Measuring and sourcing DC transients and other DC test conditions

Focus:

This short article identifies four basic power sourcing and measurement tasks and discusses how they can be performed using general purpose instruments (such as benchtop power supplies, oscilloscopes, voltmeters and function generators) or using Agilent’s DC Power Analyzer. Although the discussion revolves around Agilent’s N6705B power analyzer (which isn’t mentioned by model number), most of this information should be relevant to other power analyzers as well. The four tasks addressed here are 1) applying a static dc voltage for biasing a circuit and measuring the current, 2) sequencing turn-on and turn-off of power supplies, 3) measuring current versus time and 4) generating dc supply transients. First, the article describes the techniques for performing these tasks with general purpose instruments, and some of the difficulties in doing so. Then, it describes the simplification of these tasks when performed with the power analyzer. Though the article leans in favor of the power analyzer, it does point out one case where the power analyzer is not needed.

What you’ll learn:

• How to simplify dc sourcing and measurement tasks using a power analyzer

View the Source

Author & Publication:

Bob Zollo, Agilent Technologies, Power Systems Design Europe, Mar 09 2013

This article summary appears
in the HOW2POWER Design Guide.

The Design Guide offers
organized access to
hundreds of articles
on dozens of power conversion
and power management topics.

The Design Guide search results
include exclusive summaries
and accurate "how to" analysis
to help you make faster,
more informed decisions.

Search
for more articles