Quick tour of a working museum piece. Late 70s technology, contemporary of the Fluke 8020A.
Update: Ran across this bit of Weston history. Can’t vouch for the factual correctness, but it is interesting nonetheless.
It looks like they took the Fluke case and flipped it upside down. I have never heard of that brand before, where did you run across this meter, if I may ask?
I spotted it on eBay, won it for $0.99 + shipping. It caught my eye because I had seen it mentioned in a February 1980 Popular Electronics electronics article about the first generation of handheld DMMs. They were a player at the time.
Weston Instruments is a very old company dating from the 1800s. Search “Weston meter” on eBay and you’ll find all manner of vintage measuring devices. I don’t know the details of their more recent history or what exactly happened to the company through mergers and buyouts. Google shows me references to “Sangamo Weston” and also a connection Schlumberger.
I also have a really “cute” Weston 7320 DMM outfit that I have neglected to photo-document. Another $0.99 + shipping deal, complete with leather case, manual, and original leads still sealed in their plastic bag.
I’ve been using my 7320 since 1982. It was a graduation gift from my father. He said when I pulled it out of the box, “I think you’ll like it. It is idiot proof.”
Links to History of the Weston Company (SITES NOT SECURE)
http://weston.ftldesign.com/
http://www.westonmeter.org.uk/thecompany.html
I forgot to comment on the PCB. The old saying they don’t “make’em” like this anymore definitely applies here. I sure am glad there is now open source and free PCB software as the methods they had to use back then would be a major pain. I have to say that PCB just fascinates me.
I still have one in working order. I used it when I was a tech for Wang Labs in the 80’s. Just use it around the house. Found this forum, because I am shopping for it’s 3rd set of probes.
bought my roadrunner in 1979 when i was working for sharp electronics–got my audible continuity beeper hooked back up tonight – if this meter could talk !!
Same meter was bought in UK. 1982 for University Lab, then purchased by me on retirement. Used continuously to date, and still in full working order. Differences from your images: in image (1) instead of “Roadrunner” mine has “6100”, and in image (2) mine is numbered “A 025366”. Powered by an RS22 NiCd re-chargeable, used since 1993. If not overcharged, which evaporates water from the electrolyte, NiCd retains charge longer than NiMH, and also has a longer service life.
Felicitaciones. Tengo un multimetro fluke 8020 B idéntico al l weston 6100.
Nunca lo use, ya que el display no estaba tropicalizado y se deterioro, mucho sabría agradecerle alguna información para localizarlo ref. SF 344-h 11 8 1 D ….desde venezuela ..saludos
I have one use every day need schematic
I just finished using my Weston 6100 to check continuity of a dryer igniter. I’ve had it since my days at GTE (Telephone Co.) in the 70’s until 2004. It is a very good and accurate meter for reading voltage, resistance and tracing circuits.
I have other VOM’s but this is the handiest one to use and I keep it at my bench always.
My dad was an EE, and worked at the Newark NJ plant from approx 1948 until he retired in the 1974. I still have his Weston Model 6100 Digital Multimeter that he used at work. I have used it continuously since I became a ham radio operator in the early 80s. It stopped working just a few short days ago, but I am going to try to revive it.
Hi Mr. Modemhead!
Thanks for posting these photos! I’ve been doing some curiosity-driven research on the history of the ICl7106 chip that was used in a bunch of these multimeters and I probably read the same article in Popular Electronics’ February 1980 issue. It all started with a Keithley 169 I started restoring on a whim and now I’m very, very far down the late-70’s 3½ digit LCD DMM rabbithole. 🙂
Do you know if the ICL7106 is the 40-pin DIP LSI chip used in this meter? The way the display assembly is constructed it probably won’t be possible to directly confirm what the IC under it is, unless there are some clips or something not visible in your photos. “I don’t know and finding out isn’t possible” is a fine answer, btw – it’d be a shame to further disassemble this mostly-pristine beauty.
I’m hoping to acquire one of my own someday but they look like they’re pretty rare now based on some cursory searching. Got some alerts set up, and I’ve got a few friends in the surplus biz looking out, so who knows?