Keysight Assurance Plans for 34470A - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: onemilimeter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2017, 09:25:01 am
content: Hi...I wish to purchase a Keysight 34470A. Expected usage pattern of the DMM: personal use in small lab at home and non-heavy usage (e.g. less than 10 times (ON/OFF) per month).The unit comes with a Standard 3-Year Warranty.The vendor persuades to add and purchase the following:Warranty Assurance Plan(Return to Keysight - 5 years, R-51B-001-5Z)Calibration Assurance Plan(3-Year: R-50C-011-3 or 5-Year: R-50C-011-5)Warranty Assurance Plan (R-51B-001-5Z) ~= 10% of the 34470A priceCalibration Assurance Plan (5-Year) ~= 20% of the 34470A priceBased on my usage described above, what is a suitable "Calibration Cycle", e.g. 1-Year, 2-Year, 3-Year, etc.? Or, do you think I really need the Calibration Assurance Plan (3-Year or 5-Year)?Thanks.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2017, 11:16:45 am
content: Right now the standard warranty for the 34470A is4 yearssince the downgrading of the DC and AC voltage.Calibration depends on what is it that you want to measure and how accurate it has to be.May be you can elaborate on your plan of usage.

author: Tom45
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 11, 2017, 03:19:01 pm
content: It is unlikely that the 34470 would drift out of calibration in a year or two. But you wouldn't know for sure unless you send the meter to someone.Look for local calibration labs and find out what they would charge. It may be more cost effective to send it to a local lab every few years.I didn't purchase a plan from Keysight for my 34465. At some point I will send it to a local lab. I need the extra resolution of the 34465 more than absolute accuracy.As for failures, the warranty should cover defects in the meter. I've never damaged a meter myself. The one time a meter of mine was damaged was when I loaned it out to someone. If someone now wants to borrow a meter they will get a Harbor Freight special, not my 6.5 digit bench meter.

author: onemilimeter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2017, 10:07:22 pm
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on April 11, 2017, 11:16:45 amThanks for sharing.According to the Keysight 34470A website, theStandard Warrantyfor 34470A is3-year. Do you mean that Keysight has offeredextra one year warranty?By the way, what do you mean "...since the downgrading of the DC and AC voltage."?Quote from: HighVoltage on April 11, 2017, 11:16:45 amMy plan of usage is as follows:- Personal use (will not loan it out to other)- Use 5 to 10 times a month. Each time will not be more than 2 hours.- Mainly for hobbyist projects (e.g. ADC/DAC circuits, low resistance measurement, current sensing resistance measurement, battery charging/discharging characterization, DC power supply design, etc.).Kindly advise.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2017, 11:15:12 pm
content: QuoteRead this thread, it might be important to you, if you buy a 34470Ahttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/keysight-34460a34461a34465a34470a-maximum-allowable-voltage-change-notice/If you buy this 34470A until the end of April 2017, you will get a 4 year warranty.Don't really worry about the calibration for your purpose.You will most likely see no drift at all over a few years.I have a 34470A since early 2015 and it has been very stable since then.

author: onemilimeter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 02:39:30 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on April 16, 2017, 11:15:12 pmThanks for sharing this important notice. If we buy the 34470A, do you think Keysight can replace the component in 34470A later so it can withstand 1000VDC and 750VAC? Thanks.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 06:31:35 am
content: Quote from: onemilimeter on April 17, 2017, 02:39:30 amIt looks like you did not read the voltage reduction tread to the end.At this time it seems Keysight will may be retract the service not and all will stay the same.The offer for 4 year warranty will stay for instruments bought before the end of April 2017

author: Dr. Frank
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 06:55:32 am
content: Quote from: onemilimeter on April 11, 2017, 09:25:01 amI propose, that you first read my review of '465A vs. 470A, and buy a 34465A instead.(*)The difference in specification and performance is really small, especially for your purpose.The 465A costs about half the price, so you might purchase the valuable Digitizing and Memory options, plus invest in volt-nuts gadgets, plus a calibration in a few yearsFrank(*)https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/keysight's-new-34465a-(6-5-digit)-and-34470a-(7-5-digit)-bench-multimeters/msg889215/#msg889215

author: onemilimeter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2017, 02:21:49 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on April 17, 2017, 06:31:35 amI did read but was still blurred with Keysight's decision..By the way, thanks for the clarification...

author: onemilimeter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2017, 03:02:32 am
content: Quote from: Dr. Frank on April 17, 2017, 06:55:32 amVery good review... by the way, what is "volt-nuts gadgets"?Many thanks.

author: onemilimeter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2017, 03:44:47 am
content: Quote from: Flinstone on April 17, 2017, 06:33:56 amThanks for sharing... very good advices...Quote from: Flinstone on April 17, 2017, 06:33:56 amYes... I always wish to learn doing this... hopefully 34470A will be useful in this aspect...

author: Dr. Frank
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2017, 06:11:53 am
content: Quote from: onemilimeter on April 18, 2017, 03:02:32 amWell, anything you can precisely measure or compare with your new DMM, like LTZ1000 references, 10kOhm reference resistors, and any (vintage) standards of that accuracy grade.Frank