Continuing with the Keysight U1177A that had the leaked batteries in it, I decided to do a bench test to see if it was truly dead when a cleanup and new cells failed to bring it back to life. In the process, I discovered that
another U1177A had leaked cells in it. Today just isn't my day.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1545160;image)
The Keysight one at the top was the DOA one that came with the U1231A multimeter, the one with the battery cover off is the one I just discovered went bad and the one on the right is good.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1545166;image)
This time it's GP instead of Duracell.
I cleaned up the second one as well and decided to approach bench testing both of them using an external power supply clipped on to the battery compartment terminals along with a multimeter clipped onto the terminals in order to be confident that each U1177A was being energized and that the nominal 3V wasn't being blocked by bad, corroded contact surfaces. This also gave me an opportunity to take out that new U1253B for its first use. I also got out the U1115A remote logging display to scan for activity in case the status lights were dead but the adapter otherwise working.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1545172;image)
Canadian Research Institute is turned up to just over 3V in order to stand in for a pair of AAA cells for the tests.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1545178;image)
The pictures don't do the OLED display on the U1253B justice. It's gorgeous in person; hopefully the longevity issues have been resolved.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1545190;image)
Nothing.
![](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/?action=dlattach;attach=1545196;image)
And nothing.
No such luck. With either of them. So that's two U1177A that have been killed by leaking batteries. I might pop the plastic shells apart later and see if I can find and repair the damage at board level. Thankfully it's only U1177As that have been damaged. All three of the more useful, longer range, iOS compatible, much more expensive U1117As power up and have intact batteries on visual inspection.
I've also got plenty of AA, AAA, and 9V batteries on hand so that saves having to go on a shopping spree. Considering what I just spent on the truck, that is a good thing, but given the age of some of these, I might set the first replacement cycle six months out from now instead of a full year. I might also pick up another U1117A to replace one of the dead ones if I can't fix either up at board level if I need to bump a shopping cart up for free shipping given the longer range and iOS compatibility those have over the U1177A. Still, I'm not happy about this happening at all.
I'm going to go through the rest of the handheld equipment either tonight or tomorrow. In the meantime, a friend and I are going to grab a bite to eat and take the truck out for a nice evening cruise to road test the repairs the shop did on it today.