Only resistance and continuity works on multimeter. What could be the possible issue?

Thread Starter

Rahulk70

Joined Dec 16, 2016
536
Hi,
I know this question isn't specific, but I'm just trying to get a few hints if possible that leads to the issue. I've a Fluke 8020B multimeter. The 200M Ohm and the continuity tester seems to work fine. Unfortunately the voltage and ampere doesn't work. I tried changing the 9V battery with a new one, but still no luck. Has anyone had a similar issue on their multimeter. Thanks in advance. Cheers!! :)
 
Last edited:

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
Has it ever worked on the volt or amp settings?

Are you using the correct ports for the measurements you are trying to make?

Are you selecting the V/mA functions as opposed to the Ω/S functions (the bottom button on left hand side)?

I've never seen or used an 8020B, but the Instruction Manual was trivially easy to find by Googling "Fluke 8020B":

http://exodus.poly.edu/~kurt/manuals/manuals/Fluke/FLUKE 8020B Instruction.pdf

It seems to think that properly selecting which set of functions you want to perform might be important.
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
Has it ever worked on the volt or amp settings?

Are you using the correct ports for the measurements you are trying to make?

Are you selecting the V/mA functions as opposed to the Ω/S functions (the bottom button on left hand side)?

I've never seen or used an 8020B, but the Instruction Manual was trivially easy to find by Googling "Fluke 8020B":

http://exodus.poly.edu/~kurt/manuals/manuals/Fluke/FLUKE 8020B Instruction.pdf

It seems to think that properly selecting which set of functions you want to perform might be important.

Most DMMs I've seen only have extra sockets for current ranges. The voltage ranges usually use the same sockets as resistance.

Voltage and current amount to pretty much the same thing at the ADC input - My guess; something nasty happened while a sensitive range was selected.
 

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,852
I have a friend who is mechanically inclined. There's NOTHING he can't screw up. After many visits to his house to check the battery voltage on his car I finally decided that as a gift I would give him a volt meter. Simple Radio Shack thing, cheap and easy to operate. Leave it to him to set it up to measure current while testing for battery voltage. "Hey! The meter you gave me doesn't work." No, of course not. You don't check for voltage with it set to measure current. You blew the 1/3 amp fuse (or whatever minuscule amperage it was). I went through my stock and found another fuse and put it in and showed him how it works with it set to voltage.

He's an old codger like me. My dad always talked about the current at the plug (not the voltage). I'm confident his father likely said something similar.

If your meter has an internal fuse (likely it does) then check that. It's possible you've blown the fuse out by accident. I remember back in high school electronics shop I took an analog meter and checking for continuity (without unplugging the device under test). The closed switch had continuity. But when I opened the switch and checked again I blew the heck out of that meter. Bent the needle to krap and let the magic smoking genie out of the meter.

We all make mistakes. I suspect (not accusing you) the fuse is blown.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
Most DMMs I've seen only have extra sockets for current ranges. The voltage ranges usually use the same sockets as resistance.

Voltage and current amount to pretty much the same thing at the ADC input - My guess; something nasty happened while a sensitive range was selected.
That's all assuming that he has selected the correct function. There is a specific button to choose between the mA/V functionality and the Ω/S functionality. If the ohms and continuity are working, then that means that the Ω/S functionality has been selected. If he then tries to make current or voltage measurements without changing the function selection, then it probably won't work. This design choice was probably made so that the range select buttons could be multiplexed for the different function.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
I have a friend who is mechanically inclined. There's NOTHING he can't screw up. After many visits to his house to check the battery voltage on his car I finally decided that as a gift I would give him a volt meter. Simple Radio Shack thing, cheap and easy to operate. Leave it to him to set it up to measure current while testing for battery voltage. "Hey! The meter you gave me doesn't work." No, of course not. You don't check for voltage with it set to measure current. You blew the 1/3 amp fuse (or whatever minuscule amperage it was). I went through my stock and found another fuse and put it in and showed him how it works with it set to voltage.

He's an old codger like me. My dad always talked about the current at the plug (not the voltage). I'm confident his father likely said something similar.

