EEVblog #802 - Mailbag

[crispy_tofu]

The meter arrived yesterday, thanks Dave!!  (didn't get to meet him though, parents said no    )

@crispy_tofu, you will likely need to change all the electrolytic capacitors on the pcb.  Take it apart and check the capacitor bungs to make sure they are not leaking.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If Dave says he'd rather not tear it down further because he doesn't know how to get the board out, then a beginner should probably best leave it alone. Dave's already had a look and has shown us inside the meter and everything looked fine. We've also seen it working with phenomenal accuracy on various settings.

I took a closer look at the capacitors and they seemed fine, but I read somewhere on the forum that the leakage might only be evident if the capacitors are removed - I'll definitely replace them once I get more familiar with electronics/soldering 

Sure. I bet it's all top shelf components that have many more years left in them. Don't forget to grab the incredibly comprehensive official manual: http://assets.fluke.com/manuals/8060a___imeng0300.pdf - it's a ripper!! You can learn a lot from the "Applications" and "Theory of operation" chapters; each section is like a mini electronics lesson.

Thanks for the tip!! I've read most of it and it's very informative! 

The 8060 battery has a MAR 2008 date. Is that the expiration date?
I wonder how much charge is left and how little must be the meter using it (while still running in full spec).

I believe it is the expiration date. There was about 7.7V left on the battery and it draws about 2.2mA while not doing anything (not sure about full spec). The manual says about 170 hours on a 9V alkaline battery and it apparently uses about 80% of the battery (*cough* batteriser). 

[InverseInfinity]

Thought I'd show my workbench seeing as it's a bit unique
I've been teaching myself about electronics by repairing an old Pinball machine I picked up for $50. Been gradually plugging away rebuilding the boards, adding plugs and cleaning it up. Seeing as the playfield isn't all that flat it's become more of a storage space than a workbench and now I've taken over the kitchen table, much to the disdain of the wife ;P 

[Godzil]

$50 for that? Nice!