Fluke 568-2 Retrofit-Compatible Thermometer for Legacy IR Systems

Fluke 568-2 Retrofit-Compatible Thermometer for Legacy IR Systems: Seamless Upgrade for Aging Industrial Temperature Measurement Infrastructure

The Fluke 568-2 is a professional-grade infrared and contact thermometer engineered to serve as a direct retrofit solution for facilities operating legacy Fluke IR-series temperature measurement instruments. As industrial plants face increasing pressure to modernize aging control and monitoring infrastructure without triggering full-scale shutdowns, the Fluke 568-2 delivers a practical, cost-effective path forward. Whether you are replacing an end-of-life Fluke 566 or decommissioning older handheld pyrometers integrated into your SCADA or DCS environment, the 568-2 provides the measurement accuracy, range, and ergonomic design required for continuous industrial operation.

Designed for use across a wide range of industrial environments — including power generation, petrochemical processing, food manufacturing, pharmaceutical production, and heavy machinery maintenance — the Fluke 568-2 supports both non-contact infrared measurement and direct thermocouple contact measurement in a single instrument. This dual-mode capability is critical when retrofitting legacy systems where technicians previously relied on separate instruments for surface scanning and probe-based verification. Consolidating these functions into the 568-2 reduces tooling overhead and simplifies calibration schedules during system migration.

Upgrade Compatibility Table

Retrofit Planning for Existing Automation Systems

When integrating the Fluke 568-2 into an existing plant maintenance or process monitoring workflow, retrofit planning should begin with a full audit of the instruments currently in service. Facilities that have historically relied on the Fluke 566 for motor winding temperature checks or the original Fluke 568 for furnace surface scanning will find the 568-2 a functionally superior successor, offering an extended temperature range and improved 50:1 distance-to-spot ratio that reduces the need for close-proximity measurement in hazardous zones.

For plants where temperature data is logged into a SCADA system or historian via manual entry or USB transfer, the 568-2’s onboard data logging and USB connectivity streamline the migration. Technicians previously using standalone data loggers or older Fluke 289 True-RMS Multimeters with logging capability can consolidate temperature trending into the 568-2’s memory, reducing the number of instruments carried during rounds. Where the legacy workflow involved a Fluke 62 MAX or Fluke 64 MAX for spot checks in electrical panels, the 568-2’s extended range and contact probe input make it a more versatile replacement across both electrical and mechanical asset classes.

In control cabinet environments, the 568-2 is frequently deployed alongside Fluke 376 FC clamp meters and Fluke 1587 FC insulation multimeters during scheduled preventive maintenance inspections. When upgrading a legacy motor control center (MCC) or retrofitting a variable frequency drive (VFD) cabinet, technicians use the 568-2 to verify thermal performance of bus bars, contactors, and terminal blocks before and after the retrofit, ensuring that new components are operating within design temperature limits. This is particularly important when replacing legacy Allen-Bradley or Siemens SIMATIC S5 control hardware with modern S7-1200 or S7-1500 PLCs, where heat dissipation profiles in the control enclosure may change.

For facilities managing I/O expansion projects — such as adding Siemens ET 200SP distributed I/O modules or Rockwell Automation 1734 POINT I/O modules to an existing rack — the 568-2 provides the thermal verification capability needed to confirm that new modules are not introducing hotspots on the DIN rail or within the enclosure. Similarly, when migrating communication protocols from legacy DeviceNet or Profibus DP networks to Profinet or EtherNet/IP, the 568-2 is used to verify that new communication modules and managed switches are operating within thermal limits during the commissioning phase.

Technicians performing HMI panel upgrades — replacing aging Siemens OP7 or Allen-Bradley PanelView 300 terminals with modern touchscreen HMIs — use the 568-2 to check the thermal environment inside the enclosure before and after installation, ensuring that the new display hardware is not exposed to temperatures exceeding its rated operating range. The instrument’s Type K thermocouple input also allows direct measurement of cooling fan exhaust temperatures and heat sink surfaces on power supplies such as the Siemens SITOP PSU100S or Phoenix Contact QUINT series, which are commonly replaced during control cabinet modernization projects.

Downtime Control During System Migration

One of the most critical concerns during any industrial retrofit is minimizing unplanned downtime and protecting the integrity of existing control logic. When replacing legacy temperature measurement instruments with the Fluke 568-2, the transition can typically be completed without any modification to the existing control program, since the 568-2 operates as a standalone handheld instrument rather than an inline process transmitter. This means there is no requirement to modify PLC ladder logic, function block diagrams, or structured text programs during the instrument changeover.

For facilities where temperature readings from legacy instruments were manually transcribed into operator logs or entered into a DCS historian, the 568-2’s USB data export capability allows the same data collection workflow to continue without interruption. Technicians can pre-configure the instrument’s emissivity settings, alarm thresholds, and measurement units before arriving on-site, reducing the time required for field commissioning to a simple verification check against a known reference surface.

Where the legacy instrument was integrated into a Fluke Connect wireless monitoring system, the 568-2 is fully compatible with the Fluke Connect platform, allowing seamless continuation of remote monitoring workflows without reconfiguring the software infrastructure. This is particularly valuable in facilities where the maintenance team uses Fluke Connect to share real-time measurement data with remote engineers during troubleshooting or commissioning activities.

To further reduce migration risk, NINERMAS recommends pre-shipment functional testing of each Fluke 568-2 unit against a calibrated blackbody reference source before dispatch. All units supplied by NINERMAS are covered by a 12-month warranty and are sourced from authorized distribution channels, ensuring full traceability and manufacturer support eligibility.

Retrofit Support FAQ

Q: Is the Fluke 568-2 a direct replacement for the Fluke 566 and original Fluke 568?
A: Yes. The Fluke 568-2 is the current production successor to the Fluke 566 and Fluke 568 models, offering an extended temperature range, improved distance-to-spot ratio, and USB data logging. No wiring or mounting modifications are required for handheld replacement applications. For applications where the legacy instrument was bracket-mounted, a standard instrument bracket can be adapted to the 568-2’s form factor.

Q: What commissioning steps are required after replacing a legacy IR thermometer with the Fluke 568-2?
A: The primary commissioning requirement is verification of the emissivity setting for the target surface material. Technicians should confirm the distance-to-spot ratio is appropriate for the measurement distance in use, and verify that alarm setpoints are configured to match the process requirements previously established for the legacy instrument. A comparison measurement against a known reference surface is recommended before returning the instrument to service.

Q: Does NINERMAS provide pre-shipment testing and what warranty is included?
A: All Fluke 568-2 units supplied by NINERMAS undergo functional verification prior to dispatch, including infrared accuracy checks and contact thermocouple input verification. Each unit is supplied with a 12-month warranty covering manufacturing defects and functional failures under normal operating conditions. In-stock units are available for immediate dispatch to minimize procurement lead times during urgent retrofit projects.

Q: Can the Fluke 568-2 be used in environments where the legacy instrument was rated for hazardous areas?
A: The Fluke 568-2 is rated for general industrial environments and should be evaluated against the specific hazardous area classification requirements of your facility before deployment in Zone 1 or Zone 2 (ATEX) or Class I Division 1 or 2 (NEC) locations. For hazardous area applications, consult the Fluke product documentation or contact NINERMAS for guidance on appropriate instrument selection.