Please share your used 3458 purchase prices - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Jester
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2022, 05:35:21 pm
content: A 3458 might be too pricy for my retired budget, but no harm in asking. So what is a good price for a used but fixable 3458 after factoring in repair parts costs.I guess there is also the issue of how do you know if it is truly stable after the repair if you don’t have another meter of this class to compare it to.

author: Grandchuck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2022, 06:50:15 pm
content: My approach was to acquire and build up several voltage references. That way, one can become reasonably confident about any drift with the meter.As to cost, I waited years monitoring ebay before finding a 3458A at an affordable price. Luckily, it worked and I have never opened it up.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2022, 07:28:16 pm
content: I too would love to have a 3458. That extra resolution and precision is a very desirable thing. Perhaps someone has one or more that doesn't get used and would part with them at a reasonable price.

author: Jester
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2022, 07:33:43 pm
content: Quote from: Grandchuck on January 06, 2022, 06:50:15 pmI'm thinking along the same lines. What reference did you use for your standards: LTFU-1, LM399, or the LTZ1000?I power read a few threads in this section where the local volt-nuts developed various reference boards and characterized them. Is there one design in particular that you would suggest?From my quick read it seemed like an ovenized version of the LTFU-1 was looking pretty good, but I'm not sure how good compared to the LTZ1000?I can start collecting parts.

author: Grandchuck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2022, 08:02:25 pm
content: I have 4 LTZ1000s and 3 LM399s. They are homemade with the exception of two. I can recommend the LTZ1000 circuit design by Dr. Frank since I built 3 of them. There is a nice circuit board available that was designed by cellularmitosis (a forum member who seems silent now). However, there are several worthy designs out there and you might want to spend a little more time on it before you decide. I have no experience with LTFUs. If you want a rapid entry to volt-nuttery that is affordable yet damned good, check out Ian Johnston's PDVS2 mini.

author: TiN
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2022, 02:13:56 am
content: After factoring in A3 and calibration, you'd have good healthy meter for $4-5k. Dead or unknown meters recently were going for over $2k even.

author: maat
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2022, 03:29:21 am
content: I paid 2.6 k€ for the meter and another 800 € for calibration at Keysight and another 1 k€ for repairs (incl.A9A3). So all in all about 4.4 k€ inkl. VAT.

author: IanJ
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 07, 2022, 04:56:09 am
content: $3300 USD for my first fully working.$900 USD for my second unit faulty, and about $1000 to get it fixed.Ian

author: alm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2022, 04:24:46 pm
content: $1999 US in 2017 for a unit with option 002 that was shown to show a RAM checksum error due to empty battery in the digital SRAMs. Could easily be overridden and would function fine afterwards. Calibration RAM was fine. Only issue I need to investigate some days is that at at low ambient temperature, ACAL OHM fails with "CAL VALUE OUT OF RANGE: 63" (or 64). Since it only happens at low temperatures, my guess is marginal electrolytics, although a marginal relay is also possible.In 2018 I paid £3500 to an EEVblog member for a refurbished unit that had fresh Keysight calibration and warranty. That one was been working fine since. But keep in mind that UK prices are usually higher than US prices, and for me back then (pre-Brexit) buying from the UK meant cheaper shipping and no extra VAT to pay.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 07, 2022, 04:52:30 pm
content: The best ebay price I've seen/was offered in the last few months was $1500 USD for a 3458A with an NVRAM error(a nice error overall if you want a "broken" unit).Roughly a year ago I bought this machine:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/3458a-for-less-than-1k-is-it-possible-lets-find-out/One of these days I'll be posting about the A3 that went drifty, however it seems to have been cured.Back in 2016/2017 broken units were often under 1K.

author: martinr33
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2022, 05:19:30 am
content: I'd say, you could pick up a unit for $2000 - $2500 if you are patient and quick on the buy button.I sort of prefer the ones with RAM errors as I think these are less likely to have a drifty ADC - assuming the ADC was not swapped out.The KS refurb is about $3200, so a "good" unit could end up at $5500 or $6000.Or you could replace a bad ADC for about $1200, if KS is selling them at the time. My experience, 50% of ADCs are bad. I have yet to try TheSteve's cooking trick.

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2022, 06:08:59 am
content: $8596.00 with a 30-day warranty and without current calibration.https://saving.em.keysight.com/en/used/power-meters-sensors/3458a-e185243296749?channel=CP_SEA_US_IAD_Productlist&gclid=CjwKCAiArOqOBhBmEiwAsgeLmRm3fuIaar4XbkX3hkKLwB_Y2_qhA2qIJo3AXQMZ7yKW31zkayZxrhoCCnUQAvD_BwE

author: Bill158
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2022, 09:54:49 pm
content: I bought one about 20 years ago. Somehow I decided I needed a 3458A. I was new at the game and didn't know much about them other than reading about how to run the tests. There were 2 for sale a few miles from me. So I arranged to see them. I brought a Fluke 731A with me and a 10K resistor. One had the NVRAM errors and the other passed internal tests but was WAY off at 10 volts. So I choose the one with the 10 volt error. Bad choice as it had the A3-U180 drift problem as I found out later. So I followed the "CAL 10" procedure and it seemed ok but the next few days it was drifting upwards. So I kept re-caling but the drift was steady. I read the "Service Note 18" and since it only covered S/Ns that were not mine I assumed this was not the problem. I then purchase an A9 board from HP/A/K for around $800 but that didn't solve the problem. So now $3,300 for the meter and $800 for the A9 reference. Then I gave up a bought another 3458A for $3,500 in my area. I checked it same way again and this time it was dead on for 10 volts. So then with two meters I swapped the A3 boards. OF course the drift followed the A3. So I bought an A3 from H/A/K. Another $900 when I returned the defective A3 core board. So for a total of US$8,500 I now have two 3458As both working just fine and stable. So I guess dividing US$8,500 by two, they cost an average of US$4,250 each. Too bad I didn't know more about these at the time and I didn't know martinr33 either.File this one under "Live and learn" I guess.Bill

author: wolfy007
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2022, 01:16:06 pm
content: I have purchased three over the last 4 years, the two Agilent branded ones were about AU$7000 working condition (one with low hours when purchased, both dating from around 2003/4 by component datestamps), and an older HP branded one about AU$5000 which had a problem with the outguard power supply and appears to have been built around 1993, I have got it working but I havent fully restored it yet so dont have a final cost.

author: PartialDischarge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2022, 09:51:08 am
content: I paid 150€ for mine, a 15yo equipment in totally new unused condition but faulty. Somehow had a bad gate array in A3 that prevented turn-on. After replacing it is working fine.Seller didn't really know what he had in storage and didn't care too.

author: Jester
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2022, 05:09:39 pm
content: Quote from: MasterTech on January 12, 2022, 09:51:08 amWay to go super score!