Fluke 87V toolbox cancer

[Shock]

Picked up a cheap Fluke 87V today (firmware 1.01) with a severe case of toolbox cancer, plus very dusty.
Got a couple of questions, do they use any lubricant on the selector switch contacts, if so what?
Is there any methods better than the video below for removing crud off the case?
Any other things I need to be concerned with on this one?

The last yellow cover I did had mixed results it really didn't come up as bright as I would have liked it.

[Jeroen3]

Is this a severe case? It looks brand new!

Just use IPA for the Fluke body and wash the bumper with regular dish soap.

[Muttley Snickers]

I cleaned up a Fluke 83 a couple of years back which was in far worse shape than your 87 and submitted the prior and post images somewhere on the forum but I cannot post a link from this device. On the holster I used a cleaning cream similar to Jiff but not quite as harsh available from Aldi along with a worn out Scotch Brite pad, afterwards a quick rub with Amorall bought back the sheen as the prior procedure can cause a somewhat dull finish on the holster.

If any of the LCD segments are failing then check and clean the zebra strip underneath the LCD, Mr Modemhead's site is unquestionably the best resource for guidance and advice in relation to these multimeters.

http://mrmodemhead.com

[Shock]

It's actually worse than it looks.  Gave it a quick clean just to get most of the dust out of it.

The display inside is mint but the clear plastic is badly hazed.
Input sockets are full of dust.

I don't think IPA is a great idea near lettering and plain dish soap won't cut through the marking on the cover. On the last yellow Fluke cover I did dish soap stained it slightly as well. I have a feeling anything that takes too much elbow grease to remove wears the finish on the case quickly.

[CJay]

It's actually worse than it looks.  Gave it a quick clean just to get most of the dust out of it.

The display inside is mint but the clear plastic is badly hazed.
Input sockets are full of dust.

I don't think IPA is a great idea near lettering and plain dish soap won't cut through the marking on the cover. On the last yellow Fluke cover I did dish soap stained it slightly as well. I have a feeling anything that takes too much elbow grease to remove wears the finish on the case quickly.

IPA won't damage the lettering, it's printed on the reverse side of the plastic panel.

I've cleaned my '77 many times with IPA, dish soap and nail or tooth brushes, other than the marks left by 30 years of abuse (and it was second hand when I got it) it's still in pretty good condition.

[Gregg]

For the yellow rubbery part, try some orange oil based mechanics hand cleaner.  It rinses off with water.

[Mr. Scram]

IPA won't damage the lettering, it's printed on the reverse side of the plastic panel.

I've cleaned my '77 many times with IPA, dish soap and nail or tooth brushes, other than the marks left by 30 years of abuse (and it was second hand when I got it) it's still in pretty good condition.

There's lettering on the rest of the front too.

[GreyWoolfe]

Do you have Goo Gone available?  It is a plant based cleaner that might do a good job on the holster.  I have cleaned some pretty scrungy things with it without harming the original finish.

[GreyWoolfe]

Do you have Goo Gone available to you?  It is a plant based cleaner and I have cleaned some seriously scrungy messes off of equipment without damage to the original finish.

[Shock]

No don't have goo gone here. This morning I brought some orange hand cleaner and glass restorer.

Tried that rubbing technique shown in the video but I don't recommended it, rough on the hands. I folded some paper towel into a rubbing pad (i.e. french polishing) and kept applying orange hand cleaner (had abrasive particles in it). This got rid of most of the marks but far form perfect. I think if I keep working the badly marked spots I'll end up fading the cover too much.

I buffed the plastic display with restorer for about 20mins same method but round in circles. It removed most of the surface haze but a lot more work would be required to get a mirror shine. The good news is it's too the point where it doesn't annoy me and everything looks crisp at an angle.

[Shock]

The next thing was the dust filled input sockets. I filled them with IPA and used medium sized cotton buds (Q-tips) until they came out clean. Then folded and soaked some thin card rolled it into a tube and did the socket sleeve.

Reassembled the multimeter then BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP OH CRAP! Lead alert that I was in the wrong socket. So I cleaned them again and again and tried to isolate which socket was false alerting - no luck.

