Noticed that old Fluke meters are selling for $50-$80 whereas
comparable Wavetek meters, same features, sell for $10-$30.

Any suggestions on whether the extra cost of a used Fluke is worth it,
over Wavetek?

Also, is the Ideal multimeter really a Wavektek? (Buttons are in the
same position, same functions.) But, why cheaper?

I have 2 8060A meters, an 8050 and 8000. The 8060As are the work
horses. Very reliable and tough to break. Only problem with one after
15 years was the MAC chip (40 pin A/D and switching came partly
unplugged and died) Fluke no longer repairs these and no parts are
available. Got a broken one on eBay, which had a good MAC chip and all
is well. I've used Waveteks at work and they're OK but I want my Fluke.
GG

My Beckman 223 died suddenly the other day.

Wa-ah!

I tried to turn it on, nothing. Hmmm. Had a fresh battery, I thought. Opened
it up. Battery was fairly warm. Main processor IC, however, was almost hot
enough to burn my finger.

Darn shame - it was a good one for 15 years or so.

Limping along with a Radio Shack meter 'til I decide what to buy.


Mark Z.



wrote in message
oups.com...
I have 2 8060A meters, an 8050 and 8000. The 8060As are the work
horses. Very reliable and tough to break. Only problem with one after
15 years was the MAC chip (40 pin A/D and switching came partly
unplugged and died) Fluke no longer repairs these and no parts are
available. Got a broken one on eBay, which had a good MAC chip and all
is well. I've used Waveteks at work and they're OK but I want my Fluke.
GG

"Mark D. Zacharias" writes:

My Beckman 223 died suddenly the other day.

Wa-ah!

My Lafayette VOM is about 35 years old and still going strong. It has
a needle.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Mirror: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Note: These links are hopefully temporary until we can sort out the excessive
traffic on Repairfaq.org.

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name is included in the subject line. Or, you can
contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

I got a Fluke 83 brand new . It has seen little use and sits in a drawer
in my desk & gets used a bit still & still looks like new .

the problem it has is .. when i turn it off it makes strange clicking
sounds till i move the switch on then back off . many times when i turn
it on it is on some wrong range , once again moving the switch one range
then back clears it up .
I have taken itapart & cleaned the switch and checked for loose solder
e.t.c. & never found the problem . I took it to or local Fluke dealer
repair center and they could not get it to act up .

In article ,
Sam Goldwasser wrote:
My Lafayette VOM is about 35 years old and still going strong. It has
a needle.

But if a high impedance input, presumably a valve type so mains operated?

I love - and collect - old test gear, but the fact remains that you'll get
modern equivalents which fit in the hand, rather than the bay, which are
more accurate and work off a battery. ;-)

--
*How about "never"? Is "never" good for you?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" writes:

In article ,
Sam Goldwasser wrote:
My Lafayette VOM is about 35 years old and still going strong. It has
a needle.

But if a high impedance input, presumably a valve type so mains operated?

No, 30,000 ohms/V, no active components, ohms use a battery.

I love - and collect - old test gear, but the fact remains that you'll get
modern equivalents which fit in the hand, rather than the bay, which are
more accurate and work off a battery. ;-)

The Lafayette get's used daily; my Fluke 89 usually stays in the closet.
For a lot of things, accuracy isn't the main criteria.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Mirror: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Note: These links are hopefully temporary until we can sort out the excessive
traffic on Repairfaq.org.

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name is included in the subject line. Or, you can
contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

"Sam Goldwasser" wrote in message
...
"Mark D. Zacharias" writes:

My Beckman 223 died suddenly the other day.

Wa-ah!

My Lafayette VOM is about 35 years old and still going strong. It has
a needle.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Mirror:

I have an Eico I built in tech school which has a large analog meter.
20kOhms per volt. Measures a bit too high on DC voltages. Always have to
switch leads around to measure different polarity voltages. Have to
interpret readings of several dial scales, etc. Too lazy for this anymore.
Just give me a good digital!


Mark Z.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Noticed that old Fluke meters are selling for $50-$80 whereas
comparable Wavetek meters, same features, sell for $10-$30.

Any suggestions on whether the extra cost of a used Fluke is worth it,
over Wavetek?

Also, is the Ideal multimeter really a Wavektek? (Buttons are in the
same position, same functions.) But, why cheaper?


It's more a matter of reliability, durability, accuracy and serviceability.
Meters don't so much "wear out", rather they tend to get zapped by excessive
voltage, dropped, crushed, banged around, and calibration drifts with age.
Just about anyone in the electronics field will tell you to get a Fluke.

That said, watch out for some of the new low end Fluke stuff, it's made in
China these days.

On Sun, 27 Mar 2005 08:04:16 GMT, "James Sweet"
put finger to keyboard and composed:


wrote in message
roups.com...
Noticed that old Fluke meters are selling for $50-$80 whereas
comparable Wavetek meters, same features, sell for $10-$30.

Any suggestions on whether the extra cost of a used Fluke is worth it,
over Wavetek?

Also, is the Ideal multimeter really a Wavektek? (Buttons are in the
same position, same functions.) But, why cheaper?


It's more a matter of reliability, durability, accuracy and serviceability.
Meters don't so much "wear out", rather they tend to get zapped by excessive
voltage, dropped, crushed, banged around, and calibration drifts with age.
Just about anyone in the electronics field will tell you to get a Fluke.

.... except me. I have a PM97 Scopemeter which cost me AU$2750 but
which has been a POS from day one. Just get yourself a cheap DMM and
calibrate it against a 5.000V reference.

See this simple calibration circuit based on a MAX6350 5.000V
reference IC. This chip has a claimed 0.02% accuracy (5.000 +/-
0.001V):

http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_30853/article.html

That said, watch out for some of the new low end Fluke stuff, it's made in
China these days.


- Franc Zabkar
--
Please remove one 's' from my address when replying by email.

wrote:
Noticed that old Fluke meters are selling for $50-$80 whereas
comparable Wavetek meters, same features, sell for $10-$30.

Any suggestions on whether the extra cost of a used Fluke is worth it,
over Wavetek?

Also, is the Ideal multimeter really a Wavektek? (Buttons are in the
same position, same functions.) But, why cheaper?

although i've used fluke's for years...
the last time a got a meter it was a wavetek

it had more features than the fluke and cost less...
it's been running fine for many years and i use it in a very rough
industrial application


my guess is that if both a fluke and a wavetek were dropped from a great
height...the fluke would prob hold up better...
but the wavetek is a good meter

"philo " "philo skrev i meddelandet
...
wrote:
Noticed that old Fluke meters are selling for $50-$80 whereas
comparable Wavetek meters, same features, sell for $10-$30.

Any suggestions on whether the extra cost of a used Fluke is worth it,
over Wavetek?

Also, is the Ideal multimeter really a Wavektek? (Buttons are in the
same position, same functions.) But, why cheaper?

although i've used fluke's for years...
the last time a got a meter it was a wavetek

it had more features than the fluke and cost less...
it's been running fine for many years and i use it in a very rough
industrial application


my guess is that if both a fluke and a wavetek were dropped from a great
height...the fluke would prob hold up better...
but the wavetek is a good meter

You are so right, there is lot's of good DMM,s on the market for less price
than FLUKE but those FLUKE are good. I got 2 FLUKE 77 and I had them for I
don't know how long maybe 15 years or more and they never seem to wear out.
Even if you are a PRO you even try to measure high voltage with the range
knob at ohm
I've done this and they are still ok.

Bjorn

Buy a Fluke....if your serious about reliability....