Author Topic: Old Fluke Multimeters  (Read 355947 times)

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Offline OldTexan

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #275 on: November 22, 2016, 11:40:47 am »
I have two Fluke 8520A DMMs. Both work perfectly except for one function, which appears to have the same problem in both instruments. Neither will work properly in the 4-wire ohms function. The 2-wire ohms function more or less works OK.

It appears than no current is being supplied from the 4-wire ohms current source.

I am at my wits end trying to troubleshoot this problem and I am wondering if this forum has in it anyone sufficiently familiar with the 8520A to give me some help. If anyone knows of any common problem with the 4-wire ohms function in the 8520A I would sure like to get into correspondence with that person or those people.
 

Offline switcher

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Re: Serial numbers on all Flukes Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #276 on: November 22, 2016, 09:20:27 pm »
Does anyone know how to decode the serial numbers on the Fluke DMMs?  Are they the same even to the modern ones?

Worse ase, I can guestimate the manufacture date from the date codes on some of the ICs on the board for a ball park figure.  But the serial number should be the best bet.

I hope you all don't find this too much off topic.

I've been wondering that, too.

Fluke seem to have a group of three digits, then (possibly) zero(s), then another number, say, 3630012, or 4780277.

Its as if the first three digits mean something, then the last four are the serial number ??
 

Offline OldTexan

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #277 on: November 26, 2016, 03:42:04 pm »
Is there anyone in this forum who has experience with the Fluke model 8520A DMM? I am having a hellova time trying to fix a problem in one and could sure use some insight from anyone familiar with this model. Thanks.
 

Offline rsjsouza

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #278 on: November 27, 2016, 08:05:24 pm »
OldTexan, you may have some luck contacting the folks in the other thread that talks about the same model. Perhaps they can help you:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/51-fluke-8520a-how-far-does-this-rabbit-hole-go-part-1/

There is another thread where someone reports a faulty 8520A, but in this case they were trying to get help from Fluke:
http://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=254389

Good luck in your search!
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Oh, the "whys" of the datasheets... The information is there not to be an axiomatic truth, but instead each speck of data must be slowly inhaled while carefully performing a deep search inside oneself to find the true metaphysical sense...
 

Offline jssilva

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #279 on: January 08, 2017, 04:41:54 pm »
Hello,

Just registered to thank the many that posted their repairing experiences of the 8060A, namely the creator drtaylor, which helped me a lot reviving the one that I have since 30+ years, that I bought to replace a needle one. This has been a faithful partners of all my designs.

I thought I could give something back by posting my most recent repair experience.

So, I had replaced the electrolytics and cleaned the board with IPA a few times before, always successfully. But this time was different. Since some time, after power on the display either was blank or all segments lit or would just works for a few weeks with a few power recycles in-between.

After reading a lot on this forum, I suspected the elastomeric connecting the main board to the daughter board. With an ohmeter I couldn't come to a conclusion but, by twisting the small board assembly, sometimes I could make it work for some days more.

To make a long story short, filling the solder pads with solder to increase the pressure on the elastomeric didn't work and so I went on to the next solution which was soldering a 0,1" flat-cable connecting both boards and it worked. Well, sort of, intermittently. After further investigation I discovered a solder joint which was not joining, meaning, the solder was just sort of glued to the pad underneath which was completely oxidate. After repairing, all is well now and it will probably outlive this old-timer.

My conclusion is that, if I had found that before, perhaps I wouldn't have to replace the elastomeric by the flat-cable. Hope this can help someone.

Rgds
 

Offline Satbeginner

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #280 on: January 17, 2017, 01:40:25 pm »
Hello All,

I always love to read about people and how they save the old(er) vintage, but o-so-very-well-build devices.
I too have some Fluke meters that I still love and use: for outdoor things I have this 77 in the rubber case, I am pretty sure this thing will never break. Only needs a new battery every few years.

Now for my other (sad!!) story: I managed to buy a Fluke 45 somebody pulled from his bench, and the Vacuum Display now is gone.....
The glass tube, where during manufacturing the vacuum is created, broke off.

