Wounded Fluke 189 (in need of schematic or service manual)

[LithiumOverdosE]

Well, let's just say that Fluke 189 doesn't like RF HV signals (~6 Mhz / ~2.8 kV). Should have used alligator clip probes.


Anyway, processor and rest of the circuitry seems fine (apart for a few components of the input protection section) so I was wondering if somebody might share Fluke 189 service manual or schematic?


TIA 

[optikon]

No service manual for 189 but next best thing?


Input protection might be similar/exact to that of these models.

http://assets.fluke.com/manuals/83_1000_smeng0000.pdf

[bigtoy]

If you find the 189 manual, please post a link here. I have a 189, love the thing, having a service manual for it would be a good idea.  I hope you get yours fixed!

[Unhappy]

Maybe this may help

[dogipic]

Now I'm there too. My Fluke 189 died during measurements! Exactly when switching from mA to V (DC). WTF?? Display just turned off and that was it.
I was doing some low voltage measurements of a Li-Ion charger. It's completely non-responsive now. Never before had problems with it.
Of course I opened the housing checked all the connections between batteries and pcb, mode selector and so on. I tried it also with lab power supply. I than made a detailed check of the pcb all the way from batteries over the switch mode power supply to processor ic, display ic, checked components... The switch mode power supply looks ok as everything else. Voltages are there, display dead... Crystals also oscillate. The dedicated chips are a big problem because there is no info on them. I just hope that the processor didn't die...

Did anyone experience similar problems with a FLUKE? Maybe somebody can share a service manual? It's very hard to trace on the multilayer board. Member Unhappy posted a link some time ago but it was deleted from depositfiles..
Of course I'll post the solution of the problem if I manage to find it.

Thanks.

[Gallymimu]

187/189 are the best meters fluke ever made.  I buy em off ebay whenever I can get them for a good price.

Anyone used the 289?  OMG that thing is a POS.  Such a bummer that they discontinued the 187/189

[optikon]

187/189 are the best meters fluke ever made.  I buy em off ebay whenever I can get them for a good price.

Anyone used the 289?  OMG that thing is a POS.  Such a bummer that they discontinued the 187/189

I've got a 289, mainly because I couldnt find a new 189... meh its kind of grown on me and I like the datalogging.

I mostly use bench 6.5 or 7.5 meters so I never really get used to these handhelds but they do come in handy in portable applications.

[dogipic]

I bought mine also from ebay for a bargain. And I agree it's a fantastic meter. Rugged, accurate, lots of functions. It's hard to believe that such a brand meter like Fluke simply dies during normal operation.  Even my other cheap Voltcraft still works after all these years.

I also sent an email to Fluke support. Now we'll see their response. I read the warranty paragraph in the manual and if I understood right, this kind of failures should be covered for 10 years from the day of purchase.  But this is true only for the first owner. So, if the original owner registered the meter than the warranty isn't valid for me.

[Gallymimu]

I've got a 289, mainly because I couldnt find a new 189... meh its kind of grown on me and I like the datalogging.

I mostly use bench 6.5 or 7.5 meters so I never really get used to these handhelds but they do come in handy in portable applications.

The things that kill me on the 289 are:
- short battery life
- long boot time
- lower contrast display
- bigger

That said the data logging is really quite nice and easy to use.

Posted on: October 11, 2015, 05:52:26 17:52 - Automerged

I bought mine also from ebay for a bargain. And I agree it's a fantastic meter. Rugged, accurate, lots of functions. It's hard to believe that such a brand meter like Fluke simply dies during normal operation.  Even my other cheap Voltcraft still works after all these years.

I also sent an email to Fluke support. Now we'll see their response. I read the warranty paragraph in the manual and if I understood right, this kind of failures should be covered for 10 years from the day of purchase.  But this is true only for the first owner. So, if the original owner registered the meter than the warranty isn't valid for me.

one of the other problems with the warranty is I think there was a provision in there for a limit after the last date of manufacture of the line as well.  I've found fluke to be pretty good on this stuff even with old equip so I hope you have good luck with them.  Fluke isn't the same company anymore since they got bought.

[dogipic]

Thank you all for your support.

I remembered that one of my colleagues had the same 189. So he brought today his meter and I made a comparison. I tested the power supply - compared with a working one. It works ok. I also tested the LCD screen which is also ok. I also removed the supercap because it's not in the best condition.
I also tried the optical connection with a PC computer. It doesn't work. So my suspicion regarding a CPU fault maybe right...

I'm also thinking about what turns the meter on? Or better how is it turned on? Because with inserted batteries there is always power on the board. When you turn the mode selector to a range there has to be a signal to the CPU which turns it on from standby or similar?

