Siglent SDL1030X vs. Rigol DL3031A - Which is better? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: TBS
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2019, 11:03:35 am
content: Hello everyone,I would like to ask professionals about which DC load to buy. I am deciding between:Siglent SDL1030X-E (or SDL1030X) andRigol DL3031 (or DL3031A)Seems like the Siglent is newer, but they have pretty much the same stats and I am not sure which is better to invest money in.Thx

author: BillB
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 30, 2019, 11:31:47 am
content: The SDL1030X-E is so new I don't think anyone has reviewed one yet. However, functionally it is probably just about the same as the SDL1020X-E which has had some hands-on here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdl1000xsdl1000x-e-electronic-load/

author: TBS
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2019, 02:23:31 pm
content: Thx for the info.I was hoping for something like "you definitely want Rigol or Siglent because ..."

author: BillB
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 30, 2019, 02:45:38 pm
content: Quote from: TBS on June 30, 2019, 02:23:31 pmBe careful what you wish for. That phrase is like a little drop of blood, and this forum is an ocean of hungry sharks.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2019, 05:43:23 pm
content: Quote from: TBS on June 30, 2019, 02:23:31 pmWhat do you require? There are more expensive loads and there are cheaper loads. And then there is also Ebay with lots of used DC loads from HP/Agilent and Transistor Devices.Depending on what your budget is you might want to look at GW Instek as well. Their newer PEL-3000 series DC loads appearantly have hardware control loops just like the high end DC loads. Prepare yourself for a much higher price but the control loop performance is also much better compared to the more simple low cost DC loads.

author: TBS
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2019, 07:45:38 pm
content: Quote from: BillB on June 30, 2019, 02:45:38 pmWell, I appreciate a good debate even with sharksQuote from: nctnico on June 30, 2019, 05:43:23 pmAbout the eBay - I would buy from there, but I am from Czech Republic (Europe) and everything bought outside EU will have 21 percent added to the price. I would also like to have at least 3-year warranty and not need to send it to different country just to have it repaired. Sooo, my market is not so big.Not sure what hardware control loops are and how important is that, but the price of PEL-3031E is twice what would Siglent SDL 1030X-E cost here.I would like the price to be around 800EUR (900USD) and 1200EUR (1300USD) is a top right now.I just want to get the best at this price range

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2019, 08:35:11 pm
content: The Czech agents for Siglent from this website are:https://www.siglenteu.com/how-to-buy/Czech RepublicAMT měřicí technika, spol. s r.o.Leštínská 2418 / 11, 193 00 Praha , Horní Počernice, Czech Republic420 (0)281 925 990www.amt.czinfo@amt.czCzech RepublicMicronixAntala Staška 33a, 140 00 Praha 4, Czech republic420 (0)225 282 720www.micronix.czmicronix@micronix.czCzech RepublicPRIMA BILAVČÍK, s.r.o.9. května 1182, 688 01 Uherský Brod, Czech Republic420 (0) 572 632 561www.merici-pristroje.czinfo@primab.cz

author: TheDefpom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2019, 12:34:31 am
content: I will be doing a review video once I get my hands on one, hopefully it won't be too far away.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2019, 02:03:01 am
content: Quote from: TheDefpom on July 03, 2019, 12:34:31 amMonday week all going well Scott but it'll only be the 200W SDL1020X model.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2019, 12:27:59 am
content: Quote from: TBS on July 02, 2019, 07:45:38 pmWith a hardware control loop the DC load is less likely to oscillate in some cases (especially when using a source which isn't a pure voltage source). I have a couple of Array 3710A DC loads which I bought years ago for the easy stuff.

