Fluke 8050A, bad range switch... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: AllanMN
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 23, 2014, 12:13:16 am
content: Looks like one of the range switches is bad. Is there any hope for this one?Allan

author: AllanMN
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2014, 05:18:30 am
content: Yeap, it's the ohms select, S4 that's barely making contact. But everything works when it does. Anybody try to open up the switch and repair/clean it? Or contact cleaner into it?

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 24, 2014, 05:51:42 am
content: A little contact cleaner carefully 'run' into the back of the switch would be worth a try, and if it improves the operation then perhaps a little in each switch would also be helpful to the overall health of the unit.I have never had a need to pull apart the switches on any of my fluke 8050's 8010 or 8012. so I cannot say how hard it would be.My guess would be the contact cleaner will be all that's required.

author: wiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2014, 08:26:14 pm
content: I "cleaned" the switches of a 8000, all of them went south after cleaning, you should investigate what cleaner you use...

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2014, 05:46:21 am
content: Does that switch happen to have an extra unused set of contacts? You can see that they come in pairs.

author: wiss
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2014, 01:31:53 pm
content: If your display is ok, get another 8050 with a rotten LCD!

author: crusader66
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2014, 06:38:07 pm
content: I would guess that you have probably already cleaned it but if not then definitely clean the switch with contact/tuner cleaner. A buddy and I have recently cleaned several meters and scopes with various failure descriptions that only needed switch cleaning. Just be careful with the cleaner. A local hardware store sells the contact cleaner next to a can of electrical cleaner that is definitely bad for electronic switches. Using the correct cleaner, I have used it pretty generously on switches with no bad results.

author: devotee
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 14, 2022, 11:02:16 am
content: Can anyone identify the manufacturer of the blue P/B switches? I've tried a minimum of IPA and a lot of cycling, but the mechanism is still a bit janky (engineering term), sometimes not latching.

author: J-R
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2022, 04:56:21 pm
content: I have repaired half a dozen of these with similar switches and in all cases the CRC QD contact cleaner completely fixed the switches. I spray the switch from the top through the pins while working the switch. I typically take about 5 minutes per switch and just keep spraying a little every 30 seconds or so to keep it wet, all while working the switch back and forth. I seem to recall on close inspection there was some dried up grease/goop in there, which is causing this issue.

author: devotee
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 15, 2022, 12:26:19 am
content: I wonder if the goop might be some "vintage" dielectric grease? I'd still like to know who made the switches, if anyone will chime in. I've seen similar ones in Mercedes ACC-II climate control modules form 80's era systems.