DP832 - does it remote sense? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: claytonedgeuk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2017, 09:44:59 pm
content: Hi there,I'm using a few Aim-TTi power supplies at the moment, and while I'm working with lower voltages and measuring current - the voltage burden of attached ammeters is browning out my micros. Having a look at the DP832, I'm getting contradictory advice about whether or not it does remote sensing (promotional material says it does, the manual says it doesn't thought the DP821 and DP811 do).Can anyone with one of these confirm if it does or doesn't?

author: IRFP460
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2017, 10:00:45 pm
content: Have one here in my lab and it definately dosen't have an external sense input.Quite the fail for a power supply that's advertised as "precision" imo...

author: claytonedgeuk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2017, 10:20:27 pm
content: Thanks for replying...I was just going to respond that it looks like from the backs of these units they do...but again...ambiguity - the rigol uk picture has them, the batronix one doesn't.Was there a newer revision with them I wonder?

author: Pinkus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2017, 10:24:29 pm
content: Interesting - maybe a new version?My DP832 is a bit older (approx. 3 years) and does NOT have the remote sense (the digital I/O ports are available).

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2017, 10:26:38 pm
content: It does have proper sense right behind the output terminals which in the case of CH2 and CH3 with the shared common led to some egg-on-face for Rigol if users didn't utilise both or at least bridge the common terminals, as effectively the return path was shared through a sense rather than power. (Plenty of EEVBlog history for this).Some owners have decided to mod the supply by simply sticking a nice fat gauge bridge wire behind the common terminals of CH2 and CH3.I dare say a more adventurous mod would be to add some DPDT switches or a relay board and find some panel space perhaps at the rear for sense wires to be disconnected from the front terminals.But it's only 3A max and so just use decent gauge short wire lengths to DUT, or compensate for wire losses by raising the output voltage while measuring the input voltage at DUT with another meter.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2017, 10:39:24 pm
content: If by "remote sensing" you are talking about a sense input, or "4 wires" for only one voltage, then DP832 can not do that AFAIK. I don't remember being advertised as having "sense" inputs to compensate for wires voltage drop.Where exactly did you found "remote sensing" feature advertised?

author: LaurentR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2017, 12:45:18 am
content: DP811 and DP821 (single/double output) have sense terminals in the front and the Rigol UK pic you have is the back of the of one of those (but not of the DP83x).

author: claytonedgeuk
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2017, 07:18:49 pm
content: Just had a response back from Rigol UK...as a few others have said - there's not an updated version the DP832 just doesn't support it. Thanks for the responses all....and looks like they've updated their site now as well.****No, the DP832 doesn't have the ability to remote sense voltage.Only the DP811, DP811A, DP821 and DP821A models has this capability.Sense and output terminals are present only on the rear of DP811 and DP811A models.Our website will be updated accordingly, later today.Many thanks for the feedback and apologies for the confusion.Regards,Jim Martin BSc(Hons) CEng MIET MAPM

author: CustomEngineerer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 20, 2017, 02:24:27 am
content: Rigol say DP811 and DP821 have remote sense because they have higher output current capabilities. Don't remember specifically where I saw that, but that was the reasoning. There is not a newer revision of the DP832 (nor DP832A, still same hardware here) that has sense terminals. What you have probably seen is generalized DP800 materials that covers more of the range that says some of the supplies offer sense (which would be the DP811 and DP821), but if you actually read the material it will not show the DP832 as having external sense terminals.