ITTSB.EU Blog Forum
Multimeter | Clamp meter | Insulation Resistance Tester | Panel Meter | Oscilloscopes | Test leads & Accessories | Software Updates => Handheld multimeter => Topic started by: Kiriakos GR on July 14, 2014, 07:03:16 PM
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Today it was one of those days that you burn an expensive 600mA fuse in you multimeter, just by measuring mA in low volts DC.
This accident is from the ones that cost 10 to 12 EUR, therefore I did lose my smile.
By opening my multimeter so to replace the fuse, also found the opportunity for some additional testing.
At first tested the batteries which have 60% capacity 1.33V and are in action since the first day that I got my multimeter at 7 October 2010, which is remarkably good as news.
The second test was about FLUKE 28II power consumption in continuity mode.
I did spot recently some comments in a Chinese forum that 28II shown high battery usage (consumption) as high as 100mA when operates in continuity mode and the beeper is active.
Well my tests shown far more worrying signs when the battery voltage starts to get lower than 4.5V.
In my quick test measured:
4mA continuity mode default
121mA at 4.5V / active beeper
147mA at 4.0V / active beeper
190mA at 3.7V / active beeper
Now at the top of this consumption you may add another 20mA from the LCD back-light when active, and the sum is easily become about 210mA.
I am confused up to a point, surely this consumption is rather high and close to called as the best stress test for it batteries.
From the other hand I am having this DMM since 7 October 2010 and today (14 July 2014) is three years old plus nine months with the same set of batteries.
3X AA Energizer, LR6 - AM3 1.5V, Made in USA (St. Louis)
Expiration date: 03-2017
Therefore I am writing this topic mostly as verification for other FLUKE 28II owners, yea this multimeter it does chew batteries in continuity mode, but due my long term experience with it, it does not seem as a critical problem so far.
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At first tested the batteries which have 60% capacity 1.33V and are in action since the first day that I got my multimeter at 7 October 2010, which is remarkably good as news.
From the other hand I am having this DMM since 7 October 2010 and today (14 July 2014) is three years old plus nine months with the same set of batteries.
3X AA Energizer, LR6 - AM3 1.5V, Made in USA (St. Louis)
Expiration date: 03-2017
Fresh feedback 9 November 2015.
By having so many multimeter's at my Blog definably any workload this gets shared and therefore it is rather difficult me to drain a specific meter faster than my other meters.
I came to the point to replace today these 3X AA Energizer even if they have 40% remaining power (this measured by special digital tester), at continuity mode my 28II this does display Low Battery and also what FLUKE forgot to mention in their Users manual is that after Low Battery activation the multimeter back-light function this gets disabled.
Naturally I can power OFF and back ON the meter so Low Battery activation this to go away, as in other range switch modes ( V, A, Ohm) them are not power hungry and Low Battery activation this does not happen even with back-light On at highest brightness.
But this is annoying and rather pointless, even if I wish to use all 40% remaining battery power it does not makes sense to cause wear at the range switch (rotating selector).
Therefore I did replace the battery cells with New Supacell Digital, and now starts another benchmarking cycle.
Over the years I will find out their limits and strong points.