I’ve recently acquired an uncalibrated Philips PM2534 (edit: the battery-backed factory calibration data was lost due to the battery running out). I’m looking into somehow getting it calibrated. However, the calibration procedure is rather involved, and requires such things as an exact 300V DC (the service manual recommends using a Fuke 5700).
Anybody know of a way to have this multimeter calibrated? I’m a hobbyist and don’t really need such things as traceability and certificates.
Edit: I live in the Netherlands.
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How much precision do you want to achieve?
The device is supposedly a 6½ digit DMM yet I currently don’t even trust the first few digits when comparing it to a 3½ digit handheld Brymen DMM. Being reasonably sure that it’s at least more accurate than the Brymen would be nice, so 3½ digits.
I’ve got another desktop DMM, a 5½ digit GW Instek GDM-8255A, on the way, so I could conceivably just use that one as my local “standard” to calibrate against.
The problem however is that the Philips requires a large amount of references to calibrate against (just calibrating DC voltage requires 0V, 3V, 30V and 300V references). Building all references to recalibrate the whole thing would be rather involved, so I was trying to find an easier way.
Easy, you import this puppy https://www.ebay.com/itm/305042665748 and set up your own business offering calibration services to recoup the cost. Then you can apply for the calibration engineer position at Minerva.
Jokes aside, have you contacted a calibration lab? I don’t know what it’s going to cost, but I can’t think of another way, if you’re not going to built the sources yourself. There’s one in the Netherlands https://www.minerva-calibration.com/calibration-service/
It would seem from a quick google that I’m not alone in my conclusion. But at least I have found an article explaining the build of the sources you need http://wolfalex.bplaced.net/electronics/cal/calibrator.htm
have you contacted a calibration lab? (…) There’s one in the Netherlands https://www.minerva-calibration.com/calibration-service/
Their pricing for calibrating a device starts at around €400, which is rather more than I paid for this thing and way more expensive than building my own calibrator. So I guess I’ll have to do that…
(…) I have found an article explaining the build of the sources you need
Thank you! Not having to invent everything from scratch is going to make this a lot easier.