B&K Precision bench multimeters, good?

2831E:

We use the Keithley 2400. Its ok, but has quirks.

x Using the GPIB to read back the voltage at the terminals returns the current instead

x One model we had would display the terminal voltage, but verifying with external meter it was offset by 150mV

x The annoying beep when pressing keys needs to be turned off after each power-up.

Regards

Klaus

Reply to
Klaus Kragelund
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power-up.

Yes, that is always annoying. My general solution to that is pretty straightforward and "surgical": Snip ... beep gone, and it never comes back :-)

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

power-up.

Whenever I buy a microwave oven, first thing I do is open it up and break the piezo beeper. Most have a "wire bond" type attachment to the ceramic wafer that you can snap off easily with a long screwdriver.

I don't need to be told that I pressed a button, and I don't need five long beeps to tell me that it just shut off; that's obvious.

Keithley is a mess lately. They seem incapable of fixing code bugs. And the 2400 seems to have serious analog problems. Their old stuff was wonderful.

This is a great gadget, cost me $80 or some such on ebay...

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There's a 100 Gohm 0805 resistor on that Pomoma plug.

--

John Larkin                  Highland Technology Inc 
www.highlandtechnology.com   jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com    

Precision electronic instrumentation 
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators 
Custom timing and laser controllers 
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links 
VME  analog, thermocouple, LVDT, synchro, tachometer 
Multichannel arbitrary waveform generators
Reply to
John Larkin

power-up.

that

2400

Aren't Tektronix, Fluke and Keithley now under the same roof (Danaher)?

I have something similar for RF signals from Rohde & Schwarz, bought at a company auction. The meter is at least 3x that size.

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

2831E:

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True but you never know the history of a used multi-meter... (or any second hand gear). When buying used gear you need to test and check it thouroughly to make sure there are no hidden defects. When I buy used equipment I usually take it apart for a thourough cleaning and (safety) inspection.

--
Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply 
indicates you are not using the right tools... 
nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.) 
--------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to
Nico Coesel

I have one of those.

--
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence  
over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled." 
                                       (Richard Feynman)
Reply to
Fred Abse

power-up.

that

2400

Yup. I wonder when they will get around to trashing Fluke.

Oh, now I have meter envy.

--

John Larkin                  Highland Technology Inc 
www.highlandtechnology.com   jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com    

Precision electronic instrumentation 
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators 
Custom timing and laser controllers 
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links 
VME  analog, thermocouple, LVDT, synchro, tachometer 
Multichannel arbitrary waveform generators
Reply to
John Larkin

The manual says to replace the higher-ohm range resistors every *six months*. Mine probably haven't been replaced in 30 or 40 years. It's as accurate as I can verify, 5% or better, given the high-ohm resistors that I have.

--

John Larkin                  Highland Technology Inc 
www.highlandtechnology.com   jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com    

Precision electronic instrumentation 
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators 
Custom timing and laser controllers 
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links 
VME  analog, thermocouple, LVDT, synchro, tachometer 
Multichannel arbitrary waveform generators
Reply to
John Larkin

2831E:

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I never buy multimeters used. Too risky. In fact, it could even become dangerous depending on what you measure.

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

2831E:

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The one from Teknet is used.

--
Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply 
indicates you are not using the right tools... 
nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.) 
--------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to
Nico Coesel

I wonder if it would have behaved differently in 4 wire mode?

Reply to
JW

Well, waltzed into my office this morning is this is my "quote":

"Recent strong demand for the HP - Agilent 34410A has placed it on backorder with no firm availability dates and pricing established by our suppliers. Accordingly, no quotation for this equipment can be provided at this time".

So, no Agilent I guess :-(

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

2831E:

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Not that I know of. But they just responded that there's backlog so they can't sell me one anyhow. So, on to Fluke or some other company then I guess.

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

which,

2831E:

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This is the link:

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At the top of the page it says 'used multimeter'.

--
Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply 
indicates you are not using the right tools... 
nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.) 
--------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to
Nico Coesel

Gee, he offered me an additional discount. ;-)

Okay, just joking. Looks like it's a come-on.

--sp

Reference: Request For Quotation - HP - Agilent 34410A

Dear Spehro,

Thank you for your recent request for quotation.

Recent strong demand for the HP - Agilent 34410A has placed it on backorder with no firm availability dates and pricing established by our suppliers. Accordingly, no quotation for this equipment can be provided at this time.

There may be other equipment choices which could satisfy your immediate equipment needs. I will phone you shortly to discuss if an alternative instru ment could be substituted.

TekNet Electronics appreciates the opportunity to serve you.

Best Regards,

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

my

which,

2831E:

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It's probably demo stock. That's ok as long as there is the usual warranty. What can be risky is buying these off an auction site because then they've never gone through any refurb process and you do not know the history.

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

my

which,

the 2831E:

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If you want refurbished then you should stick to the gear sold by the manufacturer and not an equipment dealer. But then again I always check gear myself (brand new and used). Don't trust others with your life :-)

One of the first big projects I was responsible for was partly designed by my predecessor. I frowned upon putting 2 electrolytics in series to achieve higher voltage handling but he said it would be okay. My frown was justified. Those capacitors went up in smoke right when the customer's 'suits' came looking how things went.

--
Failure does not prove something is impossible, failure simply 
indicates you are not using the right tools... 
nico@nctdevpuntnl (punt=.) 
--------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to
Nico Coesel

Did it say that before? That's not exactly the same page- the price has been removed.

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

Probably because you and I requested a quote and someone said "Oh s..t, we don't any of those and now even the Canadians come swooping in on us!" :-)

I really dislike this secretive quoting game. Waiting for a 24410A quote from Tequipment. Waiting, waiting, waiting ...

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

Minor problem: They won't get my CC info until the quote is in :-)

--
Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Reply to
Joerg

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