Fluke 87 Replacement LCD

  • Thread starter Paul Hovnanian P.E.
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Paul Hovnanian P.E.

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Need one.

I knocked the damned thing off the workbench and the display cracked
(again). But the usual on-line sources all list this as "out of stock".
It appears that Fluke no longer carries parts for the 87 (original).
From what I can see, all the service outfits that used to carry this
part got cleaned out fast when Fluke discontinued the part. So these
things must break quite often.

If these can't be had, I guess I'll be looking for a new multimeter with
the same specs. But I want one where: 1) high maintenance parts are
going to be kept in stock for the anticipated life of the product or 2)
a unit that is built well enough that the occasional plunge off the
bench doesn't cause irreplaceable parts to break.

I'd buy the the 87 mark 5, but I'm afraid that Fluke may not have solved
the fragile display problem and, in a few years, when that one takes a
tumble, I'll have to drop another $400 on the mark 6 model.

--
Paul Hovnanian mailto:paul@Hovnanian.com
------------------------------------------------------------------
Porsche: If I went any faster, I'd have to eat airline food.
 
On Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:37:32 -0700, "Paul Hovnanian P.E."
<Paul@Hovnanian.com>wrote:

Need one.

I knocked the damned thing off the workbench and the display cracked
(again). But the usual on-line sources all list this as "out of stock".
It appears that Fluke no longer carries parts for the 87 (original).
From what I can see, all the service outfits that used to carry this
part got cleaned out fast when Fluke discontinued the part. So these
things must break quite often.

If these can't be had, I guess I'll be looking for a new multimeter with
the same specs. But I want one where: 1) high maintenance parts are
going to be kept in stock for the anticipated life of the product or 2)
a unit that is built well enough that the occasional plunge off the
bench doesn't cause irreplaceable parts to break.

I'd buy the the 87 mark 5, but I'm afraid that Fluke may not have solved
the fragile display problem and, in a few years, when that one takes a
tumble, I'll have to drop another $400 on the mark 6 model.
Click to expand...
Must be a design flaw. I've punished my 77 for 23 years now and have
not replaced a display. It is however encased in a nice rubber
case/holster which does absorb some gforce.
 
Even if the unit is in the "holster", it might not survive a direct blow to
the LCD.

If I wanted a "newer, better" DVM, I'd sell you mine. But I don't.

Is this the right LCD for the original model?

http://cgi.ebay.com/FLUKE-87-LCD-NEW-PN-832188-DMM-MULTIMETER-DISPLAY_W0QQitemZ160417261544QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item25599d27e8

You might also consider...

http://cgi.ebay.com/FLUKE-87-TRUE-RIMS-MULTIMETER_W0QQitemZ290421164604QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item439e734a3c

There's at least a half-dozen 87s on eBay at the moment.

PS: It's interesting that you can buy a kit to "fix" the fading display (by
replacing the elastomeric contacts). I fixed mine just by cleaning them with
a swab dunking in isopropyl alcohol.
 
Many for sale on Ebay:

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m38.l1313&_nkw=fluke+87+lcd&_sacat=See-All-Categories
On Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:37:32 -0700, "Paul Hovnanian P.E."
<Paul@Hovnanian.com> wrote:

Need one.

I knocked the damned thing off the workbench and the display cracked
(again). But the usual on-line sources all list this as "out of stock".
It appears that Fluke no longer carries parts for the 87 (original).
From what I can see, all the service outfits that used to carry this
part got cleaned out fast when Fluke discontinued the part. So these
things must break quite often.

If these can't be had, I guess I'll be looking for a new multimeter with
the same specs. But I want one where: 1) high maintenance parts are
going to be kept in stock for the anticipated life of the product or 2)
a unit that is built well enough that the occasional plunge off the
bench doesn't cause irreplaceable parts to break.

I'd buy the the 87 mark 5, but I'm afraid that Fluke may not have solved
the fragile display problem and, in a few years, when that one takes a
tumble, I'll have to drop another $400 on the mark 6 model.
Click to expand...
 
Paul Hovnanian P.E. <Paul@Hovnanian.com> wrote in message
news:4BBF900C.ED5FF1B5@Hovnanian.com...
Need one.

