Keysight U1282a voltage drift

[haoleboy]

I bought a couple of u1282a meters about a year ago, new.  I've been using one since then and just took the second out of the box the other day.  I thought I'd check the un-boxed meter against my dmm check and it was spot on, reading 5.0001.  Since I had everything out, I just checked my other meters as well and you can see that one I've been using has drifted since I first got it, now measuring 4.9987.  I know I checked it with the dmm check when I bought it and it was spot on like the middle meter. 

Things are still within spec, 6 V range is specified at 0.0001 V resolution with 0.025% + 5 counts.  I'm just surprised it has gone that far adrift from when I first took it out of the box.  It hasn't been quite a year yet.  My 87v is still spot on (5.000) after many years of use (I know much lower resolution).  The meter doesn't see much use overall and its  left on the bench, hasn't been dropped, etc.

Any thoughts on hand-held meter drift over time?

[zaoka]

Its new design while 87V is old and updated many times, maybe that helps? 

[crazyguy]

model 87 has HiRes mode (4-1/2 digit)

[saturation]

It appears almost out of spec in that range.  Its best to monitor it further and it concerns you call Keysight. Its at 0.026% as is, but if you add the 5 counts its on the edge of its published 0.025% 

Did you test the two meters when new and all was in concordance?  I presume you've eliminated the leads as the cause by switching them around to the good DMM and that the banana jacks are clean.

I just completed a performance check of a new 1282a against a Fluke 87V , HP3456a, 1272a, and 1252a, in VAC, VDC and ohms in all its ranges and all the meters are within spec and nearly identical to each other.   The 1282a has a new valid cal certificate but the other meters haven't been calibrated in way over 6 years.

[Muttley Snickers]

I have also noticed and recorded slight variations in the displayed readings on my U1282A when used with a voltage reference and also comparing it against other meters I have here in addition to documented readings taken over time, the meter always seems to stay within specification but I have found on occasion that even just turning the meter off and then back on or selecting another mode and then returning to VDC can show a slightly different figure to that originally measured. On my meter whilst in capacitance mode and the 100 mF range selected the displayed value is rather jittery with no leads or DUT connected yet all other ranges seem to zero or null out very nicely, also the capacitance auto range is somewhat slow on larger electrolytics when compared to the U1272A, the manual range however is about the same on both meters depending on the particular DUT.

In the setup options for the continuity beeper the user can select from open, short or tone, if the tone option is selected the meter will become rather slow to respond audibly so best to leave this option set to short thus retaining the faster beeper, also with tone selected if the probes are directly shorted then the audible tone will be consistently the same however with either a potentiometer or resistance wheel connected the frequency of the emitted audible tone will vary corresponding with changes in the applied resistance with a range of 26 tones available, no other multimeter I have owned incorporates this feature and I am still trying to determine what specific application it may be used for other than annoying somebody as it sounds like a circus carnival or broken pinball machine.     

Additionally, if in the continuity mode with the tone option selected and then either the manual or trigger hold called up and used the continuity tone will latch continuously on a momentary closure and stay latched even after then going open yet it does not do this when auto trigger is enabled nor if the beeper on short option is nominated and triggered. I don’t mind this latching continuity on a momentary closure feature and have used it before on larger sites but would much prefer a louder more reliable beeper instead of the existing pinball tone and I do have a couple of other meters with this capability, permanently latching the continuity beeper operationally on this meter is unreliable and a bit hit and miss so I doubt that it was intended as a feature.

[haoleboy]

It appears almost out of spec in that range.  Its best to monitor it further and it concerns you call Keysight. Its at 0.026% as is, but if you add the 5 counts its on the edge of its published 0.025% 

It is on the edge, that is why I'm a bit concerned as well.  I am going to keep watching it going forward.

Did you test the two meters when new and all was in concordance?  I presume you've eliminated the leads as the cause by switching them around to the good DMM and that the banana jacks are clean.

Ya I've tested all sorts of different leads, including the original ones and they all read the same, no matter how I've plugged them in.  I did test the first meter when I first bought it and have periodically since.   The second meter was bought at the same time, but I just pulled it out of the box last week and put batteries in. 

I just completed a performance check of a new 1282a against a Fluke 87V , HP3456a, 1272a, and 1252a, in VAC, VDC and ohms in all its ranges and all the meters are within spec and nearly identical to each other.   The 1282a has a new valid cal certificate but the other meters haven't been calibrated in way over 6 years.

I've got a Fluke 45 and an Advantest R6441B bench meters too.  Their values have never seemed to drift over time with reference to this dmm check.  Both of them are spot on as well, and they are pretty beat up.   The other ranges I've checked all match between the two meters.  Even going to the 60v range they seem to only be out by a count or two. 

