It is not a Fluke. It was $29.49 + $10 shipping. <snip> Fluke has quicker internal processing, at 10-15x the price of course.

Sorry, but that's wildly inaccurate especially if you're talking Ebay pricing as we were for this meter. I paid less than $200 new for my 179, granted that's 5x the cost but as you describe in the rest of your review that $$ is definitely buying you something.

..... and mine arrived today as well

I'm very happy with it. Fairly well built, good probes, nice enough case. DC and AC mV both register very low or zero with probes shorted, and resistance is just 0.1 ohms.

Accuracy seems pretty good for what I can measure quickly. 1.5k Vishays measure as 1.501k, 562 Xicons measure as 561.2. Four spare 10nF caps I have measure in the range of 9.62-9.74nF.

Diode test might be a touch off...... of the few LEDs I have spare (none of which are high end mind you) a 1.7V measures 1.58V, a 2.0V measures 1.7V, and a 3.6V doesn't measure at all.

Sorry, but that's wildly inaccurate especially if you're talking Ebay pricing as we were for this meter. I paid less than $200 new for my 179, granted that's 5x the cost but as you describe in the rest of your review that $$ is definitely buying you something.

I was comparing to my Fluke which was close to $400 retail and close to $300 street.

Amazon.com: Fluke 87-5 Digital Multimeter: Home Improvement

So I ordered one of the VC99s last week from a guy in California.

bought one too just now

FOTM!

bought one too just now

FOTM!

FOTM! FTW!

I also just tested the hfe function on it which is pretty sharp as well. There is a little wheel of holes with 4 different ways to plugin NPN and PNP transistors and select hfe on the selector. Works like a charm!

I know what one does with the other measurements, and think I understand how to measure hfe with the VC-99. The question I have is what do you do with the results? In other words, what is measuring the hfe of transistors good for?

I know what one does with the other measurements, and think I understand how to measure hfe with the VC-99. The question I have is what do you do with the results? In other words, what is measuring the hfe of transistors good for?

Matching. hfe is the DC current gain (ratio of Ic and Ib). Matching for hfe and vbe (which is usually the same on linear transistors) gives a pretty good match. Temps of the devices need to be the same, etc. while doing this, but a meter that does hfe will get you much of the way there.

Thanks. That's what I had hoped to hear. Does this mean that I don't need Marc's matching circuit in post #113 in the "Group Build: Discrete Single Ended JFET Amp". Is matching by measuring hfe sufficient?

It depends. It is best to match at the Ic that the devices will be running at. Obviously a handheld DMM matches at a fixed (very low) current... you aren't going to match Dynahi output devices at 85mA on it for example. The manual may state the parameters for the hfe test. I trust them and they seem to correlate pretty well with stuff I have matched using two meters and a bench supply for small signal transistors.

Thanks. That's what I had hoped to hear. Does this mean that I don't need Marc's matching circuit in post #113 in the "Group Build: Discrete Single Ended JFET Amp". Is matching by measuring hfe sufficient?

No, they are JFETs being measured for Idss. Different.

I used my VC99 last night when building a power supply. It is very neat that I could measure/test the capacitance of 1000

No, they are JFETs being measured for Idss. Different.

I used my VC99 last night when building a power supply. It is very neat that I could measure/test the capacitance of 1000

Oh yeah, FETs... guess I missed that. No you can't do those with an hfe tester. That will teach me to respond to stuff while I am working (work work).

No, they are JFETs being measured for Idss. Different.

I used my VC99 last night when building a power supply. It is very neat that I could measure/test the capacitance of 1000

Just another update...... One thing I have noticed when powering up and testing the power supply today is that, for voltages in particular, it reaches an approx level very quickly but takes a few extra seconds to fully stabilise. As a result of this if you can't quite make a good contact with the probes, it jumps around quite significantly - much more than my old meter used to.

On the whole it is still much better than my other meter, but just something to keep in mind while you use it.

it jumps around quite significantly - much more than my old meter used to.

how many counts / digits was your older meter compared to the V99?

Old one was 4 digits, manual ranging.

As I said, so long as you get a good connection with the probes it isn't an issue.

anyone here have a copy of FlukeView Forms >3.0?

anyone here have a copy of FlukeView Forms >3.0?

I believe I have a copy on disc somewhere, I'll look around. I'll send you a link after I upload it to my server. It's too big to email I think.

That would be cool. Just flashed my meter and I want to try and see how well the screen capture function works.

That would be cool. Just flashed my meter and I want to try and see how well the screen capture function works.

I founded it. It's about 100mb. I'm uploading it, may take a little bit. I'll PM the link. It's 3.3. Enjoy, Post some screenshots!

Edited December 1, 200916 yr by luvdunhill

Pretty Sharp, looks like it works!

Nice Meter!

The V99 has caused me days worth of trouble at this point. It seems to be unable to render VAC across a HV line. I was checking the line for ripple and kept getting like 30VAC. The DCV were correctly displayed.

After pulling parts, and hair I used my Keithley and bam, no ripple. Not happy about that at the moment.

The funny thing was, this was setup to a CCS that I was working on and I kept thinking to my self, wow this is an amazing CCS if it isn't balking at 30VAC on its input

Yeah, I learned that lesson a few years ago, never trust cheap meters when working on HV. I only buy the V99's for the probes though...