Fluke 8506A- What would be a fair price?

[tatel]

Well it looks my flesh is even weaker than I thought.

Just ordered another 8506A from the US. I have to say, Joe was right and I had to pay more than 450 bucks,  It was offered to me as "used, good working" for $299.99. After shipping and VAT, it sets me 460 eurobucks back.

After delivered, we will see it it's really in the advertised condition...

Thank you all

[tszaboo]

Well it looks my flesh is even weaker than I thought.

Just ordered another 8506A from the US. I have to say, Joe was right and I had to pay more than 450 bucks,  It was offered to me as "used, good working" for $299.99. After shipping and VAT, it sets me 460 eurobucks back.

After delivered, we will see it it's really in the advertised condition...

Thank you all

I stopped looking at test equipment from the US altogether.
Half the items say it's a 1000 bucks to ship it. Other half is a gamble. Even when you get a working one, they are going to send you import tax, shipping, tax on shipping, import tax handling fee, tax on import tax handling fee, vat on import tax, VAT on VAT on VAT, and all kinds of extra fees that make it not worthwhile in the end.

If you can afford to buy and restore old equipment like this Fluke, very nice. Let us know how it goes.

[tatel]

I stopped looking at test equipment from the US altogether.
Half the items say it's a 1000 bucks to ship it. Other half is a gamble. Even when you get a working one, they are going to send you import tax, shipping, tax on shipping, import tax handling fee, tax on import tax handling fee, vat on import tax, VAT on VAT on VAT, and all kinds of extra fees that make it not worthwhile in the end.

Yeah, one should expect to add at least 50% of the price for shipping and taxes. Sometimes less, but usually more. And it has to be under EIS (from the US) or GSP (from the UK) otherwise it's a no-no right off the bat. (Edit: even so, it is often not worthwhile). Western couriers are just pirates.

I even set an account with a reshipper, but I found it wasn't really cheaper. At least for that device. (Edit: Systron-Donner M107) Obviously eBay gets better rates due to shipping volume.

If you can afford to buy and restore old equipment like this Fluke, very nice. Let us know how it goes.

I'll do.

[joeqsmith]

Well it looks my flesh is even weaker than I thought.

   You are not alone.   

Post a few photos of the unpacking and removing the covers.  My advice, don't just plug it in until after a full inspection and make sure you get the AC input selected first.     There's been a few posts here about people buying items from the USA and smoking them once they connect them to 220. 

[tatel]

  You are not alone.   

Post a few photos of the unpacking and removing the covers.  My advice, don't just plug it in until after a full inspection and make sure you get the AC input selected first.     There's been a few posts here about people buying items from the USA and smoking them once they connect them to 220.

Yeah, I'll do. I guess I will also need to change the fuse...

[m k]

Somebody fluent with 3D-models should draw a replacement for module slots.
Dual part something instead of snap-in type, if soft plastic as a printing material is not possible.
Module lock part is fine.

As soon as i get a 8.5-digit meter i'll get rid of the Fluke.

Let us know when the time comes.

[tatel]

It turns eBay managed to get my 8506A lost. They have just refunded me.

After two consecutive fiascos I'm just giving about it.

Disappointing crap.

[Roehrenonkel]

Hi tatel,
 
i'm so sorry to hear that ebay messed up your christmas.
At least you have avoided the import-tax/fees-hassle this way.
.....if you see it positive.

Ciao4now

[tatel]

Yeah, something is something, as a bald man said after finding a comb.

Ebay is asking me about casting my vote for that purchase...

[garrettm]

I have bought over 5 of these Fluke DMMs, both 8505A and 8506A as well as one CT model from the U.S.A.F. All of them were less than 150 USD and some were as low as 80 USD with shipping included... Out of all of them, only one was a "parts unit" with a bad Controller module.

Paying more than $250 for a non CT model is a waste (the CT units have a bunch of modifications to lower noise and, for the 8506A, extend the input range of the AC voltage measurement). The 850xA are large, heavy, can have annoying transformer noise, and are very slow with the averaging mode on. The 100mV range is also pretty bad--noisy and quite drifty as these do not have an auto-zero circuit. Honestly, there are a lot better vintage meters from Schlumberger and a few other European TE manufacturers that would likely be cheaper for you to buy in the EU.

I keep my 8506A since it is an interesting anomaly using Flukes recirculating remainder ADC and custom thermal converter IC. I also have an HP 3456A (circa 39th week 1990) that I keep because its so stable.

All that said, the 8505/6A have pretty good 10V and 1kV DC ranges. The 100V range could have been improved greatly by adding an extra tap on the custom laser trimmed divider network that was added to later units. But Fluke decided not to do that, which was pretty dumb, considering they ended up using a PLD to control the relays. The FW wouldn't have needed to be updated--the GAL26CV12B could have correctly set the gain for the newer cards and be backwards compatible with old FW. Then there are improvements to the Active Filter that could have been done to improve the LSD. But...it is what it is: a decent vintage DMM if you can get a good deal (<150 USD with GPIB/Serial and Ohms/Current Shunt modules). The AC performance isn't really that important, as it is unlikely that you can get it calibrated for a reasonable price. And I have no doubt that every one of these meters sold on the second-hand market is out of calibration on the AC ranges.

[garrettm]

Here are some photos of the newer DC Signal Conditioner and associated documentation. Some of the documentation is wrong: e.g. /10 for 100V range and /100 for 1kV range. These are really /64 *10 and /64 *1, as shown in the "range tests".

[m k]

Bottom of wide edge contact has a manufactured dent, can you say what it is?
Some module types have them and some don't.
Seems to be some sort of an identification for non regular use.

For other versions,
8502AT has the same Thermal TRMS module as 8506A.
Even newer than pictured conditioner (881722) appears in 8505A errata.
Can we expect that there is also 8505C version?

Older pictured conditioner is at least a 3rd version.
8502A has obviously the original, after that it is a bit hazy.
8505A and 8506A manuals have different schematics, but same part numbers.
2nd version has CR6 pairing CR5.
3rd version is adding two IC control lines.

So that 3rd or newer conditioner version can limit suitable software versions.
I must check what conditioner my test subject has, it has accepted all software.