[volt-nuts] Reference Calibration Options - Solartron 7081 and Fluke 731B and 335A

[J. L. Trantham]

I have explored the options for calibration of my 'reference' devices.

The Solartron 7081 calibration is available in Oak Ridge, TN, at Advanced Measurement Technology http://www.ametek-online.com/ for $800.00.  They are the US branch of the company that owns Solartron, if I understanad correctly.  I have emailed with a number of questions regarding the specific details of the calibration and documents supplied but have not received a reply so far.  I suspect the Service Coordinator I emailed is busy chasing down the answers for my many questions.

For the 731B, Fluke offers a Performance Test for $229, Calibration, Traceable, W/O Data for $245, Calibration, Z540 Traceable, W/O Data for $259 and Calibration, Z540 Traceable, W/ Data for $333.  There is no repair service available.

For the 335A, there is no Performance Test option and there, also, is no repair service available.  However, for the remainder, it is $473, $505, and $662 respectively.

My thought is to get the 7081 calibrated and one of the 731B's.  The 'white face' 731B is the later unit with the modifications hand written in the manual downloaded from the Fluke website already in place.  The 'black face' unit is older and does not have these modifications installed.  I'm thinking the 'white face' unit would be the best to get calibrated.

Once these are done, I can then do the 'calibration' of the 335A and  the other 731B myself.

Any thoughts about this plan, which calibration to choose, or other options that might be available?  Also, any thoughts about the potential to need 'repair' of these Fluke units when sent for calibration?

Thanks in advance.

Joe