Author Topic: [Fixed] Repair/Restoration of a Fluke187 (Read 17639 times)

retiredcaps · « **Reply #50 on:** October 17, 2016, 08:39:18 pm »

Quote from: Ordinaryman1971 on October 17, 2016, 07:41:33 pm

Does anybody have an access to the Service manual for the Fluke 189/187.
I need a parts numbers for the positive, negative and dual battery contacts for this meter.

As bigsky pointed out in the other thread

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/fluke-187/msg1050016/#msg1050016

there is no service manual for the 187/189 that has BOM list and/or schematic.

As for the battery contacts, a-fluke sells them on ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/371755461858

but for a whopping $60 USD. You can make your own or try finding 3rd party battery contacts for 1/10th the price. I have seen people use their own contacts after the AA have leaked and corroded the terminals.

Or you can trying cleaning them like I did

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/fluke-187-corroded-battery-terminals-how-to-clean/

MosherIV · « **Reply #51 on:** October 17, 2016, 09:03:44 pm »

Quote

Does anybody have an access to the Service manual for the Fluke 189/187.
I need a parts numbers for the positive, negative and dual battery contacts for this meter.

Retiredcaps is correct, the service manual does not have the part numbers you are looking for.

He is also right a new set of contacts will be in the region of $60, you can talk to Fluke service and get the part numbers, they may sell them to you or they will tell you who their agents are in the US but their price will be similar to the ebay sellers.

Another alternative is to look for units for sale as spares or repair on ebay, that is how I got my meter.

Good luck.

Ordinaryman1971 · « **Reply #52 on:** October 18, 2016, 04:17:42 pm »

Well, let me rephrase the question then, does anybody know the Fluke part number for the:
Positive contact:
Negative contact:
Dual contact:
I've seen the ebay postings for those but I'm pretty sure it would be a lot cheaper from Fluke than from those guys.
Somehow I have the feeling they are not doing it for free... they are making money on it.... I would.
I've actually called Fluke to order but they asked me for the part number which I didn't know and that was basically the end of the conversation.
So... I'm pretty sure there is a Service Manual for this thing even if there is no parts list in it...
Anybody out there having one....

MosherIV · « **Reply #53 on:** October 18, 2016, 06:43:15 pm »

Quote

I've seen the ebay postings for those but I'm pretty sure it would be a lot cheaper from Fluke than from those guys.
Somehow I have the feeling they are not doing it for free... they are making money on it.... I would.

I doubt it. I bought the input jacks through a distributor and the price they quoted was the same as what Fluke quoted. I have no idea how ebay traders are making their money

Quote

I've actually called Fluke to order but they asked me for the part number which I didn't know and that was basically the end of the conversation.
So... I'm pretty sure there is a Service Manual for this thing even if there is no parts list in it...
Anybody out there having one....

I had to do the same thing to get the part number for the input jacks.
I spoke to the service people NOT the parts people.
If there is another service manual with a brakedown of parts, it is not circulating on the internet.

Ordinaryman1971 · « **Reply #54 on:** October 18, 2016, 07:27:31 pm »

I just called the Fluke few minutes ago and they offered me a replacement... but I've been told that the parts are no longer available and there is no parts list... basically they swatted me like a bug.
The meter is obsolete since 2007.
Very sad story. It looks like they want to keep it a secret.
I would love to for like 1000 people to call Fluke to inquire about the same thing, over and over again.... maybe that would bring the service manual out of Fluke's basement and let us look at it and and check for ourselves what is the secret all about.
Maybe somebody out there has a number for the CEO... maybe he will have a service manual in his basement.
I know.. I know... there are pictures of the naked PCB there in a service manual, they are afraid that general population would get to excited.... well,
let me tell you, I've seen it before.
Well, I wanted to buy from THE Fluke... I guess I would have to buy from afluke which buys from the Fluke because they are allowed to know the secret.
Sad story.

MosherIV · « **Reply #55 on:** October 19, 2016, 09:48:38 pm »

Back on topic restoration of a Fluke187.
So I got some spacers with a stud.

I drilled and tapped the original holes, then fitted the new spacers.

And......... the spacers do not fit

The diameter of them is too large to fit down the plastic. The original spacers are 5mm in diameter, the new ones are 5.5mm
Looks like I will have to file then down by hand, busy weekend to come

ModemHead · « **Reply #56 on:** October 19, 2016, 10:45:46 pm »

This is quite a rabbit-hole, isn't it?

VK5RC · « **Reply #57 on:** October 20, 2016, 11:12:18 am »

Bummer re the spacers but when you fix that meter it will be so good.

Twoflower · « **Reply #58 on:** October 20, 2016, 11:24:12 am »

To increase the pull strength of the connection glue-spacer I would add some kind of structure/grooves into the spacer. Or I would actually use threaded inserts.

MosherIV · « **Reply #59 on:** October 25, 2016, 11:55:33 am »

Thanks VK5RC and ModemHead.

After several hours of hand filing, I now have the spacers on the top half.
After re-assembling, the spacer on the lower half broke off.

Yes Twoflower, I tried re-enforcing one of the spacers but it did not work.

To save time, I bought some more spacers. They are on the way.

The broken spacer is on the right by the holes for the input jacks, picture taken before it broke

.

While I had it together, it worked -mostly. The 'setup' and 'backlight' keys did not work

ModemHead · « **Reply #60 on:** October 25, 2016, 12:26:27 pm »

Epoxy putty has been mentioned before, but here's a link to the product: http://www.jbweld.com/products/plasticweld-epoxy-putty

It might be worth experimenting with. It has the advantage over regular epoxy of not oozing all over the place while setting up.

Twoflower · « **Reply #61 on:** October 25, 2016, 01:18:05 pm »

I might misunderstood what you tried.

With the threaded inserts I wasn't thinking of reinforcing the spacers but replace the spacers with a matching threaded insert. As they have a threat on the outside too they should be perfect for glueing.

MosherIV · « **Reply #62 on:** October 27, 2016, 07:15:25 pm »

New hex spacers arrived today. Got 2 sizes, just in case.
Tapped hole and fitted spacer.

Figured out why light was not working, I had put the screw in before the circuit board, once I put the screw through the circuit board it worked

Here it is all finished

VK5RC · « **Reply #63 on:** October 30, 2016, 10:36:18 am »

Looking good,

WackyGerman · « **Reply #64 on:** October 30, 2016, 11:49:20 am »

Good job

pelule · « **Reply #65 on:** October 30, 2016, 08:46:27 pm »

Well done

Another Reborn Fluke.

Kjelt · « **Reply #66 on:** October 31, 2016, 12:50:54 pm »

enjoy!

ModemHead · « **Reply #67 on:** October 31, 2016, 01:33:44 pm »

Nice job. The 187/189 is my favorite DMM. It's on my "desert island" list of essentials. With it, I would fix the radio and earn the undying gratitude of both Mary Ann and Ginger.

retiredcaps · « **Reply #68 on:** October 31, 2016, 03:42:25 pm »

Since I'm the one who ask for this thread, thanks for sharing your experiences and photos along the way. It is appreciated.

Like modemhead, the 187/189 is very high on my favourite meter list. I wish that it had a bit better lcd contrast, continuous beep tone for continuity and a bit better battery life (although I use eneloops).


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Author Topic: [Fixed] Repair/Restoration of a Fluke187 (Read 17639 times)

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