Replacing OLED screen on an Agilent U1253A Multimeter

[antdes45]

My U1253B display managed to go dim even with the DMM living in it's carrying case and being only used <10h a year. Keysight has no excuses for this.

I tried the LC-Design LC-OL12864-09-YO-AG replacement module mentioned somewhere in the thread.

https://lcdstore.de/epages/17406888.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/17406888/Products/LC-OL12864-09-YO-AG

The online store doesn't ship outside Germany but they sent me a PayPal invoice when asking by email.

Got it shipped to Canada for 81,95 EUR, took 21 days to reach home, 15 minutes to install and my display is now nice and bright again. Haven't noticed any weird quirks, and dimming doesn't change much just like the original OLED display.

[exe]

It's a very interesting story for me, a non-EE guy, how important availability of spare parts for end-users who whant to keep their equipment in service for longer than a warranty period. Some parts go out of production very quickly. Now I see why Keithley used a less-than-exciting display in their DM6500: they used a part which they can source for a long time (there is a thread about DM6500 on this forum).

[2N3055]

It's a very interesting story for me, a non-EE guy, how important availability of spare parts for end-users who whant to keep their equipment in service for longer than a warranty period. Some parts go out of production very quickly. Now I see why Keithley used a less-than-exciting display in their DM6500: they used a part which they can source for a long time (there is a thread about DM6500 on this forum).

There are noname meters on which LCD screen is perfectly fine after 30 years or more. Not to mention good brands..
OLED is crap, they have limited lifetime by specification, just everybody ignores that fact. And being organic, chemicals can decompose, even without working.. So, yes, OLED screens look cool and have better visibility in some situations, but they are not meant to last.
If longevity and battery consumption is important, go with LCD.

[marcopolo]

 

[kkontak]

I friend had problems with an Agilent U153A and asked me to find a way to fix it.
(Sorry Jonh for the delay...)

The original yellow OLED display was very very dim.

I followed the idea from Alexej Krom (with a twist) and worked well enough. Thanks Alexej.
http://www.alexej-krom.de/replacing-the-oled-ssd1303-display-with-ssd1305/

I found a pin compatible green display with SSD1305 controller, from ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Green-2-4-inch-128x64-OLED-Display-Module-I2C-Serial-SPI-SSD1305-w-Tutorial-/291844721833?hash=item43f34d0ca9&tfrom=301226745140&tpos=unknow&ttype=price&talgo=origal

The unsoldering and soldering the new one was almost easy... Nothing broke. I had more trouble positioning the display to match the front window.

I tried first an old UV EPROM that I had in hand but it was too slow and could not follow up the MCU control signals.

I used a different FLASH memory at 5V, SST39SF020A-70-4C-NHE PLCC-32, from ebay.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/123259658853
It was not a big surprise, it arrived with some BIOS firmware as a bonus!

I programmed it with a mini programmer from ebay called TL866CS and the optional PLCC32 adapter.
Worked great.

I used the 5V level signals side to make the soldering easier. Thats the reason I used the 5V FLASH.
The FLASH datasheet says it has 10mA consumption. Will see how much faster it drains the battery.

The mirror image was fixed and only some artifacts in the lower side of the display are shown when the fast moving bar graph is displayed and only in some screens. The readings and the other graphics are not affected.
I don't see any vertical line offset like others are mentioning.

OLED and Memory total, about $20.00.

Here are some pics and the schematics.

[kkontak]

More pics...

[kkontak]

More pics...

[kkontak]

More pics...

[kkontak]

More pics with measurements.

[ffor]

Hi,

What is R13 on schema?

