You know I wouldn’t lie to you. So trust me when I say a DMM (AKA A digital multimeter) is one of the few tools you do not want to cut corners on. You need to ensure you acquire the best one that can meet your needs and requirements. That is what inspired me to create this post detailing the main differences between Fluke 115 vs 117.
In order to differentiate between the two products, I had to go through hundreds of features and factors. And things only got worse when I realized that some of the main differences would be influenced by personal needs and preferences. The bottom line: the entire process was overwhelming, confusing, and downright frustrating.
That said, I wanted to save you all this trouble. So I took it upon myself and placed an order for both products. When the packages arrived from Amazon, I took the two of them through a series of tests. Some of the main things I was testing during these sessions include:
- Accuracy
- Durability
- Reliability
- Resistance
- Portability
- Ease of use
And much more.
So rest assured that you can believe my review. And if you have a question at the end of the post, do not hesitate to leave a comment.
Without wasting any more of your time, let us skip to the main section of the post and look at the main differences between Fluke 115 and Fluke 117.
Fluke 115 Compact True RMS Digital Multimeter
Are you scouring the internet trying to find the best multimeter for electricians? If you are, I believe this Fluke 115 Compact True RMS Digital Multimeter could be exactly what you are looking for. In fact, I urge you to go through the product’s customer reviews.
You will realize that Fluke 115 is a dedicated tool. And most, if not all, professional technicians can love. In order to deliver accurate and precise readings, it retails with the True RMS.
That said, Fluke 115 is also very similar to the Fluke 117. Mainly in terms of capabilities and performance. Some of the things they share include:
- Basic testing capabilities
- Resistance
- Continuity
- Capacitance
- Frequency
- The date record
And so on.
Having said that, there are several differences between the two tools. And these are what make some people believe that the Fluke 115 is a little bit more competent and heavy-duty than its Fluke 117 counterpart.
For instance, Fluke 115 boasts a slightly larger display screen. This makes viewing it a bit easier. It also delivers a max voltage AC/DC of 600V.
Another hard to beat feature of Fluke 115 is that it retails with NIST calibration. This is in place to make sure that the appliance meets specific manufacturer’s standards and specifications. That sounds like exactly what you would expect from a high-end FLUKE.
What’s more? Fluke 115 Compact True-RMS Digital Multimeter also has a Cat III 600V safety rating. This is in place to ensure added user safety.
And do you, for some reason, feel anxious about spending your hard-earned cash on a product that you do not know if it’s going to last? Then worry not. Because the manufacturing company of Fluke 115 has got you covered on that end as well.
This Fluke 115 Digital Multimeter also retails with a company standard three-year warranty. That also goes on to show how much faith the company has in the product it designed.
Pros
- CAT III safety rated
- Comes with a bright and wide LED display, making it easy to use
- Retails with a memory to hold data
- Lightweight and small, meaning it is Multimeter portable
- Boasts capacitance testing, frequency testing, continuity testing, and resistance testing
- True RMS included to deliver precise and accurate readings
Cons
- It does not test micro or mili amps
- Poor viewing when you look at the screen from an angle
Fluke 117 Electricians True RMS Multimeter
There is a second group of people viewing this post. Those who are looking for the best multimeter that can be a notch above the Fluke 115 Multimeter. If you fall under this category, then I urge you to check out this Fluke 117 Electricians True RMS Multimeter.
At first (even from the image above), you can see that the Fluke 117 Electricians True RMS Multimeter looks very similar to its 115 counterpart. It boasts the same construction, same build, same body, and even same build.
And of course, this masterpiece can also execute everything that the 115 multimeter can do. That said, I have to say that the Fluke 117 is slightly advanced compared to Fluke 115. This is based on what I learned after extensively testing the two
For instance, the appliance measures continuity, frequency, capacitance, and voltage quite usual. That said, what is unique about this tool, in particular, is the fact it is super sensitive. It is so super sensitive to the point it can pick up voltages that are as low as 0.0001V.
This further allows tests and reading on this appliance to be way more accurate. Mainly because it will be less vulnerable to unfavorable situations such as ghost voltages. That said, the difference between Fluke 117’s accuracy and Fluke 115’s accuracy is not that significant. In fact, if you are new to the appliances, you may not be even able to tell the difference.
Pros
- Retails with a memory to hold data
- Lightweight and small
- Non-contact testing
- Boasts capacitance testing, frequency testing, continuity testing, and resistance testing
- Bright and large LED screen display
- True RMS included to deliver accurate readings
- Can sense microamps to test flame sensors
- Includes a built-in thermometer that will come in handy during HVAC applications
Cons
- Takes a while to read DC voltage
- Difficult to view from angles
Conclusion
There you have it: my main Fluke 115 vs Fluke 117 comparison post. As you can see, they are similar in a lot of ways but the Fluke 117 is slightly higher on the accuracy scale. Pick the best one for you based on your needs and personal preferences.
