FLUKE 5700A date of fabrication - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: drtube
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2017, 01:52:38 am
content: Hello, I'm new to this forum and I'm trying to find out the year of fabrication of one FLUKE 5700A-04 Series I that I own.Date code marked in many IC's and other parts range from 1991 to 1997 so it should be from 1997 as the oldest.Does anyone know if this date can be somewhere in the main firmware? Or hidden somewhere in the chassis? By removing the top cover I saw this sticker (attached image). Is that the date of fabrication? By the way, what does "PCN's installed" means?Thanks!DrTube

author: ManateeMafia
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2017, 03:19:13 am
content: Welcome to the forum!Does the rear of the unit have a Fluke service agreement sticker?It would list a warranty start date. I would guess your 5700A was originally made somewhere between 1991-1992 and had some repairs/upgrades done later near 1997-1998. The display has probably been changed a few times.

author: TiN
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2017, 04:14:08 am
content: PCN is Product Change Notice. So there were some changes or modifications done during later service. You can check date codes by all boards. Probably date code on backplane board parts would be closest to date of the unit. But that doesn't mean much anyway. Old 5700A are same good as new ones for most of use purposes.

author: drtube
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2017, 05:11:55 pm
content: ManateeMafia, TiN, thanks for the replies!No warranty sticker..I think (best guess) it was manufactured in 1994/1995 and the unit went to Fluke Washington perhaps 2 or 3 times since then; because the parts dated from 1997 are only 4 transistors in one of the PCAs, and the rest of the parts are from 1994 (70% - 80% of them).The strange thing is that in some PCAs with most of the ICs dated from 1994 there are some Aromat relays dated from 1995 and 1996, and of course no visible sign of resoldering/repair..I did check the display and the Allegro ICs are from 1991 (attached images), so bummer might have the original display!DrTube

author: ManateeMafia
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 04, 2017, 08:58:21 pm
content: The display board is not a cheap replacement and unfortunately they don't sell the VFD.The binding posts are replaceable and are available from Newark55K4853 Green55K4852 Blue66K7149 Black55K4854 RedThat should be a quick upgrade if the binding posts are showing signs of wear. What are the inguard and outguard versions? The outguard Rev J is the latest I have seen.

author: drtube
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 06:25:54 am
content: Thanks for the info ManateeMafia,The inguard version I don't know but the outguard is Rev J. Yeah the binding posts have some aging signs but they are ok and in one piece. One of them has cracks on the plastic surface but it is still all together. Newark has no stock right now so I guess I'll try the 2758's from lowthermal :http://www.lowthermal.com/cables-and-connectors.phpAnd yes the VFD could be a big problem if it stops working... Even if you try to develop some LCD based replacement board I think you couldn't since there are no LCD's with the same aspect ratio as the control display has.DrTube