Fluke 75 Multimeter Worth Repairing?

[Provincial]

I have a Fluke model 75 multimeter. It has been sitting around for close to 20 years because it won't work. It powers up but the DC functions and the ohms always read OL (overload), even with no leads attached.

Would it be worth trying to get it fixed? Or is there a troubleshooting procedure that a person with basic skills can follow?

 

[richfinn]

I have a Fluke model 75 multimeter. It has been sitting around for close to 20 years because it won't work. It powers up but the DC functions and the ohms always read OL (overload), even with no leads attached.

Would it be worth trying to get it fixed? Or is there a troubleshooting procedure that a person with basic skills can follow?

Is the HRC Fuse OK??

 

[metaldad]

Fluke usually charges 1/2 to 2/3 the cost of a new one to repair an old one.

 

[bsaint]

I have a Fluke model 75 multimeter. It has been sitting around for close to 20 years because it won't work. It powers up but the DC functions and the ohms always read OL (overload), even with no leads attached.

Would it be worth trying to get it fixed? Or is there a troubleshooting procedure that a person with basic skills can follow?

For voltage OL means overload but I thought OL when checking continuity means Open Leads.

FWIW, my 179 and 289 read OL with open leads. Except my 289 says check leads when they aren't plugged in.

 

[metaldad]

For voltage OL means overload but I thought OL when checking continuity means Open Leads.

FWIW, my 179 and 289 read OL with open leads. Except my 289 says check leads when they aren't plugged in.

OL, in the resistance scale, with open leads.......... means OPEN. infinite resistance.

 

[Carguy99]

OL means over limit
2X on check the fuses they have 2 inside

 

[bsaint]

Right right. Over Limit. Thats what it was. Not overload or open leads.

 

[bsaint]

OL, in the resistance scale, with open leads.......... means OPEN. infinite resistance.

Thank you for my electrical engineering lesson for the day. Now I can REALLY start fixing them dang yellow robots.

 

[Provincial]

More clues: it seems to read .64 volts AC no matter what. It reads OL on ohms if the leads are not touching, and very near zero if they are touching. It reads OL on DC volts no matter what. It has the tone in continuity test leads touching or not, and counts down from about 2.0 (no abbrev., just numbers) with no tone if the leads are not installed.

If someone overloaded it with too many amps (it says "unfused") what would they burn out? The circuit board looks pretty simple.

 

[Davefr]

About the only thing you can do is ensure the fuses and battery are good.

Toss it. There's nothing more frustrating, (and potentially deadly), then an unreliable DMM.

 

[Provincial]

I looked a little closer and find that two capacitors (?), the two larger red things in the photo, appear to have splits in the insulation at the top of the rounded curve. Is this an indication of failure?

 

[doug.j]

If the splits appear to be clean saw like cuts they are probably spark gaps for over voltage protection. I can't see from the photo.

 

[metaldad]

Thank you for my electrical engineering lesson for the day. Now I can REALLY start fixing them dang yellow robots.

My apologizes.
Early Sunday morning before the 1st pot was enjoyed.
Yes, they do go to o/l when in manual ranges, when checking voltages.
However, they do go o/l in the ohms scale, with no leads plugged in (infinite open circuit), as this couple of meters will attest.
My older 27's are fused, and indicate 0 when testing in the current ranges.

 

[Vvmvbb]

...Service Manual looks pretty good (schematics, BOMs...)

 

[bibman]

More clues: it seems to read .64 volts AC no matter what. It reads OL on ohms if the leads are not touching, and very near zero if they are touching. It reads OL on DC volts no matter what. It has the tone in continuity test leads touching or not, and counts down from about 2.0 (no abbrev., just numbers) with no tone if the leads are not installed.

If someone overloaded it with too many amps (it says "unfused") what would they burn out? The circuit board looks pretty simple.

Could be your tests leads are shot!

 

[darcyh]

Didn't Fluke offer a lifetime warranty at one time?

Dave

 

[Provincial]

Vvmvbb, thanks for the link. It appears from the troubleshooting chart that the main chip may be bad. That is the only item common to the several range failures. It looks like this is a lost cause.

 

[Biomed]

Didn't Fluke offer a lifetime warranty at one time?

Yes, years ago BEFORE they became a Danaher company. Unfortunately those days are gone.

 

[Hootbro]

Yes, years ago BEFORE they became a Danaher company. Unfortunately those days are gone.

They still do but it is pretty narrow window and you have to be the original purchaser with receipt and it will only extend 7 years max past the product being discontinued.

http://www.fluke.com/fluke/usen/service/warranties/default.htm#industrialProducts

Even pre Danaher, the Fluke warranty was pretty much the same IIRC. It was never a "no questions asked" warranty even back then.