I want to order an DP832 from TEquipment and would like to know what to expect when I open the box.
I've read this thread and am trying to summarize what it says. Feel free to provide corrections.
Original issues:
1) the overheating heatsink / voltage regulatorThis appears to have been an issue with the Rigol version 2.0 boards. Rigol responded to issue with a revision 2.1 board which appears to be what is used in the units that are currently being delivered.
John South suggests Rigol will have "yet another revision" ...
Re: EEVblog #512 - Rigol DP832 Bad Design Investigation Reply #433 that would have begun shipping on October 17
th but no one has reported having received a unit with this board installed.
There have been several "mitigate the risk yourself" solutions suggested including replacing the LM317 with a
switching style three terminal equivalent, putting a bigger heatsink on the existing LM317 and
removal of the LM317 from the board and remotely mounting it on a much larger heatsink.
It has been suggested that the "larger\remote heat sink" solution ... be it by the DP832 owner or Rigol ... may not be a good long term solution as the localized temperature of the LM317 may get quite high even with a large heat sink. The "correct" solution would be to reduce the amount of power the LM317 is being asked to dissipate by lowering the input voltage, a solution that is best accomplished by Rigol.
2) the messed up ammeter readout when current is under 12mA or soI have not been able to find any reports of this issue having been resolved.
3) the output voltage spike when turning on the unitI have not been able to find any reports of this issue having been resolved but if I understand the discussion in theses posts ...
Reply #38,
Reply #39 and
Reply #40 there seems to be some thoughts that the current behavior [no pun intended] is satisfactory.
The "mitigate is yourself" solutions would seem to be "do not have anything plugged into the supply" when you turn it on or an outboard switch between the channel terminals and you device ... both of which seem to be fraught with human error possibilities ... especially if you are old like me
4) the current sense wires for channel 2 and 3This was discovered in
Re: Another issue with the Rigol DP832 power supply: sense wires carrying 3 amps! but I have not seen any information related to Rigol addressing the issue.
The "mitigate the risk yourself" suggestions are to take the front panel off and putting a heavy piece of wire between the channel 2 and 3 negative binding post connections ... though no one has reported actually doing that ... or doing the 'heavy but ugly wire' between the negative channel 2 and 3 posts on the outside of the front panel.
Corrections to this summary are encouraged.