70 Series III

from RAPID-TECH Equipment

 73-III      77-III

Rough handling and high voltage are tough on a meter; but the Fluke 70 Series III DMMs take it all in stride. Features overvoltage protection to guard against spikes up to 6kV and safety ratings to prove it. They even protect against measuring voltage if the knob is set accidentally on ohms. Plus, their rugged, overmolded body armour case offers constant protection no matter how much you throw them around.

As tough as they are, the 70 Series III DMMs are very easy on you. The tapered design fits more easily in your hand, pocket and tool box. They feature an easy-to-read, high-contrast display and a Touch Hold mode which automatically captures the measurement. The IEC 1010 safety standard was established to define four overvoltage categories (CAT I, CAT II, CAT III and CAT IV) based on the magnitude of danger from transient impulses.

The new Fluke 70 Series III DMMs have been designed to meet the new IEC-1010 standards, and they are designed to protect you against transients in three-phase distribution system, including: single-phase commercial lighting; equipment in fixed installations, such as switch gear and polyphase motors; bus and feeder in industrial plants; lighting systems in larger buildings; appliance outlets with short connections to the service entrance. Lifetime Warranty.

Download Data Sheet  (pdf,  115 kBytes)

	70/73	77
Meter Type	DMM	DMM
IEC 1010 Rating	600V, CAT II	600V, CAT III
Display Counts	3200	3200
Analog Bar Graph		Yes
Diode Test		Yes
Fused Current Inputs	73 only	Yes
Lo Ohms	-	-
DC Volts/Max. Res.	600V/0.1mV	1000V/0.1mV
AC Volts/Max. Res.	600V/1mV	1000V/1mV
AC/DC Max. Amps	10A  (73 only)	10A continuous
Max. Resistance	32 Mohm	32 Mohm

Fluke 70 Series III Features
The 70 Series III are used by electronic and electrical technicians to perform service both in the field and on the bench, for facilities maintenance, or production equipment maintenance and installation. These technicians work in a variety of industries, ranging from electronic equipment service such as medical and consumer electronics to building maintenance, electrical contracting, utilities, as well as mechanical and processing industries.

Since the technician often works in harsh industrial environments Fluke’s new multimeters have been designed for endurance under stressful conditions. Moreover, they are highly functional and meet the standards of day-to-day job handling. They can even be tossed into a tool box or bucket along with hard tools, and stored in a pick-up truck between jobs. This kind of durability provides the technician with a rugged, working tool which also provides the sensitivity of accurate instrumentation.

The new DMMs also features automatic Touch Hold that allows the user to connect test probes and the meter will automatically freeze the reading without having to touch any buttons or glance at the screen. The user interface has been improved to give the user easier access to the range and hold buttons. In addition, the meters feature a high contrast larger screen (40% larger than the previous 70 Series II) and a segmented bargraph for easy reading.

Other benefits include tapered design that fits more easily in the users hand, pocket and tool box, and an overmolded permanent holster with improved standing mechanism. In addition, the battery and fuses can be replaced without having to break the internal calibration seal, thus eliminating the need for unnecessary calibration.

Transients - A Safety Issue
As distribution systems and loads become more complex, the possibilities of transient overvoltages increase. Motors, capacitors and power conversion equipment such as variable speed drives can be prime generators of spikes. Lightning strikes on outdoor transmission lines also cause extremely hazardous high-energy transients. When taking measurements on electrical systems, these transients are "invisible" and largely unavoidable hazards. They occur regularly on low-voltage power circuits, and can reach peak values in the many thousands of volts. In these cases, the user is dependent for protection on the safety margin already built into your meter. The voltage rating alone will not tell you how well that meter was designed to survive high transient impulses.

Fluke has designed its new 70 Series III Multimeters to meet safety standards set by the International Electrotechnical Commission, which has adopted a new safety standard for low voltage test equipment called IEC 1010. This safety standard emphasises protection against the increasing danger of high voltage transients. Meters that meet the design specifications and pass the tests can be marked with a category and voltage rating.

Category Ratings
The most important single concept to understand about the new stands is the Overvoltage Installation Category. The new standard defines Categories I through IV. The division of a power distribution system into categories is based on the fact that a dangerous high-energy transient such as a lightning strike will be attenuated or dampened as it travels through the impedance (ac resistance) of the system. A higher CAT number refers to an electrical environment with higher power available and higher-energy transients. Thus a multimeter designed to a Cat III standard is resistant to much higher-energy transients than one designed to Cat II standards. Within a category, a higher voltage rating denotes a higher transient withstand rating: e.g. A Cat III-1000V meter has superior protection compared to a Cat III-600V rated meter. The real misunderstanding occurs if a user selects a Cat II-1000V rate meter thinking that it is superior to a Cat III-600V meter.

The models 77- III has dual IEC 1010 ratings for Category III 600 V and Category II 1000V overvoltage transients. The Models 75 III has IEC 1010 Cat III 600 V ratings and the models 73 has IEC 1010 Category II 600V ratings. The meters are designed to help protect the user against power surges up to 6kV are independently tested by institutions such as UL, CSA, and TUV.

Safety First
As a company, Fluke has focused on safety standards in all its products, and has sought industry-wide protection measures to ensure safe working conditions and product specifications for electrical technicians. In March 1997, Fluke launched its Electrical Safety Program, an educational campaign aimed at raising awareness for electrical industry hazards and product standards. Taking the lead on safety issues in the handheld test tool industry, Fluke’s program helps educate users on how to identify which specific products meet or exceed industry standards and pass independent tests, as well as promote safe work practices for front-line electricians, technicians and troubleshooters.

For additional information or to order, call  Rapid-Tech today