Agilent U1231A, U1232A, U1233A User guide
Agilent U1231A, U1232A,
and U1233A Handheld
Digital Multimeter
User’s Guide
Agilent Technologies
Notices
CAUTION
WARNING
© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2011
No p art o f this manu al may be re produce d in
any form or by any means (including electronic storage and retrieval or translation
into a foreign language) without prior agreement and written consent from Agilent
Technologies, Inc. as governed by United
States and international copyright laws.
Manual Part Number
U1231-90026
Edition
Second Edition, November, 2011
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
5301, Stevens Creek Blvd.
Santa Clara, CA 95051 USA
Warranty
The material contained in this document is
provided “as is,” and is subject to change,
without notice, in future editions. Further,
to the maximum extent permitted by the
applicable law, Agilent disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, with
regard to this manual and any information
contained herein, including but not limited
to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
Agilent shall not be liable for errors or for
incidental or consequential damages in
connection with the furnishing, use, or
performance of this document or of any
information contained herein. Should Agilent and the user have a separate written
agreement with warranty terms covering
the material in this document that conflict
with these terms, the warranty terms in
the separate agreement shall control.
Technology Licenses
The hardware and or software described in
this document are furnished under a license
and may be used or copied only in accordance with the terms of such license.
Restricted Rights Legend
U.S. Government Restricted Rights. Software and technical data rights granted to
the federal government include only those
rights customarily provided to end user customers. Agilent provides this customary
commercial license in Software and technical data pursuant to FAR 12.211 (Technical
Data) and 12.212 (Computer Software) and,
for the Department of Defense, DFARS
252.227-7015 (Technical Data - Commercial
Items) and DFARS 227.7202-3 (Rights in
Commercial Computer Software or Computer Software Documentation).
Safety Notices
A CAUTION notice denotes a hazard. It calls attention to an operating procedure, practice, or the likes
of that, if not correctly performed
or adhered to, could result in damage to the product or loss of important data. Do not proceed beyond a
CAUTION notice until the indicated
conditions are fully understood and
met.
A WARNING notice denotes a
hazard. It calls attention to an
operating procedure, practice, or
the likes of that, if not correctly
performed or adhered to, could
result in personal injury or death.
Do not proceed beyond a WARNING notice until the indicated
conditions are fully understood
and met.
II U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
Safety Symbols
CAT III
600 V
The following symbols on the instrument and in the documentation
indicate precautions which must be taken to maintain safe operation of
the instrument.
DC (Direct current or voltage)
AC (Alternating current or voltage)
Earth (ground) terminal
Caution, risk of danger (refer to this manual for specific Warning
or Caution information)
Equipment protected throughout by
double insulation or reinforced
insulation
Category III 600 V overvoltage protection
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide III
Safety Considerations
CAUTION
WARNING
Read the information below before using this instrument.
The following general safety precautions must be observed during all
phases of operation, service, and repair of this instrument. Failure to
comply with these precautions or with specific warnings elsewhere in this
manual violates safety standards for design, manufacture, and intended
use of the instrument. Agilent Technologies assumes no liability for the
customer’s failure to comply with these requirements.
• Disconnect circuit power and discharge all high-voltage capacitors
before testing resistance, continuity, diodes, or capacitance.
• Use the proper terminals, function, and range for your
measurements.
• This device is for use at altitudes of up to 2,000 m.
• Never measure voltage when current measurement is selected.
• Always use the specified battery type. The power for the meter is
supplied with four standard AAA 1.5 V batteries. Observe the
correct polarity markings before you insert the batteries to ensure
proper insertion of the batteries in the meter.
IV U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
• Do not use the meter if it is damaged. Before you use the meter,
inspect the case. Look for cracks or missing plastic. Pay
particular attention to the insulation surrounding the connectors.
• Inspect the test leads for damaged insulation or exposed metal.
Check the test leads for continuity. Replace damaged test leads
before you use the meter.
• Do not operate the meter around explosive gas, vapor, or wet
environments.
• Do not apply more than the rated voltage (as marked on the
meter) between terminals, or between terminal and earth ground.
WARNING
• Never use the meter in wet conditions or when there is water on
the surface. If the meter is wet, ensure that the meter is dried only
by trained personnel.
• Before use, verify the meter's operation by measuring a known
voltage.
• When measuring current, turn off the circuit power before
connecting the meter in the circuit. Remember to place the meter
in series with the circuit.
