Keysight U1231A/
U1232A/U1233A
Handheld Multimeter
Quick Start
Guide
CAUTION
WARNING
CAT III
600 V
ENGLISH
Contacting Keysight
www.keysight.com/find/assist
(worldwide contact information for
repair and service)
Safety and EMC Information
This meter is safety-certified in
compliance with EN 61010-1/IEC
61010-1. Measurement Category
CAT III 600 V; Pollution Degree II.
EMC designed in compliance with
EN61326-1/IEC61326-1. Use with
standard or compatible test probes.
Safety Notices
Safety symbols
Earth (ground) terminal
Equipment protected
throughout by double
insulation or reinforced
insulation
Caution, risk of danger
(refer to this manual for
specific Warning or Caution
information)
Fuse
A CAUTION notice denotes a
hazard. It calls attention to an
operating procedure, practice, or
the like 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.
Alternating current
Direct current
Battery, general
Category III 600 V
overvoltage protection
A WARNING notice denotes a
hazard. It calls attention to an
operating procedure, practice, or
the like 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.
For further safety information details, refer to the
Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Handheld Multimeter User’s Guide.
2 Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide
Verify that you received the following items in the
NOTE
shipment of your multimeter:
✔ U1167A 4 mm tips probes test leads
✔ 4 x 1.5 V batteries
✔ Certificate of Calibration
If any item is missing or damaged, keep the
shipping materials and contact the nearest
Keysight Sales Office.
The descriptions and instructions in this guide apply
to the U1231A, U1232A, and U1233A handheld
multimeters.
The model U1233A appears in all illustrations.
All related documents and software are available for
download at www.keysight.com/find/hhTechLib.
ENGLISH
Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide 3
ENGLISH
To PC
(host)
Install the Batteries
Your multimeter is powered by four 1.5 V AAA
alkaline batteries (included with the shipment).
1 Turn the multimeter OFF and
remove the test leads from the
terminals.
2 Loosen the screw on the battery
cover with a suitable Phillips
screwdriver.
3 Remove the battery cover and
observe the polarity markings.
4 Insert the batteries and replace the battery
cover and screw.
Turn On the Multimeter
To power ON your
multimeter, turn the rotary
switch to any other
position.
Controlling the Multimeter Remotely
Your multimeter is
capable of remote data
logging.
To use this feature, you
will need a PC running a
Windows operating
system, an IR-USB cable
(U1173A, purchased
separately), and the Keysight GUI Data Logger
Software.
4 Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide
The Keysight GUI Data Logger software is
Vsense ind icator
Keypad
Rotary switch
LED flashl ight
Battery cover
Tilt stand
Display screen
Input terminals
Test lead/probe holders
IR communication port
(U1233A only)
downloadable for free from www.keysight.com/
find/hhTechLib.
The Multimeter at a Glance
ENGLISH
Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide 5
ENGLISH
NOTE
S
h
i
f
t
E
s
c
WARNING
Hz
AUX
Hz
Hz
AUX
Hz
AUX
Understanding the Rotary Switch
Some rotary switch positions have a shifted
function printed in orange. Press to switch
between the shifted and regular function.
Legend Functions shown in the primary display
Low input impedance — VZ
DC V/VZ
VZ
LOW
AC V for eliminating ghost voltages
LOW
AC V/Frequency
DC V
Resistance/Short continuity/Open continuity
Diode
Capacitance/Temperature (U1233A only)
Capacitance/Auxiliary Temperature (U1232A only)
Capacitance (U1231A only)
DC or AC A/Frequency
DC or AC μA/Frequency
Auto (AC or DC)/
LOW
[a]
Clamp-on AC or DC A/Frequency (U1231A only)
Auxiliary Temperature (U1231A only)
[a] Open continuity option must be enabled through the multimeter’s Setup ( >
). Open continuity is disabled by default.
Remove the test leads from the measuring source or
target before changing the rotary switch position.
Refer to the U1231A/U1232A/U1233A User’s Guide for
a complete list and description of all rotary switch
labels for each separate multimeter model.
