Keysight U3606B Multimeter|DC Power Supply - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: View[+]Finder
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 31, 2015, 02:41:06 am
content: This is a very nice combination--I bought one a couple of weeks ago from TestEquity (US$1,200) and am working up the learning curve--it will both source and measure and has a 5 1/2 digit meter as well but it stops short of being a SMU in both features and price. It is a replacement for the U3606A and looks like there was considerable improvement in the quality and performance as well. It has data logging and will interact with an Excel spreadsheet using Keysight's Command Expert software SCPI over USB.I plan on posting additional info not found in the documentation on this forum and perhaps a little video for YouTube. If anyone else is interested, let me know.

author: View[+]Finder
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 02, 2015, 05:59:47 am
content: Here's some more information:After a lot of digging through documentation, I've got the U3606B working with a spreadsheet in both Command Expert mode and using VBA with the VISA-COM resource.This will copy data from the main display to a variable named "Readings" on the spreadsheetVBA Code:Option ExplicitDim ioMgr As VisaComLib.ResourceManagerDim instrAny As VisaComLib.FormattedIO488Dim instrQuery As StringDim instrAddress As StringPublic Sub cmdSendFetch()instrAddress = Range("Instrument").Value ' this is from named var on SSSet ioMgr = New VisaComLib.ResourceManagerSet instrAny = New VisaComLib.FormattedIO488Set instrAny.IO = ioMgr.Open(Range("shortName")) ' this is from named var on SSDim r, i As IntegerinstrAny.WriteString ("OUTPut:STATe 1") ' SCPI commandApplication.Wait (Now + 0.00002) ' 1 second pauser = Range("Readings").Rows.CountFor i = 1 To r'Application.Wait (Now + TimeValue("0:00:01")) ' 1 second pauseApplication.Wait (Now + 0.00001) ' 1 second pauseinstrAny.WriteString ("Fetch?")instrQuery = instrAny.ReadNumberRange("Readings").Cells(i, 1).Value = instrQuery ' this is from named var on SSNextinstrAny.WriteString ("OUTPut:STATe 0")instrAny.IO.CloseEnd Sub

author: View[+]Finder
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 03, 2015, 04:44:24 pm
content: Here's a screenshot of a graph from an experiment. Using just the U3606B, I was able to source and sense voltage and current to an LED (controlled by the built-in Scan function) and also measure the voltage output from a photo-diode aimed at the LED. Not rocket-science or high-precision, but that's a lot of capability from a little instrument.The calculations and graph are from Excel based on voltage and current from the 'power-supply' to the LED and the voltage measured by the 'multi-meter' from the photo-diode.More details? Just ask . . .6/8/2015 I've posted a short video on YouTube showing the setup for the experiment:https://youtu.be/13b5d9_sXBU

author: dadler
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 03, 2015, 09:19:24 pm
content: Interesting instrument.I have a 66312a, and it seems (at least in spirit, yours is a true multimeter) to be a similar device.It does seem that there are certain measurements that are much easier to conduct accurately when the meter is also the power supply.

author: View[+]Finder
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 04, 2015, 07:55:22 pm
content: The multimeter side does all of the usual measurements very well and with excellent stability over extended (8-hour+) periods. The source (PS) side also measures both volts and amps, so three measurements may be made each second. I'm very happy with the results.Here's a screenshot of my U3606B sourcing negative V and sinking current: