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General => General Technical Chat => Topic started by: Kibi on December 30, 2012, 09:01:23 pm

Title: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: Kibi on December 30, 2012, 09:01:23 pm
Hello, season's greetings to all. :)

I little while ago I was after a DC current clamp. I obviously didn't want to pay a load of money, but I wanted a good one.
I found a Fluke i410 on ebay for a very reasonable price. The clamp works perfectly well, happy days.
My happy days continued however as the auction had another bonus in that it included a Fluke 40KV probe (dunno what I'd meant to do with one of those), one of them temperature adapter thingies (for older meters without a temperature range) and a Fluke 89 IV (why you'd need a temperature adapter with this particular meter is anybody's guess).
The meter fired up fine, but some of the ranges produced erratic readings. I took the back off of it and discovered the problem pretty soon.
Some clever oake at some point before me had the back off of the meter and lost one of the range switch contacts and damaged another. They have attempted repairs by fashioning a contact out of second hand resistor lead trimmings. This is obviously not as reliable as the original and sums up the difficulties that this meter is having. At least the had the sense not melt or glue any of their lash-ups in place.

(http://www.kirbyw.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Images/RangeSwitch.jpg)

Does anybody know where I might be able to buy replacement contacts? Preferably in the UK.
If not, it may be a case of waiting for a smashed up 87/89 IV or 187/189 to appear on ebay. Perhaps someone knows of any other models that utilise these contacts in the range switch? I'd like to think that Fluke used the same arrangement in quite a few models around this vintage.

Many thanks.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: SeanB on December 30, 2012, 09:25:50 pm
Common enough, look at any other meter cheapie or dead and you might find some that will fit, or can be made to fit with no modification to the meter.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: retiredcaps on December 30, 2012, 09:27:24 pm
Does anybody know where I might be able to buy replacement contacts? Preferably in the UK.
I know you are not in the USA, but this USA only auction says

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330505925461 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/330505925461)

that "We have the contacts listed individually in our eBay store if you need a replacement."  I looked through his store and he currently doesn't have it in stock.  I have seen the switch contacts listed before though.

However, a-fluke, doesn't ship internationally or accept ebay emails from non USA members.  If, when, it is in stock, you will need an USA ebay member to bid and reship to you.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: Kibi on December 30, 2012, 09:43:58 pm
SeanB - ja, I thought about that, but I don't have any ruined meters around at the moment. I can't think of anything else that I might have that would do the trick. I do have some brass shim stock, but it seems a fiddly part to get right, then who knows how reliable it would be.

retiredcaps - thank you for looking into that for me. I'll have to keep an eye on a-fluke's shop. I can get a friend in the USA to purchase them for me, no problem.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: SeanB on December 30, 2012, 09:52:07 pm
I think Dave and Martin have some suitable donors................. Those that did not survive the testing. You are close enough to Mike to see if he has some donors as well.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: mikeselectricstuff on December 30, 2012, 10:29:29 pm
Have you actually asked Fluke? One difference betwean cheapos and brand names is the latter tend to be better at supplying spares.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: Kibi on December 30, 2012, 10:47:53 pm
Mike,  I have not tried Fluke yet. I will give them a ring on Wednesday. I'm just not so sure how helpful they will be, one way to find out though :)

Many thanks.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: Kibi on February 05, 2013, 08:09:51 pm
OK, so six weeks down the line. Several emails and telephone calls to Fluke UK yields absolutely no response from them what so ever.
This was the kind of service that I expected from Fluke UK, although I somehow don't feel that I should. Their equipment might be good but my goodness their service sucks.
My guess is that they just don't know what to do when a piece of their equipment goes wrong as it just never happens and they are not equipped to deal with it.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: AndyC_772 on February 05, 2013, 08:50:35 pm
Try SJ Electronics: http://www.sjelectronics.co.uk/default2.htm (http://www.sjelectronics.co.uk/default2.htm)
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: Kibi on February 05, 2013, 09:24:32 pm
Excellent. Thank you very much for the link. I'll ring them in the morning.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: Kibi on February 07, 2013, 06:58:44 pm
SJ Electronics is fantastic!  :-+ :-+ :-+
The telephone is answered straight away and my emails were responded to within minutes. The parts are on the way.
Faultless service. Thank you AndyC for pointing me in the right direction.
Title: Re: Fluke spare parts stockists - UK
Post by: AndyC_772 on February 08, 2013, 08:52:16 pm
Cool :) Glad it worked out!