I still love my Fluke 187 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Groucho2005
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 26, 2020, 07:07:07 pm
content: Here's my brand spanking new Keithley DMM6500 compared to my good old Fluke 187 (bought in 1999, Made in USA) which hasneverbeen calibrated in 21 years:

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 27, 2020, 09:22:06 am
content: What is the voltage reference inside the fluke?

author: Groucho2005
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2020, 10:53:24 am
content: Quote from: exe on August 27, 2020, 09:22:06 amI don't know, I'll have to open it up (unless someone here knows which reference it uses).

author: exe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 27, 2020, 11:31:47 am
content: Looks to be ref43:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/fluke-187/PS on the other side, my $5 dt-182 was also spot-on and was never calibrated except on the factory. But it has a bit less counts.

author: Marco1971
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2020, 02:15:28 pm
content: REF43Ghttps://www.analog.com/media/en/technical-documentation/data-sheets/REF43.pdfMarco

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2020, 02:54:44 pm
content: Quote from: Groucho2005 on August 26, 2020, 07:07:07 pmIt's a youngster. My Fluke 8060A is still good after 35 years.

author: Groucho2005
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2020, 03:13:49 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on August 27, 2020, 02:54:44 pmAmazing.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2020, 05:00:53 pm
content: I love my 189's

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2020, 06:57:39 pm
content: I like my 188 (something somewhere between a 187 and 189) very much and all the herd of oldies that are still spot on (meaning the standard deviation of the herd is little).

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 27, 2020, 11:26:22 pm
content: 188 never existed ??

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 01:32:27 am
content: Quote from: coromonadalix on August 27, 2020, 11:26:22 pmTrue, my 187 has identity problems: It has all the functionality of a 189 although it still occupies a 187 housing. 188 felt appropriate...

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 05:44:57 am
content: Oh you're the one who hacked a 187 into a 189 loll

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 05:49:12 am
content: Quote from: Groucho2005 on August 27, 2020, 03:13:49 pmIt's the nature of the beast, they're designed that way.I bet people here still have cheap-ass 1980s Tandy multimeters that are in spec.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 05:51:43 am
content: Quote from: coromonadalix on August 27, 2020, 05:00:53 pm+1 , among the 87V, 287 and 189 I own, 189 gets used almost 90%.

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 07:52:53 am
content: Love mine as well.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 03:40:15 pm
content: Does owning a broken 189 count?

author: Black Phoenix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2020, 04:03:32 pm
content: Would love to own one.As I told before in another post, I would gladly exchange my 289 by a 189.Quote from: Black Phoenix on November 13, 2019, 09:52:43 aminhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/what-do-you-think-of-the-new-fluke-87-v-max/msg2782518/#msg2782518The 289 is great mind it, but for some reason with time I started to appreciate more the 189. And when I bought my 289 FVF kit it was the year it was launched as the new "Top of the Line" for Fluke, and Fluke AD in Portugal - AresAgante gave me to choose between the "old" 189 at a discount price or the "new" 289. Being young I choose the most blingy one instead of the workhorse.Nowardays I kinda regret a little, but really a tiny bit. I can count with the fingers of one hand the times I used the TrendCapture functionality on the 289, most of the time is record and download to the PC, something that the 189 do.But at the same time I like the big guy still (289). Probably because it was at the time one of my biggest purchases for someone who had started working not long time ago and had helped me to earn money and keep me sane in the bad times.But whatever, enough rambling. I look like the old guys...

author: MimCom
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 05:33:26 pm
content: c. 1985, I bought an 8060A, mostly for its deciBel capabilities. It was expensive, but well worth the weeks it took to save up for.When that got stolen I replaced it with a 189. Corrosion hit the battery terminals a couple of years back, Fluke said no more repairs -- but at least had the parts for sale.It's still my favorite meter. Sounds like I need to go through it and check for impending failures. Any pointers?thanks...

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 05:48:26 pm
content: Quote from: MimCom on December 29, 2021, 05:33:26 pmMeasure the current draw when it's powered off, it should be about 70uA. If it's much more than that then the supercap is probably bad.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 08:00:32 pm
content: You could check for any forms of contamination on the pcb as well, including from your hands.I've moved to the new Ikea LADDA 2450mAH NiMH AA rechargeables this year for my Fluke 189s. I'm still evaluating them but so far so good, $9 for a 4 pack. Rechargeables make you lazy, easier to let it auto off than switch off.Supercap drain on the one in front of me is 66.8uA.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 08:08:45 pm
content: Quote from: Shock on December 29, 2021, 08:00:32 pmThe cap itself shouldn't be draining anything.The 60-70uA drain is from the internal real time clock.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 09:00:38 pm
content: I seem to recall it being even lower with no supercap in circuit. Might have been the 289, can't remember.

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 09:44:50 pm
content: I have both the 189 and 289. There are advantages with the 289 but it's too slow to use and the display is hard to read. Too slow because it takes time for it to boost up also the autoranging in resistance measurement is too slow.