DMMs with pushbutton range selection - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Julesomega · 10th Feb 2019, 4:38 pm

I have a basic 3½ digit DMM which I brought home about 1995 when it had been damaged, a Kikusui 1506. It runs on a PP3 or external supply and my guess is that it had been bought in the 80s. I noticed that the Fluke 8060A looks very similar when one appeared on eBay in 2017 (I didn't buy it). Since then I have noticed a similar-looking meter in the background of the images of one or two other members here. Maybe they were sold through RS or Farnell.

I am wondering if this presentation style was picked up by any other DMM makers of the period. Also I would be very grateful for any servicing info as I could then calibrate mine, in particular by zeroing the display. I note that the one on eBay was showing a similar offset!

Julesomega · 10th Feb 2019, 4:59 pm

In answer to my own question, I found a 1990 RS catalogue which has 6 Fluke meters in this style: 8020B, 8021B, 8024B, 8026B, 8060A, 8062A. The Farnell cat from that time shows just the 8060A. This seems to date the Kikusui from either side of 1990

barrymagrec · 10th Feb 2019, 5:12 pm

I`m not sure of the model numbers but that style of Fluke meter goes back at least to 1980.

Sinewave · 10th Feb 2019, 5:19 pm

I love those old Flukes, have a few here. My father did have one at some point too, not sure if he still has one.

Radio Wrangler · 10th Feb 2019, 7:13 pm

I have a Fluke 8060 and it is an excellent meter. True RMS, no annoying autoranging and plenty of counts.

The switching is clever, if a bit fiddly to use, and it looks like Kikusui copied this.

David

Nickthedentist · 10th Feb 2019, 7:16 pm

Yes, many cheap (Korean?) meters copied this layout, including some in Maplin's "Precison Gold" range. I have one bought for me by my dad for my 12th birthday in 1985. It still works to this day.

It was still shown in the 1995 catalogue so presumably it was a successful design

https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/p...Gold-M6000.jpg

N.

buggies · 11th Feb 2019, 7:06 pm

My most used DMM is a Weston 6100. This was issued to Solartron field service engineers as it was produced by a sister company and was a bit handier than their own small bench models. Think it came out about 1980 according to the advert.

MrBungle · 11th Feb 2019, 7:12 pm

Altai made one that looked like one of them. We had them at university.

Andrewausfa · 12th Feb 2019, 10:24 pm

Hioki did a side switch DMM with a calculator on the front. Also the Heathkit IM-2215.

Andrew

Andrewausfa · 12th Feb 2019, 10:27 pm

Julian,

Servicing for your Kikusui

https://www.kikusui.co.jp/kiku_manua...IC/1506_JE.pdf

Andrew

Julesomega · 13th Feb 2019, 1:03 am

The Weston 6100 looks like it's halfway between the Fluke and the Kikusui, and I love the 5-range bleeper system. I found a 1990 Maplin catalogue which shows their ownbrand M6000, and they also had a capacitance meter and a temperature meter with the side pushbuttons.
Thanks so much to Andrew for finding the 1506 manual (in Japanese and English)

Jonster · 13th Feb 2019, 1:42 pm

I picked up a Fluke 8020A at a radio rally a while back for a couple of quid, it still works well.

Nickthedentist · 13th Feb 2019, 4:37 pm

I can beat that! Mine cost £1 in the local charity shop in January, complete with case and probes. I wasn't expecting it to work, but was delighted to find that it had been stored with the battery removed, and when I replaced it, it worked perfectly, and agreed with my new Fluke (on the DC volts range anyway).

