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For control panel diagnostics the two picks here are P1 and P2. P1 is the one to choose when you need to see whether a fault repeats: it logs a session and draws the trend, so an intermittent contactor or a drive that trips under load stops being a guess. P2 is the one to choose when the job is presence and absence of voltage, continuity and a quick min/max average, with non-contact detection at the panel door and a low impedance mode that kills ghost voltage before it sends you chasing a circuit that is not live. The three solar panel testers in the same batch (P3, P4, P5) are not control panel instruments and are not compared here.
Why a panel meter is not just a meter
A control panel is a hostile place for a handheld instrument in a specific way. The wiring is dense, the terminals are close together, and many of the circuits you need to test are not simple sinusoidal mains. They are the output of a variable frequency drive, a switching supply, or a contactor that has just dropped out and left a floating conductor behind.
That produces three problems a basic meter handles badly.
- Ghost voltage. A de-energised conductor running alongside live ones can capacitively couple enough voltage to show a reading on a high impedance input. The meter says 90 V. The circuit is dead. The listing for P1 states a LoZ voltage function for eliminating ghost voltages when testing for absence or presence of live power. P2 states a low input impedance mode that helps prevent false readings due to ghost voltage. Both address the same failure mode: a high impedance input that is too honest about coupled noise.
- Drive output. A VFD output is a pulse width modulated waveform, not a clean sine. A meter without a low pass filter will read something, but the number can be meaningless. P1 states a low pass filter for accurate voltage and frequency measurements at the same time on adjustable speed motor drives and other electrical equipment. That is the specification that decides whether a reading at the motor terminals is trustworthy.
- Intermittence. The fault that only appears when the panel is warm, or under load, or on the third start of the day, is the hardest one to catch with a meter that only shows the present instant. P1 states TrendCapture, which graphically displays a logged data session, with zoom up to 14 times. That turns a rare event into a trace you can look at after the fact.
None of this is about accuracy in the abstract. It is about whether the number on the display corresponds to the thing you are trying to find out.
The two Fluke listings on stated specifications
The table below uses only what the two listings publish. Where a listing is silent, the cell says so.
| Feature | P1 Fluke 289 | P2 Fluke 117 |
|---|---|---|
| True RMS | Stated in the product title | Not stated in the listing bullets |
| Ghost voltage handling | LoZ voltage function | Low input impedance mode |
| Non-contact voltage detection | Not stated in the listing bullets | VoltAlert technology |
| Automatic AC/DC selection | Not stated in the listing bullets | AutoVolt |
| Low pass filter for drive work | Stated | Not stated in the listing bullets |
| Selectable AC filter | Stated, smoothing mode for noisy or rapidly changing signals | Not stated in the listing bullets |
| Logging and trend display | TrendCapture, zoom up to 14 times | Not stated in the listing bullets |
| Min / max / average | Not stated in the listing bullets | Stated |
| Resistance, continuity, frequency, capacitance | Not stated in the listing bullets | Stated |
| DC millivolt range | Not stated in the listing bullets | 600.0 mV range, 0.1 mV resolution |
| Display lighting | Not stated in the listing bullets | Large white LED backlight |
| Wireless sharing | ShareLive video call, requires ir3000 FC connector sold separately and the Fluke Connect app | Not stated in the listing bullets |
Two things stand out. First, the two meters are not a hierarchy; they are aimed at different halves of panel work. P1 is the instrument you reach for when the question is why, P2 is the instrument you reach for when the question is whether. Second, P1’s wireless sharing is not a standalone feature. The listing states it requires the ir3000 FC wireless connector, sold separately, and the Fluke Connect mobile app. Budget for that accessory if remote assistance is the reason you are buying the meter.
The two meters that fit panel work
Fluke 289 True-RMS Stand Alone Logging Multimeter
Logs a session and draws the trend, so intermittent panel faults become visible instead of anecdotal.
Fluke 117 Digital Multimeter
Non-contact voltage detection, automatic AC/DC selection and a low impedance mode for ghost voltage, in a meter built for everyday panel checks.
The solar testers in this batch, and why they are not on the list
Three of the five listings supplied for this topic are photovoltaic panel testers, not general purpose multimeters: P3, P4 and P5.
P3 is an 800 W, 60 V MPPT solar panel tester that measures Pmax, Voc and Isc simultaneously and runs without batteries, powered from the panel. P4 is a 400 W unit for 12 V and 24 V panels with reverse polarity protection, also battery-free. P5 is a 2000 W tester with a 3 to 90 V Voc range and a 0 to 40 A Isc range, MC4 connectors and a 3.2 inch display.
These are legitimate instruments for their own job. They are not control panel diagnostic tools. They do not publish a low pass filter for drive outputs, they do not publish a low impedance mode for ghost voltage, they do not publish continuity or resistance ranges, and they do not publish a safety category. A solar panel tester is designed to sit across a DC source in daylight and find its maximum power point. A control panel meter is designed to be safe and meaningful on mixed AC and DC circuits with inductive loads and switching noise. If your work is solar, the right comparison is elsewhere on this site; if your work is panels, these three do not belong in the shortlist.
They are excluded rather than ranked. The heading count on this page reflects that: two picks, not five.
Matching the meter to the fault you are chasing
The choice between P1 and P2 is easier once you name the fault.