[Dacke]

I have a U1273A and the original display is still fine,  but I wanted to get a replacement display for when this one fails.  Yesterday I stumbled into someone who has made a kit available for these meters on Ebay for $48,  first time I have ever seen them on the site.  I figured I would share with you guys as I know these displays can sometimes be hard to get your hands on.  Looks like he still has a few left -   https://www.ebay.com/itm/224562652338

[wraper]

I have a U1273A and the original display is still fine,  but I wanted to get a replacement display for when this one fails.  Yesterday I stumbled into someone who has made a kit available for these meters on Ebay for $48,  first time I have ever seen them on the site.  I figured I would share with you guys as I know these displays can sometimes be hard to get your hands on.  Looks like he still has a few left -   https://www.ebay.com/itm/224562652338

Well it's just someone selling design from satanistik/ultrasmurf. Since there was no R&D or assembly whatsoever, IMHO it does not justify inflating provided component cost like 5 3 times. 
EDIT there are plenty of those displays on aliexpress like this

[gnavigator1007]

Have the bad display issues been limited to the Agilent models? I've had the keysight u1273a for a few years now and it's still going strong. I was aware of the issues before I purchased it and have been following the various threads just in case, but I don't recall seeing any posts for the keysight branded meter.

[rsjsouza]

I have an Agilent U1273A that still looks as new, thus I suspect this new series was not affected as badly by this issue.

[Kimmeridgien]

Hi all and thanks to everybody who have contributed to this work.

I am kindly asking for feedback on my adapter board for the SSD1305-based display.

I read the below excellent project description and decided to add a MUX to the simple logic gate design:
https://kitsune-denshi.net/projects:display-if

Assuming that Kitsune Denshi is right about the reason for the artifacts, it is easy to properly handle the case of reading from the SSD130x controller. He / she does that by not actually reading from the SSD130x but instead just returning 0x00 to the U1253x (which seems to work OK). The simple logic gate design doesn't read bit D0 from the SSD130x controller but actually tries to drive this pin at the same time that the SSD130x controller is driving it. This might be bad in the long run.

My humble addition is to add a MUX that couples the SSD130x D0 pin to the U1253x D0 pin when WR# is high, and couples the D0' from the simple logic gate design to the SSD130x D0 pin when WR# is low.

Before ordering the PCBs I would appreciate proof reading, if anybody feels up to it. I'm attaching some screen dumps and photos. My solution requires cutting one PCB trace and soldering one wire.

Thank you in advance and best regards

Niclas

[Kimmeridgien]

Cut this trace...

[Kimmeridgien]

...and solder wire here.

[Kimmeridgien]

Sorry, could you be more specific?

[effpe]

Hi all,

My U1253B went dim after 6 years of very light use.
Just wanted to give you a heads up that this Taobao seller is selling a display for U1273A, U1273B, U1253B and U1253A which worked for me off the shelf. No soldering, cutting, etc. needed. Pretty pricy, but if you just want to get done with it quickly, I can recommend:

https://parcelup.com/shop/item.php?id=623769294078

My tips:

1.  Before putting the whole case together, the picture was mirrored. After all the screws were in, the issue resolved itself. So if you see a mirrored screen when testing without the case, don't give up.  I don't know why this happened, but didn't really want to spend much time on figuring it out.

2. The rotating knob's position is indicated on the PCB.

3. Make sure you don't snap your battery wires when putting the case together.  I managed to learn this the hard way. 

And of course, shame on Keysight/Agilent.

[tim_25]

Hi all,

I purchase 2 displays from parcelup for U1253A and U1253B I own but unfortunatly, the fixing screws don't match the original display and the screen is mirrored (displays received is not the same as in the picture...).
For the 2 displays, the cost was 124.85EUR+32.13eur shipping=156.98eur so I hope to find a way to make my DVM functionnal.
Two options:
1. add the pcb interface to unmirror the display and let the display unfixed with addition of kapton protection on the circuit where the spacers touches the PCB
2. unsolder the display from the PCB I received and solder it on original Agilent PCB as described in Markus Coneheads.de blog:
http://new.mash.webclient6.de/index.php/bauen/sonstiges/47-agilentu1252

The second option might be the best but I am not sure the display is fully compatible (number of pins and pitch seems to be the same) and not sure I can unglue the display easily from the PCB.
I will inform you which option I choose! Just a first feedback to inform you that parcelup products are not reliable! It worked for eeffpe but not for me 

Cheers

Happy new year!

