Manual
Table Of Contents
- toc
- General Safety Summary
- Compliance Information
- Preface
- Getting Started
- System Configuration
- Options
- Standard Accessories
- Optional Accessories
- Probe Covers
- Travel Case
- Connecting the Amplifier to an Oscilloscope
- Power on the Amplifier
- Connecting a Current Probe to the Amplifier
- Operating the Current Probe Slide
- Degaussing and Autobalancing the Current Probe
- DC Measurements
- AC Measurements
- Control Summary
- Reference Notes
- Specifications
- Glossary
Glossary
amp-second product
The unit of measure defining the maximum amount of pulsed current that can
be measured before the probe core becomes saturated. The amp-second rating
applies only to measurement values between the maximum continuous and
maximum pul
se current ratings of the probe. The amp-second rating is equal
to the peak current multiplied by the pulse width at the 50% point.
auto-balance
A process that removes unwanted DC offsets from the TCPA300 and
TCPA400 circuitry to ensure maximum measurement accur
acy. This process
is performed during the probe degauss routine.
bucking current
Current fed back by the TCPA300 and TCPA400 to the curren t probe during
DC and low-frequency AC measurements. Bucking current nulls most of the
magnetic field in the probe core, allowing linear DC and AC measurements
simultaneously.
conventional current flow
The flow of the positive charge in a conductor. Conventional current flow is
from positive to negative. The arrows on current probes point in the direction
of conventional current fl ow. Conventional current flow is in the opposite
direction of electron current flow.
degauss
A process of eliminating residual magnetism from the probe core by feeding
a decaying sine wave into the core. The degaussing process should be
performed before clamping the probe around a conductor, whenever the probe
becomes saturated by current overloads, or whenever the probe is exposed
to a magnetic field. The term is derived from one of the units of magnetic
flux density.
electron current flow
The flow of the electrons in a conductor. Electron current flow is from
negative to positive. The arrows on current probes point in the opposite
direction of electron current flow. Electron current flow is in the opposite
direction of conventional current flow.
flux
The density of a magnetic field. As the number of flux lines increa ses,
the magnetic field strength increases. Current in the conductor under test
generates flux lines in the probe core by inducing a voltage in the core.
TCPA300/400 Amplifiers and TCP300/400 Series Current Probes User Manual 59