Fluke 87 input alert issues - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: joe912
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 22, 2010, 01:11:53 am
content: I am having issues with my fluke 87-I.I just got it and its an awesome meter.However the input alert wont shut up.the meter beeps endlessly unless its in the Amps mode.So this leads me to believe that the meter thinks theres something in its amps terminal.i cleaned the terminal multiple times, with rubbing alcohol and wd-40. no success.However i decided to remove both the mA and A fuse. This removes the beeping.however if i lay my finger across the fuse terminal without a fuse there it beeps.Has anyone seen this issue before? Its sort of annoying since i wanted to use my multimeter for current too.Thanks,Joe

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2010, 01:37:10 am
content: The LEADS alert its an known function ..Normally , it should beep , in any setting other than current .If the leads are not set at the proper holes .Also it should beep , if you have the probes set for current measurement,and your selector are in Ohms ..But wait a minute ... do you have the original leads ?If you try to use plain bananas, it will have issues , there is hidden mini switches in the hole of the terminals.

author: joe912
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 22, 2010, 01:59:46 am
content: But if i have the probes in the V and com ports and am trying to measure resistance, voltage. i should get no beep.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2010, 02:03:44 am
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on May 22, 2010, 01:37:10 am

author: joe912
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 22, 2010, 03:13:42 am
content: nope they're the standard flukes

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2010, 11:24:46 am
content: 87-I, is that right Series One? That is nearly 20 years old.It sounds like it got zapped in its lifetime or its got major dirt inside.Disassemble and clean the rotary switch and check the PCB for shorts.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 22, 2010, 12:18:35 pm
content: Quote from: saturation on May 22, 2010, 11:24:46 amHello Joe , I will agree here with my friend @saturationThere is no need to get in panic, and even cause an damage to it ..So I propose too , to Disassemble it , and wash all of it with white pure alcohol and one small brash.Wash well the PCB from the display area and under , let it dry for few minutes, and even use some hot air on it , so any trapped humidity to move away ...Do the same with the face plate , wash it with soap and hot watter , plus brush .If you have compressed air , use it to dry the terminals holes..Do all this first , before we go to the next levels ... of suggestions.Oh yes they are some...Do that and report back ... and if you do all the above in less time than two hours ,then you must do it again " properly this time "

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 22, 2010, 02:07:48 pm
content: I think it will show the leads alarm in resistance mode when something is plugged in one of the current jacks. The jack consists of two parts, these parts are shorted by the banana plug inserted in the jack. The most likely cause (Occam's razor and all) is something stuck/bent in one of the current jacks that causes a short. I think this is even a recommended troubleshooting step in Fluke's documentation. I'd clean the jacks with IPA and open it up to see if anything is wrong.

author: m3vuv
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 22, 2018, 01:56:51 pm
content: ive a fluke 83 does this at random,did anyone resolve this yet,ive had the meter apart,id say there is no switches in the block where the probes go in as there isnt enough joints on the pcb where it joins,seems like lots of waffle without a solution.

author: ogdento
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2018, 11:30:50 pm
content: m3vuv,there are no physical switches in the jack assembly... each jack is split into two halves and when you put a banana jack in there it shorts the two halves together. see modemhead's entry on 80 series jack assembly rebuild:http://mrmodemhead.com/blog/fluke-80-series-jack-assembly-rebuild/with that said, i also have an 83iii and my jack assembly was acting up... i've never seen this on a fluke meter before but that there was a cracked solder joint on the volt input. I reworked all 8 jack pins and it's as good as new.