Re: For those with Fluke Handheld DVMs

[DecadentLinuxUserNumeroUno]

On Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:17:54 -0400, ehsjr <eh...@mverizon.net> Gave us:

>On 3/13/2016 11:58 PM, DecadentLinuxUserNumeroUno wrote:
>>
>> I have 4 brand new DVMs and one uses a battery pack up in 3 days flat,
>> turned OFF! I did some net searching and found a forum where it was
>> discovered that Fluke put a cheap Toshiba supercap in the meter with a
>> less than 2 year lifespan and AT the same voltage they were charging it
>> to and everyone was seeing leaking.
>>
>> I knew right away that was the cause of my problem. So I bought a
>> higher voltage, bigger supercap with nearly the same footprint and a
>> slightly higher profile, and stuck it in the BAD METER! and fixed that
>> pup. It takes minimal GRINDING (yes, I said grinding) to make it clear,
>> but it will last for years without leaking since it has a higher voltage
>> rating and the meter will hold the date longer if the batteries do die
>> down. They have been in it for two weeks and no depletion, so that
>> nailed the problem.
>>
>> I photo-documented the whole process in case anyone else has a Fluke
>> DVM that eats batteries for breakfast like they are going out of style.
>> I would have made a video, but this works. Feel free to critique or
>> make good use of as you wish.
>>
>> http://imgur.com/a/jPlow
>>
>
>Brilliant! Thanks.


I wish I had made a video, but all there is are the pics, so one has
to be a bit intuitive and look at the file names as well. I also put
metadata info into the file, but imgur may not take the files as they
get uploaded and my create their own versions sans metadata.

I like when I can hover over one of my Excel spreadsheets/workbooks
with my mouse and a wealth of info (which I inserted) about the file and
what it does appears before ever opening the file. The idiots at MS did
get a few things right.

[pf...@aol.com]

On Sunday, March 20, 2016 at 10:37:10 AM UTC-4, DecadentLinuxUserNumeroUno wrote:
> On Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:17:54 -0400, ehsjr <eh...@mverizon.net> Gave us:
>
> >On 3/13/2016 11:58 PM, DecadentLinuxUserNumeroUno wrote:
> >>
> >> I have 4 brand new DVMs and one uses a battery pack up in 3 days flat,
> >> turned OFF! I did some net searching and found a forum where it was
> >> discovered that Fluke put a cheap Toshiba supercap in the meter with a

> >> less than 2 year lifespan and AT the same voltage by this behavior.

Just an FYI: Flukes generally carry a lifetime warranty - and this expedient would void that warranty. A more serious failure would then render the unit worthless and without resort to Fluke.

Just keep this in mind.

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA

[jurb...@gmail.com]

>"Just an FYI: Flukes generally carry a lifetime warranty -"

Really. Does that apply to the 8000 series ? Buddy of mine has one the batteries leaked all over and now it acts erratic. We have NOT modified the unit, just took out the batteries. If that is under warranty hell, we'll send it in !

[pf...@aol.com]

Eveready or Duracell, either will replace the unit at no cost. Chinese crap, no. Fluke would call that negligence, and rightly so.

[Cydrome Leader]

The last duracell battery leakage claim I filed resulted in getting a
prepaid credit card. Had to get an all new flashlight, but it worked out
in the end. Not sure how they deal with more expensive stuff like test
equipment.

[pf...@aol.com]

On Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 11:59:02 AM UTC-4, Cydrome Leader wrote:

> The last duracell battery leakage claim I filed resulted in getting a
> prepaid credit card. Had to get an all new flashlight, but it worked out
> in the end. Not sure how they deal with more expensive stuff like test
> equipment.

My wife once upon a time collected Fiesta Ware pottery. As you (should) know, back in the day that Fiesta first started, many of the glazes used radioactive salts for certain colors including orange, green and a few others. So, I acquired a geiger counter, military surplus, for checking that possibility. Not that the stuff was passively harmful, just that one would not wish to serve food in those pieces that were radioactive. Well, the (Eveready) batteries leaked. I sent it off to Eveready, and about a week later, received a check for $357.32 (I DO remember that number), which represented the cost of that unit when new plus the cost of my shipping the item to them. That, along with a very nice note suggesting that batteries should be removed from expensive test equipment when it is not in use to avoid inconvenience. I went back to the same source I got the first counter, and replaced it with a Navy surplus device for $75, including shipping. I gave that to my son-in-law, as he and his dad collect items that involve glazes and glass, and I now have a Civil Defense kit including scintillators and several other testers that I purchased NIB at a municipal "yard sale" for $25. Works nicely.