I knocked the damned thing off the workbench and the display cracked
(again). But the usual on-line sources all list this as "out of stock".
It appears that Fluke no longer carries parts for the 87 (original).
From what I can see, all the service outfits that used to carry this
part got cleaned out fast when Fluke discontinued the part. So these
things must break quite often.

If these can't be had, I guess I'll be looking for a new multimeter with
the same specs. But I want one where: 1) high maintenance parts are
going to be kept in stock for the anticipated life of the product or 2)
a unit that is built well enough that the occasional plunge off the
bench doesn't cause irreplaceable parts to break.

I'd buy the the 87 mark 5, but I'm afraid that Fluke may not have solved
the fragile display problem and, in a few years, when that one takes a
tumble, I'll have to drop another $400 on the mark 6 model.

--
Paul Hovnanian mailto:paul@Hovnanian.com
------------------------------------------------------------------
Porsche: If I went any faster, I'd have to eat airline food.
Click to expand...

Zebra is unlikely to match in dimensions , same with pinning not going to
match but has anyone successfully wired in (or whatever) via conductive
epoxy (or whatever) onto the lands of a totally different display and
soldered to the pcb. Anunciators may not be a match either
Perhaps a faux zebra made from many many short lengths of the finest magnet
wire , with stripped final mm or so and stagger laid-up before gluing. Then
actively checking valid segment lines to the various backblanes and ignoring
the ones failing to hit on a land. At least the sequencing of segments is
fairly consistent.
 
"Paul Hovnanian P.E." <Paul@Hovnanian.com> wrote in message
news:4BBF900C.ED5FF1B5@Hovnanian.com...
Need one.

I knocked the damned thing off the workbench and the display cracked
(again). But the usual on-line sources all list this as "out of stock".
It appears that Fluke no longer carries parts for the 87 (original).
From what I can see, all the service outfits that used to carry this
part got cleaned out fast when Fluke discontinued the part. So these
things must break quite often.

If these can't be had, I guess I'll be looking for a new multimeter with
the same specs. But I want one where: 1) high maintenance parts are
going to be kept in stock for the anticipated life of the product or 2)
a unit that is built well enough that the occasional plunge off the
bench doesn't cause irreplaceable parts to break.

I'd buy the the 87 mark 5, but I'm afraid that Fluke may not have solved
the fragile display problem and, in a few years, when that one takes a
tumble, I'll have to drop another $400 on the mark 6 model.

--
Paul Hovnanian mailto:paul@Hovnanian.com
------------------------------------------------------------------
Porsche: If I went any faster, I'd have to eat airline food.
Click to expand...

Any LCD model suffers from the "fragile display problem".

The LCD elements are made of glass after all. The larger and more readable
the display, the more fragile as well.

You could get a Fluke 28 which is spec'd to survive a 10 foot drop.

Check engineer Dave Jones' reviews Part 1 and Part 2 at:

http://www.eevblog.com/

or on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkYm021p5qk

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlA7-fh5nDQ


Mark Z.
 
This thread made me check my intended future-proofing, should I break my
Fluke 77 , used for unpowered/cold checks. I managed to blow up my
work-a-day sacrificial el-cheapo no-name DVM a couple of weeks back putting
2000 V on the 1000V range. Not dumped , as the large LCD , for the Fluke.
Just tried the display on 50 Hz sig gen and straightforward segment pinning
(all segments ok) , I'd have to use the hFE anunciator perhaps as "2" mid
segment for 2.999 Fluke use as this is only 1.999 max. Land spacing 1.2mm so
easy staggered conductive epoxying of fine wires. Loads of other anunciators
not used on the original like nF,uF, deg C etc I did not know were there.


--
Diverse Devices, Southampton, England
electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://diverse.4mg.com/index.htm
 
William Sommerwerck wrote:

Even if the unit is in the "holster", it might not survive a direct blow
to the LCD.

If I wanted a "newer, better" DVM, I'd sell you mine. But I don't.

Is this the right LCD for the original model?


http://cgi.ebay.com/FLUKE-87-LCD-NEW-PN-832188-DMM-MULTIMETER-DISPLAY_W0QQitemZ160417261544QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item25599d27e8
Click to expand...

