$75 Calibration with Adjust and Data for a variety of multimeters/counters/etc

[PedroDaGr8]

Just a heads up, after some recent testing where I realized my older HP 34401A had drifted a bit out of calibration. I was asking around and mostly was getting quotes of $120-200, I tried almost a dozen places. A few places that were lower didn't have the equipment to calibrate a 34401A (the meter had higher accuracy than their calibrators). Global Test Equipment is running a special and according to an email exchange with them includes calibration, adjustment and the data, they also pay for return shipping. If you are in Los Angeles - Las Vegas - Phoenix - Chicago and surrounding areas they offer free pickup and delivery. They were quite responsive in their emails, their equipment was suitable for calibration the 34401A and the price was right, so I sent my meter to them. 

The listed devices are:
HP / Agilent 34401A, 34970A, 33120A, 33220A,33250A,
HP / Agilent 437B, 438A, HP/Agilent 53131A, 53132A, 53181A,
HP / Agilent 6024A, 6033A, 6038A, 6621A, 6623A, 6627A,
Fluke 21 Series II, III, 23 Series II, III, 70 Series II, III, 73 Series II, III, 75 Series II, III, 77 Series II, III
Fluke 8010A, 8012A, 8050A,
Keithley 2000, 2010, 2400, 2410 & 2420C.

These devices are mostly hobbyist era devices, being a bit older. The big one missing that I don't see is the 3478A, though you might try asking them. Just a heads up because I thought it was a decent price for a cal+adj+data.

Link:
Calibration Special

[DaveCooks]

Thanks!  I'm curious to hear how long it takes for the calibration to be done.  I've got a few 34401A meters that have drifted enough that they could use some love.

[ruairi]

Thanks for the heads up!  The timing is perfect, I have a 34401a that I'd like to get calibrated and adjusted.

They don't mention adjustment on the page you linked but if they've confirmed it by email that sounds very promising.  I'm in L.A. so it's even better.

Cheers,
Ruairi

[Zucca]

Another happy customer here.

I started to become a friend of them and they used to sent me broken 34401a to repair. I was fixing them and then get a discount on the next calibration service/purchase.
Nice guys.

Unfortunately I am living no more in USA....

[eas]

This is an attractive deal. I'd be interested to hear about other people's experience with them.

Anyone care to post a copy of their calibration report?

Hmmmmm. I wonder how much they'd charge for a Datron 1081...

Another happy customer here.

I started to become a friend of them and their used to sent me broken 34401a to repair. I was fixing them and then get a discount on the next calibration service/purchase.
Nice guys.

A substantial discount, I hope!

[PedroDaGr8]

This is an attractive deal. I'd be interested to hear about other people's experience with them.

Anyone care to post a copy of their calibration report?

Hmmmmm. I wonder how much they'd charge for a Datron 1081...

Another happy customer here.

I started to become a friend of them and their used to sent me broken 34401a to repair. I was fixing them and then get a discount on the next calibration service/purchase.
Nice guys.

A substantial discount, I hope!

I'll keep everyone posted on how things go as they progress. You can then evaluate from there. IF things go well I'll ask the customer service guy if he wants to post on here to help facilitate things.

[Zucca]

A substantial discount, I hope!

Nothing amazing, just right there.

[ruairi]

I sent an email on Friday with a few questions re turnaround time and adjustment and haven't had a reply yet.

[VK5RC]

One of the problems with calibration is the quality of the job, I recently rang Keysight to see how much they would charge to calibrate my old (but new to me) 3458A, the answer AUD$1500, with adjustment, while it is a lot, they would do a good job and that would be one great standard to be better than 8 1/2 digits.
I am not going to take up their offer.

[PedroDaGr8]

One of the problems with calibration is the quality of the job, I recently rang Keysight to see how much they would charge to calibrate my old (but new to me) 3458A, the answer AUD$1500, with adjustment, while it is a lot, they would do a good job and that would be one great standard to be better than 8 1/2 digits.
I am not going to take up their offer.

A quick update: they received the meter Monday afternoon at their Illinois location. It was calibrated today, ACV and ACI were out of spec. He said they were able to adjust it back in to spec, retest and now all points meet factory specifications. They got my payment info this afternoon and will try to ship it out today or tomorrow (it was right on the cutoff)

[PedroDaGr8]

This is an attractive deal. I'd be interested to hear about other people's experience with them.

Anyone care to post a copy of their calibration report?

Hmmmmm. I wonder how much they'd charge for a Datron 1081...

