Thanks for your detailed response!
Yes, I noticed the options, the datasheet even says you have to specify which one you want at the time of ordering.
Replacing the fuses shouldn't be too difficult. I noticed the transformer in one of your photos has a label "120V", which got me curious as to whether it perhaps also has a 230V or 240V tap.
Or perhaps two 120V windings that can be configured either in parallel for 120V mains or in series for 240V mains, like in e.g. the HP 3456A. The Advantest TR6142 does seem to have some similar configurability.
I'd rather not have to swap out the transformers, I'm guessing it would be quite difficult and expensive to find suitable replacements.
If you do ever take your unit apart again, could check the labelling on the transformers and whether they can be reconfigured?
They do seem like very nice instruments (which got me interested in the first place). Congrats on your score!
I might try to figure out the details of the IV clamp in the block diagram you posted.
Axial Fan Replacement
The original Brushless 12 DCV Sanyo Denki 109R1212H101 120x120x38 mm fan, which includes a pulse sensor, inside the R6245 is about 28 years old and still runs. However, I plan on replacing this obsolete fan with the 9WG1212E101-E from the same company having a 15 % improvement in airflow [3.34 m^3/min]. Note that the 9WG1212G101-E has slightly better performance (34 %), but I do not know the upper current threshold of the fan circuit. To be safe, I went with similarly matched specifications and will reuse the 3-pin socket from the original.
The plan is to redirect the air intake from the rear of the unit to utilize a fan filter previously posted about. This way, I should be able to avoid cleaning the unit from contaminants. When I received this unit, it was the dirtiest thing I have ever had to clean.
Attached is a CAD model of the rear bumper that was severely damaged during shipping from Korea. Keep in mind that this is one of two isomers needed to produce all four bumpers. In other words, these are mirror images of each other.
Hello everybody,
I also have this R6245 SMU for, I think, 4 years now and have already put it to good use. Many times.
It definitively is a nice instrument.
Several notes:
- It can be rewired for other main voltage (I did it for 230V voltage) and is just a matter of jumper and wires to swap on a screw terminal bloc. Unfortunately I can't remember if I took some notes about this and right now the instrument is buried under a huge pile of other instruments for a running experiment, so right now I can't take pictures and it will be some time before I can do this. Anyway it is easy enough to figure out how to rewire it.
- Please make sure to change the RAM battery on the CPU board. It is located next to the (custom IIRC) CPU and on the first SMU I bought, the battery leaks made an unrepairable mess of all this. (I was fortunate enough to then score for next to nothing the displayless version with a good CPU board)
To Leigh, I've loooong search the web, contacted Advantest, ADCMT, and some others to get some manuals, to not avail. (only the japan GPIB programming manual is available on ADCMT site)
From some of your posts I understand that you may have the (japan) user manual.
Is it a paper or pdf manual?
I would be thankful if you could post it somewhere (on ko4bb for example), that would be a great help to other owners.
And in case it's a paper manual, I'm willing to help to have it professionnaly scanned.
Thanks,
Fred
Back to the instrument, I don't know how general this is a problem or not, but mine also have unbearable keyboard bounce issues, to the point that I plan to change the all switches next time I open it. (I believe those are some standard tactile ones)
When I got mine, I too was expecting for an easy fix, as it is most often the case.
Those instruments are intended for semi-fab factories (who would need that, otherwise, when most electronics design offices don't know there elbow from their arse, today? And I know quite a few...),
For lab use, as I use mine, and you probably would, the display is useful, indeed, but on a factory floor, where it will almost always be GPIB driven, the display is not needed and has been cancelled, as well all the keys. I guess more for improved reliability reasons than to cut on cost.
From what I understand they can also be used as slave units from a complete master one, to allow for complex measurement cases where lots of channels may be required.
Those displayless units are labeled R6245A (mind the final "A") and only have on front panel a GPIB address setting dip switch and a few status leds, plus the 6 triax sockets. You can find some not very meaningful mention of this in the datasheet and you can see it on page 3-9 (51) of my brand new manual .
From what I understand there is no displayless R6246.
As for automatic translation, it might prove to be somewhat epic, as when I tried one or two illustrations titles, japanese ancestors pointed their noses out with some totally unrelated "sword" words, and so on...
Still, as I intend to GPIB program it, at least this part will need to be translated. And the 6245/46 is different enough from the R6243 I also have a pair of, and for which an english manual is available, that the 6243 manual is as unhelpful as can be.
Maybe we can setup a coordinated effort on this matter?
If some others are interested please, please tell.
Back to the instrument, I don't know how general this is a problem or not, but mine also have unbearable keyboard bounce issues, to the point that I plan to change the all switches next time I open it. (I believe those are some standard tactile ones)
How did you get it?
What is this displayless version you speak of? Is it an alternative model?
Attached is a translation of most of Section 12 (Calibration), including figures.
Please note that I am unable to finish the "calibration of the current generation and current measurement" example code right now because my eyes hurt from looking at the screen.
The document has been left as a DOCX (7-zipped due to website restrictions) because there might be translation errors that you can fix on your own. I tried my best to read over everything as a quality check, but I have yet to attempt a calibration.
If you find mistakes, please let me know and I will update what I have. If you want to contribute, I would be happy to share content with you here.
どうもありがとうございました
Well, I'll try to help.
The scheme looks something like this.
I try to translate complete Manual from Japanese language.
If somebody have information about simple but powerful GPIB app or software it will be very appreciated.
smu = AdvantestR6246("GPIB::1")
smu.reset() # Set default parameters
smu.ch_A.set_sample_mode(SampleMode.PULSED_SYNC) # Pulsed synchronized
smu.ch_A.voltage_source(source_range = VoltageRange.AUTO,
source_value = 20,
current_compliance = 0.06)
smu.ch_A.measure_current()
smu.ch_B.current_source(source_range = CurrentRange.AUTO,
source_value = 1E-5, # Source current at 10 uA
voltage_compliance = 5) # Voltage compliance at 5 V
smu.ch_B.measure_voltage()
smu.enable_source() # Enables source A & B
for i in range(10, 60):
k = i * 0.000001
smu.ch_B.current_change_source = k # Set current from 10 uA to 60 uA
smu.trigger() # Trigger measurement
smu.ch_A.select_for_output()
Ic = smu.read_measurement() # Read channel A measurement
smu.ch_B.select_for_output()
Vbe = smu.read_measurement() # Read channel B measurement
print(f'Ic={Ic}, Vbe={Vbe}') # Print measurements
smu.standby() # Put channel A & B in standby