Fluke 15B User manual

PN 4228256
July 2012
© 2012 Fluke Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in China. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
All product names are trademarks of their respective companies.
15B & 17B
Multimeters
Users Manual

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 war-
ranty 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 authoriza-
tion 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

i
Table of Contents
Title Page
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1
Safety Information .......................................................................................................... 1
Safe Working Practices .................................................................................................. 1
Instrument Overview ...................................................................................................... 5
Terminals................................................................................................................... 5
Display....................................................................................................................... 5
Battery Saver ................................................................................................................. 6
Making Measurements................................................................................................... 6
Manual Ranging and Auto Ranging........................................................................... 6
Data Hold .................................................................................................................. 6
Relative Measurements (17B only)............................................................................ 6
Measuring AC and DC Voltage.................................................................................. 6
Measuring AC or DC Current..................................................................................... 7
Measuring Resistance ............................................................................................... 8
Testing for Continuity................................................................................................. 8
Testing Diodes........................................................................................................... 9
Measuring Capacitance............................................................................................. 9
Measuring Temperature (17B only)........................................................................... 9

15B & 17B
Users Manual
ii
Measuring Frequency and Duty Cycle (17B only)..................................................... 10
Maintenance .................................................................................................................. 10
General Maintenance................................................................................................ 10
Testing the Fuses...................................................................................................... 11
Replacing the Batteries and Fuses ........................................................................... 11
Service and Parts .......................................................................................................... 11
General Specifications................................................................................................... 12
Accuracy Specifications................................................................................................. 14

1
15B & 17B
Multimeters
Introduction
XWWarning
To avoid electric shock or personal injury,
read "Safety Information” and all Warnings
before using the Meter.
The Fluke Model 15B and Model 17B Multimeters
(hereafter referred to as “the Meter”) are 4,000 count
instruments.
This equipment is intended for use in business
environments and is not to be used in homes. The Meter
is battery powered with a digital display.
Except where noted, the descriptions and instructions in
this Users Manual apply to both the Model 15B and
Model 17B Multimeters.
Unless otherwise identified, all illustrations show the
Model 17B.
Safety Information
The Fluke Model 15B and 17B comply with IEC 61010-
1:2001 Second Edition CAT II 1000 V, CAT III 600 V
overvoltage standards. See Specifications.
Use the Meter only as specified in this manual, otherwise
the protection provided by the Meter may be impaired.
In this manual, a Warning identifies conditions and
actions that pose hazards to the user.
A Caution identifies conditions and actions that may
damage the Meter or the equipment under test.
International symbols used on the Meter and in this
manual are explained in Table 1.
Safe Working Practices
Review the safety information and comply with the safe
working practices on pages 2 and 3.

15B & 17B
Users Manual
2
XWWarning
To prevent possible electrical shock, fire, or
personal injury:
•Read all safety Information before you
use the Product.
•Carefully read all instructions.
•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 and disable the Product if it
is damaged.
•Do not use the Product if it operates
incorrectly.
•Do not touch voltages > 30 V ac rms, 42
V ac peak, or 60 V dc.
•Limit operation to the specified
measurement category, voltage, or
amperage ratings.
•Use the Product only as specified, or the
protection supplied by the Product can
be compromised.
•Replace the batteries when the low
battery indicator shows to prevent
incorrect measurements.
•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.
•Do not apply more than the rated voltage,
between the terminals or between each
terminal and earth ground.
•Measure a known voltage first to make
sure that the Product operates correctly.
•Use the correct terminals, function, and
range for measurements.
•Do not use the Product around explosive
gas, vapor, or in damp or wet
environments.
•Do not use test leads if they are
damaged. Examine the test leads for
damaged insulation, exposed metal, or if
the wear indicator shows. Check test
lead continuity.

Multimeters
Safe Working Practices
3
•Use only current probes, test leads, and
adapters supplied with the Product.
•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.
•Only use probes, test leads, and
accessories that have the same
measurement category, voltage, and
amperage ratings as the Product.
•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.

15B & 17B
Users Manual
4
Table 1. International Electrical Symbols
AC (Alternating Current) JEarth Ground
DC (Direct Current) IFuse
AC or DC TDouble Insulated
WSafety Information XShock Hazard
MBattery PComplies with EU directives
GDiode Capacitance
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. This part of the installation is expected
to have a minimum of three levels of overcurrent protective
devices between the transformer and the connecting points
of the measuring circuit.
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. This part of the installation is expected
to have a minimum of two levels of over-current
protective devices between the transformer and
possible connecting points.
~
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.
ÃConforms to relevant South Korean EMC Standards

Multimeters
Instrument Overview
5
Instrument Overview
Terminals
COM
AmA A V
400mA
FUSED
C
10A
FUSED
CAT I 1000 V
CAT II 600 V
4
3
2
1
a
pg
1f.e
p
s
Item Description
1 Input terminal for AC and DC current
measurements to 10A and frequency (17B
only) measurements.
2 Input terminal for AC and DC microamp and
milliamp measurements to 400 mA and
frequency (17B only) measurements.
3 Common (return) terminal for all
measurements.
4 Input terminal for voltage, resistance,
continuity, diode, capacitance, frequency
(17B only) and temperature (17B only)
measurements.
Display
27
6
8
9
10
14
1
345
11
12
13
a
pg
2f.e
p
s
Item Description
1 Relative mode is active
2 Continuity selected
3 Display Hold is enabled
4 Temperature is selected
5 Duty Cycle is selected
6 Diode test is selected
7 F– Farads for capacitance
8 A, V – amps or volts
9 DC, AC – dc or ac voltage or current
10 Hz – Frequency is selected
11 – Ohms is selected
12 m, M, k – decimal prefix
13 Auto range selected
14 Battery is low and should be changed

15B & 17B
Users Manual
6
Battery Saver
The Meter enters the “Sleep mode” and blanks the display
if the Meter is not used and the input is inactive for 30
minutes. Press any button or turn the rotary switch to
wake the Meter up. To disable the Sleep mode, hold down
the YELLOW button while turning the Meter on.
Making Measurements
Manual Ranging and Auto Ranging
The Meter has both manual and auto range options. In the
auto range mode, the Meter selects the best range for the
input detected. This allows you to switch test points
without having to reset the range. You can override auto
ranging by selecting the range manually.
The Meter defaults to the auto range mode in
measurement functions that have more than one range.
When the Meter is in the auto range mode, Auto Range is
displayed.
To enter and exit the manual range mode:
1. Press
.
Each press of increments the range. When the
highest range is reached, the Meter wraps to the
lowest range.
2. To exit the manual range mode, press and hold 
for two seconds.
Data Hold
XWWarning
Dangerous voltages may be present at the
input terminals and may not be displayed.
To hold the present reading, press . Press again
to resume normal operation.
Relative Measurements (17B only)
The Meter will display relative measurements in all
functions except frequency.
1. With the Meter in the desired function, touch the test
leads to the circuit on which you want future
measurements to be based.
2. Press
to store the measured value as the
reference value and activate the relative
measurement mode. The difference between the
reference value and subsequent reading is displayed.
3. Press
for more than 2 seconds to return the
Meter to normal operation.
Measuring AC and DC Voltage
To minimize improper reading of an unknown voltage
containing either ac or ac + dc voltage components, first
select the ac voltage function on the meter making
particular note of the ac range required for a good
measurement. Next manually select the dc function with
the dc range that either matches or is higher than the
previously noted ac range. Using this procedure minimizes