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1 HAMEG INSTRUMENTS
Professional Article
Power Supply All-Rounder for Lab
and Test Field
Generally, lab power supplies are considered rather
unremarkable instruments. They fulll a practical
purpose while we hardly pay them any attention.
However, the new instrument series by Rohde &
Schwarz with its various functions deserves a closer
look. This can also be said about its price/performance
ratio. The editorial department of “Elektronik” magazine
took a close look at these lab power supplies.
Power supplies for the lab are often overshadowed by the
modern high speed processor and communications
technology. Users expect their hassle and error-free operation
with guaranteed electrical safety over the years. They are
expected to be easy to operate and to issue alerts in case of an
input error. All in all, we simply want them to do their job, no
questions asked. Yet without these power supplies, equipped
with cutting edge processor technology, it would be
impossible to accomplish any work at all, be it in high-tech
development laboratories, manufacturing plants or test elds.
All this merits a closer look at our new lab power supplies
series. The series includes up-to-date and practice-oriented
data sheet parameters, as well as an impressive variety of
effortless features. Despite this large array of features, the
instruments offer a price performance ratio that remains
unmatched in this category: The lab power supplies of the
HMC804x series are available at a price of less than EUR
1,000, and are offered with either one, two or three output
channels. They were developed by HAMEG, a manufacturer of
measurement technology who has been known to operate
under the umbrella of Rohde & Schwarz for nearly a decade.
Designed for industrial applications
The instrument series includes the HMC8041 (one output
channel), the HMC8042 (two channels) and the HMC8043
(three channels). Each model is equipped with a maximum
total output power of 100 W. For instance, the three-channel
instrument provides a continuous voltage range of 0 V to 32 V
at a maximum current of 3 A (alphanumerically precisely
adjustable to mV or mA). The two-channel instrument provides
a maximum of 5 A, and the one-channel version a maximum of
10 A.
As to be expected, the two- and three-channel power supplies
also include a familiar lab power supply feature, i.e. the option
to operate multiple outputs in a series or parallel. This function
enables the user to add the voltages (in serial mode) or to
multiply the potential currents to be drawn. For that purpose,
the instrument features outputs that are galvanically isolated,
oating (up to 250 V
DC
against earth), overload and short-circuit
proof.
In addition, instruments always include two operating modes:
They can work as constant voltage source (CV, Constant
Voltage, adjustment accuracy < 0.05 % + 2 mV) or as constant
current source (CC, Constant Current, adjustment accuracy <
0.05 % + 2 mA). All important parameters are shown on the
3.5-inch QVGA display which continues to be easily legible
even in unfavorable light conditions.
Image 2: R&S®HMC8043 three channel model