Left Fluke 87V outside for weeks in rain, how screwed am I? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Reprobyte
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 02:53:23 pm
content: Question for people who are knowledgeable with the 87V and what may have happened in this situation,Been searching for a day, then realised my 87V was outside for weeks in rain and sun on some days too, left on DCV setting so I guess it was kind of left on,Brought inside and emptied of a ton of water, not mega rusty mostly just screws and shield rusted,Dried thoroughly cleaned contacts etc, then connected a new battery, nothing at all, no screen no sound, fuses are fine,Is there a common knowledge of what has likely happened due to being flooded like this, or is it a massive troubleshoot and repair involved now?Thank you for any advice on this.

author: mwb1100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 03:33:52 pm
content: Similar only in the sense that moisture was involved...I had a Fluke 187 that behaved badly in high ohms ranges and a troubleshooting document someone here pointed me to said that the problem was likely moisture trapped in one or more vias on the PCB. The fix was to submerge the PCB in 99% isopropyl alcohol for 24 hours to let the IPA absorb the water.Unbelievably it worked.If you decide to do this (it's a pretty cheap and easy thing to try), don't forget to remove the LCD and the fuses before dunking the PCB.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 03:41:01 pm
content: Quote from: Reprobyte on September 20, 2023, 02:53:23 pmFuses might be full of water and not protect you.

author: Reprobyte
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 03:45:04 pm
content: Awesome idea thanks, I guess it may look like all the water is removed but its likely not, let me give that a go now thanks!

author: Reprobyte
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 03:45:52 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on September 20, 2023, 03:41:01 pmah, so they may need replacing? thanks for help!

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 04:04:28 pm
content: dry it out then sent it to Fluke for repair. See if they still warranty it.

author: TomKatt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 04:15:47 pm
content: Quote from: BeBuLamar on September 20, 2023, 04:04:28 pmWorth the question - 87V models have a lifetime warranty.

author: Reprobyte
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 04:17:36 pm
content: Unfortunately I bought my 87V calibrated, but used, so I don't think I will qualify, although I am looking it up

author: mwb1100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 04:32:53 pm
content: Quote from: Reprobyte on September 20, 2023, 03:45:52 pmRemember you can test out everything but current measurement without them.Quote from: Reprobyte on September 20, 2023, 04:17:36 pmMy understanding is that Fluke generally doesn't ask for proof of purchase. So depending on how guilty you might feel about, what Fluke doesn't know...

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 04:48:58 pm
content: Quote from: Reprobyte on September 20, 2023, 02:53:23 pmYou can try the alcohol-soak followed by a week-long bake at an elevated temperature (perhaps 60-70C, a box with an incandescent bulb or similar) but I would have serious reservations about whether the meter would ever be truly safe to use on anything other than low voltages.Perhaps replace it with an 87V-MAX with an IP-67 rating.

author: Reprobyte
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 05:02:08 pm
content: Quote from: mwb1100 on September 20, 2023, 04:32:53 pmah yes good point, thank you!

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 07:41:27 pm
content: Quote from: Reprobyte on September 20, 2023, 04:17:36 pmWhen I called Fluke for an RMA on warranty they never asked me for the receipt. So if you are in the USA (as I am not sure about other countries) they will fix it unless they deem the damage is due to abuse.

author: NoisyBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 20, 2023, 08:39:30 pm
content: Sorry to hear the mishap. You can always try the warranty route, but with all the rust you described, the odd is they will likely know it has been filled with water.According to the warranty term: “ The warranty does not cover manuals, fuses, disposable batteries, damage from neglect, misuse, contamination, alteration, accident or abnormal conditions of operation or handling, including failures caused by use outside of the product's specifications, or normal wear and tear of mechanical components. This warranty covers the original purchaser only and is not transferable. ”So they have numerous reasons on why this is not a warranty claim but a billable repair. It will be up to them to decide what they would want to do. Before paying for all the shipping and possible repair bill, I would try the suggested repair first and see if it helps, you have nothing to lose.With regard to whether it will ever be a safe DMM after the repair, there are just too many variables and potential points of failure. Your only safe bet is to send it back to Fluke for a full repair if you are worried about it.