[haoleboy]

I have also noticed and recorded slight variations in the displayed readings on my U1282A when used with a voltage reference and also comparing it against other meters I have here in addition to documented readings taken over time, the meter always seems to stay within specification but I have found on occasion that even just turning the meter off and then back on or selecting another mode and then returning to VDC can show a slightly different figure to that originally measured. On my meter whilst in capacitance mode and the 100 mF range selected the displayed value is rather jittery with no leads or DUT connected yet all other ranges seem to zero or null out very nicely, also the capacitance auto range is somewhat slow on larger electrolytics when compared to the U1272A, the manual range however is about the same on both meters depending on the particular DUT.

I haven't noticed any change in the 6V range even with switching between modes or powering off/on.  As far as that goes, its been very stable, just out.  The larger cap range does take forever to auto-range.  Manual mode is better.

In the setup options for the continuity beeper the user can select from open, short or tone, if the tone option is selected the meter will become rather slow to respond audibly so best to leave this option set to short thus retaining the faster beeper, also with tone selected if the probes are directly shorted then the audible tone will be consistently the same however with either a potentiometer or resistance wheel connected the frequency of the emitted audible tone will vary corresponding with changes in the applied resistance with a range of 26 tones available, no other multimeter I have owned incorporates this feature and I am still trying to determine what specific application it may be used for other than annoying somebody as it sounds like a circus carnival or broken pinball machine.   

LOL! I've never tried the tone mode until just now - wow.     I noticed with the firmware update the little Vsense light was a lot quicker in the short mode than it used to be.     

[TheSteve]

My U1282A is about a year and half old(it is about as old as they can be). I don't know the original reading it would have given but if it has drifted it can't be far based off my calibrated 34461A.

It would be interesting to see readings from the drifting meter once a month.

[saturation]

Keep us posted, please.  Yes, I have a Fluke 85 I from 1989 that is still spot on on all ranges but again that is less counts than the Keysight.  It looks like its just that meter.  Over the years I do notice the Keysight's last digit drifts more even if ambient conditions are about the same, but in 6+ yrs they are still in spec.

FWIW, I did tweak calibrate one VDC range each when the 1272a and 1252a were new, to get the readings tighter, the factory calibration was in spec but not as tight compared to Fluke.  It has remained so stable since.  Its easier to DIY calibrate individual ranges on Keysight, whereas its very difficult to tweak a Fluke 87V; you have to do all the ranges or none at all; the Keysight you can adjust only the problem range.  Its not easy to get variable frequency AC references as well as 10A reference AC and DC current.  The older 85 is also easy to self calibrate as its pot based but I've never had too since 1989.

It is on the edge, that is why I'm a bit concerned as well.  I am going to keep watching it going forward.

Ya I've tested all sorts of different leads, including the original ones and they all read the same, no matter how I've plugged them in.

[Berni]

I just recently checked mine and i was surprised to find them spot on. The 1273A is about 2 years old while the 1281A i just got last month (The amps range EMI thing).

I was not expecting it to stay spot on for this long, but it is pretty nice to know that every single digit it shows is correct. Usually with multimeters i ignore what the last digit says since its usually out.

[Muttley Snickers]

In the setup options for the continuity beeper the user can select from open, short or tone, if the tone option is selected the meter will become rather slow to respond audibly so best to leave this option set to short thus retaining the faster beeper, also with tone selected if the probes are directly shorted then the audible tone will be consistently the same however with either a potentiometer or resistance wheel connected the frequency of the emitted audible tone will vary corresponding with changes in the applied resistance with a range of 26 tones available, no other multimeter I have owned incorporates this feature and I am still trying to determine what specific application it may be used for other than annoying somebody as it sounds like a circus carnival or broken pinball machine.     

Additionally, if in the continuity mode with the tone option selected and then either the manual or trigger hold called up and used the continuity tone will latch continuously on a momentary closure and stay latched even after then going open yet it does not do this when auto trigger is enabled nor if the beeper on short option is nominated and triggered. I don’t mind this latching continuity on a momentary closure feature and have used it before on larger sites but would much prefer a louder more reliable beeper instead of the existing pinball tone and I do have a couple of other meters with this capability, permanently latching the continuity beeper operationally on this meter is unreliable and a bit hit and miss so I doubt that it was intended as a feature.

Another member of the forum has made a video which displays how the continuity tone option functions on the U1282A pretty much as I described in a prior post, I'm still mastering the stairway to heaven extended mix and currently have jingle bells down pat.   

[TiN]

I think we all can congratulate haoleboy becoming a volt-nut  Need moar DMMs! 

[Trader]

I just recently checked mine and i was surprised to find them spot on. The 1273A is about 2 years old while the 1281A i just got last month (The amps range EMI thing).

I was not expecting it to stay spot on for this long, but it is pretty nice to know that every single digit it shows is correct. Usually with multimeters i ignore what the last digit says since its usually out.

Fluke 87 V is up 20,000 counts and Keysight U1282A 60,000 counts.

[mc1z]

I know this topic is quite old, but it's one of the only ones that seems to discuss the issue I'm concerned about - in fact, I registered here just to get this question answered:

I've seen the video of the U1273A with the variable tones, depending on continuity.  Can anyone confirm that the U1282A also has this functionality?  I can't tell from the manual, and since I work outdoors a lot, I would prefer the LCD meter.

Mark