Troubleshooting EMI: Use Versatile Instrument And Preamp To Search For Embedded Noise

Focus:

In this 2-minute video, Steve Sandler demonstrates a test-setup that may be used to troubleshoot EMI during product development. While these same tests may be performed with various instruments, two of the main instruments selected for this demo—the LeCroy Waverunner 610Zi oscilloscope with built-in spectrum analyzer and the Picotest J2180A preamp—offer a mix of performance, versatility, and cost that justifies their use in these measurements. Those instruments are used in combination with Electro-Metrics near-field handheld probes to identify the EMC sources in the device under test. These results may not correlate with far-field measurements made in a conformance test lab. But this is not an issue at this stage of product development as the goals here are to 1) locate the significant conducted and radiated signal sources, 2) identify key characteristics that we can use as markers in the final certification testing, 3) consider possible EMC reduction techniques for each signal source, so that you will be prepared to implement fixes as necessary and 4) wherever possible, provide implementation schemes for the predefined fixes.

What you’ll learn:

• How to identify EMI sources during electronic product development using spectrum analyzer, pre-amp, and near-field handheld probes
• How to identify key characteristics that can be used as markers in final EMC certification testing
• How to evaluate possible EMC reduction techniques during product development

View the Source

Author & Publication:

Steve Sandler, Picotest, Phoenix, Ariz., How2Power Today, May 24 2012

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