• When servicing the meter, use only the specified replacement
parts.
• Use caution when working above 60 V DC, 30 V AC rms, or 42.4 V
peak. Such voltages pose a shock hazard.
• Do not use the VZ
(low input impedance) function to measure
LOW
voltages in circuits that could be damaged by this function’s low
input impedance of 3 kΩ.
• When using the probes, keep your fingers behind the finger
guards on the probes.
• Connect the common test lead before you connect the live test
lead. When you disconnect the leads, disconnect the live test lead
first.
• Remove the test leads from the meter before you open the battery
cover.
• Do not operate the meter with the battery cover or portions of the
cover removed or loosened.
• To avoid false readings, which may lead to possible electric shock
or personal injury, replace the battery as soon as the low battery
indicator appears and flashes.
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide V
Environmental Conditions
NOTE
This instrument is designed for indoor use and in an area with low
condensation. The table below shows the general environmental
requirements for this instrument.
Environmental conditions Requirements
Operating temperature Full accuracy from –10 °C to 55 °C
Full accuracy up to 80% RH (relative
Operating humidity
Storage temperature –40 °C to 60 °C
Altitude Up to 2000 meters
Pollution degree Pollution degree II
The U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Handheld Digital Multimeter complies with the
following safety and EMC requirements:
• EN 61010-1 (IEC 61010-1:2001) for CAT III 600 V
• ANSI/UL 61010-1:2004
• CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 61010-1-04
• Commercial limits compliance with EN61326-1
humidity) for temperature up to 30 °C,
decreasing linearly to 50% RH at 55 °C
VI U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
Regulatory Markings
The CE mark is a registered trademark
of the European Community. This CE
mark shows that the product complies
with all the relevant European Legal
Directives.
The C-tick mark is a registered
trademark of the Spectrum
Management Agency of Australia. This
signifies compliance with
the Australia EMC Framework
regulations under the terms of the
Radio Communication Act of 1992.
ICES/NMB-001 indicates that this ISM
device complies with the Canadian
ICES-001.
Cet appareil ISM est confomre a la
norme NMB-001 du Canada.
The CSA mark is a registered
trademark of the Canadian Standards
Association.
This instrument complies with the
WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC) marking
requirement. This affixed product label
indicates that you must not discard
this electrical or electronic product in
domestic household waste.
This symbol indicates the time period
during which no hazardous or toxic
substance elements are expected to
leak or deteriorate during normal use.
Forty years is the expected useful life
of the product.
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide VII
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive 2002/96/EC
This instrument complies with the WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC) marking
requirement. This affixed product label indicates that you must not discard
this electrical or electronic product in domestic household waste.
Product Category:
With reference to the equipment types in the WEEE directive Annex 1, this
instrument is classified as a “Monitoring and Control Instrument” product.
The affixed product label is as shown below.
Do not dispose in domestic household waste.
To return this unwanted instrument, contact your nearest Agilent Service
Centre, or visit
www.agilent.com/environment/product
for more information.
VIII U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
Declaration of Conformity (DoC)
NOTE
The Declaration of Conformity (DoC) for this instrument is available on the
Agilent website. You can search the DoC by its product model or
description at the web address below.
http://regulations.corporate.agilent.com/DoC/search.htm
If you are unable to search for the respective DoC, please contact your
local Agilent representative.
