is 190$ a bargain for a HP 3478A bench multimeter ? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: lk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2012, 06:20:24 pm
content: Greetings,i have the chance to get a used HP 3478a multimeter for 190$ including shipping, is this a good price?. Its branded HP so its properly a bit older.-lk

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2012, 06:30:40 pm
content: 3478 are not bad but they are virtually unrepairable if they break. Especially the display is unobtainium ...

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 28, 2012, 08:40:21 pm
content: In my opinion $190 is too expensive, unless it's tested, guaranteed working, and calibrated. Around $100 shipped would be a good price in the US, although many are not tested beyond the self test. One that passed self test, 'unable to test it' without obvious defects sold for$64.You might also consider the HP 3468A, a cousin of the 3478A. It lacks the lowest voltage/resistance ranges, rear inputs, GPIB and is slightly less accurate, but is often much cheaper. There are currently a few on eBay with a $50 starting bid, for example, and they usually sell for well under $100.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 29, 2012, 12:05:53 am
content: No, I wouldn't say it's a bargain, there are one with "Buy it Now" prices less than that.You'd want to have had it fully traceably calibrated to make it a "bargain"I got mine for less than that delivered to Oz.Dave.

author: PeterG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2012, 01:34:45 am
content: So you think this one is slightly over pricedhttp://www.ebay.com.au/itm/HP-Hewlett-Packard-3478A-DMM-certified-NISTcalibrated-/310227290925?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item483afccb2d#ht_1260wt_1139Regards

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 29, 2012, 01:45:58 am
content: Quote from: PeterG on May 29, 2012, 01:34:45 amTo the individual, yes, very.To a big company looking to replace a bit of kit, chump change. And that's the market they are catering too.Although at that price I'd still want it soak tested under the constant vigilance of nude virginsDave.

author: lk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2012, 06:55:06 am
content: Thanks everyone,i will pass on the offer, the HP 3468A looks good, i wanted a multimeter that can do 4wire measurements. So i will poke around after one of those.-lk

author: lk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2012, 12:07:43 pm
content: I found this link to a presentation from HP about the 3468 from february 1982, im was surprised how old the design ishttp://www.google.dk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CH0QFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hpl.hp.com%2Fhpjournal%2Fpdfs%2FIssuePDFs%2F1983-02.pdf&ei=ZrrET4HnK7Pa4QSZn7TLCQ&usg=AFQjCNEj-fuADUkds6q2T5ri0HohNQNzuw&sig2=O8TKu3w7z_JfuDgwwu7hyQits a pdf-lasse

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2012, 01:03:56 pm
content: 3468A should be enough as you expecting using 4 wires measurement, I had mine for about 2 years now and still going strong with last calibration about 7 years ago.A teaser pic

author: lk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2012, 05:42:02 pm
content: I want onethat is great for a 30 year old design. that has not been calibrated for that many years.-lk

author: lk
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2012, 06:55:44 pm
content: The story got a nice ending,i was lucky to get a HP 34401A multimeter and Marconi 2022 signal generator for around 300$ US, so now I'm happy apart from the fact that i have no use for the Marconi, as i needed something that can generate Square waves, but it is able to generate the sinewaves at 1Ghz it seems. So what do i do with it?-lk

author: M. András
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2012, 08:28:53 pm
content: i would love to get a deal similar to yours on that hp/agilent meter

author: baljemmett
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 11, 2012, 09:19:02 pm
content: Quote from: lk on June 11, 2012, 06:55:44 pmFeed the output into a nice fast comparator, job done

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 11, 2012, 09:34:34 pm
content: The Marconi 2022 is a much respected portable Rf signal generator. The weak point is in the Philips OM series hybrid amplifiers used inside, but these are still obtainable quite cheaply. Working 2022's sell for big money in the UK GBP300 to GBP400 is not unusual.If you have no use for an RF sig gen, find someone to test its correct operation then sell it to an RF Techie and possibly make a profit on your original purchase price for it and the meterI own three 2022's of various variants and I would not part with any of them...they are just too convenient to be without.Aurora