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Blog Keysight U1461A Insulation Multimeter Review #2
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  • Author Author: waelect
  • Date Created: 24 Mar 2015 4:02 AM Date Created
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Keysight U1461A Insulation Multimeter Review #2

waelect
waelect
24 Mar 2015

Greetings everyone,

 

For myself this has been a very eventful couple of weeks since I last posted the initial review. I unfortunately became so unwell I had to visit the hospital and was basically out of commission for a little while. I have two unfortunately take a year off University studies to recuperate but now hopefully I will have a little bit more time to spend on reviewing products until I can get back into my studies and work.

 

This is the second review where I have created a YouTube video describing some basic electronic functions this includes microamps/milliamps, Millivolts and Volts, and resistance along with electrical bond testing. The one thing I have to do is apologise for the content in the video, I haven't made very many videos in my times and I'm still trying to learn the process of production and editing. Hopefully in time things will improve and I'll be able to create much better blogging videos.

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In this video I found the accuracy of this multimeter surprisingly good. I already have an Agilent U1242B with a number of nights electronic measurement features. The U1461A is an excellent secondary electronics multimeter with the ability to work down to microamps this meter has a number of essential functions that can the hence the electronics technicians ability to do more functions than normally. One specific measurement function is the milliohm meter, which is just day simple four wire sense with the sense wire connected internally to the meter. In all this is the primary feature of this multimeter using numerous voltage and current sensing to produce the necessary results.

 

Current Measurements

For the first primary test a brief look at the test of current and resistance was carried out. I carried out further testing with a bit more precision and came up with excellent results. The test was carried out with my resistance decade box accurately setting the resistance to 3000ohms. Then connecting the set-up I measured the voltage across the load with my Agilent 1242B and the current through the Agilent 1461A with a fixed resistance the anticipated result is expected to be linear shown below:

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Table 1 - results from current measurements from the Keysight U1461A Insulation Multimeter.

 

The above graph shown is exceptionally linear with deviations of +/- 0.06%. The deviations are the expectations from the quick test carried out with my limited equipment. The results though are surprisingly good. I plan to but not within this review period to test further greater levels of current measurements. But at this stage am very happy with the results.

 

Voltage Measurements

In respect to voltage, this was simple to just swap the lead to the previous test and carry it out again. The result below speak for themselves, but accuracy is still on par  with a deviation of 0.05%. Taking into consideration non perfect laboratory condition the results are impressive.image

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Table 2 - Data and graphical results for voltage measurements on Keysight U1461A Insulation Multimeter.

 

I do not have any precision resistors but in the future I have decided to look at a couple of standards to purchase to look at accuracy. In my test though I was able to look at the accuracy based on my Agilent U1242B Agilent Multimeter that is calibrated till August 2015. With identical results shown in the video there is no much doubt that resistance is also accurate.

 

Other items looked at were:

Battery Insertion

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Compared to all meters that I have ever owned, batteries are usually replaced in the lower section of the multimeter. When I opened up the lower section I was shocked to see no batteries. Instead the batteries are concealed into the mid section at the same point as the tilting bale. I would advise Keysight to consider brighter external labelling to indication battery location. I can understand though the reason for placing the batteries high more for physical constraints but there needs to be better indication labelled. For a single user like myself it is likely not to be a problem, but for businesses that hire many staff that may need multiple people using the multimeter, this maybe a slight complication.

Leads

These are nice flexible silicon leads that came with the multimeter. I have no problems with this quality of lead, although I would like to see more banana based connectors as i have with another set of leads that I use for the U1242B. These though are non standard and slightly less quality than the Keysight supplied leads. I think it would have been best utilised to have a single lead end with a cap exposing the lead shaft instead of separate leads. It is possible though as i go through the more use the seperation of the lead may become apparent. The banana lead that connects the probes can be used as they are covered externally.
That will be all for this review section. In the next review I will be looking at all the rest of the multimeter functions. After which more advanced functions including data-logging using the U1117A Bluetooth adaptor and software will be reviewed.
Malcolm
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