Agilent 66311D and the Agilent AN 1427 application note

[bushjavier]

Can i use the 66311D as a zero ohm shunt resistor as described in the Evaluating Battery Run-down Performance application note? i will read the current using SCPI commands. I will build the protection circuit as described in the application note.

I ask this question because the application note do not mention the 66311D anywhere.

Link of the application note:

http://literature.cdn.keysight.com/litweb/pdf/5988-8157EN.pdf?id=131697


Thanks!

Javier

[alm]

Programmable output resistance is not available on the 66309/66311 series as far as I know (unless it is a hidden feature). So you would not be able to compensate for wiring resistance like with the 66319/21. I do not know if the impedance would still be lower than the traditional shunt. If you want a zero Ohm shunt, than a feedback ammeter might be an alternative solution (they will not compensate wiring resistance). Most of them are made for lower currents than the 66311 can handle, however.

[pigrew]

The 66309/66311 cannot stream data back to the computer. I believe that the later models added streaming capability, so the record could be continuous. Also, the 66309D does instantaneous sampling (instead of integrating the current over a long period). The sampling period can be set as low as 15us with 4096 samples in a row (about 63ms total). Then, you can acquire the mean if those samples without downloading each sample. The sample rate can be nearly continuously varied. You would lose any current consumption data between acquisitions, but unless there are out-of-family pulses happening I those times, it'd be ok (just assume the current remained constant during the missing periods).

You probably could add a capacitor (check documentation for stability concerns first) to smooth out the pulses to make them low enough frequency to sample.

 I started to write some control software for the power supply (Microsoft Windows based), but it's pretty buggy and doesn't have the features you need, but could potentially be helpful for you.