Techman · 18th Feb 2019, 12:25 am

Seeing this thread has reminded me that I have a version of this meter that I'd completely forgotten about and has been in a cupboard for a number of years. Luckily it still works perfectly (although I haven't tried all ranges) and the battery that I left in it still seems good. It's a Bewa DMM 6010 GS and unfortunately it's missing a push button cover and the 'stand-up' bracket is partially broken. I don't know what those test leads are from, possibly Heathkit?
Picture of it below:-

BulgingCap · 18th Feb 2019, 1:51 pm

Techman- That is a coincidence. I was using one identical to that today except it was grey. I didn't look what the brand was. I was helping a non-electronic friend (actually an ATPL and good mechanical engineer) with a problem with a Li-ion pack and he produced this meter. I was immediately reminded of the Fluke 8060 that I was issued when I first started work because it is easy to catch the buttons and change ranges when picking up the meter to move it.
BC

ex 2 Base · 18th Feb 2019, 4:39 pm

I have an identical meter to what Techman has. I've had mine almost 40 years and its still going strong, bought via an advert in ETI magazine and the first purchase I made with a credit card. I've never bothered to compare readings with any other meter.

Julesomega · 4th Apr 2019, 12:49 am

The manual allowed successful calibration of the Kikusui 1506. VR-1 sets 2V ac, VR-3 sets 2V dc, and VR-5 sets 200mV dc.

Shorting the inputs, I found that VR-6 sets zero reading. No procedure is given for adjusting the resistance ranges, but it reads in agreement with a Solartron 4½ digit instrument. No procedure is given for VR-2 and VR-4 so having tried for any effect I left them roughly as they were. I plan to use this a lot.

10th Feb 2019, 4:38 pm	#1
Julesomega Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 2,102	DMMs with pushbutton range selection I have a basic 3½ digit DMM which I brought home about 1995 when it had been damaged, a Kikusui 1506. It runs on a PP3 or external supply and my guess is that it had been bought in the 80s. I noticed that the Fluke 8060A looks very similar when one appeared on eBay in 2017 (I didn't buy it). Since then I have noticed a similar-looking meter in the background of the images of one or two other members here. Maybe they were sold through RS or Farnell. I am wondering if this presentation style was picked up by any other DMM makers of the period. Also I would be very grateful for any servicing info as I could then calibrate mine, in particular by zeroing the display. I note that the one on eBay was showing a similar offset! Attached Thumbnails __________________ - Julian It's good here

10th Feb 2019, 4:59 pm	#2
Julesomega Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 2,102	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection In answer to my own question, I found a 1990 RS catalogue which has 6 Fluke meters in this style: 8020B, 8021B, 8024B, 8026B, 8060A, 8062A. The Farnell cat from that time shows just the 8060A. This seems to date the Kikusui from either side of 1990 __________________ - Julian It's good here Last edited by Julesomega; 10th Feb 2019 at 5:07 pm.

10th Feb 2019, 5:12 pm	#3
barrymagrec Octode Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Morden, Surrey, UK. Posts: 1,557	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection I`m not sure of the model numbers but that style of Fluke meter goes back at least to 1980.

10th Feb 2019, 5:19 pm	#4
Sinewave Octode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Oxfordshire/Bucks borders, UK. Posts: 1,604	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection I love those old Flukes, have a few here. My father did have one at some point too, not sure if he still has one. __________________ Avometer, vintage Fluke and Marconi collector. Also interested in vintage Yaesu and KW.

10th Feb 2019, 7:13 pm	#5
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,858	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection I have a Fluke 8060 and it is an excellent meter. True RMS, no annoying autoranging and plenty of counts. The switching is clever, if a bit fiddly to use, and it looks like Kikusui copied this. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

10th Feb 2019, 7:16 pm	#6
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,841	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection Yes, many cheap (Korean?) meters copied this layout, including some in Maplin's "Precison Gold" range. I have one bought for me by my dad for my 12th birthday in 1985. It still works to this day. It was still shown in the 1995 catalogue so presumably it was a successful design https://www.picclickimg.com/d/l400/p...Gold-M6000.jpg N.