Yep. That's it. Having the P/N (verified with the Fluke maint. manual) makes
it easier to find without having to drill down through all the 'dim
display' kits, Series 5 meters for sale, etc. The price is about what I
recall the last time this happened.

--
Paul Hovnanian paul@hovnanian.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Have gnu, will travel.
 
Mark Zacharias wrote:

"Paul Hovnanian P.E." <Paul@Hovnanian.com> wrote in message
news:4BBF900C.ED5FF1B5@Hovnanian.com...
Need one.

I knocked the damned thing off the workbench and the display cracked
(again). But the usual on-line sources all list this as "out of stock".
It appears that Fluke no longer carries parts for the 87 (original).
From what I can see, all the service outfits that used to carry this
part got cleaned out fast when Fluke discontinued the part. So these
things must break quite often.

If these can't be had, I guess I'll be looking for a new multimeter with
the same specs. But I want one where: 1) high maintenance parts are
going to be kept in stock for the anticipated life of the product or 2)
a unit that is built well enough that the occasional plunge off the
bench doesn't cause irreplaceable parts to break.

I'd buy the the 87 mark 5, but I'm afraid that Fluke may not have solved
the fragile display problem and, in a few years, when that one takes a
tumble, I'll have to drop another $400 on the mark 6 model.

--
Paul Hovnanian mailto:paul@Hovnanian.com
------------------------------------------------------------------
Porsche: If I went any faster, I'd have to eat airline food.


Any LCD model suffers from the "fragile display problem".

The LCD elements are made of glass after all. The larger and more readable
the display, the more fragile as well.
Click to expand...
Of course. So the solution is to find a manufacturer that will continue to
support its most popular models with spare parts. Even original source
parts (the mfg's P/N appears to be from Sharp) would be fine.

I went through the same problem with an old Fluke Scopemeter. A flexible PCB
developed a break. Fluke no longer supports the model. Fortunately, it was
repairable with some 'conductive repair paint'.

I've got cars 30+ years old for which I can still find new parts.

--
Paul Hovnanian paul@hovnanian.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Have gnu, will travel.
 
Is this what you're looking for? ::

<http://www.flukeonlinestore.com/1580789.html>

Also, this update kit includes a new display:

<http://www.flukeonlinestore.com/2096980.html>

I think it is supposed to upgrade some of the other 80-series to the display
size of the 87-5 (larger digits, etc.).

Includes a few other goodies, too.

Good luck.
 
On Sat, 10 Apr 2010 10:43:26 -0700 "Paul Hovnanian P.E."
<paul@hovnanian.com> wrote in Message id:
<AoGdnR3l0ZnJJV3WnZ2dnUVZ_vmdnZ2d@posted.isomediainc>:

William Sommerwerck wrote:

Even if the unit is in the "holster", it might not survive a direct blow
to the LCD.

If I wanted a "newer, better" DVM, I'd sell you mine. But I don't.

Is this the right LCD for the original model?


http://cgi.ebay.com/FLUKE-87-LCD-NEW-PN-832188-DMM-MULTIMETER-DISPLAY_W0QQitemZ160417261544QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item25599d27e8

Yep. That's it. Having the P/N (verified with the Fluke maint. manual) makes
it easier to find without having to drill down through all the 'dim
display' kits, Series 5 meters for sale, etc. The price is about what I
recall the last time this happened.
Click to expand...
Here's a cheaper one *and* it has a return policy unlike the one above
which is [warning bells] as-is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Fluke-87-87-3-New-Multimeter-LCD-Glass-Display-Panel_W0QQitemZ370360978553QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item563b3c0c79
 
So I received the new LCD and installed it. Meter works fine now. But I
noticed a flaw in the design of the meter: The corners of the LCD glass
project beyond the corners of the plastic retaining bezel. Now I'm not
certain what the clearance will be once the assembly is installed in the
meter case. But its possible that, due to a violent shock, the meter
innards could shift inside the case resulting in the LCD glass corner to
strike the inside of the case. That's what appears to have happened when I
dropped my meter.

