Automotive is a vast field nowadays. Everyone tries to buy vehicles for personal and professional use.
And this is obvious that buying a car is just one step toward keeping a vehicle. It also needs maintenance.
For its maintenance, you should know how to tackle its problems or you need a perfect technician, and a technician needs reliable tools for testing and maintaining it.
This article discusses the top five best multimeters for the automotive field of a well-known brand – Fluke. As you know Fluke is the name of trust it is the most trusted brand all over the world in any technical and electrical field.
These five multimeters are the best match for an automotive technician.
Fluke 115 Digital Multimeter
A true RMS digital multimeter that takes an accurate measurement of linear and non-linear loads is a complete package for automotive services, electronics, and electrical testing.
Its 6000 count resolution and wide LED enhances its display more clearly to work perfectly in dim light areas.
This small device can test continuity, diode, frequency, and capacitance and gives accurate readings of Min/Average/Max against signal fluctuation.
It is CAT III 600V safety certified which ensures its accuracy as well as you will find quick battery access so you can easily change its battery.
Fluke designed this device very wisely with new technology it is best for troubleshooting and maintenance and can handle critical circuitry and problem very impressively. It’s best for the electronics industry and automotive services.
Fluke 115 is a small, handy, and lightweight portable device that can easily fit in your toolbox boxes and pockets while you are going towards your working area. Its simple function makes it the best choice for beginners and professionals.
Along with fluke 115, you will find a pair of test leads, a holster, an installed 9V battery, and a user manual for user guidance and ease.
It plays a good role in automotive fields and provides its best services for battery driers, motors, and fixing ignitions issues.
Overall, with a 4.9-star rating fluke, 115 is a highly rated and most trusted multimeter for professional and domestic services and is available in the market at a reasonable price. But some customers found that the reading display in it is a little dim. But it is not a big issue at this rate and high performance.
Pros
Affordable
Complete general testing tool
Ergonomic design
True RMS
Cons
The backlight could be more luminous
FLUKE-88-V 1000V Automotive Multimeter
Fluke 88v is an automotive tester specially designed for automotive services.
It is a digital multimeter that measures AC/DC volts, AC/DC, capacitance, frequency, temperature, and resistance.
Its built-in thermometer eliminates the need for getting a separate temperature testing device.
Fluke 88-V is crowned in automotive services due to its RPM feature which measures the performance of a machine and how fast a car engine’s crankshaft can work full rotation in a minute, it includes the calculation of a car piston up and down in the cylinder.
It can count milliseconds pulse width reading for troubleshooting fuel injectors along with its bar graph show you to track unstable signals with its Min/Max alerts automatically capture variations.
High resistance measurement up to 50MΩ, 1000V AC/DC current, and 0.1% DC accuracy enhance its quality making it more reliable in an industrial pool.
Fluke 88-V has high resolution LED display which can easily work in cars and other vehicles even in dim light. Further visibility comes from its dual lit from its front and back.
It fulfills all safety categories, CAT III 1000V and CAT IV to 600V which ensures that the device is safe and can resist shocks.
With its user manual help and simple controls, it is easy to use the device with the magnetic hanger it is easy to use in narrow spaces and is designed to work in high-energy environments such as hybrid vehicles.
With a high rating, it gets 4.8 stars. Overall customer reviews on this product are amazing. They are glad to have this jam in their pockets. Most of the reviews are related to the automotive field they said that fluke designed a masterpiece for the automotive industry.
Pros
Designed specifically for automobile testing
Includes thermometer probe
Designed to work in narrow spaces
Cons
A bit heavy
Fluke 233AKIT Remote Display Multimeter
It is a slim smart and light weighted device so anyone can take it with them to the job site. With new features and design, it is fluke 223AKIt.
Fluke 233AKIT is a true RMS multimeter that has a remote display for working in narrow areas; you can mount it anywhere near you to collect the measurement.
Or you can take its display with you to pull battery fuses to find the problematic circuit. It also has low-power wireless technology to display its reading within 10 meters range. You will notice that the device shuts down after five minutes of its use with the head detached. But you can carry out a substantial portion of testing during that time, right?
Its built-in thermometer feature makes it easy to measure temperature without any additional tool. So, it’s easy to carry one lightweight instrument rather than different devices to measure temperature and current qualities.
It measures AC voltage and current accurately on non-linear loads along with 400 hours of battery life. It’s a very good instrument for technicians
.
It is a good choice for automotive services testing engines, troubleshooting ignition issues, or checking battery leakages. It’s an all-in-one solution for your automotive repair works.
The probes are sturdy and accurate. But you may want to switch to better probes if you plan on using the unit professionally for large projects.
Like any other Fluke device, this one is reliable and rugged. Don’t worry if you are using it too harshly. It’s going to accompany you for years.
The best thing about this unit is that it is manufactured purely to assist automotive electricians. In other words, if you want to enhance the efficiency of automobile repair, go with it.
