Author Topic: USB based oscilloscope GND connection problem  (Read 2189 times)

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Offline nhm89Topic starter

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USB based oscilloscope GND connection problem
« on: June 15, 2016, 05:40:49 pm »
Hi, I have the 2204A picoscope, is working very well but I need to view some signals on the raspberry pi, the problem is that when I connect the ground of the picoscope to the raspberry then the USB communication between the oscilloscope and the desktop computer is lost, right after is reconnect but again right after the connection is lost again and I have this ping pong until I disconnect the picoscope GND from the raspberry. What can I do to solve this issue in order to do not burn my piscoscope, raspberry or the USB port.
Thanks in advance!
 

Offline suicidaleggroll

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Re: USB based oscilloscope GND connection problem
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2016, 05:42:17 pm »
It's probably a ground loop or short caused by different grounds.

The best solution would be to isolate the RPi using a floating power supply.
 

Offline nhm89Topic starter

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Re: USB based oscilloscope GND connection problem
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2016, 05:48:40 pm »
It's probably a ground loop or short caused by different grounds.

The best solution would be to isolate the RPi using a floating power supply.

if i connect a wire between RPI PS and computer it will be ok?
I don't know what is a floating PS
« Last Edit: June 15, 2016, 05:51:44 pm by nhm89 »
 

Offline rstofer

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Re: USB based oscilloscope GND connection problem
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2016, 09:26:40 pm »
One version of a floating supply is a battery.

What must happen is the USB ground must be at the same level as the oscilloscope ground (it will be) and the RPI ground.  If that isn't the case, perhaps another wall wart will have some isolation.  Or, get an isolating transformer to float the wall wart.  They are commercially available.  Make sure your ground lead is actually connected to a RPI ground pin.  It's easy to be off by one.

I haven't tried my USB Analog Discovery on a RPI but I'm about to.  Hm...
 

Offline suicidaleggroll

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Re: USB based oscilloscope GND connection problem
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2016, 09:34:33 pm »
It's probably a ground loop or short caused by different grounds.

The best solution would be to isolate the RPi using a floating power supply.

if i connect a wire between RPI PS and computer it will be ok?
I don't know what is a floating PS

A floating PS means it doesn't have any reference to actual, real ground.  V+ is 5V above V-, but both are floating with respect to actual ground.

The computer has a real ground, using the 3rd pin in the power plug.  The USB shield is tied to this ground, which means the Picoscope is tied to this ground.  That means the ground lead on your Picoscope is actual ground, with a solid connection back to the earth, just like a normal oscilloscope.  And just like with a normal oscilloscope, this means you need to be careful what you attach it to.  If you attach it to something that's floating you're fine, if you attach it to something that also has its own earth connection, at best you'll create a ground loop, and at worst you'll create a short circuit.

As for how you get a floating supply for your RPi, there are several ways.  As rstofer said, a battery would work, or an isolated wall wart (some are, some aren't) would work.  You could also use an isolating transformer to isolate the wall wart, or you could use a bench power supply which will almost always have floating outputs.
 


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