--
Paul Hovnanian paul@hovnanian.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Have gnu, will travel.
 
Paul Hovnanian P.E. <paul@hovnanian.com> wrote in message
news:7fidnWrKZarNEU3WnZ2dnUVZ_vgAAAAA@posted.isomediainc...
So I received the new LCD and installed it. Meter works fine now. But I
noticed a flaw in the design of the meter: The corners of the LCD glass
project beyond the corners of the plastic retaining bezel. Now I'm not
certain what the clearance will be once the assembly is installed in the
meter case. But its possible that, due to a violent shock, the meter
innards could shift inside the case resulting in the LCD glass corner to
strike the inside of the case. That's what appears to have happened when I
dropped my meter.

--
Paul Hovnanian paul@hovnanian.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Have gnu, will travel.
Click to expand...

Preemptively grind into the bezel corners with centrided burr in a dremmel
 
On Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:42:42 +0100, "N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk>wrote:

Paul Hovnanian P.E. <paul@hovnanian.com> wrote in message
news:7fidnWrKZarNEU3WnZ2dnUVZ_vgAAAAA@posted.isomediainc...
So I received the new LCD and installed it. Meter works fine now. But I
noticed a flaw in the design of the meter: The corners of the LCD glass
project beyond the corners of the plastic retaining bezel. Now I'm not
certain what the clearance will be once the assembly is installed in the
meter case. But its possible that, due to a violent shock, the meter
innards could shift inside the case resulting in the LCD glass corner to
strike the inside of the case. That's what appears to have happened when I
dropped my meter.

--
Paul Hovnanian paul@hovnanian.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Have gnu, will travel.


Preemptively grind into the bezel corners with centrided burr in a dremmel
Click to expand...
Or simply don't subject your Fluke 87 to "violent shock".
 
Meat Plow wrote:
On Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:42:42 +0100, "N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk>wrote:

Paul Hovnanian P.E. <paul@hovnanian.com> wrote in message
news:7fidnWrKZarNEU3WnZ2dnUVZ_vgAAAAA@posted.isomediainc...
So I received the new LCD and installed it. Meter works fine now. But I
noticed a flaw in the design of the meter: The corners of the LCD glass
project beyond the corners of the plastic retaining bezel. Now I'm not
certain what the clearance will be once the assembly is installed in the
meter case. But its possible that, due to a violent shock, the meter
innards could shift inside the case resulting in the LCD glass corner to
strike the inside of the case. That's what appears to have happened when I
dropped my meter.

--
Paul Hovnanian paul@hovnanian.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Have gnu, will travel.


Preemptively grind into the bezel corners with centrided burr in a dremmel
Click to expand...
If they were not so expensive (and difficult to come by), I'd try it. I
may practice on the old one to see if it can be done without cracking
it.
Or simply don't subject your Fluke 87 to "violent shock".
Click to expand...
A fall off a workbench while its in its yellow rubber case shouldn't
result in this kind of damage.

--
Paul Hovnanian mailto:paul@Hovnanian.com
------------------------------------------------------------------
First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you,
then you win. -Gandhi
 
"Paul Hovnanian P.E." <Paul@Hovnanian.com> wrote in
news:4BD65DBF.F9F6D967@Hovnanian.com:

Meat Plow wrote:

On Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:42:42 +0100, "N_Cook" <diverse@tcp.co.uk>wrote:

Paul Hovnanian P.E. <paul@hovnanian.com> wrote in message
news:7fidnWrKZarNEU3WnZ2dnUVZ_vgAAAAA@posted.isomediainc...
So I received the new LCD and installed it. Meter works fine now.
But I noticed a flaw in the design of the meter: The corners of the
LCD glass project beyond the corners of the plastic retaining bezel.
Now I'm not certain what the clearance will be once the assembly is
installed in the meter case. But its possible that, due to a violent
shock, the meter innards could shift inside the case resulting in
the LCD glass corner to strike the inside of the case. That's what
appears to have happened when I dropped my meter.

--
Paul Hovnanian paul@hovnanian.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------
- Have gnu, will travel.


Preemptively grind into the bezel corners with centrided burr in a
dremmel

If they were not so expensive (and difficult to come by), I'd try it. I
may practice on the old one to see if it can be done without cracking
it.

