MissionTroll
- Jan 26, 2023
- 11
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2023
- Messages
- 11
Hello,
I just open an account here to ask this question. I got my Simpson 260 multimeter from a landfill electronics shop for quite cheap. It wasn't working as I expected from the price and I was looking for a way to fix it. It was reading voltage but not resistance I think. The odd thing was when back side was removed and it was put on its back to ground it did work but when I put back the back cover it stopped. So I understood that something was not touching something it supposed to touch and figured out the issue being the broken standoffs of the PCB. After glueing those it worked perfectly. I was very happy with my new, almost free multimeter. It had some battle scars around the housing missing back screw and fuses and resistance zero knob. It was obvious that it had seen better days and it was dropped pretty hard at some point. I immediately bought probes, couldn't find originals so I made them myself. I installed correct fuses and this hopeless multimeter was working fine. You can see the places where it was broken:

I glues these broken parts as best as I can.


Unfortunately this perfect lucky find moment did not last long. Multimeter slowly started losing functionality. When I turn the mode dial it would sometimes work but it sometimes did not. When I put some pressure to the mode dial it did work sometimes. It was obvious. The middle dial was the main course of problem when I first got it since it was dislocated due to broken standoffs so I looked at it again. I cleaned it with ISO and rust removers multiple times. It did not work even a tiny bit and only got worse until at some point it completely stopped working. Now it doesn't even read voltage like it did when I first got it. Non of the functions work. I can't measure current, can't measure resistance, voltage, anything. Even the safety relay in there that would trigger when I touch the positive probe to 50u amp pin or whatever doesn't trigger anymore. The meter is completely dead. And there was no reason I can tell for this. I want to take a look at the other side of the PCB but I can not remove the knobs. Checked batteries, probes, fuses, voltage on the back side of the PCB where battery cables are ending. So PCB is getting power. I tried directly connecting croc cables to where ground and positive leads are and gave voltage from there but no it doesn't do anything.
I don't live in US and I don't know anyone who would be willing to repair this. I want to do what I can but it looks like it will require further disassembly. I am sure problem is something stupid like a broken wire or connection somewhere since it was always like that with this meter.
There is some corrosion on the contacts that I can not remove, but it was always like that and it did not stop it from working before:


I don't know what edition or the exact model this guy is so it will be awesome it someone can identify it. I have my suspicion that the power switch is not working since it is completely dead right now. But middle selector switch acting up is also very possible since it did before. Although I believe that something else occured and killed it off for good since now it doesn't respond to anything. I really want to use this meter since it is only good meter I have. Knowing I can't use it makes me really sad. I mean it should work without batteries at voltage range but it doesn't and I think it is concerning. Please show me the way because I can't find anyone with similar problem.
I soldered the new 9V battery contact since old one snapped off at some point. I did not modify the circuit board or did any other soldering except changing the battery contact. Possibility of cleaning agents and alcohol I used to clean the switches creating additional damage is slim since I did not bathe it in those stuff and just cleaned the back surface. Also the brass nuts were missing when I got it. It was already in this sad state when I got it.
I just open an account here to ask this question. I got my Simpson 260 multimeter from a landfill electronics shop for quite cheap. It wasn't working as I expected from the price and I was looking for a way to fix it. It was reading voltage but not resistance I think. The odd thing was when back side was removed and it was put on its back to ground it did work but when I put back the back cover it stopped. So I understood that something was not touching something it supposed to touch and figured out the issue being the broken standoffs of the PCB. After glueing those it worked perfectly. I was very happy with my new, almost free multimeter. It had some battle scars around the housing missing back screw and fuses and resistance zero knob. It was obvious that it had seen better days and it was dropped pretty hard at some point. I immediately bought probes, couldn't find originals so I made them myself. I installed correct fuses and this hopeless multimeter was working fine. You can see the places where it was broken:

I glues these broken parts as best as I can.


Unfortunately this perfect lucky find moment did not last long. Multimeter slowly started losing functionality. When I turn the mode dial it would sometimes work but it sometimes did not. When I put some pressure to the mode dial it did work sometimes. It was obvious. The middle dial was the main course of problem when I first got it since it was dislocated due to broken standoffs so I looked at it again. I cleaned it with ISO and rust removers multiple times. It did not work even a tiny bit and only got worse until at some point it completely stopped working. Now it doesn't even read voltage like it did when I first got it. Non of the functions work. I can't measure current, can't measure resistance, voltage, anything. Even the safety relay in there that would trigger when I touch the positive probe to 50u amp pin or whatever doesn't trigger anymore. The meter is completely dead. And there was no reason I can tell for this. I want to take a look at the other side of the PCB but I can not remove the knobs. Checked batteries, probes, fuses, voltage on the back side of the PCB where battery cables are ending. So PCB is getting power. I tried directly connecting croc cables to where ground and positive leads are and gave voltage from there but no it doesn't do anything.
I don't live in US and I don't know anyone who would be willing to repair this. I want to do what I can but it looks like it will require further disassembly. I am sure problem is something stupid like a broken wire or connection somewhere since it was always like that with this meter.
There is some corrosion on the contacts that I can not remove, but it was always like that and it did not stop it from working before:


I don't know what edition or the exact model this guy is so it will be awesome it someone can identify it. I have my suspicion that the power switch is not working since it is completely dead right now. But middle selector switch acting up is also very possible since it did before. Although I believe that something else occured and killed it off for good since now it doesn't respond to anything. I really want to use this meter since it is only good meter I have. Knowing I can't use it makes me really sad. I mean it should work without batteries at voltage range but it doesn't and I think it is concerning. Please show me the way because I can't find anyone with similar problem.
I soldered the new 9V battery contact since old one snapped off at some point. I did not modify the circuit board or did any other soldering except changing the battery contact. Possibility of cleaning agents and alcohol I used to clean the switches creating additional damage is slim since I did not bathe it in those stuff and just cleaned the back surface. Also the brass nuts were missing when I got it. It was already in this sad state when I got it.
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