Avometer Model 8 repair

[Jim Hawkins]

I have an Avometer Model 8 in excellent condition except for some corrosion
in the battery compartment.
Before I have a go at stripping the compartment out and either cleaning or
replacing the corroded bits, has anyone any tips on doing this ? Any
sources of replacement battery compartments ?

Jim Hawkins

 

[N Cook]

I have an Avometer Model 8 in excellent condition except for some corrosion
in the battery compartment.
Before I have a go at stripping the compartment out and either cleaning or
replacing the corroded bits, has anyone any tips on doing this ? Any
sources of replacement battery compartments ?

Jim Hawkins

AFAIK the 30V? batteries for the high R range are unavailable anwhere, so
you may as well clean out and convert the housing to take a couple of
photographic 15V? batteries plus the 1.5V one

 

[Baron]

I have an Avometer Model 8 in excellent condition except for some
corrosion in the battery compartment.
Before I have a go at stripping the compartment out and either
cleaning or
replacing the corroded bits, has anyone any tips on doing this ? Any
sources of replacement battery compartments ?

Jim Hawkins

AVO in Dover still carry spares as do Farnell in Leeds.

 

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I have an Avometer Model 8 in excellent condition except for some
corrosion in the battery compartment. Before I have a go at stripping
the compartment out and either cleaning or replacing the corroded bits,
has anyone any tips on doing this ? Any sources of replacement battery
compartments ?

They are still available new (at a price) so I'd guess AVO will supply
spares.

 

[N Cook]

They are still available new (at a price) so I'd guess AVO will supply
spares.

--
*Welcome to Shit Creek - sorry, we're out of paddles*

Dave Plowman [email protected] London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Does anyone pay 800 GBP plus VAT for a new Avo 8 ?
I was forgetting the later ones use an inverter from the 1.5V

 

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Does anyone pay 800 GBP plus VAT for a new Avo 8 ?

I'd guess they must otherwise they wouldn't be listed. Perhaps only for
display purposes, though. I can't remember when last I used mine. I have a
smaller analogue unit I use on old stuff where the readings call for a
10,000 ohms per volt one.

I was forgetting the later ones use an inverter from the 1.5V

Makes sense.

 

[Arfa Daily]

I'd guess they must otherwise they wouldn't be listed. Perhaps only for
display purposes, though. I can't remember when last I used mine. I have a
smaller analogue unit I use on old stuff where the readings call for a
10,000 ohms per volt one.

Dave AAAAARRRGGGGHHH !!! How can you own an AVO 8, and not use it in
preference to a 'little' one !!! Mine gets used every single day of my
working life ! I've had it since it was issued to me as an apprentice 35
years ago, and nothing would persuade me to part with it for 'general' fault
finding measurements. My high quality digital only comes out when I need to
know exactly what a voltage or resistance is. Without your AVO out on the
bench, where do you put your screws ...?

Finest analogue meter ever made, barring none, but I do think that 800 quid
is a bit OTT. You'd have to be really serious to part with that sort of
money, even for an '8. They are still readily available at radio rallies for
less than £70 most times.

Arfa

 

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Dave AAAAARRRGGGGHHH !!! How can you own an AVO 8, and not use it in
preference to a 'little' one !!! Mine gets used every single day of my
working life ! I've had it since it was issued to me as an apprentice 35
years ago, and nothing would persuade me to part with it for 'general'
fault finding measurements. My high quality digital only comes out when
I need to know exactly what a voltage or resistance is. Without your
AVO out on the bench, where do you put your screws ...?

Heh heh. I have a mains digital LED bench meter firmly screwed to a shelf
above the workbench. Comes on with the bench supply. Does things like
autorange and peak hold which I find indispensable these days. Hardly ever
need an analogue one - and I'd not like to drop the AVO. ;-)

Finest analogue meter ever made, barring none, but I do think that 800
quid is a bit OTT. You'd have to be really serious to part with that
sort of money, even for an '8. They are still readily available at
radio rallies for less than £70 most times.

Yup. Mine cost a couple of week's wages in the '60s - complete with
leather case.

 

[N Cook]

If anyone finds this thread in the archives.
This place
http://www.inmar.co.uk/about.htm
when it was called Test Instrument Services used to rebuild/rewind the meter
movements for the likes of Avos , but mainly keeping old but still vital
bits of ship's instrumentation going.
Don't know if they still do so.

Anyone know of a tutorial or hints/tips for dismantling/rewinding/resetting
the hairspring on such meters ?
Don't have an immediate requirement fo rthe knowledge but its something I've
always steered away from attempting.

 

[N Cook]

Nice to see an Avo valve characteristic meter (mk 3 or earlier) in with the
resusitated Colosus at Bletchley Park/ Station X, on the news today.

 

[Baron]

Dave AAAAARRRGGGGHHH !!! How can you own an AVO 8, and not use it in
preference to a 'little' one !!! Mine gets used every single day of my
working life ! I've had it since it was issued to me as an apprentice
35 years ago, and nothing would persuade me to part with it for
'general' fault finding measurements. My high quality digital only
comes out when I need to know exactly what a voltage or resistance is.
Without your AVO out on the bench, where do you put your screws ...?

Finest analogue meter ever made, barring none, but I do think that 800
quid is a bit OTT. You'd have to be really serious to part with that
sort of money, even for an '8. They are still readily available at
radio rallies for less than £70 most times.

Arfa

I agree ! My first Avo was a model 7 more than 40 years ago. Like Arfa
my Model 8 Mk2 is in daily use. I once watched a bloke cry after
accidently pushing his off the seat of a truck he was working on!

 

[Mike]

AFAIK the 30V? batteries for the high R range are unavailable anwhere

Last check Maplin still sold them, BLR121 or some similar number. Amazing,
seeing as a lot of the rest of the electronic range has been elbowed for
"toys"

 

[Jim Hawkins]

AVO in Dover still carry spares as do Farnell in Leeds.

Thanks, Baron and N. Cook
I couldn't find any replacement battery contacts, so
stripped the battery comparment, got the contacts cleaned
and gold-plated.
Re-assembly is tricky - helps if you're a twelve-fingered Bessarabian dwarf.
Two types of 15v battery that fit the AVO are still available.
So my elderly Avo8 is now fully functional on all ranges, and checks out
well against my Fluke 189.

Jim Hawkins

 

[Baron]

Thanks, Baron and N. Cook
I couldn't find any replacement battery contacts, so
stripped the battery comparment, got the contacts cleaned
and gold-plated.

Gold plated ! Wow I'm envious. ;-)

Re-assembly is tricky - helps if you're a twelve-fingered Bessarabian
dwarf. Two types of 15v battery that fit the AVO are still available.
So my elderly Avo8 is now fully functional on all ranges, and checks
out well against my Fluke 189.

Good for you.

Jim Hawkins

Farnell may still have the inverter for those. The batteries are
getting scarce and very expensive nowadays.