EEVblog Electronics Community Forum

Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: Tom45 on November 08, 2015, 06:32:02 am

Title: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Tom45 on November 08, 2015, 06:32:02 am
Just got a new Keysight Basic Instruments flyer in the mail and it has two new handheld DMMs:

U1240C:  10000 count, 2KHz AC bandwidth, 100 mv DC/AC (lowest range?), 1 ma to 10 amp current DC/AC, 400 hour battery life. Built in LED flashlight, harmonic ratio, dual and differential temperature, Zlow, non-contact voltage detector with Vsense, low pass filter. Cost >= $280.

U1280A: 60000 count, 100KHz, 60 mv to 1000V, 600 ua to 10 amps, 800 hour battery life. Frequency counter, square wave output, non-contact voltage detector with Vsense, low pass filter. Cost >= $450.

Not a word on their web site. A google search only shows one hit, a carrying case for these 2 new models: http://www.transcat.com/keysight-technologies-u1595a-u1595a-253913 (http://www.transcat.com/keysight-technologies-u1595a-u1595a-253913)
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: retiredcaps on November 08, 2015, 07:05:47 am
I think Dave has a beta unit?  See

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/agilent-discontinued-handeld-meters/msg777949/#msg777949 (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/agilent-discontinued-handeld-meters/msg777949/#msg777949)
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: jazzmann on November 08, 2015, 11:52:17 am
Datasheets from their website

http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0847EN.pdf (http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0847EN.pdf)

http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0848EN.pdf (http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0848EN.pdf)
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: EEVblog on November 08, 2015, 12:15:42 pm
I think Dave has a beta unit?

Had a beta unit.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Lightages on November 08, 2015, 04:04:21 pm
Those look like really nice meters. The prices are a bit high IMHO but I assume those are suggested retail prices you mentioned and not street price.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Tom45 on November 08, 2015, 04:26:03 pm
Datasheets from their website

http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0847EN.pdf (http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0847EN.pdf)

http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0848EN.pdf (http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0848EN.pdf)

Thanks. Google now shows just two hits: the new hit is this thread. How did you find the pdfs?

Anyone see the U1282A square wave PWM output as useful in a handheld DMM? Seems an odd feature to me.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: ECEdesign on November 08, 2015, 04:30:13 pm
Yeah wave generation seems a bit much for a handheld meter but I don't mind having 4 wire resistance capability.  Probably a better deal than a used HP bench meter since I will know the calibration is in spec.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Tom45 on November 08, 2015, 04:32:07 pm
Poking around on Keysights web site and found them at: http://www.keysight.com/en/pc-1000000189%3Aepsg%3Apgr/digital-multimeter-dmm?pm=SC&nid=-536902435.0&cc=US&lc=eng (http://www.keysight.com/en/pc-1000000189%3Aepsg%3Apgr/digital-multimeter-dmm?pm=SC&nid=-536902435.0&cc=US&lc=eng)

Odd that Google didn't find them there. The page listed in the catalog I received didn't have a link to the new meters either.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: jazzmann on November 08, 2015, 04:32:54 pm
Datasheets from their website

http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0847EN.pdf (http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0847EN.pdf)

http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0848EN.pdf (http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5992-0848EN.pdf)

Thanks. Google now shows just two hits: the new hit is this thread. How did you find the pdfs?

Well in their DMM brochure there is little note about those datasheets just down side every page. I manual edit DMM brochure url and thats it.



Anyone see the U1282A square wave PWM output as useful in a handheld DMM? Seems an odd feature to me.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Jay_Diddy_B on November 08, 2015, 04:48:53 pm
Hi,

A quick read of the specification and it looks like that it is designed to match the Fluke 287/289 meters.

One big improvement is battery life 800 hours versus 100/200 (use/logging) hours on the Fluke.

I have two Fluke 289s, but I prefer to use a 187. I find the meter more responsive and the display easier to read.

I will be interesting to see how clear the display is on the Keysight.


Regards,

Jay_Diddy_B
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: BravoV on November 08, 2015, 05:15:40 pm
Hi,

A quick read of the specification and it looks like that it is designed to match the Fluke 287/289 meters.

One big improvement is battery life 800 hours versus 100/200 (use/logging) hours on the Fluke.

I have two Fluke 289s, but I prefer to use a 187. I find the meter more responsive and the display easier to read.

I will be interesting to see how clear the display is on the Keysight.


Regards,

Jay_Diddy_B

Battery life definitely a win over Fluke 28X series.  :-+

But on logging's side, I don't think these can beat Fluke at showing the logging chart at the meter it self, compared to the hassle using separate device (pc/laptop/tablet/smart phone). This feature proven to be very handy when used in the field work.

Fluke's capability on displaying the logging chart at the meter actually is pretty good imho, to me this feature it self is like a handheld oscilloscope with high resolution (low bandwidth of course).

An example for others that never seen Fluke 28X's chart display capability -> (Fluke 28X's on screen chart at a recorded temperature log for 8 hours, and capable of zooming down to minutes resolution) (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/ok-i%27ll-keep-it!/?action=dlattach;attach=80009;image), was using this for profiling a newly installed AC.


