My U1252B arrived yesterday with a cal date of 9/2011 (a new record?) and very strong musty/moldy smell. I replaced the battery with a new Powerex 8.4V/300mAh and turned it on. First impression, wow, the low digits really zoom around---I'm only used to cheap slow meters.
Unfortunately there seems to be a problem. Measuring the old Powerex battery, I got 37 mV. Strange, let's try a fresh AA cell. Also 37 mV. Switching to manual ranging, I get 3.7 mV on a low range, 37 mV on the next, 370 mV on the next, then approximately correct readings (1.5x V) on the highest ranges.
It was easy to open the case and examine the PCB so I did, and despite the strong odor I cannot see any obvious signs of water damage or residue.
Anyone know if these symptoms are indicative of a bad calibration, or something more serious?