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide IX
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X U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
About This Manual 2
Documentation map 2
Safety notes 2
Preparing Your Multimeter 3
Checking the shipment 3
Installing the batteries 3
Turning on your multimeter 6
Automatic Power-Off (APO) 6
Enabling the backlight 7
Enabling the flashlight 7
Selecting the range 9
Alerts and warnings during measurement 10
Adjusting the tilt stand 11
Connecting the IR-USB cable 11
Power-on options 13
Your Multimeter in Brief 15
Dimensions 15
Overview 17
Rotary switch 19
Keypad 22
Display screen 24
Input terminals 28
Cleaning Your Multimeter 30
2 Making Measurements
Measuring AC Voltage 32
Measuring DC Voltage 34
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide XI
Measuring AC/DC mV 34
Using VZ
for Voltage Measurements 36
LOW
Measuring Resistance 39
Testing for Continuity 41
Testing Diodes 45
Measuring Capacitance 49
Measuring Temperature 51
Measuring AC or DC Current 56
Measuring Frequency 61
3 Multimeter Features
Detecting AC Voltage Presence (Vsense) 66
Making Relative Measurements (Null) 68
Capturing Maximum and Minimum Values (MaxMin) 70
Freezing the Display (Trig Hold-Log and Auto Hold-Log) 72
Trig Hold-Log operation 72
Auto Hold-Log operation 72
Recalling Previously Recorded Readings (Recall) 74
Making Scale Transfers (Scale) 76
4 Multimeter Setup Options
Using the Setup Menu 80
Editing numerical values 81
Setup Menu Summary 82
Setup Menu Items 84
Changing the variation count 84
Enabling and changing the Smooth refresh rate 85
XII U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
Enabling and changing the voltage alert level 86
Changing the beep frequency 87
Changing the auto power-off (APO) timeout 88
Changing the LCD backlight timeout 89
Adjusting the LCD backlight intensity 90
Enabling the LED flashlight timeout 91
Adjusting the LED flashlight intensity 92
Changing the minimum measurable frequency 93
Changing the continuity test alerts 93
Changing the power-on greeting tone 95
Resetting the Setup items 96
Changing the scale conversion value 96
Enable the AC/DC mV measurement 98
Enable open continuity test by default 99
Changing the temperature unit 99
5 Characteristics and Specifications
Product Characteristics 102
Specification Assumptions 103
Measurement Category 104
Measurement category definition 104
Electrical Specifications 105
DC specifications 105
AC specifications 108
Capacitance specifications 109
Temperature specifications 110
Frequency specifications 111
Frequency sensitivity specifications 111
Scale transfer (mV) 112
Display update rate (approximate) 113
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide XIII
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XIV U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
List of Figures
Figure 1-1 Installing the batteries 4
Figure 1-2 Powering on the multimeter 6
Figure 1-3 Tilt-stand adjustment and IR-USB cable connection 11
Figure 1-4 Agilent GUI Data Logger Software 12
Figure 1-5 Width dimension 15
Figure 1-6 Height and depth dimensions 16
Figure 1-7 Front panel 17
Figure 1-8 Rear panel 18
Figure 2-1 AC voltage display 32
Figure 2-2 Measuring AC voltage 33
Figure 2-3 DC voltage display 34
Figure 2-4 Measuring DC voltage 35
Figure 2-5 VZ
Figure 2-6 Measuring VZ
Figure 2-7 VZ
voltage display 36
LOW
voltage 37
LOW
auto identification flow 38
LOW
Figure 2-8 Resistance display 39
Figure 2-9 Measuring resistance 40
Figure 2-10 Continuity test flow 42
Figure 2-11 Testing for continuity 44
Figure 2-12 Diode display 45
Figure 2-13 Open diode display 46
Figure 2-14 Testing forward bias diode 47
Figure 2-15 Testing reverse bias diode 48
Figure 2-16 Capacitance display 49
Figure 2-17 Measuring capacitance 50
Figure 2-18 Temperature display 51
Figure 2-19 Measuring the surface temperature 52
Figure 2-20 Using the Auxillary Temperature measurement
function 53
Figure 2-21 Temperature measurement without ambient
compensation 55
Figure 2-22 DC current display 57
Figure 2-23 AC current display 57
Figure 2-24 Measuring DC/AC current (up to A) 58
Figure 2-25 Measuring AC/DC current (up to
μA) 59
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide XV
Figure 2-26 Frequency definition 62
Figure 2-27 Frequency display 62
Figure 2-28 Measuring frequency 63
Figure 3-1 Detecting voltage presence 67
Figure 3-2 Null display 68
Figure 3-3 Null operation 69
Figure 3-4 MaxMin display 71
Figure 3-5 Trig Hold-Log display 72
Figure 3-6 Auto Hold-Log display 73
Figure 3-7 View display 74
Figure 3-8 Empty view display 75
Figure 4-1 Changing the variation count 84
Figure 4-2 Enabling and changing the Smooth refresh rate 85
Figure 4-3 Enabling and changing the voltage alert level 86
Figure 4-4 Changing the beep frequency 87
Figure 4-5 Changing the auto power-off timeout 88
