Suggestions for replacing a Fluke 8060a?

[industrialarts]

I have been using an 8060a forever. But my current one started acting flakely - like previous ones I have owned - so I want to start the search for a replacement. I was perusing this thread DMM Recommendations? and saw some of the suggestions but even a Fluke 187 is out of my price range.

The functions of the Fluke that I need are the frequency and db measurements. The relative function is indespensible, sometimes the conductivity comes in handy. Any other functions are probably common to most meters. Autoranging is not necessary. Plus - if it is properly calibrated (I'm sure mine no longer is) it is a laboratory grade instrument, but that's just nice. Oh, and it's 4 1/2 digits, which is also nice.

The only other thing that matters is that it's flat across the audio spectrum for voltage/ db measurements.

So if there are recommendations other that in that thread I would love to hear them. I have a cheap meter I bought on eBay for like $15 that ain't so bad but I need something fairly accurate for real troubleshooting.

Thanks

 

[scott2000]

my current one started acting flakely

I think there are some repair threads out there on these... Guess there are some electro caps in there or something....
Just throwing that out there....

 

[Tubetec]

I'm finding Fluke meters going for half nothing on the secondhand market lately.
I have a 187 I paid less than 100 for ,needed a new 4mm plug assembly ,but I cunningly repaired the old one .
Im picking up 77iv and 170 series models for chump change , a few years old maybe ,but they still cal up perfectly alongside the 187 , no db range of course .
Maybe the upper range Brymen meters are worth a look , they have all the fucntions you need , still a lot more expensive than what I pay for used Flukes though .

 

[Tubetec]

I like Scotts suggestion of repairing what you have , then spend a few bob on a used fluke in a good state of cal and use it to line up your old reliable .

 

[Gold]

If you don’t need the portability of the 8060a, 8050a’s on the bay are well under $100. 8060a’s in working order go for more like $150.

I’d get a cheap fluke for everything but the AC measurements. The 8060a’s maintain calibration remarkably well. Mine matches my AP P1 within a few hundredths of a dB.

 

[gyraf]

Fluke45, Keithley197 perhaps?

 

[imaradiostar]

For a while there I had a habit of buying any cheap 8060a or 8050a multimeters I could find. I even ended up with three of the blue IBM branded 8060a. There's a great thread on eevblog on these meters and one of the original 8060a designers participated in the thread. It's really informative and helpful!

Usually the electrolytic caps leak and damage the PCB and other components. The longer you wait, the more damage could be done, but it's very repairable. Since I had a number of the meters, I bought the caps and various components in quantity and have them around to fix the meters as I feel motivated. The ones with leaky caps have been torn down and cleaned and they're sitting in a box. I've given a few refurbished meters to friends as gifts.

I can also highly recommend the 187. I've purchased two of them, broken, and repaired them. The input sockets are prone to failure, but it's otherwise a fabulous meter. I have an 8050a, 8060a, and 187 both at work and home so I can duplicate functionality.

The 8060a is priceless - I don't know that you could find a better general use meter, except for possibly the 187 or 189. I still prefer the 8060a! I run them on rechargeable 9v lithium batteries and never have any trouble!!

In other words I'd recommend fixing it and enjoying it forever!

If you want something new, the best thing going are the brymen meters. I purchased a 789 and it's excellent, probably on a par with the 187.

Jamie

 

[Tubetec]

The one plus the 187 has over the 189 is that it doesnt contain a memory back up battery ,which if its not attended too in time invariably leaks and makes a big shitty mess , 289 can easily end up going out the same way .
Fluke , its a paradoxical name for a precision instrument

 

[industrialarts]

Thanks for your input, I believe that I did have one that I replaced the caps on (this one is number 4 or 5, I think) so that is a possibility. In the meantime, the meter is acting normal again so it may have just been a processor glitch.

But to show that I may have doing this too long, it turns out that I have ANOTHER functioning 8060a. I thought I had kept it only for parts but that was maybe three meters ago (which got tossed at some point - duh!). The second one is missing a button cap and the case is a little dodgy but seems to fine. I remember now that I bought it when I was doing double duty at two shops.

So for now, problem solved. I agree with you all - there has yet to be a better overall audio meter than the 8060a. If there ever was piece of gear that needed to be re-issued this has got to be high on the list

Thanks for your help, I guess I stay in my comfort zone for now But I'll keep your suggestions til the next time

 

[musgrave]

I have re-capped mine twice and it keeps running. I love that puppy.

