Agilent / HP / Keysight 6050A

The Agilent 6050A Multiple Input Electronic Load Mainframe is used for design, manufacturing, and evaluation of dc power supplies, batteries, and power components. Other applications include use as a power circuit breaker or crowbar, high-current function or pulse generator, fuel-cell and photovoltaic cell test, and de-energizing superconducting magnets.

The 6050A mainframe contains six (two) slots for load modules. Load modules occupy either 1 or 2 slots, depending on the power rating of the module. The 6050A mainframe can dissipate up to 300 watts per slot, to a total of 1800 (600) watts for a fully loaded mainframe. An individual module may have either 1 or 2 channels, each of which has its own channel number.

Each module contains its own input connectors. The 6050A mainframe contains a processor, GPIB connector and interface circuits, trigger circuits, front-panel keypad and display, and other circuits common to all the load modules.

Each module can operate independently in constant current (CC) mode, constant voltage (CV) mode , or constant resistance (CR) mode. In addition, each input can be turned on or off (open circuit) or short circuited.

Features include built-in GPIB interface and built-in pulse generator, both standard. Pulse mode allows dynamic testing of power supplies and components, without giving the device under test time to heat up. The flexible pulse mode provides six triggering methods, allowing synchronization with a wide variety of events. A Save/Recall feature allows you to save up to 7 complete instrument setups, one of which can be saved in non-volatile memory so that it is recalled automatically at power-on.

Also standard is GPIB read back of actual input voltage and current, and extensive protection and status reporting capability.

The 60560A mainframe contains two cooling fans (one) whose speed automatically increases or decreases as the module temperatures rise and fall. This feature reduces overall noise level because the fans do not run at maximum speed at all times.

Each load module can be individually controlled either via GPIB or locally via the front panel. Once a channel is selected or addressed, all subsequent commands go to that channel until another channel is selected or addressed. Operation of all models is similar, regardless of power ratings.

Programs written for the Agilent 6060 series of single Electronic Loads can be used with the multiple loads, easing program development for applications using various members of the Agilent Electronic Load family. (Triggering via the AC line frequency or the load’s internal timer is available only in the multiple load mainframe.)

If any application requires a greater power or current capacity than one module can provide, load modules can be connected in parallel in CC or CR mode.