Figure 4-6 Changing the LCD backlight timeout 89
Figure 4-7 Changing the LCD backlight intensity 90
Figure 4-8 Changing the LED flashlight timeout 91
Figure 4-9 Changing the LED flashlight intensity 92
Figure 4-10 Changing the minimum measurable frequency 93
Figure 4-11 Changing the continuity test alerts 94
Figure 4-12 Changing the power-on greeting tone 95
Figure 4-13 Resetting the Setup items 96
Figure 4-14 Changing the scale conversion value 97
Figure 4-15 Enable the AC/DC mV measurement 98
Figure 4-16 Enable open continuity test by default 99
Figure 4-17 Changing the temperature unit 100
XVI U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
List of Tables
Tab le 1- 1 Battery level indicator 5
Tab le 1- 2 Power-on options 13
Tab le 1- 3 Front panel parts 17
Tab le 1- 4 Rear panel parts 18
Tab le 1- 5 U1231A/U1232A/U1233A rotary switch functions 20
Tab le 1- 6 Keypad functions 22
Tab le 1- 7 General annunciators 24
Tab le 1- 8 Measurement units display 26
Tab le 1- 9 Analog bar graph display 27
Tab le 1- 10 U1231A terminal connections for different measuring
functions 28
Tab le 1- 11 U1232A and U1233A terminal connections for different
measuring functions 29
Tab le 2- 1 Threshold resistance values 41
Tab le 2- 2 Functions allowing frequency measurement 61
Tab le 3- 1 Available scale conversions 76
Tab le 4- 1 Setup menu key functions 80
Tab le 4- 2 Setup menu item descriptions 82
Tab le 5- 1 DC specifications 105
Tab le 5- 2 AC specifications 108
Tab le 5- 3 Capacitance specifications 109
Tab le 5- 4 Temperature specifications 110
Tab le 5- 5 Frequency specifications 111
Tab le 5- 6 Frequency sensitivity and trigger level specifications for
voltage measurements 111
Tab le 5- 7 Frequency sensitivity and trigger level specifications for
current measurements 112
Tab le 5- 8 Scale transfer (mV) specifications 112
Tab le 5- 9 Display update rate (approximate) 113
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide XVII
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XVIII U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Handheld Digital Multimeter
User’s Guide
1 Introduction
About This Manual 2
Documentation map 2
Safety notes 2
Preparing Your Multimeter 3
Checking the shipment 3
Installing the batteries 3
Turning on your multimeter 6
Automatic Power-Off (APO) 6
Enabling the backlight 7
Enabling the flashlight 7
Selecting the range 9
Alerts and warnings during measurement 10
Adjusting the tilt stand 11
Connecting the IR-USB cable 11
Power-on options 13
Your Multimeter in Brief 15
Dimensions 15
Overview 17
Rotary switch 19
Keypad 22
Display screen 24
Input terminals 28
Cleaning Your Multimeter 30
This chapter teaches you how to set up your multimeter for
the first time. An introduction to all the features of the
multimeter is also given.
Agilent Technologies
1
1 Introduction
About This Manual
About This Manual
The descriptions and instructions in this manual apply to
the Agilent U1231A, U1232A, and U1233A handheld digital
multimeters (hereafter referred to as the multimeter).
The model U1233A appears in all illustrations.
Documentation map
The following manuals and software are available for your
multimeter. For the very latest version, please visit our
website at: http://www.agilent.com/find/hhTechLib.
Check the manual revision on the first page of each manual.
• User’s Guide. This manual.
•Quick Start Guide. Printed copy for outdoor use,
included with shipment.
• Service Guide. Free download at the Agilent website.
• Agilent GUI Data Logger Software, Help, and Quick
Start Guide. Free download at the Agilent website.
Safety notes
Safety notes are used throughout this manual (see the
“Safety Notices” section for format examples). Familiarize
yourself with each of the notes and its meaning before
operating your multimeter.
More pertinent safety notes for using this product are
located under the “Safety Considerations” section.
Do not proceed beyond a safety notice until the indicated
conditions are fully understood and met.
2 U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
Preparing Your Multimeter
CAUTION
Checking the shipment
When you receive your multimeter, check the shipment
according to the following procedure.
1 Inspect the shipping container for damage. Signs of
damage may include a dented or torn shipping container
or cushioning material that indicates signs of unusual
stress or compacting. Save the packaging material in case
the multimeter needs to be returned.
2 Carefully remove the contents from the shipping
container, and verify that the standard accessories and
your ordered options are included in the shipment
according to the standard shipped items list found in the
printed copy of the U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start
Guide.
3 For any question or problems, refer to the Agilent contact
numbers on the back of this manual.
