DC programmable load recommendations - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2019, 07:36:20 pm
content: I'm in the market for a programmable DC load and from all the information I've gathered so far, the Rigol DL3031A seems to be the best fit in terms of specs and software ability.My only issue with it after having watch Dave's DL3021 teardown/review is that I'm not sure if Rigol added the possibility of pulling energy from the battery app other than in CC mode since CP is much more useful for testing batteries/capacitors that will be used in electronic projects.My MINIMUM requirements are as follows: 300W, 0-60A, 0-120V, Battery mode with mAh and Wh readings and CC CP CR CV loading capability, graphing capability/computer software and a budget of 1500$ MAX.I haven't seen anything else like the Rigol with a full color display and similar specs/price so if anyone could assist me in this it would be great!

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2019, 07:44:20 pm
content: A few guys have these:https://siglentna.com/dc-electronic-load/sdl1000x/There's a thread about them, jump into it and ask away.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 04, 2019, 08:08:15 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on September 04, 2019, 07:44:20 pmI am aware of the Siglent units however I really don't like them as a brand so will be skipping these but thanks for the suggestion though!

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 04, 2019, 09:03:24 pm
content: Just in case you haven't found the threads, here are some owners discussing the Rigol and Siglent DC Loads:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-rigol-dc-load-d3000-series/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sdl1000xsdl1000x-e-electronic-load/I can't personally recommend either since I haven't used them. I also don't personally own a dedicated DC Load since all my power supplies are at least 2-Quadriant devices. While I wouldn't try and talk you into getting something you say you don't want, I have always been pretty happy with my Siglent function generator, and I would consider the brand for future purchases.For other brands, I do see Maynuo pop up alot here, and I know Dave has a BK Precision load. I also have heard good things about GW Instek loads. I think alot of those I just listed are OEM devices, so not exactly sure who really makes them.Regardless of where you are leaning, I would list your required specs for the load, so people can provide you more helpful recommendations.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 06:13:04 am
content: Look at Maynuo devices. They seem to be better well known than the Rigol and Siglent options.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 08:29:28 am
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on September 05, 2019, 06:13:04 amI did and they don't have a GUI so just a basic load like most others on the market. I like the Rigol because of its features like graphing capability, battery test mode, recording options etc.Too bad there isn't enough data about it on the web

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 08:32:20 am
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on September 05, 2019, 08:29:28 amThe Rigol doesn't have a stellar reputation and the Siglent just isn't very popular.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 08:36:10 am
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on September 05, 2019, 08:32:20 amWhat are my options then?Could someone please upload the DL3000 series user's manual as I keep getting disconnected when trying to download from the Rigol website!

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 09:04:13 am
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on September 05, 2019, 08:58:29 amI'm not looking for your validation, just a kind gesture to help me help myself in the decision making process

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 10:05:30 am
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on September 04, 2019, 08:08:15 pmI have the feeling Siglent is getting better at getting firmware to an acceptable level compared to Rigol. Is there a way you can try a device before buying or do you have to buy blind and hope for the best? If the latter is the case Rigol may not be the best option due to their poor firmware reputation.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 10:08:38 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 05, 2019, 10:05:30 amSiglent has abondoned products in the past as well. It's a crap shoot.

author: TopLoser
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 10:24:05 am
content: EA-Elektro Automatik 9000 series have colour touchscreens, USB and (optional) Ethernet, CV CC CP CR and battery test modes.Just offering an alternative, i've never used one or seen a review of one.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 10:46:36 am
content: What about TTI LD400 Series?It should be good device..I have Maynuo, it works well so far..

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 01:28:19 pm
content: I have a couple of the ITECH DC loads, but recently also bought a couple of Applent/anbai AT8612 units and I quite like them. They are much more modern than the ITECH/Maynuo/clones.Unfortunately they only do CC in battery test mode. Also there aren't many resellers outside of AliExpress.There is a teardown post on here for them if you want to see more.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 01:59:17 pm
content: I have modified my initial post with more specific requirements for better recommendations.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 02:07:38 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 05, 2019, 10:05:30 amI believe Rigol is a step above Siglent and since most my test gear is now Rigol, I have an affinity towards them.Unfortunately, I will not be able to test the unit prior to purchase so I need to make sure the specs and options are according to my needs before I pull the trigger.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 02:10:22 pm
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on September 05, 2019, 02:07:38 pmIt would have been helpful to have your requirements from the start. 60A isn't trivial. It also still sounds like you want to talk about the Rigol load above anything else. Your specifications seem to be written to end up with that one.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 02:47:28 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on September 05, 2019, 02:10:22 pmTo be honest I've made my decision to buy it a while back since it met the specifications I needed but since it can only pull CC and not CP in battery mode, it had me reconsidering other options.Unfortunately I've been having trouble finding a load with battery modes that can pull other energy other than CC AND have all the on screen colored graphing capability of the Rigol.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 04:14:44 pm
content: The GW Instek PEL-3031E fits your budget and specs as well. If you have to buy blind then I'd get the GW Instek. In my experience GW Instek equipment has less bugs to begin with and if you find a bug they are way more helpful to fix the bug quickly.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 04:18:20 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 05, 2019, 04:14:44 pmtautech recommends Siglent, nctnico recommends GW Instek. What a surprise.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 04:23:50 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 05, 2019, 04:14:44 pmLooks good! Will look into it thanks.BTW Rigol just confirmed that I can only pull CC and not other modes from the battery so unless this can later be added in the firware I am no longer considering it for now

