New Keysight Multimeters

[WaveJunkie]

Hello EEVBlog Forum Members!

I finally had something I felt I should post to be my first post on the forum.  Today I was looking
to purchase a new handheld multimeter. Going crazy I spent several hours going back and fourth
with the Multimeter spreadsheet.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/multimeter-spreadsheet/

I was torn between going low cost (Amprobe) to a Fluke 87V
(Proven track record) and the Keysight U1272A (Bells and Whistles). 

My gut told me to get the Agilent meter today, however the model I wanted (Keysight U1272A)
was oos. I had heard in the forums that Keysight had the Buy 2 get one free promo
to clear out existing inventory for the 2016 edition meters. So I wanted to see what I was missing
by purchasing a meter now vs. waiting.

Bingo, Keysight not only put up the webpages but videos as well on youtube.  I have posted
the basic info from the Keysight website for other forum members and visitors to enjoy.

-WaveJunkie

Keysight U1240 Series, 4 digit, up to 400 hours battery life, with IP 67


U1241C http://www.keysight.com/en/pd-2613334-pn-U1241C/

• 10,000 counts display
• 0.09% basic DC voltage accuracy
• Longer battery life up to 400 hours
• Certified to IP 67 for dust and water protection
• Tested to withstand a 3-meter (10-ft) drop
• CAT III 1000 V / CAT IV 600 V overvoltage protection
• Built-in flashlight

U1242C http://www.keysight.com/en/pd-2613349-pn-U1242C/

• 10,000 counts display
• 0.09% basic DC voltage accuracy
• Longer battery life up to 400 hours
• Certified to IP 67 for dust and water protection
• Tested to withstand a 3-meter (10-ft) drop
• CAT III 1000 V / CAT IV 600 V overvoltage protection
• Built-in flashlight
• + Harmonic ratio measurement to quickly identify the presence of harmonics in AC signals
• + ZLOW, low impedance mode to eliminate false readings caused by stray voltages
• + Vsense for non-contact voltage detection
• + T1-T2 differential temperature measurement

Keysight U1280 Series, 4.5 digit, up to 800 hours battery life


U1281A http://www.keysight.com/en/pd-2612905-pn-U1281A

• 60,000 counts resolution on dual display
• 0.025% basic DC voltage accuracy
• Longer battery life up to 800 hours
• Certified to IP 67 for dust and water protection
• Tested to withstand a 3-meter (10-ft) drop
• CAT III 1000 V/ CAT IV 600 V overvoltage protection

U1282A http://www.keysight.com/en/pd-2613328-pn-U1282A

• 60,000 counts resolution on dual display
• 0.025% basic DC voltage accuracy
• Longer battery life up to 800 hours
• Certified to IP 67 for dust and water protection
• Tested to withstand a 3-meter (10-ft) drop
• CAT III 1000 V/ CAT IV 600 V overvoltage protection
• + Vsense for non-contact voltage detection
• + Square wave output for generating pulse width modulation (PWM) signal
• + Frequency counter
• + Low pass filter

[mikeselectricstuff]

Istr Dave recenty tweeted something about some new AgilentKeysight meters getting stuck/lost in shipping

[ECEdesign]

Take a look here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-keysight-handheld-dmms-u1240c-and-u1280a/

[WaveJunkie]

Take a look here: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-keysight-handheld-dmms-u1240c-and-u1280a/

Doh!

I don't know how I missed that post, I even did a search before posting the thread. 

Oh well. ...   Thanks for busting my bubble. 8-)

[EEVblog]

Istr Dave recenty tweeted something about some new Agilent meters getting stuck/lost in shipping

Yup.
Apparently it;s been sitting at my storage locker for several weeks, now missing...

[ECEdesign]

Istr Dave recenty tweeted something about some new Agilent meters getting stuck/lost in shipping

Yup.
Apparently it;s been sitting at my storage locker for several weeks, now missing...

What a bummer, hope you find them/they re-send.  I would like to see a review before getting one of the U1282A meters.  I hope Keysight has their firmware squared away this time.  Looks like the competitor to the fluke 289 series, the battery life is a real bonus and the 4-wire resistance measurement would be useful for me.

[hayatepilot]

... and the 4-wire resistance measurement would be useful for me.

Where do they claim the 4-wire resistance capability? I can't find it. 

Greetings

[EEVblog]

What a bummer, hope you find them/they re-send. 

Looks like they were stolen!
Said they'd resend.

[crispy_tofu]

Wow that's bad, Kennards should really do an investigation.

Looking forward to the review! 

[ECEdesign]

... and the 4-wire resistance measurement would be useful for me.

Where do they claim the 4-wire resistance capability? I can't find it. 

Greetings

I saw it in the product comparison menu
http://www.keysight.com/en/pc-1000004008%3Aepsg%3Apgr/digital-multimeter-dmm?pm=SC&nid=-34618.0&cc=US&lc=eng

One of the first few features listed for the U1282A is 2 and 4 wire resistance measurement.  I sure hope its true, otherwise maybe ill try to spot a deal on a used HP bench meter.

