New Agilent 34461A 6.5 Digit Bench Multimeter

[Alex Nikitin]

As this issue affects not just the 34461A and has some far-reaching implications, I've started a separate thread.

Cheers

Alex

[carl_lab]

[moved my post to "correct" thread:]
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/keysight-34460a34461a34465a34470a-maximum-allowable-voltage-change-notice/msg1174480/#msg1174480

[HighVoltage]

Wow, that's a very bad joke...
34461A/465A were announced to be successor of 34401A/410A...

If that's true, our company probably won't buy these Keysight DMMs any more.

I will continue calibrating them at 1000 VDC as originally specified, because we received no call-back nor other official info about reduced spec.
If some of them die, I'll send them for warranty-replacement...

Seriously, there is no real alternative for those who measure close to 1000 V DC
Especially, as you said, this is a plug in replacement for the older models, which are no longer in production.

What about all those people who have software written for these instruments, you can not just switch to another brand.
And even if you wanted to do that, what do you get that has the features of the 34461A?


 

[Keysight Technologies Rep]

Thanks to those on this EEV blog thread for the dialog about a standards compliance issue with Keysight Technologies’ 3446XA and 34470A digital multimeters. Your conversation reinforces Keysight’s commitment to address this issue to the satisfaction of our customers. We apologize if this has inconvenienced any of our customers, and acknowledge that this response is coming later than some would have hoped. 
 
What we have determined
While the product was initially rated at a maximum input value of 1000VDC/750VAC, this has been reduced to 600 VDC/440VAC to allow a component to operate within its rated values. There is no change in the Measurement Category II rating of 300V. The change in the maximum rated input voltage is to ensure the product meets requirements of the IEC61010 standards. Most importantly, there are no safety concerns related to this change.
 
Failure risk very low, no safety risk
The products maintain their performance accuracy, and no failures have been observed up to 1000VDC. While there is the possibility of component failure in using the products above 600 VDC/440VAC, there are no safety risks. Further, there have been no known component-related reliability failures since shipment of these products started in 2013.
 
Confidence in product reliability
These products continue to be covered by Keysight’s three-year standard warranty, and effective immediately, we will provide an additional one-year warranty extension to ensure customers can depend on our products.
 
Next steps
Keysight has begun redesigning the 3446XA and 34470A digital multimeters to reinstate the original maximum input ratings of 1000VDC/750VAC. We have set a goal to ship the redesigned products by December of 2017, and will make every effort to begin shipment sooner than that.
 
For more information about the steps Keysight is taking to address this issue, we have posted a service note on the company’s website. To view the service note, navigate to Keysight’s website, https://servicenotes.literature.keysight.com/litapp/SearchSN.do?method=openExternalSNSearch&prodNum= and type in product number 34461A-04. Any customers who require 1000VDC/750VAC testing capabilities can contact a Keysight Customer Contact Center and reference the service note number.

[nctnico]

I just received an e-mail about this service note:
literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/34461A-06.pdf

It says 34461A with serial numbers: MY53220037 – MY57210852 may have excessive drift.

[TheSteve]

I just received an e-mail about this service note:
literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/34461A-06.pdf

It says 34461A with serial numbers: MY53220037 – MY57210852 may have excessive drift.

Checked mine the other day, still good on DCV to the last count.

[Andrew]

I just received an e-mail about this service note:
literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/34461A-06.pdf

It says 34461A with serial numbers: MY53220037 – MY57210852 may have excessive drift.

Having not checked in a while, I notice there is also service note 34461A-05 "Keysight 34460A/34461A/34465A/34470A Digital Multimeter with firmware version below “FW 2.17” may experience ACV out of specification.

This appears to be relatively easy to check without opening the unit but does require a service centre repair to fix.

As to service note 34461A-06 "Units may exhibit an accelerated DCV drift rate which exceeds the 90-days or 1-year product specification within 2 weeks of usage.", as there is no mention of units with more than one year of service, I'm guessing a calibration would be required and any fault found repaired at cost rather than a replacement unit as per the service note?

34461A Service notes:
https://servicenotes.literature.keysight.com/litapp/SearchSN.do?method=openExternalSNSearch&prodNum=34461A

Cheers
Andrew

[HighVoltage]

I just received an e-mail about this service note:
literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/34461A-06.pdf

It says 34461A with serial numbers: MY53220037 – MY57210852 may have excessive drift.

I have three of the 34461A and they are all good.
I am actually very happy with the 34461A, even after a few years in service, they are very stable and reliable.

[Andrew]

Prior to running some checks for the two most recent service notes, I checked the "Help"/ "About" screen for the latest firmware version (2.17) and noticed an extra option under SEC as:

AVG - Enable AC average measurements - not installed

Must have missed that...nothing in the release notes or on any of the website pages for 3446xA options.

...and yes the 34461A is a great dmm and the only problem with owning "one" is the missing "second one" or...

[Messtechniker]

AVG - Enable AC average measurements - not installed

Also applies to the 34465A. Just checked.

[HighVoltage]

The AVG update has been showing up since one of the last firmware updates.
Interestingly, it is not even listed in the latest brochure on the Keysight website

[JonM]

I believe that AVG is a special option to meet some US Government requirement and is not generally available. This was mentioned in another thread, a while ago.

[Andrew]

New firmware release v3.0 for 3446xA/34470A

Release notes: https://www.keysight.com/main/software.jspx?ckey=2367633&lc=eng&cc=US&nid=-11143.0.00

Of interest to me is: "Adds 2-wire and 4-wire support for 2.25 kΩ and 10 kΩ thermistors in addition to 5 kΩ thermistors."

... and probably of more interest to 34465A/70A owners: "Beginning with Firmware revision 3.0, the digitizing and advanced triggering option (34465A-DIG/34470A-DIG/3446DIGU), is now standard" - time to upgrade? 

[ppeterl]

Well just a note - the download for non-windows ("Firmware Update for Non-Windows Operating Systems") still links to the old version 2.17. So need launch the VM again... was a couple a years ago, so update bonanza - here we go!

Don't you just hate it when they still require Windows? 2018?

[HighVoltage]

Of interest to me is: "Adds 2-wire and 4-wire support for 2.25 kΩ and 10 kΩ thermistors in addition to 5 kΩ thermistors."

Thanks for letting us know about the new FW.

I have been waiting for this thermistor range update for a long time.
Especially since the 34410A had these options already.

... and probably of more interest to 34465A/70A owners: "Beginning with Firmware revision 3.0, the digitizing and advanced triggering option (34465A-DIG/34470A-DIG/3446DIGU), is now standard" - time to upgrade? 

Too bad, I bought the options for my instruments already.
I did not see this one coming.
Nice of Keysight to include them now. Probaly because they are standard in the Keithley meters.

[TheSteve]

Playing with the html5 remote interface. Can't help but notice the image they used for the 34461A is an older rev without capacitance marked on the front panel.