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Old 16th Oct 2020, 11:14 am   #1
nigelr2000
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Default An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

I dropped my multimeter for the umpteenth time yesterday and although it's survived many drops and falls, even one off a ladder this time the LCD display gained a crack and now half of of no longer works.

I think I bought it about 1987 and it has seen lots of use in tellys when they were still CRT's as well as many VCR's & of late more and more audio gear. The auto ranging works really quick compared to my expensive escort meter I purchased to replace it (sold that as it ate battery's every 3 months or so) and it never seems to need new battery's with them lasting well over a year.

A sad loss but I bet the chances of getting a new LCD are nil, it had a bargraph on the bottom of the display that was handy to see fast moving stuff like when a PSU is tripping.

If anyone knows of a source for a display panel please let me know.
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Old 16th Oct 2020, 11:23 am   #2
Radio Wrangler
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Default Re: An old mate dies my Philips SBC812 Multimeter

Are you sure it's the LCD itself?

The connection between LCD and PCB might be a 'zebrastrip' a rubbery sandwich of conductive and nonconductive stuff. Sometimes a careful strip and clean can help.

David
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Old 16th Oct 2020, 11:27 am   #3
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Default Re: An old mate dies my Philips SBC812 Multimeter

I had had one of these excellent meters but long ago my LCD display failed on it too. Tried cleaning the conductive rubber etc to no avail.
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Old 16th Oct 2020, 11:41 am   #4
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Default Re: An old mate dies my Philips SBC812 Multimeter

Yeah probably zebra strip. Here's typically what cleaning it can do...

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Old 16th Oct 2020, 11:49 am   #5
turretslug
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Default Re: An old mate dies my Philips SBC812 Multimeter

You never know, I wonder if there was any commonality with the display used in any Fluke-branded meters- though it might be a case of "sit down, sir".
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Old 16th Oct 2020, 11:59 am   #6
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Default Re: An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

What about a replacement display from possibly Ebay??There are loads of them but possibly not the one you want.Certainly worth a look through though.
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Old 16th Oct 2020, 12:26 pm   #7
ajgriff
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Default Re: An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

Although cleaning the zebra strip contacts is worth a try it looks likely that the LCD panel is damaged beyond repair due to the impact. Fnding a compatible replacement is likely to be a real challenge I'm afraid but you never know.

I still have a couple of refurbished Fluke 77s from the same era on offer at a reasonable price if you decide to opt for a replacement meter. PM me if interested.

Alan
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Old 16th Oct 2020, 12:38 pm   #8
nigelr2000
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Default Re: An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

Did the Zebra strip regularily when the LCD dimmed on some digits about every 5 years but it's had it this time, crack in the corner and across the display
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Old 16th Oct 2020, 3:05 pm   #9
MrBungle
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Default Re: An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

Ah that’s had it then. RIP.
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Old 16th Oct 2020, 4:06 pm   #10
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Default Re: An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

That does look very Fluke 75-ish, a bit of rearrangement on the PCB around the battery area but overall it does look quite similiar. Same construction of your LCD as on the '75' as well.

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Old 16th Oct 2020, 4:53 pm   #11
Lloyd 1985
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Default Re: An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

Oh I hate it when that sort of thing happens! I had a very nice Megger BM80 until something popped in it, now it draws loads of current and has a faint display, and seems to output high voltage all the time. Most expensive mistake was with an Apple watch that I had replaced the front glass on, barely been done a few months and I went and knocked it off the bedside table and smashed it again! Luckily parts are available to repair it again, but it's a pig of a job to do it without killing it totally.

If a display for your multimeter doesn't turn up, maybe you could make a frankenstien meter, replacing the display with either a low powered LED display, or an LCD from something else!

Regards,
Lloyd.
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Old 17th Oct 2020, 1:10 pm   #12
factory
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Default Re: An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

The inside of that Philips DMM has some similarities with my my Japanese made Yokogawa multimeter (also re-branded as Soar & HP with some variations), definitely not a Fluke.

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Hopefully you will be able to find a cheap donor meter with battery corrosion to the PCB that you could take a display from.

David

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Old 8th Nov 2020, 7:41 pm   #13
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Default Re: An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

I own a Philips SBC812 myself and you are right, it actually looks quite the same. The Philips sticker on the back even says "Made in Japan".
It has all the button pads on the PCB, it just lacks the select button. What does this one do?

Regards,
Mike
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Old 8th Nov 2020, 9:53 pm   #14
factory
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Default Re: An old mate dies, my Philips SBC812 Multimeter.

The camera flash hid the function of the select button, it's for the ohms/continuity function.

David
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