11th Feb 2019, 7:06 pm	#7
buggies Heptode Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: West Lothian, UK. Posts: 761	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection My most used DMM is a Weston 6100. This was issued to Solartron field service engineers as it was produced by a sister company and was a bit handier than their own small bench models. Think it came out about 1980 according to the advert. Attached Thumbnails __________________ George

11th Feb 2019, 7:12 pm	#8
MrBungle Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: London, UK. Posts: 3,687	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection Altai made one that looked like one of them. We had them at university.

12th Feb 2019, 10:24 pm	#9
Andrewausfa Octode Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,180	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection Hioki did a side switch DMM with a calculator on the front. Also the Heathkit IM-2215. Andrew __________________ Invisible airwaves crackle with life. Or they should do. BVWS Member

12th Feb 2019, 10:27 pm	#10
Andrewausfa Octode Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,180	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection Julian, Servicing for your Kikusui https://www.kikusui.co.jp/kiku_manua...IC/1506_JE.pdf Andrew __________________ Invisible airwaves crackle with life. Or they should do. BVWS Member

13th Feb 2019, 1:03 am	#11
Julesomega Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 2,102	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection The Weston 6100 looks like it's halfway between the Fluke and the Kikusui, and I love the 5-range bleeper system. I found a 1990 Maplin catalogue which shows their ownbrand M6000, and they also had a capacitance meter and a temperature meter with the side pushbuttons. Thanks so much to Andrew for finding the 1506 manual (in Japanese and English) Attached Thumbnails __________________ - Julian It's good here

13th Feb 2019, 1:42 pm	#12
Jonster Heptode Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Eastbourne, East Sussex, UK. Posts: 671	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection I picked up a Fluke 8020A at a radio rally a while back for a couple of quid, it still works well.

13th Feb 2019, 4:37 pm	#13
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 17,841	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection I can beat that! Mine cost £1 in the local charity shop in January, complete with case and probes. I wasn't expecting it to work, but was delighted to find that it had been stored with the battery removed, and when I replaced it, it worked perfectly, and agreed with my new Fluke (on the DC volts range anyway).

18th Feb 2019, 12:25 am	#14
Techman Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 5,000	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection Seeing this thread has reminded me that I have a version of this meter that I'd completely forgotten about and has been in a cupboard for a number of years. Luckily it still works perfectly (although I haven't tried all ranges) and the battery that I left in it still seems good. It's a Bewa DMM 6010 GS and unfortunately it's missing a push button cover and the 'stand-up' bracket is partially broken. I don't know what those test leads are from, possibly Heathkit? Picture of it below:- Attached Thumbnails

18th Feb 2019, 1:51 pm	#15
BulgingCap Pentode Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: South Coast, Western Australia. Posts: 129	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection Techman- That is a coincidence. I was using one identical to that today except it was grey. I didn't look what the brand was. I was helping a non-electronic friend (actually an ATPL and good mechanical engineer) with a problem with a Li-ion pack and he produced this meter. I was immediately reminded of the Fluke 8060 that I was issued when I first started work because it is easy to catch the buttons and change ranges when picking up the meter to move it. BC

18th Feb 2019, 4:39 pm	#16
ex 2 Base Heptode Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Scarborough, North Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 510	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection I have an identical meter to what Techman has. I've had mine almost 40 years and its still going strong, bought via an advert in ETI magazine and the first purchase I made with a credit card. I've never bothered to compare readings with any other meter.

4th Apr 2019, 12:49 am	#17
Julesomega Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 2,102	Re: DMMs with pushbutton range selection The manual allowed successful calibration of the Kikusui 1506. VR-1 sets 2V ac, VR-3 sets 2V dc, and VR-5 sets 200mV dc. Shorting the inputs, I found that VR-6 sets zero reading. No procedure is given for adjusting the resistance ranges, but it reads in agreement with a Solartron 4½ digit instrument. No procedure is given for VR-2 and VR-4 so having tried for any effect I left them roughly as they were. I plan to use this a lot. Attached Thumbnails __________________ - Julian It's good here