How to Use the Fluke 117 Multimeter

Learning how to use Fluke 117 starts with setting the test leads and rotary switch correctly before you touch a circuit. The 117 is a battery-powered true-rms multimeter with a 6000-count display and a CAT III 600 V rating.

The meter also has VoltAlert, a non-contact detector that can flag live AC wiring without a probe touching it. This page explains how to use fluke 117 step by step, and you should stop if a reading does not make sense.

This guide on how to use fluke 117 covers general operation only and does not replace the Fluke manual or your local electrical codes. If you are not sure a circuit is safe to test, ask a licensed electrician first.

How to Use Fluke 117: What It Measures

The Fluke 117 is a battery-powered true-rms meter that measures AC and DC volts, millivolts, current up to 10 A, resistance, continuity, diodes, capacitance and frequency. Knowing what each function covers is the first step in learning how to use Fluke 117 correctly.

According to Fluke’s 117 product page, the meter is rated IEC 61010-2-033 CAT III 600 V, and no terminal may go above 600 V to earth.

For a manual-ranging alternative, see Klein MM300 multimeter steps. The battery is a 9 V alkaline cell, IEC 6LR61, and Fluke lists about 400 hours of typical life without the backlight. The A-input fuse is an 11 A, 1000 V fast fuse, Fluke part number 803293, so replace it only with that part.

How to Use Fluke 117 Safely: Checks First

Learning how to use fluke 117 safely starts with the leads: before each measurement, confirm they sit in the right terminals. The meter warns with a LEAd alert and a beep when the rotary switch moves to or from an A position, so treat that alert as a prompt to recheck the jacks.

1. Plug the black lead into COM, the common return for every measurement.
2. Plug the red lead into V for voltage, resistance, continuity, diodes, capacitance and frequency.
3. Use the fused A terminal only for current, and never place the probes in parallel with a circuit.
4. Connect COM before the live lead, and remove the live lead before COM when you finish.
5. Disconnect circuit power and discharge high-voltage capacitors before testing resistance, continuity, diodes or capacitance.

The Z symbol appears when the meter reads 30 V or more, or when it shows an overload. Stop, recheck the setup, and do not keep probing the same points. For car-specific readings, see digital multimeter tests on a car.

Measure Voltage and Frequency

When you learn how to use Fluke 117 for voltage, turn the rotary switch to V or mV, then choose AC or DC. Auto Volts picks the type for you and sets the input impedance to about 3 kΩ, which reduces false readings from ghost voltage. The steps are in the Fluke 110/113/114/115/117 users manual.

1. Set the rotary switch to V, or to the auto position if you do not know whether the signal is AC or DC.
2. Press the yellow button to switch between AC and DC where the meter shows both symbols.
3. Touch the red lead to the positive point and the black lead to the return, then read the value.
4. Check the Z symbol at 30 V or more, and recheck the connection before continuing.

Millivolt readings use their own position, and the yellow button sets DC millivolts. Frequency works only with AC functions, and above 1 kHz the manual says the bar graph and Z symbol are not specified. For a 12 V car battery, testing a car battery with a multimeter shows which resting voltages mean charged or discharged.

Measure Current Without Overloading

To measure current, turn circuit power off, break the circuit, place the meter in series, and then power the circuit back on. Current is the step where mistakes cause the most damage, so follow the order exactly.

1. Turn circuit power off at the source.
2. Break the circuit at the point you want to measure.
3. Insert the meter in series, with the leads in COM and the fused A terminal.
4. Turn circuit power on, and read the display while the circuit runs.

Knowing how to use Fluke 117 on current means respecting these limits. The meter handles 10 A continuously. Between 10 A and 20 A, the manual allows 30 seconds on followed by 10 minutes off, and the display flashes above 10.00 A. Above 20 A, the display shows OL.

Test Resistance, Continuity, and Diodes

Resistance on the Fluke 117 runs from 600 Ω to 40 MΩ, and the continuity beeper sounds below 20 Ω and stays silent above 250 Ω. Use the resistance setting for accurate readings and continuity as a quick open or short check. Continuity is quick, but the resistance setting is the accurate one.

• Resistance: power the circuit off, set the switch to Ω, and place the leads on either side of the part.
• Continuity: set the wave symbol and listen for the beep, which means a closed path.
• Diodes: a good diode beeps in forward bias and shows OL in reverse bias.
• Capacitance: discharge the part first, then select the capacitance setting.

For cables with ghost voltage, hold RANGE while you turn the meter on to enable low-impedance capacitance, which shows LCAP with lower accuracy.

Detect Voltage with VoltAlert

Learning how to use Fluke 117 VoltAlert comes down to one fact: VoltAlert detects AC voltage without contact. Hold the top of the meter close to a conductor, and it gives an audible and a visual alert, with Lo and Hi settings for sensitivity.

Use Lo for flush wall sockets, power strips and most power cords. Use Hi for recessed connectors, where the voltage sits inside the connector, and for bare wire, which the manual says Hi detects at voltages as low as 24 V.

1. Turn the rotary switch to the VoltAlert position.
2. Choose Lo for sockets and cords, or Hi for recessed connectors.
3. Hold the top of the meter close to the conductor or socket opening.
4. Wait for the audible and visual alert before you decide the wire is live.

If there is no indication, voltage can still be present. The manual warns against relying on VoltAlert with shielded wire, so confirm with a contact voltage test.

Use Hold, MIN MAX, and Other Buttons

Press HOLD to freeze the display, and press MIN MAX AVG to record the lowest, highest and average readings. Check the mode on the display before you read a value.

• HOLD freezes the reading, so the display will not change when the voltage changes.
• MIN MAX AVG records minimum, maximum and running average, and the meter beeps on a new high or low.
• Hold the MIN MAX button for at least one second, or turn the rotary switch, to exit and erase stored readings.
• Hold RANGE for one second to switch between autorange and manual range.

The backlight turns off after 40 seconds, and the Battery Saver sleeps after 20 minutes without input or voltage.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most frequent errors when you learn how to use fluke 117 are plugging the leads into the wrong terminal, measuring current in parallel, and trusting a silent VoltAlert. Each one can damage the meter or give a wrong reading.

• Leaving a lead in the A terminal while probing in parallel, which the manual warns against.
• Reading current with the probes across the load instead of in series with it.
• Trusting a silent VoltAlert on shielded wire.
• Measuring resistance on a live circuit, when power should be off.

Before you follow any step, check the model number, since the manual covers related models with different features. This guide on how to use fluke 117 applies to the 117 only. A tool that energizes the probe tip rather than only reading volts is shown in the Power Probe III battery clip and tip steps.

Frequently Asked Questions