 

[inkster]

I am way into the 187...rarely bust out the 8060A. Use only lithium batteries in the 187 or any other device using AA or AAA, I put them in ages ago and they're still going.

 

[Whoops]

I use a Fluke 179 for many years, and it's been always great. I don't know if it has frequency and db measurements as I don't use those features, but it's a great meter.

Also this Brymen from EEVBlog has a lot of good reviews check it out:
https://www.eevblog.com/product/eevblog-bm786-multimeter/
I vouch for what other people have said, before ditching your Fluke, search the web for common problems and fixes for that DMM model and trey to fix it. If only a recap is needed thats easy enough.
Adding to this check Ebay, you can get great deals for used DMM, I bought my 179 used for 1/3 of the retail price.

 

[scott2000]

Usually the electrolytic caps leak and damage the PCB and other components. The longer you wait, the more damage could be done, but it's very repairable. Since I had a number of the meters, I bought the caps and various components in quantity and have them around to fix the meters as I feel motivated.

You wouldn't happen to know of recommended replacement caps for the 8060a that are available? Seems the ones I've searched are obsolete and I haven't gone deeper to cross reference size,etc...

Also, there wouldn't happen to a picture of a marked pcb somewhere where the cap solder points are located?
Figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

 

[imaradiostar]

You wouldn't happen to know of recommended replacement caps for the 8060a that are available? Seems the ones I've searched are obsolete and I haven't gone deeper to cross reference size,etc...

Also, there wouldn't happen to a picture of a marked pcb somewhere where the cap solder points are located?
Figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

The eev blog 8060a thread has a link to a digikey or mouser parts list. That greatly simplifies ordering replacement caps!

Jamie

 

[scott2000]

The eev blog 8060a thread has a link to a digikey or mouser parts list. That greatly simplifies ordering replacement caps!

I've tried opening those threads and they seem to be broken/won't load on my end for some reason

 

[imaradiostar]

Forum won't load for me either. Hmmm, must be down. I bet someone here knows; should be some user overlap for sure.

I mostly lurk on both forums.

Jamie

 

[scott2000]

Here's what I came up with capacitors while keeping up with the EOL spirit.. Rubycon...
Man I swear I looked at the 47uf orientation when I yanked it and the pcb has it marked the other way. Can fit a taller cap there so I put one I had in. Guess I'll find out soon enough.
Mine is a 1989 pcb and it's confusing trying to use the available schematics. They're definitely a bit different.

 

[KA-Electonics.com]

https://proaudiodesignforum.com/forum/php/viewtopic.php?t=1275
I didn't have much difficulty finding replacements in my stash. Height isn't that critical. I count 8 electrolytics total.

 

[scott2000]

Thanks for the picture. Your 47uf is how my pcb is marked too..Still could've sworn it was reversed originally but I didn't take any pics...

doesn't the meter assembly bottom out on that top right cap if it isn't flush with the chip at most? Is yours flush?I guess not going to hit if that clock doesn't

just wasted time and money...I have all the diameters,lead spacing and values in 25v here ....oh well...
btw..there are 9...looks like that loose one wasn't installed in the middle next to the other 2 yet..

actually got mine going with just replacing 2 but went ahead and changed them all. Just fighting with the case atm to get the screen to make good contact...

also, is there any harm using up to 50v caps even in a 6.3v position? I only had 50v in the 10uf... seems to work but I haven't tested anything yet...esr is lower in all the caps for sure...

 

[scott2000]

bump..
Meter is acting funky. It was acting funky before ...lagging to boot up.. now it's just either reponding to commands or not..lagging at boot...low battery warning...ugh...cap replacement was pretty painless...nothing bad happened afaik...
It's a bit tricky to get the display pcb to sit right so that may be my issue but, as asked above, how critical is the voltage rating when replacing the capacitors. Using a 50v where a 6.3v was seems a bit excessive? Esr is lower even with the larger voltage spec than the ones that were replaced.....

thought I had it working last night consistently but today it wouldn't boot without multiple turn ons.... seems like a connection issue... but wanted to make sure the capacitor specs didn't need to be precise more or less

hmmm...looks like the on/off switch could be suspect... slight movement of it makes meter act up....