My old Fluke 87V started reading voltage about 0.2 volts low after I left it in my truck overnight during a cold snap.

It was about 15 degrees Fahrenheit last week, and I left my meter in the toolbox overnight. The next day, I was checking a 5V rail on a board and it was reading 4.8V consistently. I warmed it up inside for a couple hours and it went back to normal. Has anyone else had a meter drift from the cold like that, and is it a sign of something failing?

3 comments

3 Comments

averymartin23d ago

Cold weather does weird stuff to all kinds of electronics, not just meters. Phone batteries die instantly, car screens get laggy, even smart thermostats can freeze up. It's like everything has a sweet spot and winter just knocks it out of whack. Your Fluke is probably fine, just grumpy about the frost. Most stuff goes back to normal once it thaws out inside.

hunt.nora17d ago

My Fluke 77 from the 90s does the same thing below freezing, just a bit slow to settle on a reading until it warms up.

white.blair23d ago

Cold mess with the display too? My old meter acts weird when it's cold, but it's usually fine after it warms up.