Anybody ever hear of a Fluke 189 WITHOUT logging feature? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: strantor
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2014, 11:22:17 pm
content: I've been using this fluke "189" for the past 5 or 6 years. I bought it used on ebay. I started looking into getting a new DMM and I wanted to compare the specs between what I have and what I'm looking at. I go looking for the specs on my meter and every single fluke 189 on the internet has this logging feature that mine doesn't have. Literally, not one single example of one like mine. It seems like the logging feature was the singular selling point for the 189; it's like a Prius without an electric motor. WTF is going on here? Does anybody know what I have here, and more importantly, what its specs are?My meter:

author: strantor
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2014, 11:37:06 pm
content: I think I know what I have. It's a Fluke 87 IV and some smart ass put a fluke 189 screen on it. Well I don't remember how much I paid, but I hope I paid Fluke 87 price and not fluke 189 price.

author: radioFlash
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2014, 12:02:58 am
content: Looks like my 187. It's the variant without logging, but otherwise its specs are identical to the 189. If I look closely at the LCD on my 187, I can see the symbol for the clock and HMMS. I assume the 187 and 189 used the same screen.

author: retiredcaps
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2014, 04:33:35 am
content: Quote from: strantor on August 26, 2014, 11:22:17 pmSome sellers on ebay will sell modified/repaired meters by swapping parts. As you surmised, you got a 87IV or 187 meter with a 189 lcd lens screen.Post a link to your auction and maybe someone here can tell you if the seller is shady or not?PS. I have seen some Fluke meters with obvious, to me, swap part modifications. And that is just the outside. I have purchased used meters with appalling DIY fuse modifications, terrible "repair" jobs, etc. Obviously, I try to not pay too much in order to minimize my downside.PPS. The 18x will clean up nicely. Seehttp://mrmodemhead.com/blog/gallery/fluke-189-clean-up/In modemhead's picture (8 of 22), you can clearly see that the pcb says Fluke 189-3001 rev 007.edit: In another picture, the 187 pcb also says Fluke 189-3001http://sigrok.org/wiki/File:Fluke_187_PCB_bottom.jpgSo it is possible that Fluke used the same pcb layout, but disabled the 189 logging somehow (maybe firmware)?

author: radioFlash
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2014, 11:52:23 am
content: The physical differences I noticed is that the 187 doesn't have the super capacitor on the pcb and the 189 has an extra dial position to view memory. It would be interesting to know if the 187 could be modded to enable logging.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

author: strantor
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2014, 01:13:47 pm
content: Quote from: retiredcaps on August 27, 2014, 04:33:35 amWhen I woke up this morning I decided to crack the meter open and see what the PCB had to say about its identity. It said 189-3001 and I got excited.... until I read the above quote which indicates 187s PCB also says 189-3001. (hopes dashed)Quote from: retiredcaps on August 27, 2014, 04:33:35 amHaving trouble accepting the fact that I have a 187, I reassembled the meter and looked up in the fluke 189 manual how to enable logging, and mashed the correct sequence of (unlabeled) buttons, and Voila! I'm logging! ItISa 189! I guess it's a 189 in an 87 or 187 case, not the other way around.

author: commongrounder
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2014, 06:14:49 pm
content: So that means the circuit board must have the contacts for the extra switch position for memory read/clear. Is the only thing preventing you from using that position the 187/87iv case? I wonder if the case can be modded to allow the extra position, or if you have to find a 189 or 89iv case (which would have the proper labeling as well).

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2014, 11:43:58 pm
content: Just to add to this mystery a little, I was browsing the sold listings for the 189 series for my own info and I noticed, (having been reading this thread prior), that there were other 189 labelled cases that clearly did not have the logging switch position!! just like the OP's meter, how curious.So they were obviously sold as 189's, (note from different sellers).

author: radioFlash
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2014, 01:55:10 am
content: Attached are some teardown photos of my 187. Compared to mrmodemhead's Fluke 189 photos, the 187 is missing the supercapacitor, a 3 pin sot23 and a resistor.