Introduction 1
Preparing Your Multimeter
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide 3
Installing the batteries
Your multimeter is powered by four 1.5 V AAA alkaline
batteries (included with the shipment). When you receive
your multimeter, the AAA alkaline batteries are not
installed.
Use the following procedure to install the batteries.
Before you proceed with the batteries installation, remove all cable
connections to the terminals and ensure that the rotary switch is at the
OFF position. Use only the battery type specified in the “Product
Characteristics” on page 102.
1 Introduction
Preparing Your Multimeter
1 Open the battery cover. Loosen the screw with a suitable
Phillips screwdriver and remove the battery cover as
shown in Figure 1-1.
2 Insert the batteries. Observe the proper battery polarity.
The terminal ends of each battery are indicated inside the
battery compartment.
3 Close the battery cover. Place the battery cover back in
its original position and tighten the screw.
Figure 1-1 Installing the batteries
The battery level indicator in the lower right- hand corner of
the display indicates the relative condition of the batteries.
Table 1- 1 describes the various battery levels the indicator
represents.
4 U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
Tab l e 1 - 1 Battery level indicator
WARNING
CAUTION
Indication Battery capacity
Full capacity
2/3 capacity
1/3 capacity
Introduction 1
Preparing Your Multimeter
(Flashing periodically)
[1] Batteries change advised. Always use the specified battery type listed in
page 102.
Almost empty
[1]
To avoid false readings, which could lead to possible electric shock
or personal injury, replace the batteries as soon as the low battery
indicator appears. Do not discharge the batteries by shorting the
batteries or reversing the batteries polarity.
To avoid instruments being damage from battery leakage:
• Always remove dead batteries immediately.
• Always remove the batteries and store them separately if the
multimeter is not going to be used for a long period.
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide 5
1 Introduction
Preparing Your Multimeter
Turning on your multimeter
To power ON your multimeter, turn the rotary switch to any
other position (other than the position). The model
number of your multimeter will be shown on the display
briefly.
Figure 1-2 Powering on the multimeter
To power OFF your multimeter, turn the rotary switch to the
position.
Automatic Power-Off (APO)
Your multimeter automatically turns off if the rotary switch
is not moved or a key is not pressed for 15 minutes
(default). Pressing any key will turn the multimeter back on
after it is powered off automatically.
The symbol is shown on the bottom left of the display
when the automatic power-off function is enabled.
6 U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
NOTE
To change the timeout period or completely disable the automatic
NOTE
WARNING
power-off, refer to “Changing the auto power-off (APO) timeout” on
page 88.
Enabling the backlight
If viewing the display becomes difficult in low- light
conditions, press to activate the LCD backlight.
Press again to deactivate the LCD backlight.
• To conserve battery life, a user-adjustable timeout controls how long
the backlight stays on. The default timeout is 15 seconds. To change
the timeout period or completely disable the backlight timeout, refer to
“Changing the LCD backlight timeout” on page 89.
• You can also adjust the backlight’s intensity to conserve battery life.
The default intensity is high. To change the backlight’s intensity level
refer to “Adjusting the LCD backlight intensity” on page 90.
Introduction 1
Preparing Your Multimeter
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide 7
Enabling the flashlight
If you are using the multimeter in dark places, press and
hold for more than 1 second to activate the LED
flashlight for greater visibility on your test points.
Press for more than 1 second to deactivate the LED
flashlight.
VISION ADVISORY CLAIM
It is advised that you do not look directly into the light source of the
LED flashlight. As with any source of bright light, prolonged
exposure can damage the eye.
1 Introduction
NOTE
Max
Min
N
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Preparing Your Multimeter
• To conserve battery life, a user-adjustable timeout can be set to control
how long the flashlight stays on. To set a timeout period, refer to
“Enabling the LED flashlight timeout” on page 91.
• You can also adjust the flashlight’s intensity to conserve battery life.
The default intensity is high. To change the flashlight’s intensity level
refer to “Adjusting the LED flashlight intensity” on page 92.
• Use the power-on option (hold while powering on the multimeter)
to enable the flashlight without multimeter operation. In this mode, you
can adjust the flashlight intensity using the or keys, as well as
cycle between the HELP mode, dEMo mode, or flashlight mode using
the or keys. To learn more, see “HELP and dEMo modes” on
page 8 and “Power-on options” on page 13.
