If your product relies on stable voltage and current delivery, routine power supply current measurement should be part of your process—especially before deployment or shipment. The most common method for measuring current is to place a multimeter in series with the circuit.
For best results, aim for a reading where the digits are active and not all zeros. This gives better accuracy and makes the data more useful in analysis. For repeated testing in a fixed circuit, placing a resistor of known value in series with the load can be a convenient and effective technique for power supply current measurement.
This not only adds to the cost of testing these devices but increases the complexity of the test system. Precision measurement DC power supplies like the Keithley Series 2280S are capable of measuring pulse currents as narrow as 140µs and include the triggering features required to synchronize the measurement with the current pulse.
Using the measurement techniques described in this application note, accurate power measurements can be made using high-performance current probes (plus voltage probes) and a compatible oscilloscope, when proper setup techniques are applied.
With Series 2280S Precision Measurement Power Supplies, design and test engineers can make reliable, high quality measurements on narrow load current pulse waveforms, allowing
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Measure voltage, current, active power, reactive power, apparent power, power factor and harmonics with associated values Get accurate, precise results with 0.1% measurement
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