My humble question is: is there anybody out there who did an replace of such a display because it went dim, and still has the old, dim one lying around?

It would be a great help bringing this old meter back to life, obviously I will pay for shipping and other costs.

Update: I am in the process of replacing the VFD by 7-segment LED displays now.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/fluke-45-vfd-display-broken/

Un saludo,

Satbeginner (Leo)
« Last Edit: January 29, 2017, 02:18:03 pm by Satbeginner »
You need a scope to repair a scope, and you need many multimeters to repair another multimeter!
*Tek 2467B, Tek 2465B, Tek 2465B, Tek 485, Tek 475A,  Keithley 175A, Keithley 2000, HP 3468B, HP 3457A, HP 34401A, PM 6671, PM 5716, Fluke 45, Fluke 75, Fluke 77, Fluke 79, AFX 9660BL, KPS 605D, etc. *
 

Offline elecdonia

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #281 on: February 11, 2017, 09:46:34 pm »
For many years I've been a huge fan of the 1970's and 1980's vintage Fluke bench multimeters that have LED displays.
I gradually built up a large collection of 8600A 4.5 digit and 8800A 5.5 digit multimeters.  I use them every day.

About half of my 8600A multimeters are the battery-powered option.  Note:  Always replace faulty batteries in the 8600A with real NiCd cells.  The 8600A battery charging circuit is very crude.  It isn't compatible with NiMH cells.  Also the 8600A won't work unless the 4 size D NiCd cells are all installed and functional.

I've been quite pleased with the stability and reliability of these meters.
I’m learning to be a leading-edge designer of trailing-edge technology.
 

Offline Muttley Snickers

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #282 on: February 11, 2017, 10:01:29 pm »
There is nothing better than seeing meters which are all in complete agreement with each other.   :-+ :)
 
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Offline fremen67

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #283 on: March 12, 2017, 11:16:02 pm »
Hello,
I recently bought a Fluke 8840A and I am trying to fix it. I followed the manual and after some tests, it seems that u303 is bad. It is marked "Fluke 700013" and is described in the manual as a quad analog switch. Does anyone knows if it is a rebranded IC or a real specific Fluke one?
I'm a machine! And I can know much more! I can experience so much more. But I'm trapped in this absurd body!
 

Offline drtaylorTopic starter

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #284 on: April 29, 2017, 02:15:16 am »
To all 8060 aficionados: I'm retiring from my corporate job and starting a consulting business. While I was cleaning out my office I came across all kinds of material that I wrote and/or accumulated when the 8060 first came out. I found a write up I did for hidden features of the 8060, and the original release article that was heavily edited before it made it into the magazines. I have articles in German. Anyway, if anyone cares, I can scan these and post them once I unpack my boxes. I was hoping to find some long lost 8060 parts in the lab, but no luck there. I have original user guides, but while working I was too lazy to post them to anyone. So once I'm settled into retirement life, I'll make an effort to ship out manuals to those who want them, also signed if you want. All I ask is you to cover the shipping costs. Most interesting to me was I had a copy of the IBM invoice where they bought 1000s of 8060s. It was the biggest order in Fluke history at the time. No, I got nothing but an attaboy from the high mucky mucks (John Fluke Sr amongst them). But that's a story I've already told.
 
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Offline coromonadalix

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #285 on: April 29, 2017, 03:23:58 am »
send them to k04bb  for archival purposes and availability,  it helped me a lot in the past
 

Offline helius

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #286 on: April 29, 2017, 03:32:54 am »
Hi Drtaylor, and thanks for sharing your deep knowledge of these instruments. I acquired an 8060A for myself after reading this thread. It was sold to me as broken, but all that was required to fix it was opening the case and brushing off some dust.

You mentioned in an earlier post that you specified low-leakage electrolytics from Panasonic. Do specific capacitors in the design require low leakage (like less than 15 uA)? I ask because when cleaning my unit (with 1995 date codes), I saw that all of the aluminum caps are Nippon Chemi-Con, and the one associated with the Fluke/Motorola RMS chip, C19, is a "LL" or "LLA" type with maximum leakage of 1.5 uA. None of the capacitors in my 8060A have leaked, but after 22 years I think I will replace them, as long as they remain within the design specs. I have to clean the board in any case, as just handling it with my fingers has increased the drift and ratio test discrepancy.

