm assuming flame sensors etc?
Thanks guy any feedback is appreciated, I also have 3 other meters, I have a all out fluke 179 and a 334 I think, the small guy does everything the 902 does except microamps, and its smaller, but I plan to give it to my helper, I do that a lot, if you've seen posts, I take care of my guy who ultimately takes care of me !!!!:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:
I like the fluke connect feature, I can close it up get better measurements, and email them if wanted, im all about the advancing digital era hvac is entering, tool wise naturally....its all about the curve
 
#2 ·
TBrazin said:
I am picking this up today, wondering if there's any feedback, looks like a good meter for pm's quick SH AND SC I have the fluke temp clamp that goes up to 2 1/2 inch pipe od, I think it is model 80pk-10 or whatever was 280$$ ouch, also have the fluke amp clamp, it has a wire so I don't have to place whole tool inside machine can clamp, and hang outside unit to get readings, its can test flame rods, i'm assuming flame sensors etc?
Thanks guy any feedback is appreciated, I also have 3 other meters, I have a all out fluke 179 and a 334 I think, the small guy does everything the 902 does except microamps, and its smaller, but I plan to give it to my helper, I do that a lot, if you've seen posts, I take care of my guy who ultimately takes care of me !!!!:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:
I like the fluke connect feature, I can close it up get better measurements, and email them if wanted, im all about the advancing digital era hvac is entering, tool wise naturally....its all about the curve
Click to expand...
Dont care for the 902.... anyhow...... I bought an 80pk pipe clamp back in the late 90s I believe.... I think it was 80 bucks then..... and for a type k probe..... it was a steep price then..... of course they are very well made...... not like the clamps you get with FP and other brands.

The place I worked then preferred that everyone use the cooper box thermometer and they would provide them..... so had to go that..... and thats what I still prefer today....

Still use the smans though.... although about every clamp I have...... and I have quite a few... has something wrong with it....... and yes.... fieldpiece service is great....... lol.... but really..... wouldnt you prefer to buy something that you dont have to replace every season......cause it just quit working or the clamp broke....
 
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#3 ·
oh... I also have a 334..... it eats batteries...... works fine but I think there must be a short somewhere in the power circuit or something never turns off..... cause you can turn it off..... but after a few days the batteries are dead..... its been relegated to the "I'll look at it when I am very very bored" bin....
 
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Discussion starter · #7 ·
I don't get that, I have a cheapo home depot I HAD to buy one time, ideal I think it is 130$ or so, reads up to 200k ohms of resistance, I was working with the Honeywell bms room sensors, and to check w/t-stats that were in McDonalds office, I think they start around 20k, the fluke I had at the time only read to 9k, and this home depot 200k, is it that hard to get it to read up there? I mean they call it a hvac meter?
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
its not what id call a cheap meter? its 269.99 mot the most expensive but fluke has a line of "cheap" meters that are 140 and a little higher...this I thought was a perfect midway meter?
 
#10 ·
sstoner said:
What is required to test ECM motors I don't do much residential, new one goes to 60,000 ohms.

thanks
Scott
Click to expand...
A clamp meter is a necessity but a decent DMM should always be in your arsenal if for nothing else than finding slight grounds.
Most DMMs can read into the mega ohm range. Clamp meters only go into kilo ohms.
With a DMM you can find slight grounds in compressors and motors that you won't catch with your clamp meter.
Imagine this scenario: you have a blown fuse on a condensing unit. You check the compressor windings to ground with your clamp meter and it reads OL.
You chock it up to a voltage sag (if you chock it up to anything), change the fuse. Unit runs and you leave. After running a while the fuse blows again. Now you're back, and this time (if you have one) you grab your cheap supco megger and it tests bad. Wasted call back and unhappy customer.
If you had used your DMM, it might have picked up that 1 mega ohm ground, which didn't blow the fuse at first, but as the compressor ran, the ground grew stronger and finally popped.
Obviously you could drag a megger around with you but I like to be able to diagnose motor failures with my normal meter that I have on every call. I can't recall any time I've missed a grounded motor with my DMM.

Also- a DMM isn't a substitute for a megger, but it can catch most insulation weaknesses that will produce problems.
 
#13 ·
itsiceman said:
Corny do the 902's break? (cheap)
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I think the 902 is about as unbreakable as any other fluke product. I just dont like the all eggs in one basket approach.

And of course I dont like meters with type k t couple temp functions cause I dont like or trust type k when its crammed in as a meter function....

Flukes are getting cheaper in quality though.... but so is everything else under the sun...... I always liked the old gray and red flukes.... those meters really held up well.

Look at the old 16 meters and now what do they have... the 116... compare the 2.... those old 16s are built like a tank compared to the newer ones built like a small car.
 
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Discussion starter · #14 ·
I never had durability issue's with a fluke, as far as the ecm windings, those motors are brushless, let me know when you find one with damaged windings, lol, not this century, maybe the electrical end caps due to high static or other issue's, but im not buying a meter off that I cant check the winding off a ecm motor, that's like saying I don't want a AR-15 cause it wont penetrate tank armor!!!!!!, I ordered it, and it will be just fine, has the Wireless Tech connect features, which ill use daily, as well as other features, i'm excited, hey when you do, if ever, please post a pic on a ecm with bad windings? the fieldpiece meters aren't for me, fluke has been in the measurement game a LONG time, fieldpiece has a tool for everything, which tells me, there made in china or by another brand etc..no thanks
Everyone is entitled to there own opinion, and that's fine, I didn't start a thread on who likes what brand better than the other, it was for 902fc owners to chime in how they like it, no biggie threads always go sideways, i've taken them there myself :^), in the end, its all about what WE like to work with, and feel comfortable with, as there's sure no shortage of meters from any company, cheers!!:cheers: thanks for all your input, made me think a lot and make a better decision overall!
 
#15 ·
i want the 902 fc so bad! right now i have the 116/323 combo and its a pain in the ass using 2 meters on pms... i never liked the regular 902 because it was so huge but now that the fc is smaller i may give it a shot. and hopefully the fluke meter will be compatible with the imanifold app soon, that would be the closer for me.
 
#16 ·
TBrazin said:
the fieldpiece meters aren't for me, fluke has been in the measurement game a LONG time, fieldpiece has a tool for everything, which tells me, there made in china or by another brand etc..no thanks
Click to expand...
You know most every Fluke is make in China now, Right?
 
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#19 ·
My Fluke meters have been very durable.
Just found a bad lead the other day.
The wire is loose in the meter socket and slides in and out.
Gonna need to reorder a set. They still seem like the best though.
 
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Discussion starter · #20 ·
my lips to gods ears that happened to me on Friday, ICE, good thing I had a backup, and the customer said it probably doesn't have power REZNOR unit, as they just installed a bunch of light , when I climbed ladder, no power? something told me to try my other meter, immediately the NCV started to buzz, and sure enough I had power, ended up being a bad gas valve, it got energized, but failed to open, anyhow I could of easily said call your electrician as he left the door open, I would of looked like a amateur at best, lesson learned, I now do what I was taught years ago, always test your leads with continuity than proceed, first time EVER had a bad lead, and its all my fault, I jammed into case rather than disconnecting and wrapping , as the leads came out of bottom so it made you kinda work tool into pouch....LESSON LEARNED, now I got to use my new suregrip adjustable tips there great!! the amount of metal tip is adjustable by twisting the head, so you don't accidently short anything..
as far as china, I guess your right, what isn't these days!!but the fluke still feels the same it did 20 years ago to me
 
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