Fluke 15B User manual

PN 4372130
February 2014
© 2014 Fluke Corporation. All rights reserved. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
All product names are trademarks of their respective companies.
15B+/17B+/18B+
Digital Multimeters

LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
This Fluke product will be free from defects in material and workmanship for one year from the date of purchase. This
warranty does not cover fuses, disposable batteries, or damage from accident, neglect, misuse, alteration, contamination, or
abnormal conditions of operation or handling. Resellers are not authorized to extend any other warranty on Fluke’s behalf.
To obtain service during the warranty period, contact your nearest Fluke authorized service center to obtain return
authorization information, then send the product to that Service Center with a description of the problem.
THIS WARRANTY IS YOUR ONLY REMEDY. NO OTHER WARRANTIES, SUCH AS FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, ARE EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. FLUKE IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOSSES, ARISING FROM ANY CAUSE OR THEORY. Since some states or countries
do not allow the exclusion or limitation of an implied warranty or of incidental or consequential damages, this limitation of
liability may not apply to you.
Fluke Corporation
P.O. Box 9090
Everett, WA 98206-9090
U.S.A.
Fluke Europe B.V.
P.O. Box 1186
5602 BD Eindhoven
The Netherlands
11/99
Service Centers:
Fluke Beijing Service Center
Room 401 SCITEC Tower
Jianguomenwai Dajie
Beijing 100004, PRC
Tel: [phone]
Shanghai Shilu Instrument Co., Ltd.
#139, Lane 2638, Hongmei Road (South)
Shanghai 201108
Standard Number: Q/SXAV 1-2002

i
Table of Contents
Title Page
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1
Safety Information .......................................................................................................... 1
Instrument Overview ...................................................................................................... 5
Terminals................................................................................................................... 5
Display....................................................................................................................... 6
Auto Power Off............................................................................................................... 7
Auto Backlight Off .......................................................................................................... 7
Measurements ............................................................................................................... 7
Manual and Auto Range Selection ............................................................................ 7
Data Hold .................................................................................................................. 8
Relative Measurements (17B+ only) ......................................................................... 8
MIN MAX Mode (17B+ Only) ..................................................................................... 8
Measure AC and DC Voltage .................................................................................... 9
Measure AC or DC Current ....................................................................................... 10
Measure Resistance.................................................................................................. 11

15B+/17B+/18B+
Users Manual
ii
Test for Continuity..................................................................................................... 11
Test Diodes............................................................................................................... 12
Measure Capacitance ............................................................................................... 12
Measure Temperature (17B+ only) ........................................................................... 12
Measure Frequency and Duty Cycle (17B+/18B+ Only) ........................................... 13
Test LEDs (18B+ Only)............................................................................................. 13
Maintenance .................................................................................................................. 14
General Maintenance................................................................................................ 15
Test Fuses ................................................................................................................ 15
Replace Batteries and Fuses.................................................................................... 16
Service and Parts .......................................................................................................... 17
General Specifications................................................................................................... 18
Accuracy Specifications................................................................................................. 19
AC and DC Voltage................................................................................................... 19
AC and DC Current................................................................................................... 20
Diode Test, Temperature, Resistance, Capacitance, Frequency, and Duty Cycle ... 21
LED Test and Continuity Threshold .......................................................................... 22
Input Characteristics ................................................................................................. 23

1
Introduction
The Fluke 15B+/17B+/18B+ Multimeters (the Product) are
4000 count instruments. The Product is battery powered
with a digital display.
Except where noted, the descriptions and instructions in
this Users Manual apply to all of 15B+/17B+/18B+.
Unless otherwise identified, all illustrations show the
17B+.
How to Contact Fluke
To contact Fluke, call one of the following telephone
numbers:
•Technical Support USA: 1-800-44-FLUKE (1-800-
443-5853)
•Calibration/Repair USA: 1-888-99-FLUKE (1-888-
993-5853)
•Canada: 1-800-36-FLUKE (1-800-363-5853)
•Europe: [phone]
•Japan: [phone]
•Singapore: [phone]
•Mainland China: [phone]
•Anywhere in the world: [phone]
Or, visit Fluke's website at www.fluke.com.
To register your product, visit http://register.fluke.com.
To see, print, or download the latest manual supplement,
visit http://us.fluke.com/usen/support/manuals.

