My new Fluke 87V Multimeter "INTEL HIT" very strange!!!! Help please - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Glocal
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 02:06:37 am
content: Hi Guys.A couple of days ago ( round two weeks ago) i bought my Fluke 87V on Ebay :A new Multimeter never used with its probs and box and all the stuffs that used to come with a new Fluke meter ,Its box looked a little bit old at first glans but the meter was definitely new and when i turned on, worked just as it should be and when i tested it by measuring DC and AC Voltage it didn`t give the exact reading as other meters i have then i found out that the meter is drifting, and before comminuating the seller I wanted to make sure that the meter is new again so I checked it for the 4th time and i saw something strange written on the meter just under the knob ( range switch) written "INTEL HIT" and then I comminucate the seller RIGHT A WAY asking about the box , drifting and the strange hard written.He said the box because the meter was stored for quite a long time and it was the last unit he had and the drifting ,he got no idea about it but he knew those kind of meters need to be calibrated once a year or something like that,about the hard written "INTEL HIT" he didnt know anything about it but he contacted Fluke corporation in the USA and they said " It is probably a unit sold to Intel (the chip maker company)" so it is not an important issue he said BUT he guaranteed that the Meter is an original Fluke meter and i can return it back if I dont want it and im still thinking about it wether to return it or not,im happy with it but it needs to be calibrated right away and its price was really bargain.So please i want to hear your opinion about it ,what would you do if you had the same thing?I`ll really appreciate thatI will try to post the picture too

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 02:30:05 am
content: The H.I.T. it must be the department that it was stolen from.My advice would be to stay silent, or even better to delete the thread.( and keep your images in to a lower size less than 800k. )

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 02:31:26 am
content: Define drifting. You mean the voltage reading changes as you watch it with a known constant input? Can you give some quantitative estimate of how much the meter is off and how much / how fast it drifts?If there is no manufacturing defect and the meter has not been mistreated, it should retain its accuracy spec for the meters lifetime. The purpose of calibration is to verify the device is still within spec, generally with a chain of authority going back to a national standards lab.If you are certain that the fluke is showing the wrong reading and drifting, not your other meters or you power supply you should send it back. It is not functioning properly.

author: Glocal
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 02:41:40 am
content: Hi..I just spoke with him and he told me if i wanted to send it back or not and this seller is selling a lot of thing on Ebay and i dont think the meter was stolen and he has a possitive feedback on Ebay as a seller however about the drifting , i mean when i set my power supply on 12 V , my other meters like fluke 179 gave 12v and 117 Fluke too and the new Fluke 87V gave 13.5V then it is not within its accuracy spec ,isnt that driftng ?? what is that then ? but the reading is constant.

author: Glocal
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 02:50:22 am
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on August 15, 2011, 02:30:05 amThe image is smaller now

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 03:05:31 am
content: It's quite common for Fluke to make "custom" company badged meters for big customers.Same meter, just custom branding.Dave.

author: Wartex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 03:28:04 am
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on August 15, 2011, 02:30:05 amKiriakos you remind me people on Fluke forums who started accusing me of all kind of shit when they found out I paid 1/3rd of what they paid for their thermal imagers, despite the fact I bought it from a legit seller on eBay. Often times big electrical companies would gift tools to their workers and the workers are free to do whatever they want with them, often they end up on eBay.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 03:51:07 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on August 15, 2011, 03:05:31 amA quick google search shows Intel HIT as Healthcare IT, though you'd have though a customer like Intel would have wanted a Logo too. The meter could well be sourced from batch or order overruns, many companies will flog the leftovers of via wholesale channels.I'm assuming the lettering is something more permanent than Letraset or equivalent.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 04:47:51 am
content: Quote from: Glocal on August 15, 2011, 02:41:40 amNo, that's not drifting, that's a bad reading. Drifting is moving, not standing still.

author: Nermash
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 06:39:38 am
content: If 179 and 117 both show 12V, and HIT shows 13.5 V I would return it immediately for a full refund. Unless price for it was <100 $, then I would consider leaving it.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 07:51:49 am
content: Yes, if the meter shows 13.5 V on a 12 V source it is defective. That isn't just out of calibration, that is broken.

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 09:47:15 am
content: Quote from: Nermash on August 15, 2011, 06:39:38 amI would return it no matter what. A meter that is more than 10% off is worse than no meter at all.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 06:00:08 pm
content: Quote from: Wartex on August 15, 2011, 03:28:04 amAnd so you got it at 1/3 and you are trying to sell it at 1/2 with out warranty.Not a smart idea, as it was not smart also to brag about it on the Fluke forum.About me, I am very sensitive to words like " stealing ", If I catch some one to stealing , I will cut his hands first, and then I will call the police.Currently there was problems in England, some morons they smashed the front cover of shops, and steal lots of goods,yes the LEGAL Ebay sellers they will happily sell them.Anyway be all aware to avoid ebay UK for some time.

