Author Topic: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?  (Read 40119 times)

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Offline Swake

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #50 on: October 08, 2024, 12:59:24 pm »
And the SW860 software
When it fits stop using the hammer
 
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Offline Gertjan

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #51 on: October 08, 2024, 05:28:34 pm »
.....Also there is modern software that supports many multimeters and the author added support for Fluke 867B in 2022! Check it out here: https://www.ts-software-jp.net/products/tsdmmview.html

There are more logging software options for the 867B.

I wrote a device driver for the Fluke 867 for TestController
TestController is a modern, and free, program that can log from multimeters, electronic loads, power supplies and some other stuff. The program can log, show charts and do math on data from multiple devices simultaneous.
The program works on Windows, Linux and Mac.

Just for fun, here is the frequency response of my 867B, as measured in TestController:


Fluke 867B Frequency.png

More info about the 867B device file here. (It is now part of the standard distribution of TestController)

regards, Gertjan
 
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Online parawizard

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #52 on: October 09, 2024, 03:02:36 am »
Cool. I hadn't heard of this one yet. Sending commands over serial? Is there any software that replicates the sw860 flukeview for modern os yet?
 

Offline Gertjan

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #53 on: October 09, 2024, 08:19:27 am »
Hi parawizard,

Yes, TestContoller uses the standard optical RS-232 cable for connection with the Fluke 867B.

I really like TestController, and I am using it now over a year as my logging program for everything.

In the past I had to use for every meter a separate, dedicated, usually archaic, logging software (like "SW860 Flukeview" for the 867B)
Then, after the measurement, I had to extract .CSV files from every application. Then import all .CSV's in Excel, and synchronise them into one table.
Only then I could make graphs, and draw conclusions from my measurement. Very time consuming....

Now all meters are logging into TestController, directly into one big table. And the graph is drawn during the measurement. Now, often I know what I need to now before the measurement is even finished  :).

regards, Gertjan
 

Online parawizard

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #54 on: October 11, 2024, 10:24:28 am »
I can definitely see how that would be really handy. I haven't had a reason to use the logging yet here. I am mostly troubleshooting broken gear. I am more interested in saving component tester X/Y plots, waveforms or screens of testing equipment. Don't think this is available in anything modern yet.
 

Online parawizard

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #55 on: October 25, 2024, 07:14:40 am »
Working on documenting the serial interface. Dosbox wasn't too kind with me on Linux and on Windows the IR189II adapter from my father's 289 wouldn't accept 5N1 mode. So I finally got an XP machine running in VirtualBox with the windows version of Flukeview 860. Checking out what is being sent with PortMon I have looked at all the app's functionality. I grabbed my Linux laptop and sent `QP 2\r` and saved the screenshot of the devices display. Trying to figure out the data structure in imhex which is a brilliant piece of software. Check out this picture. Turns out it's basically a 1-bit monochrome bitmap with some extra junk before each row of pixel data. Switching imhex to binary and adjusting the column size is a trip. When it lined up like the picture it all made sense.

 
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Offline Swake

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #56 on: October 25, 2024, 06:19:50 pm »
Very interesting. I did not expect they would do it this way, but it makes sense as adapting the fluke screen does not need any modification on the PC-side software. Might also explain why that Fluke feels so slow.

Thanks for the tip about imhex.
When it fits stop using the hammer
 

Online parawizard

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #57 on: October 25, 2024, 07:45:00 pm »
I was up until like 6am figuring out how program waveform and query waveform work. I noticed that if I query waveform in flukeview I get only a graph of it. If send that waveform back to the device it appears in screen memory as an entire screen. It definitely isnt a fullsize bitmap but it does contain all the information the meter needa to recreatw the screen!

So if I am so inclined I should be able to recreate the meter screens in software with the information sent by Query Waveform. At minimum have an alternate display in software without printing bitmaps. No freezing needed either.

Also interesting is that Query Measurement can return data much quicker than FlukeView refreshes Instrument Display. I am pretty sure it only is calling Query Measurement and not using Waveform data but the interval is much too slow if you wanted to use it live or for youtube.
 

Offline kblue

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #58 on: October 30, 2024, 09:51:27 pm »
Got another 867B (with malfunctioning switch). Its repaired and fully operational, but the batterypack is kinda busted. Tried to use six whatnot-brand AA 1,2 V NiMh 2200 mAh (fully charged) but meter turns off after less than 1 hour. It does work fine with 1,5 V AA batteries.

Mayhaps i'll buy some 1,5 v li-ion AA batteries to have it running.
 

Online parawizard

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #59 on: November 10, 2024, 12:34:49 am »
Got another 867B (with malfunctioning switch). Its repaired and fully operational, but the batterypack is kinda busted. Tried to use six whatnot-brand AA 1,2 V NiMh 2200 mAh (fully charged) but meter turns off after less than 1 hour. It does work fine with 1,5 V AA batteries.

Mayhaps i'll buy some 1,5 v li-ion AA batteries to have it running.

Mine runs for many hours on nimh AAs. Mine are Ikea LADDA 1900mAh and 2450mAh. 1.2V seems low for fully charged nimh. It should be about 8 hours. The nicd pack was 7.2V 1700mah I think. The service manual does show cut off voltages for the battery.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2024, 12:39:18 am by parawizard »
 

Online parawizard

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Re: Fluke 867B, good or obsolete?
« Reply #60 on: November 11, 2024, 09:13:19 am »
Got another 867B (with malfunctioning switch). Its repaired and fully operational, but the batterypack is kinda busted. Tried to use six whatnot-brand AA 1,2 V NiMh 2200 mAh (fully charged) but meter turns off after less than 1 hour. It does work fine with 1,5 V AA batteries.

Mayhaps i'll buy some 1,5 v li-ion AA batteries to have it running.

I might suggest you check each cell at full charge and when the meter says the battery is too low to operate. Maybe you have a bad cell. I have had issues in the past with the plating on the negative end of the cell. I check with both leads on the negative end plate and check that it is very low resistance. If the plating is going obviously the resistance will be higher and in my experience can be fixed with some sandpaper.
 


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