Read online that some people could breath on them and it would cause an alert and that removing the fuses makes the alert go away. So I thought if I could remove the fuses one by one I can work out which faulty socket I have.

Then an idea popped into my mind, if it's high resistance perhaps I have a dirty fuse or fuse socket. So on a hunch I cleaned them and I was right a dirty fuse contact and nothing to do with the lead sockets at all. That could have be a huge time waster.

The other trick I decided to try is using furniture spray polish (evaporates waxy) on the screw threads to reduce the risk of them cracking the plastic. So I sprayed a bit on a paper towel folded it over the screws one by one and used the driver to turn them and polish up the threads. Seemed to help with reassembly so I think I'll do that in the future instead of a wax candle trick.

In the end the selector switch seemed to work fine after reassembly I can't hear it grinding so perhaps the dirt was in the case plastic and the wash sorted it.

Pretty happy, especially with the price I paid.

[Shock]

Another tip to test the lead alert functionality of the A mA/uA.current sockets.

With the probes in their normal position (for ohms) turn the selector switch to the ohms position.

The contacts are on the bottom side of each hole. With the red probe tip pointing in a downward angle, probe each the two current sockets. Making contact with the lead alert should beep and alternately flash LEAD and measure approx 1.520M.

To check the fuses make contact with the upper portion of each hole and you should get approx 0.2 (ohms) for the Amps socket and 1.000K for the mA/uA socket.

[coromonadalix]

in my case i have cleaned " garage " meters with Kleen flow brake cleaner (dark blue bottle) on a cloathe piece,   made small tests on non visible surface before, it cleaned very well the rubbers parts with no discoloration, mg chemicals flux cleaner does a good job too, but do some tests on a small section before doing so

I clean my DEWALT impacts with the Kleen flow,  and does a really good job too


As Shock says,  for me, with an other meter i test the input fuses (impedance) that way

The wax trick i use .... is Pledge, a furniture cleaner and polisher, it seems to leave a very small slippery finishes who help / prevent grease to stick

On my 83's at my job,  there was some residues on the main selector pcb traces and between them, sometimes the beep/ohms fuction was not properly functioning, or the meter was beeping erratically

[Gregg]

It looks like it has found a much better home than the last one!   

[VK5RC]

Sorry a bit late, for the holster, have you tried 'magic sponges' ? AKA Melamne sponges.

[Shock]

Sorry a bit late, for the holster, have you tried 'magic sponges' ? AKA Melamne sponges.

No I've not tried them, had any good results on these type of yellow covers?

I'm done on this one there is not a lot of marks left. It is not as bright yellow as it could be, still acceptable though. I think I got some color transfer, might use a yellow cloth and if I go citrus again a lemon or clear cleaner instead. But otherwise open to ideas.

I was wondering if the heat gun method they use on UV faded plastic trim on vehicles could work in bringing back a vibrant color.

[VK5RC]

Not tried them with Holsters but have used them many times on the vinyl-like covered aluminium lids of old HP test gear (my weakness) with great results, using IPA in the sponge as well. They are very slightly abrasive - ,much less so than 'Jiff' - I often finish with either Armourall or Mequires PlastiX or Back to Black.

[Shock]

Not tried them with Holsters but have used them many times on the vinyl-like covered aluminum lids of old HP test gear (my weakness) with great results, using IPA in the sponge as well. They are very slightly abrasive - ,much less so than 'Jiff' - I often finish with either Armourall or Mequires PlastiX or Back to Black.

Have you got any pics or links on vinyl or plastic restore jobs you did with Mequires PlastiX?

I used Mequires PlastiX on the display plastic and it actually worked really well as a fine polish. What type of Armorall do you use and what would you say works the best in each situation out of Armourall, Mequires PlastiX, Back to Black?

[VK5RC]

I have tended to use MaguiresX on plastic knobs (applied with cotton bud) - after IPA clean.
For the covers, I start with IPA and melamine sponge , then I have tended to use Armorall 'Original'
I wouldn't put myself as some expert in the area.
Below is an old photo of a before and after of an old HP Nixie counter - sorry lighting not that good.