I now also remove batteries from my "good" stuff if it is going down for more than a week or so.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiesta_(dinnerware)

[Adrian Caspersz]

On 21/03/16 23:04, jurb...@gmail.com wrote:
>> "Just an FYI: Flukes generally carry a lifetime warranty -"
>
> Really. Does that apply to the 8000 series ? Buddy of mine has one the batteries leaked all over and now it acts erratic. We have NOT modified the unit, just took out the batteries. If that is under warranty hell, we'll send it in !
>

http://en-us.fluke.com/support/warranties/

"Industrial Products Limited Lifetime Warranty

"Lifetime is defined as seven years after Fluke discontinues
manufacturing the product, but the warranty period shall be at least ten
years from date of purchase. *(Lifetime Warranty applies to products
manufactured after October 1996"


--
Adrian C

[pf...@aol.com]

All true. But my direct experience with Fluke is that they will send on the "next best thing" when a piece is unfixable. NOTE: they have fixed, also in my direct experience, some pretty sick puppies.

Zippo will repair their lighters similarly, even if it is only a strike wheel that remains of the old device. Their factory tour (Bradford, PA) goes by the repair room where these lighters come in - and the dedicated (in every way) staff that does the repairs. A fascinating operation. Many here could learn a few things. I certainly did.

[Bruce Esquibel]

pf...@aol.com <pf...@aol.com> wrote:

> All true. But my direct experience with Fluke is that they will send on
> the "next best thing" when a piece is unfixable. NOTE: they have fixed,
> also in my direct experience, some pretty sick puppies.

Yeah I don't think the warranty they lived by early on was anything to write
home about. Somewhere in time I dropped some good coin on a 97 scope meter
and within 3 years of owning it, the backlight for the display went out, the
battery pack didn't charge anymore and eventually (using it as a bench meter
of sorts at that point) the charging wart failed.

They wanted somewhere around $300 for a repair on everything and I just
didn't think it was worth it. I found another ac adapter at a hamfest
(remember those?) and continued to use it but these days it's in a box
buried in the basement somewhere.

> Zippo will repair their lighters similarly, even if it is only a strike
> wheel that remains of the old device. Their factory tour (Bradford, PA)
> goes by the repair room where these lighters come in - and the dedicated
> (in every way) staff that does the repairs. A fascinating operation. Many
> here could learn a few things. I certainly did.

This is what I really wanted to comment on, those guys really do that.

I had a plain chrome lighter (but engraved) someone gave me years ago and
pretty much was a daily use item, always carried it around and in use. It
didn't "click" anymore, that steel spring thing was broke, the hinge was
loose (you needed 2 hands to use it at that point) and the fence/wheel was
blackend with use along with the wheel being wobbly.

One day while trying to slide it back in my pocket I missed, it bounced off
the wood stairs I was on and fell over the edge onto concrete basement
stairs.

At the bottom it was in peices, everything just fell apart.

So I knew about the "no matter what" lifetime warranty, filled out the form
from the website and mailed it in. I figure they would say something like,
are you nuts or something but surprise, surprise, in a about 3 weeks it was
returned, totally repaired and even came in a new box and old parts thrown
in as well.

No charge.

I mean it's just a lighter but I can't think of another company or product
that is backed up by a real lifetime warranty like that. Someone should give
Zippo an award or something.

-bruce
b...@ripco.com

[MJC]

In article <nd0jss$ci7$1...@remote5bge0.ripco.com>, b...@ripco.com says...

>
> I mean it's just a lighter but I can't think of another company or
product
> that is backed up by a real lifetime warranty like that. Someone should give
> Zippo an award or something.

Perhaps they were counting on a smoker's lifetime not being that long...

Mike.

[Cydrome Leader]

pf...@aol.com <pf...@aol.com> wrote: > On Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at

That's a good practice. They only leak when you don't expect it. Then
there are always the batteries that are good for a decade past the "good
until" date.

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiesta_(dinnerware)

Didn't know red was the radioactive color. I do like that green-ish
radioactive glass from the era of uranium based home products.

[Mark Zacharias]

"Cydrome Leader" <pres...@MUNGEpanix.com> wrote in message
news:nd1m0l$t15$2...@reader1.panix.com...

> pf...@aol.com <pf...@aol.com> wrote: > On Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at
> 11:59:02 AM UTC-4, Cydrome Leader wrote: > >> The last duracell battery
> leakage claim I filed

>snip<

> > I now
> also remove batteries from my "good" stuff if it is going down for more
> than a week or so.
>
>
>
>
> That's a good practice. They only leak when you don't expect it. Then
> there are always the batteries that are good for a decade past the "good
> until" date.

Couple years back I bought a Micronta 22-206 FET multimeter, virtually "new
old stock".

Well, not quite. While everything looked pristine - Radio Shack branded
batteries had been installed (1975 date code) and just left in there when
the thing was boxed back up.

