Tester Repaired , Certificate Of Test Issued, Not Calibration.

[pewter]

have you tried good quality leads?

The leads are made by the manufacturer for the machine. When it started to play up the second time i phoned MM and bought a set. It did not cure the problem.

After this latest repair the current set of leads i bought which are months old worked for a day or 2 until i discovered today its playing up again.

though i have done a lot of jiggling with the leads today and it now seems to be measuring 0.16 - 0.18 now. The more jiggling i do the better its getting.

 

[Steve3948]

If you switch it off then to Ohms and put the crocs together making sure its base to base and not jaw to base do you get 0.0 and the bleep for latch.

 

[pewter]

If you switch it off then to Ohms and put the crocs together making sure its base to base and not jaw to base do you get 0.0 and the bleep for latch.

it does.

Even when it went wrong it did, it was when the lead moved the plug slightly the resistance changed.

It now is working ok, leads with crocs are measuring 0.16 and sometimes goes to 0.17 if moved lots.

I do have a video of it this morning going from 0.22 - 0.54.

I cant really send it back now if its now working again.

what does yours measure? , and does the value change if you rotate the plug?

 

[Sharpend]

I wonder if they fitted new sockets and there's a little manufacturer protective film of grease that needs wearing off?

 

[Steve3948]

Pewter - Well switched mine on, put croc's together base jaw to base jaw, null leads <0.00 flashing, part croc's and then rejoin base to base <0,00 flashing, beeos and latches, move leads left and right makes no difference still reads <0.00, part jaws rejoin straight <0.00 beeps and latches.

How do actually get a reading if you have nulled the leads ?

Do you switch off after every test, to clear the memory.

 

[pewter]

Pewter - Well switched mine on, put croc's together base jaw to base jaw, null leads <0.00 flashing, part croc's and then rejoin base to base <0,00 flashing, beeos and latches, move leads left and right makes no difference still reads <0.00, part jaws rejoin straight <0.00 beeps and latches.

How do actually get a reading if you have nulled the leads ?

Do you switch off after every test, to clear the memory.

If its flashing its less then 0     <0.00

example:

-if measure leads and its 0.16, press the test to null them to get zero.    

-If you touch them together again and get flashing <0.00 its less then 0.

-If you un null the leads and measure them you will find lead is now measuring less 0.14 for example.

thats a problem as all results would be -0.02.

I only get a reading when the leads complete a circuit and measure the resistance of something or just the leads.

What i have done to test the problem is connect the 2 leads together as if to null them.

I usually get around 0.14.

By moving the actual lead around which causes the plug to move, it then increases in resistance.

So i can connect (or could) connect the 2 leads together get a reading of 0.22, move the plug and get anything from 0.1-1.1

I could null leads, then crouch down to measure R1+R2 on a socket, recheck the leads and they have gained resistance, affecting the result.

This company have had a few problems with this, i was told.

I always switch the machine off after use (unless i forget)

Since i had the problem the first time i always check they say 0 (not <0.00 ) before and after measuring resistance on everything. This way i am checking the reading is true not affected by a change in resistance of the leads.

Im glad i made the video this morning to prove what it was doing, as its now working fine almost ( i only see a change of 0.01 if i really rotate the plug)

I wonder if they fitted new sockets and there's a little manufacturer protective film of grease that needs wearing off?

I was told they fitted new sockets this time.

 

[Steve3948]

Maybe the memory does not clear when switched off.

I always un-null (circle top left disappears) put leads together get reading of leads then press test button to null (circle appears) and reading shows <0.00, unclip and reclip machine beeps and shows <0.00.

I recall them telling me the supplied leads should always be 0.00 as that's what the machine is set to, and the null should only be re-done when using different leads.

Moving the leads has no affect on my machine I rechecked this morning. 

 

[ISSWWW]

Pewter,

Sorry for coming to this so late, we will always help you if you need us, Including calibrating your machine for you free of charge if required.

Has the manufacturer ever indicated a fault with the input connector? we have seen some of these with the same kind of issues.

We are normally the conduit to the return of items to manufactures for warranty repair but not always, you would be hard pushed, as has been mentioned, to prove an item unfit for purpose when so many have been sold and are in good order. The manufacturer would argue this and would also point to the calibration check as a reasonable way of proving the efficacy, i don't agree with that but that is what the argument would be. There was a time (not that long ago) when no tester was supplied calibrated, they came with a certificate of conformity and you had to pay extra for the certificate.

Anyway if i can help please PM me 

 

[pewter]

Pewter,

Sorry for coming to this so late, we will always help you if you need us, Including calibrating your machine for you free of charge if required.

Has the manufacturer ever indicated a fault with the input connector? we have seen some of these with the same kind of issues.