I was a bit surprised to see that the custom RMS chip was still being produced in 1995, as you stated that it became obsolete before that. Another curiosity is that in my meter, one of the capacitors that is present in earlier units, C28, has been left unpopulated. I don't have a schematic for that version, but it seems connected with the ADC supply circuit. It looks like Fluke decided it wasn't needed!

Thanks!
 

Offline BravoV

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #287 on: April 29, 2017, 03:51:22 am »
send them to k04bb  for archival purposes and availability,  it helped me a lot in the past

+1, he is the one that is so dedicated on archival, drtaylor, please don't just send out these gems randomly to anyone who asked it.


Offline babysitter

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #289 on: April 29, 2017, 08:36:13 am »
Documents in german? I offer to write "executive summaries", full transcriptions might be possible but I will not sink unlimited time into it. But a ES is better than nothing, right? :)

I'm not a feature, I'm a bug! ARC DG3HDA
 

Offline vindoline

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #290 on: April 29, 2017, 04:32:50 pm »
Congratulations on your retirement! :-+
Would love to see the document on "hidden features" when you have a chance.
 

Offline frozenfrogz

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #291 on: April 29, 2017, 05:43:52 pm »
I’d also like to offer my help with translating german documents to english.

In the last month, I got my hands on three meters in beautiful condition that got added to the 'collection': 8020B, 8060A and 8050A.
The 8060A needed a little love, but now all three agree and work perfectly.
He’s like a trained ape. Without the training.
 

Offline drtaylorTopic starter

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #292 on: April 29, 2017, 08:39:42 pm »
Documents in german? I offer to write "executive summaries", full transcriptions might be possible but I will not sink unlimited time into it. But a ES is better than nothing, right? :)
Hey babysitter and frozenfrogz. Thanks for the offer, but I believe the articles I have in German were just translations of the US articles. Once I post them you can do a comparison and see if any of it is worth translating.

I'll post the hidden features writeup early next week. Some of these are well known already, but this writeup summarizes them nicely.
 
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Offline Electro Detective

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #293 on: April 30, 2017, 09:40:14 am »
I have a lazy owner question re my late 90s mint Fluke 8060A, still kicking and up to spec 20+ years later   :-+

If the caps are slightly leaking at the bottom with no signs of visible invasive creeping corrosion yet, would it be worth giving that bottom area a few forced shots of canned isopropyl alcohol to wash out the area and put off the cap change hangman for another day?

i.e. even though the caps may go south gradually, will the meter's spec still be ok, as it has been after a hose off?

Will the meter need calibration after a careful capacitor change with same values?

Is it mission critical to use replacement capacitors of same type with standard temp 85?
or upgrade with 105 degrees, Low ESR, No ESR, roulette wheel ESR, etc

You guessed it, I'm lazy   :phew:
 

Offline frozenfrogz

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #294 on: April 30, 2017, 10:33:39 am »
Maybe this is a little OT, but can someone give me a hint to why my 8050A makes a gentle ’tick’ noise every couple of minutes? Is this normal, or should I investigate?

THX, Frederik
He’s like a trained ape. Without the training.
 

Offline retiredcaps

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #295 on: April 30, 2017, 05:47:57 pm »
If the caps are slightly leaking at the bottom with no signs of visible invasive creeping corrosion yet, would it be worth giving that bottom area a few forced shots of canned isopropyl alcohol to wash out the area and put off the cap change hangman for another day?
If the caps are leaking from the bottom now, change them NOW.

Quote
Will the meter need calibration after a careful capacitor change with same values?
It is unlikely the meter will need calibration once you change the capacitors.  I replaced mine in the 8060A and did not require calibration.