[Wytnucls]

Not true. Agilent often make mistakes in their list of features. The more comprehensive datasheet makes no mention of 4-wire capability and the jacks are not marked for it either.
The only modern portable 4-wire meter I'm aware of is the Gossen 30M.

[ECEdesign]

Not true. Agilent often make mistakes in their list of features. The more comprehensive datasheet makes no mention of 4-wire capability and the jacks are not marked for it either.
The only modern portable 4-wire meter I'm aware of is the Gossen 30M.

  Well that's disappointing.

[zaoka]

Any news on these? No teardown yet... Dave..?? 

[K3RT]

I am planning to buy a new DMM, and I was looking at U1242C.
Anyone has one? Any comments, what do think about it?
I didn't find any reviews on internet (ok, there is two reviews from Keysight on youtube, but that's useless).

PS. Found a funny typo in datasheet:
Battery type: 4x 1.5 V AA
Battery (included): 4 x 1.5 V AAA

[stephencox]

I'm not a regular contributor, but I've used the EEVblog videos and the forum quite a bit in making decisions.  I figured you guys might like to know--I got a U1242C through the Big5 Bench promotion that Keysight is running right now.  I have always used Fluke meters, but I'm not going to turn down free hardware . . .

. . . Except now I am, because out of the box the COM port is screwy and I have to push on the lead plug in order to make contact.  Even then, the contact is iffy--resistance readings all over the place.  This is true on multiple leads that work in other ports, so it's definitely a problem with the meter.  I know this is a single data point and that every company produces some duds, but the thing comes with a certificate saying it was calibrated in late July.  I'm willing to duct tape and spot weld a lot of things that I probably shouldn't keep using in the lab, but an unreliable multimeter is not something I'll tolerate.  Kind of a bummer, since I was excited to play with a non-Fluke meter, and I really like Agilent's bench hardware.

[Neomys Sapiens]

As the DMM is something that one handles often and the prime products do not have much on each other: I would say that they are too darn ugly with that yellowish display.

[Neganur]

Perhaps you could send them an email and ask. I'm sure even the free stuff comes with some warranty?
(If the connector is that problematic, I mean)

[lem_ix]

You're in the USA and this is Keysight we're talking about. I'm sure they'll fix the meter.

[stephencox]

I imagine so, and I did contact them.  And I did acknowledge that this is a small sample size, but I am still going to reach for the Fluke instead anytime my safety is on the line, even if that's not being logical.

[stephencox]

Update: I can't let broken equipment sit around on my desk without at least taking a look.  I opened it up and found that the input jacks have kind of a strange (I think . . . I haven't taken apart many multimeters) mounting setup.  They seem to be somehow held in place in the body of the meter (normally) and then tightened against a kind of chintzy-looking soldered-on metal bar.  I'm a bit surprised by how small these are--in Dave's teardown video of the U1282A, which I googled after taking this one apart, they look a lot beefier.

Anyway, whatever is supposed to keep the input port in place while the nut is tightened against it is broken on the COM port, so the whole thing turns freely when I try to tighten the nut.  Whatever machine tried to tighten it before me must have had the same issue, because the nut is not tightened against the soldered bar, which moves loosely when I push on it.

I just held the threaded part of the input connector with pliers and tightened the nut and now it seems to be mostly, at least, working.  The response of the meter is a bit weird when I measure zero resistance, but I think it's just that the autoranging is super slow.  If I measure a 10k resistor it seems fine.

Anyway, something to check if anyone else has a similar problem with one of these.  Given that there's no way this problem wasn't there since the thing was put together, I still can't imagine how it passed calibration.

[Deridex]

We got a few of the 1242C at work.
So far they work fine.
What we noted so far:
- it's highly recommended to read the manual ... specally the points about the settings.
- The Buzzer seems to be very loud.
- At first sight they seem to be able to take some hits
- The measures so far were correct
-  The loggingfeature is a blessing
- The display is not permanently orange. Only if you enable the backlight
- If set right, it measures damn fast.

But remember: i don't think you can compare it with the "big"-ones that are sold by Fluke, Keysight or Gossen.

Edit: No i wont make a teardown with equippment that i have to use at work 

[A Hellene]

We got a few of the 1242C at work. [I've got the 1282A, for more than a year]
So far they work fine. [Absolutely!]
What we noted so far:
- it's highly recommended to read the manual ... specally the points about the settings. [This is imperative...]
- The Buzzer seems to be very loud. [Tell me about it! But I am still hesitant to intervene, to rectify this issue...]
- At first sight they seem to be able to take some hits [More than once... Yet, it is still alive and kicking!]
- The measures so far were correct [Absolutely]
-  The logging feature is a blessing [more than a blessing, if you permit my additional point of view!]
- The display is not permanently orange. Only if you enable the backlight [So, good by to the 800 hours of operation!]
- If set right, it measures damn fast. [Absolutely]

Emphasis, in square parenthesis is mine.

Just a happy customer, not affiliated with the company, by any means...
Yet, this is not my first choice of the DMM I will fire up when I will need one...


-George