[wraper]

Hi all,

I purchase 2 displays from parcelup for U1253A and U1253B I own but unfortunatly, the fixing screws don't match the original display and the screen is mirrored (displays received is not the same as in the picture...).
For the 2 displays, the cost was 124.85EUR+32.13eur shipping=156.98eur so I hope to find a way to make my DVM functionnal.
Two options:
1. add the pcb interface to unmirror the display and let the display unfixed with addition of kapton protection on the circuit where the spacers touches the PCB
2. unsolder the display from the PCB I received and solder it on original Agilent PCB as described in Markus Coneheads.de blog:
http://new.mash.webclient6.de/index.php/bauen/sonstiges/47-agilentu1252

The second option might be the best but I am not sure the display is fully compatible (number of pins and pitch seems to be the same) and not sure I can unglue the display easily from the PCB.
I will inform you which option I choose! Just a first feedback to inform you that parcelup products are not reliable! It worked for eeffpe but not for me 

Cheers

Happy new year!

Return that junk. For this price you could order a display with custom PCB fitting the multimeter (the better kind without any visual artifacts). Soldering it on original PCB will not help with mirroring issue.  Bare display with SSD1309 costs less than 15 EUR on Aliexpress and will give you the same mirrored image.

[Fungus]

My U1253B went dim after 6 years of very light use.

OLEDs degrade with time, not use. After 6 years it will lose brightness even if it was never used.

And of course, shame on Keysight/Agilent.

Why?

[tim_25]

Hi, thank you wraper for your feedback. I understand now that SSD1303 is attached to the display and not the PCB... so no chance for just soldering the mirrored display to the original Agilent PCB...
The response from parcelup regarding my issue is that they sent me the U1273A compatible display and that there is an option to choose between U1253 or U1273 when ordering! but there is none!...
So I might have received two displays for U1273A which pictures are below.
Two options now:
1. Try to use the displays I received and solder it on orignal Agilent PCB with additional PCB tricks to unmirror the display.
2. Find someone interested by U1273A displays at the cost mentionned earlier (about 80eur + shipping fee for one display) and then find some cheaper display to solder on orignal Agilent PCB with additional PCB tricks to unmirror the display...
For me both options are the same with a lot of efforts and money to solve this issue

[rtekal]

Hi all and thanks to everybody who have contributed to this work.

I am kindly asking for feedback on my adapter board for the SSD1305-based display.

I read the below excellent project description and decided to add a MUX to the simple logic gate design:
https://kitsune-denshi.net/projects:display-if

Assuming that Kitsune Denshi is right about the reason for the artifacts, it is easy to properly handle the case of reading from the SSD130x controller. He / she does that by not actually reading from the SSD130x but instead just returning 0x00 to the U1253x (which seems to work OK). The simple logic gate design doesn't read bit D0 from the SSD130x controller but actually tries to drive this pin at the same time that the SSD130x controller is driving it. This might be bad in the long run.

My humble addition is to add a MUX that couples the SSD130x D0 pin to the U1253x D0 pin when WR# is high, and couples the D0' from the simple logic gate design to the SSD130x D0 pin when WR# is low.

Before ordering the PCBs I would appreciate proof reading, if anybody feels up to it. I'm attaching some screen dumps and photos. My solution requires cutting one PCB trace and soldering one wire.

Thank you in advance and best regards

Niclas

Hi,
Thanks for the new adapter board design.
Could you please share the gerber plot files for the same.

Regards

[brainhouston]

Does anyone know how to tell the color of these displays apart without powering it on?
I've ordered 2 different colors of ssd1305 from aliexpress but they have no labels of any kind on the packages i got, nothing on sellers page and no response to questions.