If the fault is present right now and you need to know whether a terminal is live, whether a contactor coil has continuity, or whether a supply is sitting at the voltage it should be, P2 covers the ground. Non-contact detection at VoltAlert lets you check a conductor before you put a probe on it, which matters at a panel door where a loose wire can be within reach. AutoVolt removes the step of selecting AC or DC before you measure, which reduces the chance of reading the wrong function on a mixed panel. The 600.0 mV DC range with 0.1 mV resolution is useful on shunt signals and thermocouple-level voltages. The backlight is stated for poorly lit areas, which describes most panel interiors.
If the fault is intermittent, P2’s stated feature set does not include logging. P1 does, and that is the whole reason it exists on this page. You clip the meter to the suspect circuit, start a logging session, and walk away. TrendCapture then draws the session so you can see whether the voltage dipped when the compressor started, or whether the current spiked before the breaker tripped. The zoom goes up to 14 times, which the listing states is for viewing and analysing the trend data. In practice that means you can expand a two second event out of an eight hour session and look at its shape.
If the fault is on a drive, P1’s low pass filter is the relevant specification. The listing states it gives accurate voltage and frequency measurements at the same time on adjustable speed motor drives. Without that filter, a meter may display a voltage that is a mathematical artefact of the switching waveform rather than the fundamental the motor actually sees. The selectable AC filter, described as a smoothing mode, is a second tool for the same problem: a steadier reading when the input signal is changing rapidly or noisy.
For related work on drive circuits, the comparison at clamp meters for VFD measurements covers the current side of the same problem, and multimeters for VFD troubleshooting goes deeper into the filter question. For general electrical work outside the panel, multimeters for electricians is the broader starting point.
What the listings do not tell you, and the maintenance nobody mentions
Neither listing publishes a safety category, an IP rating, a battery type, a battery life figure, or a calibration interval. Those are real gaps for anyone buying for industrial work, and they are worth resolving before you commit. A meter used on a panel fed from a supply with high available fault current needs a category rating appropriate to that location; the listing does not state one, so check the manufacturer’s documentation rather than assuming.
Fuses are the other omission. A multimeter’s current ranges are protected by fuses, and a blown fuse turns a current measurement into a continuity test that reads zero. Neither listing states the fuse type or rating. On a panel diagnostic meter, keep spare fuses of the correct type in the case, and check them when a current reading looks wrong rather than when it looks absent. A meter with a blown current fuse will still read voltage and resistance perfectly, which is exactly why the fault is easy to miss.
Probes are the part that actually wears. The listing does not describe the supplied leads for either meter. In panel work the probe tips take the abuse: they bridge onto terminal screws, they get pulled through trunking, and the insulation near the tip gets nicked. Inspect the leads for exposed conductor and replace them when you find it. A meter is only as safe as the lead between it and the live part.
Finally, the wireless feature on P1 has a dependency the listing states plainly: the ir3000 FC wireless connector is sold separately. If you buy P1 for ShareLive video calls and do not buy the connector, you have bought a logging meter without the sharing function. That is not a defect, but it is a purchase decision the listing leaves to you.
Recommended Tools
Fluke 117 Digital Multimeter, Non-Contact AC Voltage Detection, Measures Resistance/Continuity/Frequency/Capacitance/Min
View on AmazonProducts shown because their documented specifications fit this guide. Price and availability are on Amazon and can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a solar panel tester like P3, P4 or P5 on a control panel?
No. Those instruments are built to measure a photovoltaic panel's maximum power point, open circuit voltage and short circuit current. The listings do not publish continuity, resistance, a low impedance mode for ghost voltage, a low pass filter for drive outputs, or a safety category. Using one on a live panel would mean working without the functions and ratings that panel diagnostics depend on.
Do I need the logging feature on P1, or is P2 enough?
It depends on whether the fault is present when you are. If you can reproduce the fault on demand, P2's stated functions cover presence of voltage, continuity, resistance, frequency, capacitance and min/max/average. If the fault happens when you are not there, P1's TrendCapture is what lets you see it afterwards. That is the single clearest dividing line between the two.
What does the low pass filter on P1 actually do?
The listing states it gives accurate voltage and frequency measurements at the same time on adjustable speed motor drives and other electrical equipment. A drive output is a switched waveform, and a meter without filtering can display a value that does not represent the fundamental voltage the motor sees. The filter removes the high frequency switching content so the reading corresponds to the drive's actual output.
Does P1 include the wireless connector needed for ShareLive?
No. The listing states the ShareLive video call feature requires the ir3000 FC wireless connector, sold separately, and the no-cost Fluke Connect mobile app. If remote sharing is a reason you are considering P1, add the connector to the decision.
Is P2 true RMS?
The listing bullets do not state it. The product title describes it as a digital multimeter and lists its functions, but true RMS is not mentioned in the supplied data, so this page does not claim it. Check the manufacturer's specification sheet if distorted waveforms are part of your work.
Which meter is safer on a live control panel?
Neither listing publishes a safety category, so this page cannot compare them on that basis. Safety category is determined by the circuit you are working on and the transient energy available at that point. Resolve the required category from the installation first, then confirm the meter's rating from the manufacturer's documentation rather than from the listing bullets.
Affiliate disclosure: Akermin earns a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases made through links on this page. Our editorial picks are based on documented specifications and owner feedback, not commissions.
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