Test, measurement and monitoring equipment supplier Tektronix Inc of Beaverton, OR, USA has expanded its family of precision power analyzers with the introduction of the PA1000 single-phase power analyzer.
Featuring a patent-pending Spiral Shunt design, the PA1000 provides engineers designing and testing power supplies, consumer electronics and other electrical products with accurate power measurements in the shortest possible time, the firm says. Features such as a color graphical display, one-button application modes and intuitive menu system enable optimum instrument set up in seconds, and the PWRVIEW PC software includes reporting features such as a full-compliance IEC62301 standby power certificate.
Engineers developing power supplies for single-phase electronics face new demands for greater energy efficiency and lower line pollution, along with a growing array of government regulations and commercial demands to reduce energy consumption, says Tektronix. As semiconductor technologies such as gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) emerge to meet these demands, new test & measurement tools such as the PA1000 are required to keep pace, the firm adds.
The PA1000 complements the PA4000 series of precision three-phase power analyzers introduced earlier in 2013, as well as Tektronix oscilloscopes and probes for circuit analysis, giving engineers end-to-end solutions for optimizing and debugging power electronics designs.
“Power is one of the most dynamic segments in electronics today, given the intense interest on the part of consumers, business and government to reduce overall energy consumption,” says Curt Willener, general manager, Power Analyzer Product Line, Tektronix. “Improving battery life is another key driver,” he adds. “To help our customers meets these demands, Tektronix continues to step up with the precision instruments they need such as the PA1000 and PA4000 power analyzers with a compelling combination of industry leading performance, value and usability.”
The PA1000 offers 0.05% basic accuracy and 1MHz measurement bandwidth. Two internal current shunts are included on each PA1000 - one for current measurements up to 1A, for precise low-current measurements, and another for current measurements up to 20A. The 1A shunt is particularly useful for maintaining measurement resolution and accuracy on demanding low-current signals common to standby power testing.
A full-color graphics display (unusual in this instrument class, it is claimed) makes setup and other tasks easy and intuitive, with one-button access to measurement results, power waveforms, harmonic bar graphs, and menus. Application-specific test modes for standby current, lamp ballast testing and energy integration help to simplify optimization of instrument settings, saving engineers time and reducing mistakes, Tektronix says. PWRVIEW PC software further simplifies testing with one-click test automation for compliance-test applications.
The PA1000 offers standard features including LAN, USB and GPIB interfaces, harmonic analysis, and PC software that cost extra on many analyzers.
Based on recent field and metrology analysis, Tektronix has released improved accuracy specifications for the PA4000 power analyzer and extended the standard warranty to five years from the previous three years. The new accuracy specifications apply to RMS voltage, RMS current and power. For instance, RMS voltage accuracy was rated at ±0.04% and has now been improved to a rating of ±0.01%.