The batteries, a C-cell and a 9 volt, were totally flat but had never
leaked. Not even a little.

Dodged a bullet on that one.

Mark Z.

[pf...@aol.com]

On Friday, March 25, 2016 at 6:35:32 AM UTC-4, Mark Zacharias wrote:
>
> Couple years back I bought a Micronta 22-206 FET multimeter, virtually "new
> old stock".
>
> Well, not quite. While everything looked pristine - Radio Shack branded
> batteries had been installed (1975 date code) and just left in there when
> the thing was boxed back up.
>
> The batteries, a C-cell and a 9 volt, were totally flat but had never
> leaked. Not even a little.
>
> Dodged a bullet on that one.
>
> Mark Z.

This thread lead me to check the battery-included instruments I keep at/near the bench:

B&K LCR meter
Fluke DVM
Transistor Analyzer
ESR Meter
Micronta Digital DVM (travel kit)
RF/AF Signal Injector
Micro Maglite
3D Maglite (AKA "Persuader")

Any one of which could be a significant inconvenience should it fail at a critical time and/or have to go away for a while.

The Geiger counter lives in the closet. It gets used perhaps twice per year.

Ah, well.

[Michael A. Terrell]

"pf...@aol.com" wrote:
>
> Eveready or Duracell, either will replace the unit at no cost. Chinese crap, no. Fluke would call that negligence, and rightly so.

Peter, the Fluke meters that I've repaired all had GE labeled NiCads.
They were assembled in the form of two packs of two cells that were
soldered together in a pair, and they used some Berg terminals that
snapped onto tiny ball tipped terminal posts. They were approximately C
cell sized, and each pair was in a snap on cover, one on each side of
the line transformer. I have located a supply of new cells from another
OEM, but the wires are hard as a rock, and most of the terminals ar
damaged in the latest batch of Fluke 8050 meters that I received. I have
been unable to locate the part number for the terminals. It isn't listed
in the Fluke manuals. We used that terminal at Microdyne, but I no
longer have any contacts there now that it is part of L3-Com, in Philly.
As far as I know, they dropped support for every product that used that
terminal, as well.

[pf...@aol.com]

Send them to Fluke. Betcha you will be pleasantly surprised.

[John Robertson]

Lifetime by Fluke is defined as seven years after they stop production
of the device:

http://en-us.fluke.com/support/warranties/

My 1980s vintage Fluke test gear 9100s, 9010s, etc., is long past their
lifetime warranty.

John ;-#)#

--
(Please post followups or tech inquiries to the USENET newsgroup)
John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
(604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
www.flippers.com
"Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

[Cydrome Leader]

pf...@aol.com <pf...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Friday, March 25, 2016 at 6:35:32 AM UTC-4, Mark Zacharias wrote:
>>
>> Couple years back I bought a Micronta 22-206 FET multimeter, virtually "new
>> old stock".
>>
>> Well, not quite. While everything looked pristine - Radio Shack branded
>> batteries had been installed (1975 date code) and just left in there when
>> the thing was boxed back up.
>>
>> The batteries, a C-cell and a 9 volt, were totally flat but had never
>> leaked. Not even a little.
>>
>> Dodged a bullet on that one.
>>
>> Mark Z.
>
> This thread lead me to check the battery-included instruments I keep at/near the bench:
>
> B&K LCR meter
> Fluke DVM
> Transistor Analyzer
> ESR Meter
> Micronta Digital DVM (travel kit)
> RF/AF Signal Injector
> Micro Maglite
> 3D Maglite (AKA "Persuader")

Be extra careful with the maglights. Leaked battery swell up and the juice
that comes out will corrode the aluminum and constrict around the battery.
It can be impossible to get the batteries out. I had a Kel-Lite destroyed
that way. Somebody on usenet suggested wrapping the cells in saran wrap
so if they leak you can just slide the whole mess out.

[mike]

That probably won't help. You have to pull them out and there's nothing
to pull on.
I had a maglite with that problem. I had to saw it in half to get a look
at the markings on the battery. Was Duracell. Sent them a picture.
They sent me the cost of the light.

[Michael A. Terrell]

Fluke used to sell replacement battery packs, so there was no
warranty. These did not damage anything, they simply loose the ability
to take a charge of the decades. The problem is that you can not use
the meter from AC, since the battery powered version has an inverter
that needs the NiCads on the input side to operate. Look at the
schematic of a model 8050, and read the manula where it warns you not to
use that version with dead or missing battery packs.