HELP and dEMo modes
The HELP and dEMo modes can be enabled through the
power- on options (see page 13).
1 While in the flashlight power- on mode, press or
until is shown to enable the HELP mode.
When the HELP mode is enabled, the multimeter flashes the international
Morse code distress signal (· · · — — — · · ·) repeatedly. Use this option to
send a visual alert or notification of a distress in progress.
2 While in the flashlight power- on mode, press or
until is shown to enable the dEMo mode.
When the dEMo mode is enabled, the multimeter demonstrates the
flashlight and beeper abilities by flashing the flashlight repeatedly
accompanied by a melody tone.
3 Press or to cycle between the HELP, dEMo, or
flashlight mode. Press and hold for more than 1
second to toggle the flashlight on or off (for any of the
modes — HELP, dEMo, or flashlight mode).
8 U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
Selecting the range
A
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to
R
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e
NOTE
A
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A
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The multimeter’s selected range is always displayed above
the right- hand end of the bar graph, as the range indicator.
Pressing switches the multimeter between manual and
autoranging. It also cycles through the available multimeter
ranges when manual ranging is enabled.
Autoranging is convenient because the multimeter
automatically selects an appropriate range for sensing and
displaying each measurement. However, manual ranging
results in better performance, since the multimeter does not
have to determine which range to use for each measurement.
Introduction 1
Preparing Your Multimeter
The range is fixed for diode tests, temperature, VZ
, and AC/DC mV
LOW
measurements.
In autorange, the multimeter selects the lowest range to
display the highest available precision (resolution) for the
input signal. If manual range is already enabled, press
for more than 1 second to enter the autoranging mode.
If autoranging is enabled, press to enter the manual
range mode.
Each additional press of sets the multimeter to the
next higher range, unless it is already in the highest range,
at which point the range switches to the lowest range.
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide 9
1 Introduction
WARNING
Preparing Your Multimeter
Alerts and warnings during measurement
Voltage alert
For your own safety, please do not ignore the voltage alert. When the
multimeter cautions you with a voltage alert, you are advised to take
note of the existence of high voltage and pay closer attention when
performing measurements.
Your multimeter provides a voltage alert for voltage
measurements in both autoranging and manual range modes.
The multimeter starts beeping periodically once the
measured voltage exceeds the alert value (regardless of
polarity) set in the Setup menu.
By default, this feature is turned off. Be sure to set the alert
voltage according to your test requirements. To change the
alert voltage level, refer to “Enabling and changing the
voltage alert level” on page 86.
10 U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
Hazardous voltage indication
The multimeter will also display the hazardous voltage ( )
symbol as an early precaution when the measured voltage is
equal to or greater than 30 V in all voltage measurement
modes.
Adjusting the tilt stand
To PC (host)
IR-USB cable
Pull until 60° standing position
Tilt stand
To adjust the multimeter to a 60° standing position, pull the
tilt stand outward as shown in Figure 1- 3.
Introduction 1
Preparing Your Multimeter
Figure 1-3 Tilt-stand adjustment and IR-USB cable connection
Connecting the IR-USB cable
You can use the IR communication link (IR communication
port, located at the rear panel) and the Agilent GUI Data
Logger software to control your multimeter remotely,
perform data logging operations, and transfer the contents of
your multimeter’s memory to a PC.
U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide 11
1 Introduction
NOTE
Preparing Your Multimeter
Ensure that the Agilent logo on the U1173A IR- USB cable
(purchased separately) connected to the multimeter is facing
up. Firmly push the IR head into the multimeter’s IR
communication port until it snaps into place (see
Figure 1- 3).
Communication settings for U1231A/U1232A/U1233A
The baud rate, data bits, and parity bit are fixed respectively to 9600 bps,
8-bit, and none for the U1231A/U1232A/U1233A handheld digital
multimeter. Ensure that the communication settings on the Agilent GUI
Data Logger match the communication settings mentioned in this note.
Refer to the Agilent GUI Data Logger Software Help and
Quick Start Guide for more information on the IR
communication link and the Agilent GUI Data Logger
software.
Figure 1-4 Agilent GUI Data Logger Software
The Agilent GUI Data Logger software and its supporting
documents (Help and Quick Start Guide) are available as
free downloads from http://www.agilent.com/find/hhTechLib.
You may purchase a U1173A IR- USB cable from an Agilent
Sales Office nearest to you.
12 U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide
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