Hello. Long time viewer, first time poster. I know this is an old thread but I just picked up one of Agilents newer B models, the u1242B. Not the equivalent of the u1253B but with all the controversy over the u1253A, I thought I would post some a mini review of it anyway to show some of the improvements Agilent has made.
Here's a quick overview of the features that I think make this meter special:
-300h battery life with 4 AAA batts
-Harmonic ratio measurement
-Manual and automatic data logging (to the meter ONLY)
-Dual temperature probe measurement
-Switch counter
-Comes with two sets of probes and one set of test leads (very high quality)
-$220 price tag (I got mine for $200 w/coupon)
So of course, before I even turned the thing on I had to take it apart.
The case is held together using four machine screws that thread into metal inserts. (thumbs up!) First things I noticed was the isolated input PCB and the IR LEDs. The higher up model DMMs that Agilent offers (u125XB) offers the ability of PC communication using a IR USB cable while the u124XB series supposedly does not. Why it has IR LEDs in it, I don't know. Maybe for calibration or something. Anyway, almost all components are SMT except for a few through hole parts including a large sized 2.4576M crystal. Everything looks to be very high quality and fairly well laid out. The back panel is almost entirely shielded and includes a separate compartment for the batteries but not the fuses.
The input plugs are soldered directly onto their own PCB and connect to the main PCB via small aluminum (I think?) standoffs. The 10A input port has a small 2-pin header connected to which plugs into the main PCB as well. I'm guessing its for lead detection. The banana jacks have o-rings around them for sealing. One thing to note is that the case itself does not contain any o-rings or seals.
A pic with the input PCB removed.
Heres the other side of the board where you can now see all the input protection components and stupid fuse placement. Notice the shiny looking shunt resistor for 10A current measurement.
Heres a pic of the bottom side with the screen taken off showing the main uC. The die reads "Samsung C011, 38825AXZZ-TW8A, K4X890. Yeah, I had no idea Samsung did uCs like this either. I'm guessing its an ASIC of some sort.
And the last pic is of the window for the two IR communication LEDs. If the meter contains two IR LEDs I really don't understand why Agilent would not allow the use of connecting these things to a PC. Seems kind of stupid to me.
In summary my opinion of the u1242B in a single paragraph:
From first impressions, it looks to be a really nice meter. It obviously doesn't have any of the major pitfalls of the u1253A like short battery life (300h w/4 AAAs) or a display you can't see outside. The display is very clear and easy to read and the orange backlight makes it very easy to read even at high angles. There are still a few quarks that carry over from the A series such as the slow response continuity check but voltage, resistance, and capacitance readings are all fairly quick. The case does leave a little bit to be desired as its obviously not as rugged as a Fluke 87 but I work (and play) in a lab setting so thats not a big deal for me. The main selling points for me were that I wanted a good accurate meter that I could rely on which also had the ability to log data in the field (I do a lot of fuel cell, solar, and battery stuff) and do dual temperature measurement. With the exception of the chinese pieces of crap that claim a BS accuracy, this is the meter I liked best given my $200 budget.