[volt-nuts] A Fluke 732A: Return it or keep it?

[Tom Miller]

If you change to Li-Ion, you give up the ability to ship by air or at least 
carry it in any passenger aircraft.

You might look at the Li-Ion motorcycle batteries. They are designed to 
charge from a normal Pb-Ac system. Down side is a pair of them will run 
~$600. They are >20 AH at 12 volts nominal.

Regards,
Tom

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Knox" <actast at hotmail.com>
To: "Discussion of precise voltage measurement" <volt-nuts at febo.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2014 10:42 AM
Subject: Re: [volt-nuts] A Fluke 732A: Return it or keep it?


> In my humble opinion your are best off first checking for a local Cal Lab 
> with a Josephson Junction Array Voltage Standard.
> You can then drop it off and pick it up your 732A. I would imagine the day 
> of abuse during shipping has more effect on uncertainty then the rest of 
> the year combined sitting in a controlled lab environment. And Speaking of 
> Lab environments adding precise temp and humidity control will have a 
> substantial effect on 732A and 3458A stability. Hooking a number of small 
> electric heaters to PID controllers can provide even out room temperature. 
> Also I would almost always assume the 732A is more accurate then your 
> 3458A even if you have the 002 or HFL option. Has anyone attempted 
> changing the battery technology to Li-Ion and redesigning the charger? I 
> am sure you could get greatly improved battery life.
>
> Thomas Knox
>
>
>
>> From: jltran at att.net
>> To: volt-nuts at febo.com
>> Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2014 07:50:55 -0600
>> Subject: Re: [volt-nuts] A Fluke 732A: Return it or keep it?
>>
>> Charles,
>>
>> Thanks for the info on batteries.  I agree, some are definitely better 
>> than
>> others.  However, I'm no 'connoisseur' of batteries yet.  The 732A I got 
>> was
>> 'unknown working condition' and I wanted the cheapest batteries I could 
>> find
>> to test the unit and see if I could get it up and running.  So far, it 
>> looks
>> good.
>>
>> Do you wind up having to re-solder some of the battery wires in the 
>> battery
>> module in order to use the 12 V 5 AH batteries or will they just swing to
>> the other side since it appears that the (+) and (-) terminals will wind 
>> up
>> on the same side, instead of opposite sides with the 6 V 4.5 AH 
>> batteries?
>>
>> I have not faced the shipping question yet, but, as David pointed out, 
>> there
>> is an issue with shipping batteries.  I suspect it could be shipped but
>> would be ground and, therefore, need a huge battery in order to get it to
>> the other side of the country 'hot'.  I recall reading some thoughts on
>> current drain for the unit when on batteries but I do not remember what 
>> it
>> was.  Clearly, it should be at a minimum, and therefore the battery 
>> should
>> last the longest, when already 'hot' when removed from AC power.  Has 
>> anyone
>> done that experiment?  I live in NW FL and I am not aware of Cal Labs in 
>> my
>> neighborhood that could do the work.  Atlanta, perhaps?  Does anyone have 
>> a
>> recommendation of a capable Cal facility 'close by' to NW FL?
>>
>> Short of sending it to Fluke or another facility, I will be limited to 
>> using
>> my Agilent Cal'd 3458A to 'adjust' the 732A, then 'tracking' the 732A 
>> from
>> year to year as the 3458A comes back from Cal.
>>
>> I paid less than Michael and more than you for my unit but it seems to 
>> work.
>> I have seen these sell on theBay for $450 and up.
>>
>> Joe
>>
>>
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