15B+/17B+/18B+
Users Manual
2
Safety Information
A Warning identifies conditions and procedures that are
dangerous to the user. A Caution identifies conditions
and procedures that could cause damage to the Product
or the equipment under test.
International electrical symbols used on the Product and in
this manual are explained in Table 1.
Review the safety information and comply with the safe
working practices.
Warning
To prevent possible electrical shock, fire, or
personal injury:
•Carefully read all instructions.
•Read all safety information before you use the
Product.
•Use the Product only as specified, or the
protection supplied by the Product can be
compromised.
•Do not use the Product around explosive gas,
vapor, or in damp or wet environments.
•Examine the case before you use the Product.
Look for cracks or missing plastic. Carefully
look at the insulation around the terminals.
•Do not use the Product if it is damaged.
•Do not use the Product if it operates
incorrectly.
•Comply with local and national safety codes.
Use personal protective equipment (approved
rubber gloves, face protection, and flame-
resistant clothes) to prevent shock and arc
blast injury where hazardous live conductors
are exposed.
•Use only correct measurement category (CAT),
voltage, and amperage rated probes, test leads,
and adapters for the measurement.
•Do not use test probes in CAT III
environments without the protective cap
installed. The protective cap decreases the
exposed probe metal to <4mm. This
decreases the possibility of arc flash from
short circuits.
•Measure a known voltage first to make sure
that the Product operates correctly.
•Limit operation to the specified measurement
category, voltage, or amperage ratings.

Digital Multimeters
Safety Information
3
•Do not apply more than the rated voltage,
between the terminals or between each
terminal and earth ground.
•Do not touch voltages > 30 V ac rms, 42 V ac
peak, or 60 V dc.
•Do not use test leads if they are damaged.
Examine the test leads for damaged insulation
and measure a known voltage.
•Connect the common test lead before the live
test lead and remove the live test lead before
the common test lead.
•Keep fingers behind the finger guards on the
probes.
•Remove all probes, test leads, and accessories
before the battery door is opened.
•Do not exceed the Measurement Category
(CAT) rating of the lowest rated individual
component of a Product, probe, or accessory.
•Remove the batteries if the Product is not used
for an extended period of time, or if stored in
temperatures above 50 °C. If the batteries are
not removed, battery leakage can damage the
Product.
•Replace the batteries when the low battery
indicator () shows to prevent incorrect
measurements.
•Use the correct terminals, function, and range
for measurements.
•Disconnect all test leads from any hazardous
voltage before switching to the LED TEST
function. Refer to the LED TEST section for
proper measurement technique and
interpretation of results (for 18B+ only).

15B+/17B+/18B+
Users Manual
4
Table 1. International Electrical Symbols
AC (Alternating Current) Earth Ground
DC (Direct Current) Fuse
Diode Capacitance
Hazardous voltage. Risk of electrical shock. Battery

Risk of Danger. Important information. See Manual.
CAT II
MEASUREMENT CATEGORY II is applicable to
test and measuring circuits connected directly to
utilization points (socket outlets and similar points)
of the low voltage MAINS installation.
CAT III
MEASUREMENT CATEGORY III is applicable to test and
measuring circuits connected to the distribution part of the
building’s low-voltage MAINS installation.
CAT IV
MEASUREMENT CATEGORY IV is applicable to
test and measuring circuits connected at the source
of the building’s low voltage MAINS installation.
Conforms to European Union directives. Conforms to relevant North American Safety
Standards.
Conforms to relevant South Korean EMC Standards Conforms to relevant Australian Standards.

This product complies with the WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC) marking requirements. The affixed label indicates that you must
not discard this electrical/electronic product in domestic household waste. Product Category: With reference to the equipment
types in the WEEE Directive Annex I, this product is classed as category 9 "Monitoring and Control Instrumentation" product.
Do not dispose of this product as unsorted municipal waste. Go to Fluke’s website for recycling information.

Digital Multimeters
Instrument Overview
5
Instrument Overview
Terminals
1
23
4
hpq01.eps
Item Description
Input terminal for ac and dc current measurement to 10 A and frequency (17B+/18B+) measurements.
Input terminal for ac and dc microamp and milliamp measurements to 400 mA and frequency (17B+/18B+)
measurements.
Common (return) terminal for all measurements.
Input terminal for voltage, resistance, continuity, diode, capacitance, frequency (17B+/18B+), duty cycle
(17B+/18B+), temperature (17B+ only), and LED test (18B+ only) measurements.

15B+/17B+/18B+
Users Manual
6
Display
2
1
16
3456 7 8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
hpq02.eps
Item Description Item Description
Relative measurement is enabled (17B+ only). Duty cycle is selected (17B+/18B+).
High voltage Resistance or Frequency (17B+/18B+) is selected.
Continuity is selected. Farads for capacitance.
Display Hold is enabled. millivolts or volts
MIN or MAX mode is enabled (17B+ only). dc or ac voltage or current
LED test is enabled (18B+ only). microamp, milliamp, or amp
Fahrenheit or Celsius is selected (17B+ only). Auto range mode or Manual range mode is enabled.
Diode test is selected. Battery is low and should be replaced.