PS : It seems like I can not find these U128xA logging capability in the datasheet, whats the max event counts in the DMM's memory ? Fluke 28X memory has capability of recording 15.000 events.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Tom45 on November 08, 2015, 05:30:35 pm
PS : It seems like I can not find these U128xA logging capability in the datasheet, whats the max event counts in the DMM's memory ? Fluke 28X memory has capability of recording 15.000 events.

On the image of the U1282A, it shows a limit of 10000 readings.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: retiredcaps on November 09, 2015, 05:53:13 am
Videos are up for the new series at

https://www.youtube.com/user/keysightGP/videos (https://www.youtube.com/user/keysightGP/videos)
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: EEVblog on November 09, 2015, 06:06:29 am
Videos are up for the new series at
https://www.youtube.com/user/keysightGP/videos (https://www.youtube.com/user/keysightGP/videos)

Today is the official release day.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: TheSteve on November 09, 2015, 06:33:21 am
Those are some pretty painful videos to listen to.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: retiredcaps on November 09, 2015, 07:03:38 am
Those are some pretty painful videos to listen to.
+1. Between the annoying loud background music and the distorted women's voice, they are painful to listen to.  How it passed marketing Q&A is beyond me.  :palm:

Nonetheless, if I were in the market for a new meter, these two series are definitely serious candidates.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: VK5RC on November 09, 2015, 10:40:56 am
Interesting 'typo' in the data sheet of the U1280 series near "Ordering Information" is a picture of the new meters with the subtitle U1281C and U1282C,
; updated model already!!!!
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Wiesel on November 09, 2015, 11:45:50 am
Funny  :)
The pictures still shows U1281A / U1282A ...
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: ArcticGeek on November 09, 2015, 02:05:59 pm
These are really nice meters, I would say Keysight really hit the sweet spot with these new meters.  They retained the great ergonomic feel of the U127X series, but now have a higher end offering to match the older U125X series and a lower cost offering to match the older U1241B and U1242B.  And a longer battery life too!   

It looks to me like the existing U125XB series and U124XB series of multimeters will be obsolete with the announcement of the these news.  Bring on the fire sales! :-+
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: tooki on November 10, 2015, 11:02:28 am
Those are some pretty painful videos to listen to.
I wonder what division of keysight is making those videos? In this one, we get to see the narratress (if that's not a word, it should be!  ;D)

http://youtu.be/AdjiooIXw0Y (http://youtu.be/AdjiooIXw0Y)
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: crispy_tofu on November 10, 2015, 11:13:23 am
I don't know if it's just me, but they should invest in a better microphone...  ^-^
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Tom45 on November 10, 2015, 03:36:31 pm
I don't know if it's just me, but they should invest in a better microphone...  ^-^

Yeah, give her a good microphone and fire whoever is playing that insipid "music" in the background.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: joeqsmith on November 11, 2015, 01:23:25 am
I don't know if it's just me, but they should invest in a better microphone...  ^-^

Yeah, give her a good microphone and fire whoever is playing that insipid "music" in the background.

 :-+   

Was not expecting it to be this bad.   Nice looking meters though.  Wonder how robust they are...
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: EEVblog on November 11, 2015, 02:08:52 am
Yeah, give her a good microphone and fire whoever is playing that insipid "music" in the background.

Yep, horrendous video from the likes of Keysight.
Someone buy a wiresless mic.
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Jay_Diddy_B on November 11, 2015, 02:14:29 am
Hi,

The 'Batteriser Twins' could have done a better video.

There are two multi-meters ...

Regards,

Jay_Diddy_B
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: kwass on November 11, 2015, 02:27:33 am
Same horrible music but infinitely better audio, why can't they do this consistently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdpTVckIqZI&list=PL2XuMA5AwNUzPsypxbdSuf1JHFkD_LGek&index=1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdpTVckIqZI&list=PL2XuMA5AwNUzPsypxbdSuf1JHFkD_LGek&index=1)
Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: CosPhi on November 12, 2015, 06:43:00 pm
Ok, let's talk about the meters not the videos  ;D

I think the U1240C models are good meters, special for this price. They have a good size, are rugged, simple but still have datalogging and are cheaper than the 170 models from Fluke.

The U1280A models .. they are good for sure ... but a bit large and a bit more expensive.



Dave did you have just one model or more? They write from a "fast display" mode with 40x update rate per second. Can you even read something on the display with a so fast update rate? :scared:

Do you get new meters for a review?

And I'm wondering if the new meters still just have less than 2kOhm input impedance when they are off like the meters from the U1270 series  |O

Title: Re: New Keysight handheld DMMs: U1240C and U1280a
Post by: Keysight Technologies Rep on November 25, 2015, 09:27:59 pm
Thank you for your feedback and we apologize for the quality of this video. Good news though! We are working on creating a newer, better version of this video.  Once it is available we will be posting the link here for you to watch. We appreciate your patience.