Fluke 79 acting up

I want the 87-V I guess. I won't buy used though. While I got your attention, do the digits on you 77 appear solid black? Mine look a bit brownish and I don't remember if they were ever black. I've had it new since around 1987 if memory serves me correctly.

There are a few authorized Fluke dealers within driving distance from me. I guess I'll make some calls tomorrow and see what prices I can get. These places don't sell to joe consumer so they usually have competitive pricing.

I bought a 73 from a pawn shop years ago and it started doing wierd stuff right away . I found several cold solder joints here & there .. been working fine ever sence .

My 83 shortly after new started goofing up . It was the rubber thing that connects the screen . Later it would start making chirping sounds when turned off . That was a switch on the back of the circuit board . This meter sits in a desk drawer and seldome gets used , it still looks like brand new . I thought Fluke was bullet proof .

I've only ever bought used, in this case it was a demo or some sort and comes in the original box with accessories and warranty, I'm not gonna pay another hundred bucks to get to break the shrinkwrap. I saw a surprising number of new and nearly new Flukes on ebay, with many going substantially below retail. For some silly reason, I dislike the new wedge shaped models and prefer the classic style. I have no logical reason for that though as it's a tool.

The digits are black on the 77, though some of the segments are a bit washed out. I fixed that years ago by washing the zebra strips but it came back eventually.

So beware of people selling you out dated meters.

get a 289, you'll like it! :)

The 77 I'm replacing is over 15 years old, it still served most of my needs just fine, all it lacked was true RMS. What do I care if a meter is out dated?

Screw the 289, it'd cost me 3 times what the 87 I found did, and I can't see anything extra it does that I need. That's a lot of budget I could use for other hobbies.

Ok I figured it might be time to clean the strip but all the segments are uniform in contrast which appears to be around 80%.

Well bullet proof may be a misnomer in any electronic device. My 77 has seen rough service most of its life and I've had no problems with it other than the display not having the contrast it should which may just be an issue with the zebra strip.

th

The rotary switches get dirty over time. Take the meter apart and clean the rotary switch with contact cleaner. If there's carbon strips on the back side clean them with an alcohol soaked Q tip. Also, clean the button grids on the circuit board with alcohol.

good luck

Bob WC3P

Tried it, no change. I covered all the easy stuff, including touching up any suspect solder joints I found.

any

Have you tried, as a test, cable tie/s around meter body plus packing piece plus folding wooden clothes peg wedges, over the main chip ?

-- Diverse Devices, Southampton, England electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on

How about baking it in the oven with Ricotta cheese and a good Italian sauce?

Now then... don't be sarky ;)

Ron(UK)

The reference may also be a separate IC. I've used a lot of them over the years. Our telemetry receivers used a 10.000 volt reference in multiple systems, so we used an external reference with a buffer so it could be trimmed to exactly 10.000 volts.

A low voltage zener isn't suitable for a reference in a meter. The knee is too soft, and they drift with temperature changes. If all you want is +/- 10% tolerance it would be ok, but that level was obsolete by WW-I.

I had a similar problem with a 79. Fluke had a problem with the cleanliness of the LCD Display contacts on some versions. Take apart the meter & remove the LCD display. On a flat friendly surface, carefully thoroughly clean the contacts with an eraser. Make sure no residue is left & re install. Made mine look better than new.