We are normally the conduit to the return of items to manufactures for warranty repair but not always, you would be hard pushed, as has been mentioned, to prove an item unfit for purpose when so many have been sold and are in good order. The manufacturer would argue this and would also point to the calibration check as a reasonable way of proving the efficacy, i don't agree with that but that is what the argument would be. There was a time (not that long ago) when no tester was supplied calibrated, they came with a certificate of conformity and you had to pay extra for the certificate.

Anyway if i can help please PM me 

 You guys at iSS have always been fantastic to me.

I like the tester i bought and the company.

The first repair i was told they replaced the PCB, i cant find any old paperwork to confirm this.

The latest repair i have a service report sheet, 'new terminal port' is what they have done this time.

I am not a sulker and i understand somethings go wrong and the technical team and the guys i have spoken to on the phone there have always been great. They do organize collection for repair quickly, it is all inconvenient but the do attempt to repair it, which i am ok with. Inconvenient but i understand sometimes things go wrong.

My problem with the manufacturer is the attitude of the person who i was asking about the calibration certificate.

It would not have taken much for them to give me a calibration certificate, which would have made me happy.

All i wanted to know what the 'certificate of test' is?

Instead of given an answer to say 'thats as good a calibration cert' or 'certificate of test is not worth the paper it is printed on you need a calibration cert for £100 we are muggin you off"

I got fobbed off, they didnt answer my question directly, started to question it hadnt been repaired before and then rattle on about there system upgrade and my old repair not showing up on some old bags computer was a joke.

I am still no wiser as how a 'certificate of test' is different to a 'calibration certificate'?????

If it has been repaired i thought they would need to check the calibration of the machine.

if not why?

If so then why not just give me a calibration certificate?

 

[Andy™]

at a guess, i would say that it is to prove the tester is still within calibration limits, but rather than valid for a year it proves your existing cal cert is still valid?

 

[NozSpark]

I would have thought that they'd only need to calibrate the tester if they replaced a component that would affect the calibration... to me the socket assy would be such an item

 

[pewter]

6 months later and the tester is doing the same fault again.

apparently they claim to have replaced the PCB and plug connectors.

Really annoyed, really need the tester.

Now going to have to wait for them to collect, repair and return. Luckily its within the 3 year warranty.

I can see myself having to buy another meter.

After i have posted this i can see an advert at the bottom for the rotten machine. it has the words ACCURATE in the advert.  :slap

 

[Blue Duck]

Was gonna ask what make.....

Go fluke mines coming up for its 7th calibration (Jan) and I only really have issues with it when its cold

 

[Sharpend]

My fluke is on it's tenth anniversary and only had one issue, which was of no fault of the machine but a clumsy foot of an apprentice, which Megger Mark sorted at minimal cost :Applaud been a dream of a machine. That's why it's no fluke that I have a fluke!!

 

[Steve3948]

Apparently the socket assembly or something inside is a plug in module which over time if the unit is knocked about can become loose.

The megger guy at one of the wholesaler days put mine on the floor with the sockets facing up and pushed down hard around this area.

Now I don't know if he was bull****ing but with that and new leads it was fine.

He also said they recommend new leads every ? cannot remember that bit, I said well they don't tell you that before purchase.

 

[pewter]

Im close to just buying a Fluke,  though i feel i shouldnt give in and get it repaired and save myself the money.

Apparently the socket assembly or something inside is a plug in module which over time if the unit is knocked about can become loose.

The megger guy at one of the wholesaler days put mine on the floor with the sockets facing up and pushed down hard around this area.

Now I don't know if he was bull****ing but with that and new leads it was fine.

He also said they recommend new leads every ? cannot remember that bit, I said well they don't tell you that before purchase.

Have you had the same problem Steve?

Mine is not knocked around or beaten up.  I take great care of all my toys, keep everything clean, never lend them out, all leads kept in bags in tip top condition.

My leads get better if i push down hard on them, but it can soon go back to inaccurate readings of resistance.

I think in the NIC conections magazine there was an article on leads where it mentioned guideline replacement of every year or something. I dont think it was just the NIC opinion, i think it gave reference to one of our books (7671, GN3 or something). I could be remembering incorrectly. I think the topic at the time was also brought up on here.

 

[pewter]

I received the tester back this morning.

This time it does feel different. The connections for the leads feels really stiff, solid and strong. Much better then ever.

The resistance of the leads now measures 0.04ohms,  lower then it ever has done.

They did also calibrate it, and give me a new set of leads.

The turn around time was 7 working days including collection and delivery.

Really pleased and this time it does feel repaired.

  :happy bunny:

 

[Sharpend]

Best write to them thanking them for employing the new technician who knows what they're doing!

Hopefully it will last this time.

 

[Apache]

Now get it on ebay and buy a Fluke......

 

[Andy™]

Now get it on ebay and buy a Fluke......

he wants something that works