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 04:25:30 pm
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on September 05, 2019, 02:07:38 pmIt is interesting how our experiences with certain manufacturers cause us to drift towards some while avoiding others. While I certainly don't have an affinity toward Siglent, I refuse to buy Rigol gear due to a bad experience (so quite opposite of your own preferences).Quote from: drummerdimitri on September 05, 2019, 02:47:28 pmWhile I can't personally imagine what sort of circuits you are dealing with that would need 5V@60A (300W), to each their own.If it was me, I would be more concerned with:- getting the hardware features you actually require.- making sure the remote scripting capabilities are extensive and well documentedFancy things like graphing on the display is certainly nice, but these are things you can also script yourself (and possibly better than what is built in). Based on Dave's teardown, and the Rigol thread itself, I honestly would be looking for other options than the Rigol. I can't argue with the price point though.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 04:32:53 pm
content: Quote from: Mr. Scram on September 05, 2019, 04:18:20 pmInstead of being utterly useless you could try and come up with another alternative which fits the specs and budget.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 04:40:42 pm
content: Quote from: JxR on September 05, 2019, 04:25:30 pmI'm not quite sure whether that is the best course of action. The low end gear is allover the place so one device can be very good while the other is mediocre at best. Recently one of my customers bought some Siglent equipment because it fitted the requirements (including having mature firmware). Principles are fine until they cost money.

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 04:54:03 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 05, 2019, 04:40:42 pmYeah, you're probably right. If Rigol made something that would absolutely fit the bill I probably would still consider them. Although, I would certainly wait a good while and let many others be the early adopters. Even buying from A-brand manufacturers right off the bat is pretty risky if the device was just released. Seems to take most manufacturers a couple years or more to shore up the firmware/hardware.

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 04:59:06 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 05, 2019, 04:14:44 pmThis honestly looks like a pretty nice device. Manual is extensive. They even have a pretty detailed and separate programing manual. Is Instek the actual OEM? I know I've seen Keithley, RS, and possibly others rebrand similar looking devices.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 05:17:57 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 05, 2019, 04:32:53 pmI've already suggested options when the requirements were less well specified. That's obviously less useless than a fanboy or dealer blindly recommending offerings from the brand they adore. That's not advice, that's malicious disinformation forced upon what often are newcomers and the community is served by pointing the falsehood out every time.

author: JxR
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 05:43:54 pm
content: Here is another one that meets the specifications. It additionally has CR,CC, and CP for the battery test mode:Chroma 63003-150-40 (40A/250W) and 63003-150-60 (60A/350W) DC Electronic LoadPrice is a bit over budget though:https://www.arrow.com/en/products/63003-150-40/chroma-systems-solutions-inchttps://www.arrow.com/en/products/63004-150-60/chroma-systems-solutions-incSorry, no idea where to source them in your part of the world.

author: MrFox
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: September 05, 2019, 06:18:33 pm
content: I have the rigol 3021, mostly because it's hackable and very inexpensive. I never had a problem with rigol, but you really have to read reviews of individual gears, never trust a brand. One product will be great and another one might be crap. Sometimes it launches as crap, gets a fix or revision, then it's great.For the price the 3021 is very good, but like most rigol gear, once you go into the higher models like the 3031, you start seeing better choices from other brands.For power supplies and DC loads, rigol have reasonably stable firmwares right now. My only complaint is they're missing a couple features I would like, for example CP on the battery discharge feature (WTF, it can't be that difficult to add?). It's anyone's guess if that's going to be added ever.I'm curious how important 60A is to you. With most models having that choice available, it doubles the price for a rarely used spec. 60A is fine for testing individual lipo cells, individual supercaps, and low voltage DC-DC regulators for fpgas or something. Otherwise 30A is already reaching the limit of 300W for 12V supplies, or PV panels, or discharging 11.1 lipo packs, etc...

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2019, 07:16:06 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 05, 2019, 04:14:44 pmThanks for this recommendation.It does indeed seem to fit my needs perfectly except maybe for the live graphing capabilities but that's fine since I can always save the data on a USB drive and create charts in excel right?I found that Teledyne LeCroy and RS components have a rebranded version of this load. Does this make GW Instek the OEM for this design?Former's price is like 700$ over the latter which seems to be just marketing wank.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2019, 08:48:29 pm
content: Quote from: drummerdimitri on September 06, 2019, 07:16:06 pmGood question. You have to consult the manual for that. Worst case you have to attach a computer to do data logging.QuoteI think GW Instek is the OEM. GW Instek is from Taiwan and they produce in China so I don't see how any western brand can undercut them on price. It seems they make a lot of equipment for others indeed. Buying from a Western brand might get you better (local) service & support but I don't know whether that is relevant for you given your location.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2019, 10:23:24 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 06, 2019, 08:48:29 pmI went through all the documents related to this model and could not find any logging functionality for power, voltage and current simultaneously.Nothing regarding the PC software logging options either. Am I missing something here?

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2019, 10:37:28 pm
content: I can't find anything either. There is a data logging function for battery discharge but not a word on how and where the data is stored. You should ask GW Instek how this works exactly.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2019, 11:00:23 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on September 06, 2019, 10:37:28 pmI will and if there isn't a way to do so, I will stick to the DL3031A and hope they add CP and CR for battery test mode one day in firmware as I can live without it for now!

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2019, 11:17:32 pm
content: The alternative is to read the measured data through the SCPI commands using a PC but ofcourse it is nicer when a piece of test equipment can produce something like CSV data.

author: TheDefpom
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 07, 2019, 03:03:03 am
content: I did a review video on the 200W version of the Siglent, would apply to the 300W version too.

author: drummerdimitri
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 10, 2019, 01:01:01 pm
content: Thanks for everyone's input so far.I've made my decision and placed an order for the GW Instek PEL-3031E load as my local Test Equipment dealer was placing a large order from them and included my unit along with it.It actually does have a data log function but it was hard to find in the manual.Will try to do a teardown/review of it in the near future when I setup my electronics YouTube channel as there is nothing on the web regarding this specific model.