Keithley TechInfo DCPower free download

File name TechInfo_DCPower.pdf

Technical DC Power Supplies Information Programmable DC Power Supplies Accuracy and Resolution Historically, the DC power supply user turned potentiometers to set output DC power supplies provide a regulated DC output to power a component, voltage or current. Today, microprocessors receive input from the user a module, or a device. A power supply must deliver voltage and current interface or from a remote interface. A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that is stable and precise, with minimal noise to any type of load: resistive, takes the digital setting and translates this into an analog value, which is inductive, low impedance, high impedance, steady-state, or variable. How used as the reference for the analog regulator. The setting resolution and well the power supply fulfills this mission and where it reaches its limits accuracy values are determined by the quality of this conversion and regu- are defined in its specifications. lation process. Technical information: DC power supplies Technical information: DC power supplies Power supplies have two main settings, the output voltage and the current Voltage and current settings (sometimes called limits or programmed val- limit. How they are set in combination with the load determines how the ues) each have resolution and accuracy specifications associated with them. The resolution of these settings determines the minimum increment in power supply will operate. which the output can be adjusted, and the accuracy describes the extent to Most DC power supplies have two modes of operation. In Constant Voltage which the value of the output matches international st