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 07:49:46 pm
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on August 15, 2011, 06:00:08 pmIf you are so sensitive about such words perhaps you should be more careful about using them against others.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 08:47:30 pm
content: It sounds like the 87V could be out of cal. Check all the ranges in the 87V from the VAC, VDC, ohms, amps, and compare them against your known good DMMs. If you have better test sources, approximate as many of the full performance test specified in the 87V calibration manual, p.14.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 09:18:04 pm
content: Quote from: ejeffrey on August 15, 2011, 07:49:46 pmI forgive your writing style, because it looks that my meaning it was lost in your translation.It is advisable to write to me about your own personal problems , that I had caused to you.The others they do have their own keyboard so to complain if they wish to do it.

author: cybergibbons
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 09:21:07 pm
content: Quote from: Glocal on August 15, 2011, 02:50:22 amMake the image smaller and I don't have to bother downloading 3Mb just to see two words!

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 10:51:16 pm
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on August 15, 2011, 06:00:08 pmCurrently there was problems in Greece, where some morons used political protest as an excuse to smash the front cover of shops, and steal lots of goods,http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1257243/Greek-riots-Up-60-000-people-streets-protest-government.htmlyes the LEGAL EBay sellers they will happily sell them.Logically we should all be aware to avoid any EBay from Greek sellers for some time.What was that about stones and glass houses, and the utter rot about cutting hands?

author: baljemmett
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 11:08:04 pm
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on August 15, 2011, 09:18:04 pmIt always is, isn't it?Youimplied the meter was stolen, nobody else...

author: Glocal
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 11:10:09 pm
content: Quote from: cybergibbons on August 15, 2011, 09:21:07 pm

author: Glocal
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2011, 11:13:33 pm
content: Quote from: cybergibbons on August 15, 2011, 09:21:07 pmThe Image is smaller now ,check out and let me what you think .Thanx

author: Wartex
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2011, 12:10:05 am
content: Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on August 15, 2011, 06:00:08 pmThat's correct, I'm not a charity, if I have a chance to turn a profit, I will. How much do you expect me to sell it for, $300? ROTFL When you go to buy a used, but low mileage Mercedes from someone, will you also demand warranty or 20% of the original price? Get real. If you use this tool for business it will easily repay itself before it breaks (unless you use it as a hammer, then even warranty won't help you). I offered you a good price and you just complain and complain. You are like a hobo who wants to drive a Porsche and gets mad at people who have one because you can't afford it. Buy a baby in-ear thermometer instead, I'm sure it's in your price range. Grow up.PS: US dealers can now buy Ti25 from Fluke for as low as ~$4000, but they are not allowed to sell that low. Too bad it's not available in Greece.

author: Kiriakos-GR
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2011, 03:10:09 am
content: I hate playing such a tennis games with words instead of tennis balls , do what ever you wish, I just pointed out your mistaken moves.And I do not know what they do in Canada, but in Greece we do not throw 4000$ blindly out of the window.

author: Glocal
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2011, 12:08:04 am
content: Thank you guys for sharing your point of views were really helpful. I took the meter to a store called Elfa which sells high quality tools and Fluke multimeters as well and they just checked it and found the meter is 100% perfect and works as it should be and the "INTEL HIT " is jusy a writing for some reason , it could be manufactured for some custom or company and it is not an issue at all .I`m very happy with it and its price i paid for.Thanks ,,I appreciate all your opinions.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2011, 12:51:28 pm
content: Happy for you, the store probably did the performance check, if it passes you are good. The question now is why the voltage you measured against your other DMM was off, if the 87V is good, then it suggests your other meters are offQuote from: Glocal on August 18, 2011, 12:08:04 am

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2011, 07:40:36 pm
content: and more strangely he's testing with known power supply output of 12V.Quote

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 18, 2011, 10:03:42 pm
content: Quote from: saturation on August 18, 2011, 12:51:28 pmThat though had crossed my mind. And while it's not odd to see two instruments both out of range, it is quite a coincidence if they are both out by exactly the same amount.I do not for one second question the OP's ability to make a voltage measurement but suggest he rechecks the configuration used to check his new meter. (yeah, yeah I know probes stuck in the O/P terminals of a PSU) Try swapping leads connection points etc, if the same results continue to be replicated, it would pay to check against another reference source and other instruments.Could well be the 87V is correctly measuring a good quantity of higher frequency noise or other interference, and I do hope no cell phones were used during this or any measurement. (we wouldn't want to give anyone an excuse.)Why not try another comparison test against a battery or a voltage reference chip for starters.U.V.

author: ejeffrey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2011, 10:38:34 pm
content: Definitely agree with Uncle Vernon. Measure a fresh 9 volt battery with all of your meters. If they agree, then you can try to isolate what is weird about the measurement of the power supply. If they disagree, you can probably tell which is wrong... the voltage of a fresh alkaline 9V battery should be between about 9 and 9.5 volts.The reason I suggest a 9V battery instead of AA is that it should put the meter on the same range as with the 12 V power supply. This is in case only one of the range setting resistors is damaged.