Received my multimeter back today. So one week turn around including shipping. On my budget it doesn't get better than that. Frankly, I'm all around happy with this calibration. The amount of data provided was a bit surprising.





Nicely packed with the self expanding foam. The meter was well protected during shipping.



Cover page of the calibration data. Gives a general summary of what they did.



Page 1 of 5 (single-sided) of the calibration data.



Uh oh, got some significant failures (denoted by the F*, slight failure it's denoted by an F).



Adjusted back in to spec, both ACV and ACI were out of spec and adjusted back in. As I mentioned, this data continues for a total of 5 pages. Quite the encompassing report. When you consider I got the full NIST-traceable calibration, adjustment and full data for only $75 I am damn happy.



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[iampoor]

Thanks for the review! 

[TiN]

746:1 TAR is like a miracle 

Thanks for followup 

[jeffsf]

Thanks for this! While it looks like I can do the single-pot calibration of my Fluke 77 with just a 3-VDC source, the Fluke 8060A looks like it will require more than I can muster for test sources. They're checking to see if they can do the calibration for me, but it is the day before Thanksgiving and after lunch, so...

Fluke 77 manual:
http://assets.fluke.com/manuals/77______smeng0100.pdf

Fluke 8060A manual:
http://assets.fluke.com/manuals/8060a_3vimeng0200.pdf

[deadlylover]

Thanks for sharing the test result!

It's interesting how they verified it to the 1 year spec and not the 24 hr spec, is that normal? Just for example, on the 10V DC range which is 19ppm high, can't 90 days go by (+25ppm) and we're outside the 1 year spec (40ppm)?

I guess it's not a big deal because we have the data knowing it reads 19ppm high, but it's kind of annoying that they didn't adjust the 10V DC range which is exactly on the 24hr spec (19ppm). (does that make it a 50% chance for it to be out of tolerance already at time of calibration?)

I'm still a newbie, I hope someone can help explain. 

[PedroDaGr8]

746:1 TAR is like a miracle 

Thanks for followup 

I'm not even sure what that column means. Care to explain to someone clueless?

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[VK5RC]

I didn't either. Don't you love Google
http://www.qualitydigest.com/inside/metrology-article/calibrating-test-and-measurement-equipment

[PedroDaGr8]

I didn't either. Don't you love Google
http://www.qualitydigest.com/inside/metrology-article/calibrating-test-and-measurement-equipment

Thanks for that link. My initial search didn't find anything relevant.

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[wonderfulpcb_sales]

i think i can read it before coming ,but ,  ,i can't

[PedroDaGr8]

i think i can read it before coming ,but ,  ,i can't

What is the problem?

[boggis the cat]

After reading their website, it seems that they send out your instrument to "one of their partners"-- so, they are not always doing the calibration themselves.  In addition, I can't seem to locate their certificate [and/or scope] of accreditation-- so, I have no idea who is doing the work, what their uncertainties are, etc.  So, in other words, I would be spending $75 for... what exactly?

I'm not saying they are doing a bad job-- but without accreditation, then there is no neutral third party making sure that they are keeping their standards calibrated in a higher level lab, and there is also no legally valid NIST traceability for liability concerns.  So, if they can prove to me what the traceability chains of their standards are, then it might be OK for my hobby use, but I can't use it at work for calibration of the equipment we use for manufacturing.

That certificate looks like a standard Fluke MET/CAL version, and they list equipment used and due dates.  That implies that they are providing traceable results, at least, and $75 is extremely good value for two verifications and an adjustment ("As found" verification, adjustment, then "As left" verification).

What do you expect for $75?

It may not be suitable for production equipment, but then you should have a proper budget for business use.  (Presumably business expenses are tax deductable, too.)

[acbern]

Overall the value of this cal seems quite unbeatable. For serious use, one would expect the total measurement uncertainty of the test setup listed in each line rather than TAR which is pretty meaningless.

[timb]

Actually, Global Test are a fairly large dealer of new and used equipment and well respected in the industry. You see their used gear on eBay quite often; I've bought a few multimeters and they calibrated them for free, with report and cert.

They were spot on compared with a friend's freshly NIST calibrated 3458A, so I trust their calibration for lab use (both personal and professional).

Anyway, as I understand it, GTE will send some higher end meters (>6.5 digit) to a local cal lab instead of doing it in-house.

[mojoe]

Even though it isn't listed, I called and found out that my HP 3457A is also eligible for the $75 deal. I was also told that this deal is only good through the end of February.

[PedroDaGr8]

Even though it isn't listed, I called and found out that my HP 3457A is also eligible for the $75 deal. I was also told that this deal is only good through the end of February.

Good to hear!