6 Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide
Understanding the Keypad
N
u
l
l
R
e
c
a
l
l
Max
Min
A
u
t
o
R
a
n
g
e
A
u
t
o
T
r
i
H
o
l
d
g
L
o
g
S
h
i
f
t
E
s
c
Hz
AUX
Hz
Hz
ENGLISH
Legend
Less than 1 second More than 1 second
Sets the null/relative mode
Key response when pressed for:
Enters the Hold-Log Recall
menu
Starts the MaxMin recording Stops the MaxMin recording
Sets a manual range Enables autoranging
Freezes and stores the present
reading in the display
Turns the LCD backlight on or off.
Switches between the regular
and shifted (icons printed in
orange) functions
Automatically freezes the
present reading once the
reading is stable
Turns the LED flashlight on or
off.
U1233A only: Enables the
non-contact voltage detector
(Vsense).
Understanding the Input Terminals
Rotary position for
U1232A and U1233A
Input terminals Overload protection
600 Vrms
600 Vrms for
short circuit <0.3 A
11 A/1000 V,
fast-acting fuse
Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide 7
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WARNING
AC
Volta ge so urce
1
2
3
>1s
NOTE
A
u
t
o
R
a
n
g
e
Non-contact voltage detector (Vsense)
Voltage could still be present even if there is no alert
indication. Do not rely on the Vsense detector with
shielded wire. Never touch live voltage or conductor
without the necessary insulation protection.
The Vsense detector may be affected by differences in
socket design, insulation thickness, and insulation
type.
Press to change the Vsense detector’s sensitivity
from Hi.SE (high sensitivity) to Lo.SE (low sensitivity).
8 Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide
Performing Measurements
Voltage source
AC
3
2
1
4
2
DC
3
Voltage source
AC voltage measurements
DC voltage measurement
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Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide 9
ENGLISH
4
3
2
1
Resistor
S
h
i
f
t
E
s
c
2
ON
(closed)
OFF
(open)
3
Press again to switch
between testing for shorted ( )
or open ( ) contacts.
S
h
i
f
t
E
s
c
Resistance measurement
Continuity test
10 Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide
Forward bias diode test
4
3
2
1
Forward bias diode
3
Reverse bias diode
4
Reverse bias diode test
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Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide 11
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CAUTION
4
3
2
1
Capacitance
NOTE
Capacitance measurement
To avoid possible damage to the multimeter or to
the equipment under test, disconnect circuit power
and discharge all high-voltage capacitors before
measuring capacitance. Use the DC V function to
confirm that the capacitor is fully discharged.
is shown on the bottom left of the display when
the capacitor is charging, and is shown when the
capacitor is discharging.
12 Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide
Temperature measurement
WARNING
4
3
2
1
K-type thermocouple probe
Heat source
NOTE
Do not connect the thermocouple to electrically live
circuits. Doing so will potentially cause fire or electric
shock.
– The mul timeter uses a type-K thermocouple
probe (U1186A, purchased separately) for
measuring temperature.
– For auxiliary temperature measurement on the
U1231A and U1232A, a temperature module
such as the U1586B (purchased separately) is
required.
ENGLISH
Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide 13
ENGLISH
WARNING
4
3
2
1
Voltage source
Voltagesource
Current measurement (up to A)
Always use the proper function. range, and terminals
for current measurements. Set the positive input
terminal to the A terminal for currents above 600 μA.
14 Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide
Current measurement (up to μA)
WARNING
4
3
2
Voltagesource
Voltagesource
1
Always use the proper function. range, and terminals
for current measurements. Set the positive input
terminal to the μA terminal for currents below 600 μA.
ENGLISH
Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide 15
ENGLISH
4
3
2
1
Adjacent unused wiring
Energuzed wiring
NOTE
VZ
measurement
LOW
Ghost voltages can be caused by capacitive
coupling between energized wiring and adjacent
unused wiring. Use the VZ
ghost or induced voltages in your measurements.
function to eliminate
LOW
16 Keysight U1231A/U1232A/U1233A Quick Start Guide
This information is subject to change
without notice. Always refer to the
Keysight website for the latest revision.
© Keysight Technologies 2011 - 2021
Edition 5, March 2021
Printed in Malaysia
U1231-90023
www.keysight.com
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