Or simply don't subject your Fluke 87 to "violent shock".

A fall off a workbench while its in its yellow rubber case shouldn't
result in this kind of damage.
Click to expand...
How about packing some kind of 'shock absorber' or immobilizing material
around the mechanism so that a drop won't shift it?

Shapelock plastic seems to come in handy for many such tasks. If I don't
want it to stick to nearby plastic, I put a barrier of saran-wrap between
them. The shapelock WILL stick to the saran-wrap but the saran-wrap won't
stick to the other plastic.



--
bz 73 de N5BZ k

please pardon my infinite ignorance, the set-of-things-I-do-not-know is an
infinite set.
 
The Fluke 87-3 LCD works in the earlier Fluke 87 models, as a replacement.
Fluke Service performed this upgrade/change during a repair to my Fluke 87
almost a decade ago.
The new LCD is cleaner and easier to view. LED used for backlighting.

greg, w9gb
 
On Friday, April 9, 2010 3:37:32 PM UTC-5, Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
Need one.

I knocked the damned thing off the workbench and the display cracked
(again). But the usual on-line sources all list this as "out of stock".
It appears that Fluke no longer carries parts for the 87 (original).
From what I can see, all the service outfits that used to carry this
part got cleaned out fast when Fluke discontinued the part. So these
things must break quite often.

If these can't be had, I guess I'll be looking for a new multimeter with
the same specs. But I want one where: 1) high maintenance parts are
going to be kept in stock for the anticipated life of the product or 2)
a unit that is built well enough that the occasional plunge off the
bench doesn't cause irreplaceable parts to break.

I'd buy the the 87 mark 5, but I'm afraid that Fluke may not have solved
the fragile display problem and, in a few years, when that one takes a
tumble, I'll have to drop another $400 on the mark 6 model.
Click to expand...

This kit came with the elastomers and good instructions. Worked for me. If LCD is cracked or broken, then kit won't work: http://shop.flukerepairkit.com/Fluke-87-Display-Repair-Kit-87000001.htm
 
Several eBay dealers offer replacement LCDs. I have no idea whether they're
OEM.
 
wrote in message
news:dd097d3e-121a-41ce-9ba2-d93e4d65f606@googlegroups.com...

On Friday, April 9, 2010 3:37:32 PM UTC-5, Paul Hovnanian P.E. wrote:
Need one.

I knocked the damned thing off the workbench and the display cracked
(again). But the usual on-line sources all list this as "out of stock".
It appears that Fluke no longer carries parts for the 87 (original).
From what I can see, all the service outfits that used to carry this
part got cleaned out fast when Fluke discontinued the part. So these
things must break quite often.

If these can't be had, I guess I'll be looking for a new multimeter with
the same specs. But I want one where: 1) high maintenance parts are
going to be kept in stock for the anticipated life of the product or 2)
a unit that is built well enough that the occasional plunge off the
bench doesn't cause irreplaceable parts to break.

I'd buy the the 87 mark 5, but I'm afraid that Fluke may not have solved
the fragile display problem and, in a few years, when that one takes a
tumble, I'll have to drop another $400 on the mark 6 model.
Click to expand...

This kit came with the elastomers and good instructions. Worked for me. If
LCD is cracked or broken, then kit won't work:
http://shop.flukerepairkit.com/Fluke-87-Display-Repair-Kit-87000001.htm


Do you have the yellow rubber-like case protector covering your meter?
What series is it?

I have a Fluke 87 series III (3) with the yellow rubber holster and I've
found it to be very durable. Fluke supported these meters for many years
and they are well made! I used to fix them 18 to 22 years ago when they
first came out. There were fuseable resistors inside to protect the meter
in cases of over-voltage, I would test them and replace the odd one along
with fuses. I have replaced the odd display but not too often. Another
problem was too much dirt would collect inside the holes where the leads
plug in and meter give false alarms that the customer had the leads in the
wrong jacks.

I own two fluke meters, I think they are some of the best quality meters out
there. I don't sell them or repair them anymore; so this isn't a sales
pitch.

Shaun
 
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