Automate Your R+D Testing With Free Software. Scale up your DC Current Capacity When You Need To
This quick 2 minute video below demonstrates the new DC1000A Sweep Software with 3 x DC1000A, to provide up to 60 A of DC bias, working with a Keysight E4980AL.
It shows the real time measurement of Ls inductance (and R, X and Q) under DC Bias, as the Sweep Software controls both the DC1000A and the LCR meter.
With the software, you can set your desired V and F, DC Bias sweep range, and how many measurements (steps) the LCR meter should record.
The software then controls the DC1000A DC Bias supply, records all LCR results, and graphs and saves them for you.
HP / AGILENT - 4284A - (GPIB)
KEYSIGHT - E4980A / E4980AL-102 / E4980AL-052 / E4980AL-032 - (GPIB or USB)
TONGHUI - TH2830 / TH2831 / TH2832 - (USB)
WAYNE KERR - WK3260B (GPIB)
HIOKI - IM3536 (USB)
Additional LCR manufacturers models will be added in future.
The software requires NI VISA, which is installed automatically as part of the install process. GPIB / IEEE comms requires National Instruments GPIB adaptors.
If you have a DC1000A Demo kit from Voltech, and have one of the supported LCR Meters, then you can use the following steps to set up the software and perform quick sweep on the sample inductor we have provided.
Click each grouping to expand
1, INSTALL
Install the DC1000 /DC1000A Control Software on your PC from our downloads page.. If using GPIB/IEEE , please note that the software only supports National Instruments (NI) USB-IEEE adapters. The DC1000 software will install and then automatically install the NI-VISA software immediately afterwards.
2A, USB - to LCR Meter (E4980AL)
Connect your E4980AL to the PC using the USB lead provided in the DC1000 box (77-083) OR
2B, GPIB to LCR Meter (E4980 or HP4284A)
Connect the LCR meter using a GPIB cable to your IEEE port
NOTE: The software ONLY supports National Instruments GPIB cards
3, RS232 - DC1000
Connect the DC1000 RS232 IN port to the PC using the RS232 cable (77-045) and RS232- USB adapter (77-084) provided.
4 On initial connection, the USB-RS232 adapter will automatically install its drivers. You will need to be connected to the internet for Windows to do this.
5 Once installed, the USB-RS232 adapter will appear in Windows Device Manager as a valid COM PORT in this case COM 3, but the com port number may be different on your PC)
6 POWER ON
Turn on the DC1000 AND E4980AL and run the DC1000 Control software on your PC
7 SELECT LCR
On the software, select the LCR meter on the Test Set up Tab Next we will check the communications between software and E4980AL and software and DC1000.
8 TEST COMMS to DC1000 (RS232)
Click on the Comm Set-Up, Select the PC -DC1000 COM PORT (here COM 3) Click Test COMMS If all is OK you will get a confirmation
9 TEST COMMS to LCR (USB OR IEEE)
For the LCR-PC USB comms test Select USB Click on Test COMMS If using GPIB, then Select IEE488-2 and enter the GPIB address Then press TEST COMMS. If all is OK you will get a confirmation
10 INTERLOCK
Fit the provided Interlock override plug into the rear of the DC1000A in the port marked Safety Interlock IN
11 CONNECT SAMPLE
Connect the LCR test leads to the LCR terminals and connect to one of the sample MURATA 1447385C inductors provided in the box.
Connect the DC1000 test leads to the DC1000 output sockets and the other ends across the inductor.
Make sure that the POLARITY of both is the SAME.
The LCR HI side should be connected to the same point on the inductor as the DC1000 HI side (HI = RED + YELLOW and LO = BLACK-BLACK - see picture)
Note; For a quick first run, we recommend running the sweep without compensation. The topic of compensation will be returned to at the end of this document.
12 Program SWEEP conditions
Return to the software TEST SET UP and select the following
MIN DC = 0 A
MAX DC = 20 A
STEPS = 21
FREQUENCY = 30,000 Hz
TEST VOLTAGE = 1.0 V
UNITS =uH
Press the GREEN Start Button to begin the measurements. The 21 measurements should take around 70 seconds.
13 RESULTS
Once the sweep has finished, the results will be shown in the Results
14 GRAPH
The SERIES INDUCTANCE Vs DC CURRENT graph can be seen by clicking on Saturation Graph (right)
15 Other Runs
Clicking Clear RESULTS will clear the data and allow you set another sweep, maybe over different DC currents, different number of steps and different Voltage and Frequency
17 Compensation
As with the Manual Demo Guide, you can also use compensation to remove any effect of the test leads from the LCR measurement.
This is much easier with the DC1000 Sweep software, as it can be done totally from within the sweep software without the need to use the LCR front panel
To perform compensation before making measurements, do the following.
Ensure your V and F settings are as you require. The software will only compensate at the one frequency and Voltage.
Switch to the COMPENSATION tab
Short circuit compensation
Short all 4 connections together as shown.
Press the Green RUN button under short circuit compensation The offset values will appear in the R and X fields when compensated
Open circuit compensation
Short the DC and LCR leads in pairs as shown (HI to HI, LO to LO - see below far right)) Press the green RUN button under open circuit compensation. The offset values will appear in the R and X fields when compensated.
Once complete, return to the test Set-up tab and continue as normal.
Please use the below form to ask any questions you may have on using the DC1000A + software to test your transformers, inductors and chokes to guarantee your quality at your design stage