Agilent U1230 Series Handheld Digital Multimeters - Small & Cheap

[Kiriakos-GR]

It looks that Agilent plans to get on the EEV 100$ shootout with their latest DMM line.

Check them out .. 

http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-7919EN.pdf

http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/product.jspx?nid=-536902435.0.00&lc=eng&cc=GR#16384

[EEVblog]

Not without a mA current range they won't.
They are targeted at the electrical market against Fluke 110 series.

Dave.

[ejeffrey]

This definitely seems to be competition for the Fluke 110 series, but it does have a mA/uA range.  They are on the same input jack as the volts input.  Odd choice, but there it is.  Lowest range is 60 uA full scale according to the data sheet.

The capacitance measurement is not suitable for electronics use.  The lowest range is 1000 nF full scale.

[Kiriakos-GR]

Not without a mA current range they won't.
They are targeted at the electrical market against Fluke 110 series.

Dave.

Well by just thinking positively I have to ask this question.
The specs from the two models of the three, they say 60 micro Amperes to 10A.
And now comes my question. 
Is this not enough ?   

[EEVblog]

This definitely seems to be competition for the Fluke 110 series, but it does have a mA/uA range.  They are on the same input jack as the volts input.  Odd choice, but there it is.  Lowest range is 60 uA full scale according to the data sheet.

Nope, check the specs.
There is no mA ranges at all. So it's either 600uA full scale, and then it jumps to 6A, with 1mA resolution, so the ranges don't even overlap!
That means you can't actually read say 700uA - that's insane.
The devil is in the detail.
http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/U1231-90026.pdf

Dave.

[Kiriakos-GR]

Dave they had come up with three models !!

The U1231 is the lowest in specs.

Check also the U1232 & U1233 , those have the same specs about Amperes. 

[ejeffrey]

Wow.  That is... crazy. 

[Alex]

There is indeed no mA range, so you cant measure say 25.5mA. Since you will need to measure mA in the A range, I expect accuracy to be very poor.

Something else that caught my attention is that the DC current accuracy for the U1231A is not stated, and that it also cannot measure AC current (note 1 page 106).

[Kiriakos-GR]

Well from the specs in Amperes , DC looks 1%  and AC 1.5% .
And I think that any one who cares for milliampere to Amperes, he will be ok.
And lets not forget the price.

And the bottom line is that you cannot do direct comparison,
with specs found in the expensive range of DMM !!

Just by looking at them, the U1233 looks to be like the cherry in the pie . 

[Alex]

Where are you getting the DC current accuracy for the U1231A?

In your link (quick facts) I get N/A nad in Dave's link (user's guide) I get a dash. It is stated for the higher models though, could it be from there?

Alex

[Kiriakos-GR]

The U1231A cannot do Amperes , it has only two inputs for test leads.
The U1232A & U1233A  they do have three inputs ( the third is for the Amperes.)

Usually we accuse  the small ones with three inputs as unsafe ,
due the fact that you can easily miss place the leads in the position for Amperes,
and try to measure volts.

I do not know if this ones offer an warning about the test leads ... like the U1272A does.

[Kiriakos-GR]

dude! you got -4! should i trust you?

Yes I am doomed by my karma stats to stay unmarried for life.. 
But before I get upset I should ask first some married ones,
so to find out if it worth's to get married in our days ..   
 

[Mechatrommer]

Yes I am doomed by my karma stats to stay unmarried for life.. 

no you are not! all you have to do is just find a bad karma girl(s)

so to find out if it worth's to get married in our days ..   

life begin at 40. i have no life yet ok? now get back to your review work!