[Michael A. Terrell]

John Robertson wrote:
>
> On 03/20/2016 8:09 AM, pf...@aol.com wrote:
> > On Sunday, March 20, 2016 at 10:37:10 AM UTC-4, DecadentLinuxUserNumeroUno wrote:
> >> On Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:17:54 -0400, ehsjr <eh...@mverizon.net> Gave us:
> >>
> >>> On 3/13/2016 11:58 PM, DecadentLinuxUserNumeroUno wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> I have 4 brand new DVMs and one uses a battery pack up in 3 days flat,
> >>>> turned OFF! I did some net searching and found a forum where it was
> >>>> discovered that Fluke put a cheap Toshiba supercap in the meter with a
> >>>> less than 2 year lifespan and AT the same voltage by this behavior.
> >
> > Just an FYI: Flukes generally carry a lifetime warranty - and this expedient would void that warranty. A more serious failure would then render the unit worthless and without resort to Fluke.
> >
> > Just keep this in mind.
> >
> > Peter Wieck
> > Melrose Park, PA
> >
>
> Lifetime by Fluke is defined as seven years after they stop production
> of the device:
>
> http://en-us.fluke.com/support/warranties/
>
> My 1980s vintage Fluke test gear 9100s, 9010s, etc., is long past their
> lifetime warranty.

Otherwise, they would still have to support old vacuum tube based
equipment that they built in 1948. They don't even list the manual for
my Fluke 8050 meters. Luckily, several free archive sites have it in
PDF.

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Sat, 02 Apr 2016 23:42:14 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
<mike.t...@earthlink.net> wrote:

>Fluke used to sell replacement battery packs, so there was no
>warranty. These did not damage anything, they simply loose the ability
>to take a charge of the decades. The problem is that you can not use
>the meter from AC, since the battery powered version has an inverter
>that needs the NiCads on the input side to operate. Look at the
>schematic of a model 8050, and read the manula where it warns you not to
>use that version with dead or missing battery packs.

Thanks. You just explained why my 8050a was acting rather oddly on
AC. When I replaced the battery pack, it magically started working
correctly. I was guessing a loose wire or component, but never
suspected that anything required a working battery:
<http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=fluke+8050a+battery>
I guess I should have read the manual.

--
Jeff Liebermann je...@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

[Michael A. Terrell]

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
>
> On Sat, 02 Apr 2016 23:42:14 -0400, "Michael A. Terrell"
> <mike.t...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> >Fluke used to sell replacement battery packs, so there was no
> >warranty. These did not damage anything, they simply loose the ability
> >to take a charge of the decades. The problem is that you can not use
> >the meter from AC, since the battery powered version has an inverter
> >that needs the NiCads on the input side to operate. Look at the
> >schematic of a model 8050, and read the manula where it warns you not to
> >use that version with dead or missing battery packs.
>
> Thanks. You just explained why my 8050a was acting rather oddly on
> AC. When I replaced the battery pack, it magically started working
> correctly. I was guessing a loose wire or component, but never
> suspected that anything required a working battery:
> <http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=fluke+8050a+battery>
> I guess I should have read the manual.

You're welcome. I wish the Fluke 8920/8921/8922 true RMS meters (20
MHz upper limit) were as easy to repair and calibrate. I used one at
Microdyne, so I bought one for myself a few years ago. Being able to set
0 dB where you want it, makes gain calculations easy.

[John Robertson]

True enough, Fluke (for one) doesn't appear to mind that folks post
their older technical manuals for obsolete equipment. I've hosted their
manuals for almost two decades with no issues at all (Fluke 9010 and
9100 stuff). Data I/O is another, in fact most of the respectable
technical tools company seem to implicitly support the dissemination of
their older info to keep these devices running...

[jurb...@gmail.com]

Glad my 8050A doesn't have batteries.

[jurb...@gmail.com]

>"I wish the Fluke 8920/8921/8922 true RMS meters (20
>MHz upper limit) were as easy to repair and calibrate."

Holy chit, 20 MHz ? I don't even want to know what those things cost.

[Jeff Liebermann]

On Sun, 3 Apr 2016 07:42:01 -0700 (PDT), jurb...@gmail.com wrote:

>Glad my 8050A doesn't have batteries.

Is it Option 1 and duz it work on AC? Mine wouldn't work on AC until
I replaced the battery pack.

Here's what's involved in running it without a battery and replacing
the display with LED's:
<http://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/fluke-8050a-repair/>
Or, if you don't mind overkill, here's another LED and a graphic
display transplant:
<http://vondervotteimittiss.com/belfry/?p=180>
<http://vondervotteimittiss.com/belfry/?p=129>

[Michael A. Terrell]

Typical used price is around $500. I have seen them sell for $50,
untested.


http://assets.fluke.com/manuals/8920A_21imeng0000.pdf

[Michael Black]

My TI-30 calculator from about 1976 was the same. It could run off a 9v
battery, but you could also get a chargeable battery. But if you used
that, it needed the battery, the charger only charging the battery, not
running the calculator. I've seen that in other equipment.

Michael