I also called the fluke service center today... Does anybody know in which year the production of this meter was stopped? The warranty is bound to this.

To be continued...

[dogipic]

I investigated the problem with my FLUKE a little further. Especially the turn on procedure.

Looks like when you turn the meter on with the mode selector signals go from the selector over the 74HC04 HEX inverter. Left upper part of the PCB seen from behind. So far so good. Hex inverter works. From there the signals go to the CPU, display chip...

But I have maybe a problem on the pin 4. It's one of the inverted outputs. There is a track from this pin under the inverter which goes to a via which is also a blind via I think. I tried to track down where this signal goes. With no luck. I tried every single pin on the PCB and simply couldn't find it.

I'd really appreciate it when somebody could check it on a working 189. Maybe I have a broken track in one of the middle layers...

[optikon]

I investigated the problem with my FLUKE a little further. Especially the turn on procedure.

Looks like when you turn the meter on with the mode selector signals go from the selector over the 74HC04 HEX inverter. Left upper part of the PCB seen from behind. So far so good. Hex inverter works. From there the signals go to the CPU, display chip...

But I have maybe a problem on the pin 4. It's one of the inverted outputs. There is a track from this pin under the inverter which goes to a via which is also a blind via I think. I tried to track down where this signal goes. With no luck. I tried every single pin on the PCB and simply couldn't find it.

I'd really appreciate it when somebody could check it on a working 189. Maybe I have a broken track in one of the middle layers...

Since you were using it under normal operating conditions, it might suggest that it is not a component failure due to overstress. In otherwords, is your apparently open pathway due to a cracked solder joint somewhere? Can you examine the joints? What about touching them all up by reflowing the solder? You mentioned a "blind" via , there is a specific technology in use to create blind and buried vias. I would be surprised to learn that a low cost Fluke meter is using a blind via PCB.. so perhaps look elsewhere..

[dogipic]

First of all I must say that the 189 is for sure not a "low cost FLUKE meter". And second, it definitely has a multilayer board with blind vias which connect to the middle layers. With the help of a member on another forum I managed to find out where the mentioned via connects to. It goes to a 1MEG resistor on the other side of the board, next to the memory ic. If somebody is interested I can also post a picture.

I did try to reflow the solder points with hot air but the result was the same. Unfortunately I can't test it once more because I sent the meter to a FLUKE service.
And guess what..the meter is still under warranty!
It's now on the way to Netherlands, to Eindhoven where the FLUKE Europe headquarters are.

We'll see what the result will be.

[Gallymimu]

First of all I must say that the 189 is for sure not a "low cost FLUKE meter". And second, it definitely has a multilayer board with blind vias which connect to the middle layers. With the help of a member on another forum I managed to find out where the mentioned via connects to. It goes to a 1MEG resistor on the other side of the board, next to the memory ic. If somebody is interested I can also post a picture.

I did try to reflow the solder points with hot air but the result was the same. Unfortunately I can't test it once more because I sent the meter to a FLUKE service.
And guess what..the meter is still under warranty!
It's now on the way to Netherlands, to Eindhoven where the FLUKE Europe headquarters are.

We'll see what the result will be.

yes post pictures.

[Unhappy]

Did anyone experience similar problems with a FLUKE? Maybe somebody can share a service manual? It's very hard to trace on the multilayer board. Member Unhappy posted a link some time ago but it was deleted from depositfiles..
Of course I'll post the solution of the problem if I manage to find it.

Thanks.

@ Dogipic
 As I already replied about my HDD problem in reply to your PM. I managed to recover the data from my Dead HDD, The file I uploaded was Service manual for Fluke 45 Dual Display Multi-meter size is about 50 MB. I am currently uploading it again for all on zippyshare I will post the link as soon as it completes. File is in PDF format

[dogipic]

Here is the picture Gallymimu.

[Gallymimu]

Here is the picture Gallymimu.

This looks like it is behind the display.  Is that correct?

[dogipic]

This looks like it is behind the display.  Is that correct?

Yes, it's behind the display.

[dogipic]

A quick update on the repair of the meter. Warranty was still valid so I got a brand new current produced model the 289!  I couldn't believed it when they called me. Very impressed of FLUKE and their service.
But unfortunately I'll newer know what was wrong with my wounded 189...

Thank you all for your support.

[Gallymimu]

That's cool... but also kinda sucks.  I HATE the 289 and much prefer the 189.  

And thanks for the update,  I have a bunch of 187/189 (kinda collect them as the best and last great meters Fluke will ever make).  Some of them have issues and maybe I can get them replaced and sell the replacement