If your meter has an internal fuse (likely it does) then check that. It's possible you've blown the fuse out by accident. I remember back in high school electronics shop I took an analog meter and checking for continuity (without unplugging the device under test). The closed switch had continuity. But when I opened the switch and checked again I blew the heck out of that meter. Bent the needle to krap and let the magic smoking genie out of the meter.

We all make mistakes. I suspect (not accusing you) the fuse is blown.
I'd say a very good chance. If he left the function switch on Ω/S and proceeded to try to make a voltage measurement, it probably (hopefully) blew the fuse so that now, even if the correct functionality is selected, it won't work.
 

Thread Starter

Rahulk70

Joined Dec 16, 2016
536
I have a friend who is mechanically inclined. There's NOTHING he can't screw up. After many visits to his house to check the battery voltage on his car I finally decided that as a gift I would give him a volt meter. Simple Radio Shack thing, cheap and easy to operate. Leave it to him to set it up to measure current while testing for battery voltage. "Hey! The meter you gave me doesn't work." No, of course not. You don't check for voltage with it set to measure current. You blew the 1/3 amp fuse (or whatever minuscule amperage it was). I went through my stock and found another fuse and put it in and showed him how it works with it set to voltage.

He's an old codger like me. My dad always talked about the current at the plug (not the voltage). I'm confident his father likely said something similar.

If your meter has an internal fuse (likely it does) then check that. It's possible you've blown the fuse out by accident. I remember back in high school electronics shop I took an analog meter and checking for continuity (without unplugging the device under test). The closed switch had continuity. But when I opened the switch and checked again I blew the heck out of that meter. Bent the needle to krap and let the magic smoking genie out of the meter.

We all make mistakes. I suspect (not accusing you) the fuse is blown.
I wish it was just a blown fuse. Unfortunately for me both the fuses heavy duty and small fuse are fine which means something else could be bad.
 

Thread Starter

Rahulk70

Joined Dec 16, 2016
536
I'd say a very good chance. If he left the function switch on Ω/S and proceeded to try to make a voltage measurement, it probably (hopefully) blew the fuse so that now, even if the correct functionality is selected, it won't work.
Most DMMs I've seen only have extra sockets for current ranges. The voltage ranges usually use the same sockets as resistance.

Voltage and current amount to pretty much the same thing at the ADC input - My guess; something nasty happened while a sensitive range was selected.
This is actually my dad's old multimeter. He told me he had lend it to a friend long back. Once he returned he noticed the voltage and current no longer was working. I suspect since the fuses are OK something inside might be blown. I tried opening the meter but there is no visible damaged components I saw.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,978
Could you please confirm that you are aware of and are properly using the function select switch (the bottom button on the left side) on the meter?
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
Could you please confirm that you are aware of and are properly using the function select switch (the bottom button on the left side) on the meter?
"lent it to a friend" probably says it all.

The point about using the right range for the sockets plugged into has been made.

Instrument repair can be expensive because most places won't sign it off without a full calibration.

DMMs can be had *VERY* cheap these days - something decent may not be cheaper than repair, but its probably a better investment.
 

Thread Starter

Rahulk70

Joined Dec 16, 2016
536
Could you please confirm that you are aware of and are properly using the function select switch (the bottom button on the left side) on the meter?
Yes. I know how to use the buttons for each function. I had read the manual before I tried using it.
 

Thread Starter

Rahulk70

Joined Dec 16, 2016
536
"lent it to a friend" probably says it all.

The point about using the right range for the sockets plugged into has been made.

Instrument repair can be expensive because most places won't sign it off without a full calibration.

DMMs can be had *VERY* cheap these days - something decent may not be cheaper than repair, but its probably a better investment.
So, I guess there is nothing much to do about it. Guess I'll have to bin it then. Anyway its 30+ years old I think.
 

ian field

Joined Oct 27, 2012
6,536
So, I guess there is nothing much to do about it. Guess I'll have to bin it then. Anyway its 30+ years old I think.
My first ever DMM came OUT of a bin - AC & Ohms didn't work. There was an 8-DIL op-amp close to the LSI chip. Nothing to lose so I replaced the 8-DIL - it worked.
 
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