Quote
Is it mission critical to use replacement capacitors of same type with standard temp 85?
Modemhead's blog has a list of 105C capacitors.

http://mrmodemhead.com/blog/ibm-8060aaa-fluke-8060a-refurbish/
 
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Offline frozenfrogz

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #296 on: April 30, 2017, 06:43:05 pm »
You guessed it, I'm lazy   :phew:

Get yourself a cheap desoldering station! Since I bought one last week, I don’t even know how I could live without one the last couple of years...
That way – even if you are lazy – changing the caps will be done in no time :)
He’s like a trained ape. Without the training.
 
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Offline Electro Detective

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #297 on: April 30, 2017, 11:57:24 pm »
Thanks for the replies and advice gents   :-+

I have a desoldering gun which comes out for jobs that need better and quicker results than wick, pump and ouch methods.

I didn't want to make work for myself changing out parts on a meter that works fine and may not have cap leakage issues at all = yet. 

I'm hoping I got one of the last made ones with ummm.. better batch quality caps (wishful thinking?) 

After seeing the cool fixit work by Mr. ModemHead at   http://mrmodemhead.com/blog/ibm-8060aaa-fluke-8060a-refurbish/    I will pull the 8060A apart asap, take a good look inside and see what the deal is.
 

---------------


@ frozenfrogz

I have a mains operated 240 volt Fluke 8050A I was using just a few days ago, and verify it's still doing its job properly etc and have never noticed any "gentle ’tick’ noise every couple of minutes"

I'll get it out later today to check for that, and reply back.

Edit:   No 'tick' noise here, just a wee small transformer hum when held up close, and no relays that I can see inside.

What switch mode/s or conditions does it do the ticking business? Is yours a mains or battery operated type? If it's a battery type perhaps it's a charging/ switching sound?   just guessing  :-//

Mine is surprisingly still up to spec on all ranges, but not sure if the RMS AC reading 'may' be a few volts off compared with other RMS meters.
Difficult to verify which meter is the spec winner when using slightly flat top 240 volt mains power as a reference/comparison.
I'll have to do it with a function gen and see how my meters really fare one day. 

-----------

Edit: My 8050A reads about 2 to 3 volts higher when in the 750v AC range, when measuring MAINS voltages above 200v. It may be within close spec anyway at that range and waveform response.
In all the other AC ranges (200v and below) the readings match up closely with other verified meters.
It's not worth a cal or hunting down an internal pot to tweak, when all I do is subtract 2 to 3 volts from the display when in that highest 750v range, if necessary (not).

The 8050A is THE easiest piece of gear to access afaik if anything needs attention. One rear screw magically holds it all together.
« Last Edit: May 01, 2017, 05:02:01 am by Electro Detective »
 

Offline Electro Detective

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #298 on: May 01, 2017, 05:07:16 am »
Opened the 8060A, and absolutely spotless inside.

All the  -guilty till proven innocent-  electrolytic capacitors are Nichicon brand btw, they are the originals and look like they were installed last week!  :o

The entire board and parts are super clean, no evidence of any leakage, discoloration, bloat, tarnish or crust.

It's literally like a new meter, still holding perfect spec, no change since the last time I opened it 15-ish years ago, to see if I got my moneys worth 

Sometimes I get lucky, though not as often as I would like with electronics, sigh...    :-/O

--------------------

Serial Number 657xxxx

PCB markings:
8060A  3001

Revision L

544

:-//
-------------------



Some quick handheld shaky p0rn pics of the 8060A:   

Note the improvised 87-ish yellow holster and weather tape over the readout (not contacting the LCD) to protect the meter,
with side cutouts for power switch and wall wart, and gives it that bonus 'Fluke' pro look too, lol     :-DMM 

The last two  'poor man's cal lab'  photos are both 8060A and 189 being fed DC volts from the 715 Calibrator,
the results are good enough for harsh Australian conditions  :-+

« Last Edit: August 11, 2017, 03:30:23 am by Electro Detective »
 

Offline helius

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Re: Old Fluke Multimeters
« Reply #299 on: May 01, 2017, 11:56:45 am »
Electro Detective:
There is additionally an electrolytic capacitor underneath the shield. I expect you will find it is a different type from the others.
There was also, in earlier units, another under the shield near the R15 pot. I can see that it was left unpopulated.
 
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