author: TBS
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 05, 2019, 10:10:54 pm
content: Thx for the info.I did spec sheet comparison between GW Instek, Siglent and Rigol and at the end I think I am gonna pick the Siglent SDL1030X-E. The stats are not so different, it has lowest price and should have three year warranty. (And I believe that somehow the SDL1030X-E should be convertable to SDL1030X

author: HyperSpectral
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 19, 2019, 12:28:23 am
content: The SDL1020X in particular (likely the other models) has some interesting "features". When using the 4 wire mode (separate voltage sense leads), if the voltage sense leads are not connected, the unit will display a voltage that is 80% to 90% of the true voltage. This looks like a proper connection with the source having low voltage. There is no other indication of a fault.The common terminal on the rear terminal strip for connection of external signals (analog control, ext. trigger etc.), is connected directly to the negative load terminal. If such instrumentation is connected, the result could realistically be ground loops, short circuits or electric shock. This could be particularly interesting if the supply under test has a grounded positive output so that the negative output gets grounded through the externally connected equipment.The Rigol does not have these "features", so may be more suitable for advanced applications.

author: dougg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 12:14:58 am
content: Just discovered my DL3021 has a horrible current overshoot during the first 20 microseconds when there is a large step in requested current, say from 0 to 5 Amps. Measured a peak of 8.56 Amps which was tripping out a DC-DC converter that I was testing. Rigol seem to acknowledge this problem:https://rigol.force.com/support/s/article/How-to-reduce-overshoot-in-DL3000-series-CC-mode-in-battery-testing... but their solution doesn't help in my case. Could someone with a Siglent SDL1030X and a 'scope with a current probe do a similar test? I set my RD6018 at 8 Volts with a current limit of 15 Amps.

author: dougg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 01:16:22 am
content: Quote from: dougg on November 07, 2022, 12:14:58 amForgot to mention the slew rate was 1 Amp per microsecond. The issue is masked (with the above parameters) when the slew rate is reduced to 50 mA per microsecond.

author: TopQuark
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 08:43:36 pm
content: Quote from: dougg on November 07, 2022, 12:14:58 amSDL1020X-E (hacked to 1030), 2.5A/us, 0.1A to 5A, power supply is RD6018. Looks fine to me

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 08:45:30 pm
content: Which currentprobe did you use ?

author: TopQuark
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 09:02:01 pm
content: Martin has a sharp sense for test gearNew toy, the ZCP30 from ZLG (50MHz 5A/30A). Availability is quite limited, but it performs better than my expectations and is probably the cheapest current probe that can do 1V/A and 0.1V/A switchable ranges (1150 USD).

author: Martin72
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2022, 09:06:47 pm
content: Don´t want to spam this topic here:Maybe you can use your "old" thread for presenting your new toy...https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/50mhz-40a-acdc-current-probe-for-800usd-(eta5540b)/msg3991376/#msg3991376

author: dougg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 08, 2022, 12:08:13 am
content: Quote from: Martin72 on November 07, 2022, 08:45:30 pmTwo: a Fluke 80i-110s (bandwidth 100 kHz) and a Little Bee in its green mode (10 Mhz bandwidth). I needed to make a current splitter for the Little Bee since +- 5 Amps is its maximum. Used two strands of solid copper wire about 1.3 mm in diameter. Obviously I could have used a low valued resistor, say 0.1 Ohm, 10 Watts instead of the current probes. I monitored both Vin to the switcher and Vout to the DL3021(a) . The switcher (NCV81599) has all sorts of over-current and over-voltage protection that was being tripped by the current overshoot from the DL3021 when I toggled from 0.01 Amps to 5 Amps. I wanted to toggle (Toggle mode) from 0.0 Amps but Rigol adjusted that to 0.01 Amps!

author: dougg
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 09, 2022, 04:08:36 pm
content: Quote from: TopQuark on November 07, 2022, 08:43:36 pmAttached is a similar test on my DL3021(a). The minimum pulse width on the DL3021 is 1 ms which is what I selected. The current is in blue, the voltage (at the DL3021 terminals) is in yellow. Notice the current overshoot to 8.32 Amps (should be 5 Amps) at the start of the pulse.