The only issue you will face while using this unit is that its detachable display’s battery gets discharged quickly. You can prevent quick drainage but storing the unit with batteries detached can ease the issue a little. Doing this is not the easiest job but it will save you your precious battery life.
Pros
Detachable display
Built for automobile troubleshooting
Lightweight
Cons
Drains battery fast
Fluke-1587 FC Fluke
Fluke 1587 FC helps you to find out those hard problems that other devices fail to find. 1587 FC does not only identify them but also helps in troubleshooting and resolving those problems. With its wireless connection, you can easily find out the problem and measurement from a distance which is also good for your safety.
1587 FC is a compact, rugged, and advanced insulation resistance device for industrial and professional electricians, automotive professionals, and electrical contractors.
It makes repetitive tests easy and simple by checking them with its pass and fail function.
This device offers multiple insulation voltage testing. These include 50V, 100V, 250V, 500V, and 1000V voltage.
Its safety first feature works wirelessly to communicate the measures to your mobile. You can download its app – which is named as Fluke Connect Measurement app – on your and can free up yourself from writing down all the measurements.
Because the app keeps this data in the record, you can refer to it for any troubleshooting arising in the future. The smart technology of storing data and presenting it when you require is unique among multimeters. Yet, it makes your task so much easier.
And you don’t have to use two workers to detect the problem so one attends to the meter and the other manipulates the system to help reach the problem. Just keep your phone with you while exploring the system and you will know where the problem resides in your automobile circuitry.
Fluke- 1587FC measures AC/DC voltage, AC/DC milliamps, millivolts, resistance, and continuity. It also measures min/max frequency, temperature, diode testing, and capacitance and gives accurate readings.
It has a feature of auto/off, when it is not in use it is turned off which keeps the battery safe.
It performs a PI/DAR time ratio test which checks the performance of the battery and voltage between 30 seconds and 60 seconds. It also calculates the ratio so it’s easy to find out the leakage. As well as its graph find out moisture and infected insulation quickly.
It’s an all-rounder multimeter that can be used in all fields of electronics and electrical devices. Whether it is an IT field, electronics, automotive or it is for HVAC services; it goes well in all of these niches.
There is a circuit detection feature that helps in avoiding insulation tests when the voltage is higher than 30v.
Use the 600mV range with the unit’s VFD low-pass filter and get accurate motor drive measures.
The unit also ensures user protection by auto-discharging capacitive voltage.
With this device, you will find out pair of test leads, a remote probe, a K-type thermocouple, an alligator clip, a hard case, and three years warranty.
This device is highly in demand for professional electricians and the automotive field.
Overall, reviews for this device are very impressive it got a 4.8-star rating. They are happy with its advanced safety features, and wireless features which make it easy to take measurements and share them with your phones.
Pros
Communicates to your phone
Tests a wide range of current qualities
Data memory function
Cons
Costly
Fluke-117
Fluke-117 is a robust compact and well-designed true- RMS multimeter best for professional electricians and automotive technicians.
Its simple controls make it easy to use and understand.
117 are integrated with a non-contact voltage detector along with auto-volt and LoZ function which helps to avoid false values caused by ghost voltage which is best in commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, and others.
This CAT III safety-rated device is perfect for general testing done in automotive repair works. Safety remains at the forefront of this device’s operations. It separates voltage and current inputs to offer a higher level of safety.
VoltAlert technology is another feature that helps with safety when you are working on your vehicle. This technology allows you to use the sensor on the head of your Fluke 117 to test if the circuit has voltage before starting your work.
If you are unsure of the range of voltage in the circuit use its auto-volt setting. It will pick from the AC and DC voltage and give accurate readings of up to 600V.
You may think that the unit is a beginner-level device for an automobile electrician but it’s not. It’s a general-purpose tool that can detect many automobile issues and is a favorite component of most beginner- to advanced-level of electricians.
You can use it to test a number of electric qualities that include AC/DC current, voltage, capacitance, resistance, frequency, and continuity. Select between AC/DC voltages to suit your needs.
For the current, you can use it to check in 1 milliamp increments and it can go up to 6A in the testing range. The range for testing resistance is also between 0.01 ohm and 40 ohms. For the diode check, the limit is 2V.
It’s small, sturdy, and durable just like any other model in Fluke offerings despite its low price. The manufacturer emphasizes efficiency with its sleek design and additional features like auto-volt and VoltAlert. You will notice that the unit has an easily accessible battery compartment making it easier for you to maintain the unit and get it ready for the next job.
Its display might not be the most bright among its competitors so make sure you are using it in a well-lit ambiance.
Pros
General purpose testing tool
Includes VoltAlert tester
Efficient and accurate
Cons
Backlight is dim
Take Away
Here we discussed five different multimeters that you can use for automobile troubleshooting. Some of these are designed and built specifically to answer the needs of automobile electricians and DIY troubleshooters. We have picked others because of their testing prowess which made them suitable for this niche. Note that some of these meters are for general use and if you want to get a comprehensive tool you should look at Fluke 1587 FC and Fluke 88v types.
Check out our article on Fluke 115 vs 117 review.