Received my Replacment Fluke Today! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 04:37:15 am
content: Received my replacement Fluke 287 today. This one was built in mid December one month newer than my last one. No more green dots on the yellow boot, no finger print smear on the back of the display lens, but I still have the memory problem which Fluke insists was a defect with my last meter. I think Fluke is crazy. How can I possibly run into two bad units? The serial numbers were a bit apart. According to my PentaRef, and DMM Cheker Plus, this meter is spot on to the least significant digit! I'm keeping this one, I don't care what Fluke tells me tomorrow. I wonder how many other people have this issue of not being able to clear memory to 100%? Do you guys have the same problem, because according to Fluke my last meter, and I guess this one are both malfunctioning! This meter is better than the last one returning to 99%. My last one would return to 97%. I mean this is not a cheap meter.

author: bsco
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 11:53:55 am
content: I am not up on these meters but it sounds like the memory should be able to be reset..When you power up a microprocessor ckt everything resets on power up...automatically....but the memory in your meter has to be reset manually I guess and you should be able to do it.......I would double check with Fluke...Can you get the schematic for this???Let me know how you make out...and yes...the Fluke line of test equipment is far from cheap.......

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 12:28:03 pm
content: Yes this really is upsetting. 1% memory loss is no big deal, but I have to wonder what is going on with Fluke here! Two units both with the same defect built a month apart. If Fluke says to send it back again, I'm just going to keep it till I send it back for the super cap replacement. Oh ya, that's another issue. Seems to me something like reclaiming 100% of your memory, should be a pretty simple thing to achieve. Other people need to check out what their meters are doing. So far I ran into to two with the same defect, but I'm pretty confident Fluke will tell me they have never seen this before. Seems to be their answer for everything lately.

author: taemun
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 12:50:59 pm
content: How many samples is it meant to be able to take, and how many are you able to take?If those two numbers are the same, pack up and go home, job done.

author: commongrounder
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 02:01:59 pm
content: Taemun has the right idea. Try doing a trendplot that uses most or all of the memory, then clear it and see what you get. The firmware may not be very accurate at calculating the empty space in "virgin" non-volatile memory if there are many very small used blocks. Filling and emptying the memory will use/consolidate those random blocks and you will probably get a more accurate reading. I consistently get 100% after I delete the trendplots on my 289. I didn't notice what it read when the unit was new. All in all 99% isn't horrible, in any case.

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 03:17:11 pm
content: So I should just set it for what 3 hours at 1 second intervals?

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 03:37:26 pm
content: Just spoke with Fluke, and an aplications engineer confirmed its a firmware bug. They found it last week. So long as it's not the hardware. He said it's completely functional to 100%, but just produces a rounding error. I guess I finally have a Fluke!

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 03:43:42 pm
content: Mmm, I'm guessing that means there is something newer than v1.16/0.88?

author: taemun
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 03:46:10 pm
content: Quote from: tony3d on February 18, 2014, 03:37:26 pmColour me unsurprised

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 03:55:00 pm
content: Quote from: dr.diesel on February 18, 2014, 03:43:42 pmThey said a new firmware update will be coming, but had no idea when that might be.

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 04:07:10 pm
content: What version do you have Tony? I'm guessing something newer than public.

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 04:09:22 pm
content: Quote from: dr.diesel on February 18, 2014, 04:07:10 pmI have 1.16 I think. The meter was built in 12-2013.

author: SoundTech-LG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 05:06:54 pm
content: This only applies to the 287/289 models? Not the 189, correct?

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 05:32:39 pm
content: Quote from: SoundTech-LG on February 18, 2014, 05:06:54 pmI really don't know. If you clear memory to 100% I guess your good.

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 08:50:02 pm
content: Been data logging with this meter all day, and have 13 recordings saved totaling over 18000 data points. I thought it only had 15000! It's not overwriting the old ones either. What gives with this thing? Don't you get some kind of out of memory error?

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 11:38:00 pm
content: haha its nowhere near its full logging capability, you can save up to 10k points per trend and this can be done several times without filling up that flash chip on the meter

author: casinada
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2014, 11:54:54 pm
content: My 289 clears to 100% and has the most recently official released firmwarehttp://en-us.fluke.com/company/press/289-287-firmware.html#fbid=L6cXEYX6kvohttp://en-us.fluke.com/products/software-downloads/fluke-287-and-289-true-rms-industrial-logging-multimeter.html#fbid=L6cXEYX6kvoTo install the firmware you need the USB interface.

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2014, 01:36:33 am
content: Quote from: casinada on February 18, 2014, 11:54:54 pmI have this version. According to Fluke this bug is in this version, and is affecting my unit. All I can do is wait for the next update, or return an otherwise perfect meter for a refund. He said even though it shows 99% it is actually releasing 100% of the memory.

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2014, 08:47:15 am
content: in my i have 5 saved recording 2 full lenght logged session and i still have 87% free memory so dont worry about that 1%

author: tony3d
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2014, 01:00:31 pm
content: Quote from: M. András on February 19, 2014, 08:47:15 amYes, I see that now. I was under the impression that you had 10,000 total! This little bug is no big deal then. Funny that Fluke never explained that to me.