Brand new Agilent 34401A DMMs on eBay - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: posatomic
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 06, 2020, 09:00:47 pm
content: This seller seems to have a bunch of new-in-box 34401As. I managed to snag one off from another listing a few days ago.https://www.ebay.com/itm/393044731082?ViewItem=&item=393044731082Get them while they last!

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 07, 2020, 02:23:22 am
content: Well not too high priced, calibration is not worth anything now lollIn storage since 2009? 11 years waiting somewhere ??

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 07, 2020, 03:04:24 am
content: Looks like US gov/Military Surplus based on the serial #'s.

author: Royalgrass
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 13, 2020, 09:49:19 pm
content: I snagged one up. The seller accepts offers....

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2020, 09:58:52 pm
content: Quote from: TheSteve on December 07, 2020, 03:04:24 amInteresting, how do you know that from the serial number?I still have one brand new 34401A that also starts the serial number with SG47000xxxThis one was bought in the EU from, FarnellBut there are not many around, made in Singapore.I have heard once the rumor that the SG versions are made in Singapore for their own market so they do not have to pay the astronomical import duty on these instruments.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 13, 2020, 10:24:05 pm
content: The primary reason for the final assembly in Singapore is the US government having a rule against buying products assembled in Malaysia.That means Keysight will do final assembly of several products in Singapore. I am guessing they don't make exact numbers of each product just for US gov purchase orders so they still sell SG serial numbered products through the regular sales channels.When you see a group of new products in the US with SG serials numbers its a pretty safe bet that is where they came from though.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2020, 10:43:25 pm
content: That is an interesting point, and it makes perfect sense.Thanks for the explanation.

author: WattsThat
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2020, 11:44:29 pm
content: For those not aware, Keysight maintained the HP serialization scheme in which the first two digits of the serial number added to 1960 yields the year of manufacture. Not sure what the pre-1960 scheme was, if they had one.

author: Royalgrass
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 14, 2020, 03:09:19 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on December 13, 2020, 09:58:52 pmIn one of the pictures, the seller shows the packing list, which includes the sales order number. It shows a US Navy contract # N00104-09-D-D008/1000On the packing list there are a few other items that are a give away that this is Navy stuff:34401-90905 Documentation Set (Navy)34401-13605 Product Reference CD-Rom (Navy)Since they haven't been used at all since they were received, I hope I indeed did a good buy.

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2020, 04:16:37 am
content: I've purchased one of these. Should arrive early next week according to the tracking number. I'll report back on what happens!

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2020, 10:43:31 pm
content: Quote from: WattsThat on December 13, 2020, 11:44:29 pmThe HP serial number pre-fix code from 1960 onwards indicated the year & week of the last design change,notthe actual manufacture date, I have plenty of vintage HP TE here that are years apart from the prefix code. Pre-1960 HP TE just have sequential serial number.No idea if Agilent or Keysight used/kept the same rule.David

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2020, 11:08:10 pm
content: Thats kind of interesting, do you know why?Quote from: TheSteve on December 13, 2020, 10:24:05 pm

author: dorkshoei
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2020, 03:16:38 pm
content: Quote from: factory on December 20, 2020, 10:43:31 pmI'm curious on the serial numbers.If you look at the service manual for the 34401A (under backdating) it says that units with a serial number older than 3146A59641 have the revision -01 display PCB.I'm curious as the newer units including HP have serial numbers of {US/MY/SG}YYYYYYYY which was carried on by Agilent. Obviously the first two letters are the country code but I'm not sure how one decodes the old and new digit formats.

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 23, 2020, 02:40:55 am
content: Mine arrived yesterday.It came in the original Agilent box, which had been opened (the seller openly stated they would power on the unit to test it). The original Accessories box was there and looked unopened. All of the docs, test leads, etc. were in their sealed plastic. The display still has its protective static cling plastic. Every indication is that this is a NIB device.There is some US Navy contract documentation which I haven't yet examined.Everything including the warranty sticker is dated Nov 2009, so this unit is ~11 years old. It's in absolutely perfect condition. I've powered it up but haven't run it through any exhaustive tests yet.The one odd thing is that in the sealed test lead kit, there was an extra (second) black grabber tip. Everything else is in matched pairs of red + black, plus this one extra tip. Maybe it's intentional but I haven't checked the manual yet.I was slightly surprised that this four-wire-capable meter didn't come with a set of four-wire test leads. I have a set for my HP 4263B but they're BNC terminated and this meter wants banana jacks so I'll probably pick up a second set.The seller shipped fast, and the meter arrived in perfect condition. Unless I discover something horrible this is a great bargain for a very capable 6-1/2 digit bench DMM.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 23, 2020, 02:50:59 am
content: Sounds like they are as listed.I've never seen a 4 wire capable bench DMM that included a set of 4 wire probes, but I haven't looked too hard.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 26, 2020, 01:08:02 pm
content: Quote from: IDEngineer on December 23, 2020, 02:40:55 amAt least in the European market this extra black grabber cable was always part of a new Agilent / Keysight 34401A

author: Royalgrass
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 06, 2021, 05:41:43 am
content: Mine also came with that extra grabber.

author: IDEngineer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2021, 07:22:45 am
content: Quote from: Royalgrass on January 06, 2021, 05:41:43 amI have since discovered that the two black grabbers are different styles. One is a "pincher" style which matches the single red grabber. The other black one is the more traditional J-hook style grabber. I wish they'd included two matched sets, but at least the one matched set is the pincher style which is significantly more useful on small connections.

author: thirstybear
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 09, 2021, 08:45:26 am
content: My 34401A made it to me in Australia yesterday in perfect condition. Thanks to OP for posting here, I’m glad I didn’t think too hard before hitting the buy now button.