Hewlett-Packard 3478 A multimeter Operator's manual

The Hewlett-Packard 3478A is a fully programmable HP-IB digital multimeter. It offers 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 digit resolution for measuring de volts, true RMS ac volts, 2- and 4-wire ohms, and de and RMS ac current. The 3478A offers de voltage performance from 100 nanovolt sensitivity up to 300 volts (full scale), true RMS capability up to 300 kHz, and resistance measurements from 100mO sensitivity to 30MO (full scale). Its de and true RMS ac current measuring capability is from 1~tA sensitivity up to 3A.

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Hewlett-Packard 3478A Operator's  Manual | Manualzz

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Key features

  • 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 digit resolution
  • measures de volts, true RMS ac volts, 2- and 4-wire ohms, and de and RMS ac current
  • de voltage performance from 100 nanovolt sensitivity up to 300 volts
  • true RMS capability up to 300 kHz
  • resistance measurements from 100mO sensitivity to 30MO
  • de and true RMS ac current measuring capability is from 1~tA sensitivity up to 3A
  • Electronic calibration
  • HP-IB programmable

Frequently asked questions

The 3478A can measure DC or True RMS AC Currents up to 3 amps in two ranges.

The 3478A can measure resistance using either 2-wire or 4-wire methods. For 2-wire measurements, the current flows through both the test leads and the unknown resistance. For 4-wire measurements, the current flows through the test leads only, and the voltage is measured across the unknown resistance. This provides increased accuracy when measuring low resistances, as it eliminates the effects of the resistance of the test leads.

Enabling autozero insures the user that any offset errors generated internal to the 3478A are continuously nulled with each reading. This renders the most accuracy. However, there are many applications where disabling the autozero is advantageous. With autozero off, the internal reading rate nearly doubles.

User questions

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What is the resolution of the 3478A multimeter for various measurements?
The 3478A multimeter offers 3 1/2 to 5 1/2 digit resolution depending on the measurement type (dc volts, true RMS ac volts, 2- and 4-wire ohms, and dc and RMS ac current).
Q B

Q B

How do different digit display settings affect reading rate, noise rejection, and resolution on the 3478A?
Higher digit display settings increase reading rate but decrease noise rejection and resolution. A 3 1/2 digit setting is fastest but least precise, while a 5 1/2 digit setting is slowest but most precise.
M J

M J

How does disabling autozero affect reading speed and accuracy?
Disabling autozero increases reading speed but reduces long-term accuracy.
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M J

When is it acceptable to disable autozero?
When the measurement environment's temperature remains constant.
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Should autozero be enabled or disabled for optimal accuracy?
Autozero should be enabled.
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