| Products > Test Equipment |
| ARRAY electronic loads |
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| saturation:
It certainly can be, but I think these folks try, and IMHO honest opinion is worth more than hype from the manufacturer. But, I'm not as obsessed with PSU power supplies as these folks, so I leave that criticism for another thread! For our needs however and this thread, it appear like a good torture test of Array's lower cost electronic loads, that link is strong suggestion that Array's can hold up. Further, the demands of the design suggests the author knows what he's doing, technically, and is putting his money where his mouth is, the setup cost €10,835, €4,500 is just for the 10 Array loads alone. http://www.techpowerup.com/articles//overclocking/psu/161/4 I emailed the author, and he's been using the test setup up for > 1 year. If you read how he tests it, regardless of the PSU, he's pushing the 3710 and 3711 to the limits of their power capacity, so as a e-load, its durable and reliable. That said he also mentions a key flaw, that are corrected in Array's newer and more costly models, 372x series: it has no remote sensing, so beware voltage drop on the leads at higher loads. I also noted on the manuals and reading the 372x manuals, the 3700 series slew rate, i.e., amps/microsecond, cannot be programmed. You can program automatic periodic load changes, e.g. cycle from 1A to 0.1A ~ per second increments, but you are at the mercy of the units inboard switching to determine the rate of change. --- Quote from: T4P on August 25, 2012, 01:19:04 am ---That was my gripe with 95% of the Tech websites PC PSU reviews, largely inaccurate measurements --- End quote --- |
| MikeO:
Hello all, I came across this thread while googling for a manual for a Kikusui PLZ300W electronic load. I need an electronic load for a project I took on, and am on a tight budget. I looked at the Array units and they seem nice. I ended up buying the PLZ300W, on ebay, for $360US, including expedited shipping. My main reason for making this choice was budget, and, in a previous life, I shared an identical unit with a couple of engineers and a couple of techs. I was in that lab for ten years, and that load was no spring chicken when I got there. It performed flawlessly for all the time I was there, and it was in high demand (lab was engineering department for a battery and charger manufacturer). I didn't over-think it, and went with what I know. I doubt it has the features many of you seek, but, as far as dependability and accuracy per dollar, it's a worthy consideration (if buying used). I think we all love new gear, but I've been so burned by Chinese made goods, I generally do what I can to avoid them. It may seem racist but, really, I've thrown away A LOT of Chinese made tools; frankly, I think there is some cultural differences, and they do not embrace the meaning of the word "quality" in the same way. Regardless, I did just buy that 1052E. I don't do much engineering these days, but have this one job, and need to set up a mini lab at home. I'm trying to do it for under $1000US, so as not to suck all the profit out of the job. I bought a Rigol 1052E direct from the manufacturer, two HP bench supplies (6289A, 6291A), and the PLZ300W, and, so far, with shipping, I've spent $833US. I still need a simple, low-speed function generator, and an array of test leads, but I think I'll make my budget. Considering that I've not been watching ebay for good prices, let alone hit up the HAM radio folks, but rather selected and purchased these items today, at the "buy it now" premium, I think one could do even better. Anyway, my point is, 30 year old equipment doesn't tend to inspire confidence, and usually lacks great, modern features, but the old thru-hole gear is very dependable and very repairable. Best of all, you can choose quality levels you couldn't otherwise get into the budget. The one caveat is the dark years of electronics: the previous decade. When Europe introduced the RoHS and WEEE legislation, it all really went bad. The lead free solders, tin whiskering, delaminated PCBs (from the higher heat for new solders) made for some of the worst lived electronics in the history of, well, electronics! I avoid gear from that era, whether it be an electronic load, or a car stereo. You can keep it So, there are some opinions from some random guy on the internet. Best of luck in your endeavors. Regards, Mike O' |
| EEVblog:
--- Quote from: MikeO on September 06, 2012, 06:02:16 am ---I think we all love new gear, but I've been so burned by Chinese made goods, I generally do what I can to avoid them. It may seem racist but, really, I've thrown away A LOT of Chinese made tools; frankly, I think there is some cultural differences, and they do not embrace the meaning of the word "quality" in the same way. Regardless, I did just buy that 1052E. --- End quote --- Chinese companies can produce top quality products, it's just that 90% of the market seems to be the junk stuff built to the lowest price using what parts they can get this week from the markets. And likewise, western companies can get their products made in China to a high standard, but you have to drive them hard and control everything. Dave. |
| MikeO:
And therein lies the great value of your reviews and teardowns, Dave. Perhaps there is a bit more opportunity as well? Maybe you would consider adding some polls to the site, say a post one year and two year ownership with a few basic questions, like still working? Still accurate? Good service/support/repair/repairability? Maybe you already do, and I've failed to peruse the site before making such recommendations--can you tell I was moved to management? Speaking of which, is there anything easier than volunteering someone else for work? I think back to countless meetings with management, and getting the question, "Can't we just..." No! WE can't, cause you can't do anything! I can, but you'll fail to give me the budget and resources, and if I argue for them, you'll argue back, as if this were a negotiation, and not statement of fact. Of course, those were just the words in my head. And how would it go from there? The mechanical engineer would check out, the power supply engineer would turn down his hearing aid, the other controls engineer would get excited, knowing that it would fall to me, meaning I'd miss my other goals, making him look more productive...goodness gracious, I do not miss being an engineer in a dysfunctional company. Self-employment can be tough, but I'll take it! And therein, I suppose, is why a forum like this is so refreshing to me--it reminds me of the good side of my time as a designer: the culture of our lab. I miss the day-to-day working with my colleagues, the other engineers and techs, their mutual respect for each others unique skills, experience and education, and the willingness to offer help to one another whenever it was requested. Nice job fostering and maintaining that culture in your forum Dave. Cheers all, it's back to work for me. Regards, Mike O' |
| saturation:
An e-load was in my sights for some time too. Welcome MikeO, some comments. I concur with Dave, China can make good consumer or low end general purpose technical stuff, the reviews by Dave and others prove it. China can send a man into space they can certainly make a decent GP electronic load ;). The trick is finding who and what, and that's where the reviews come in. On Array: FWIW the founders of Array are Taiwanese engineers, not PRC, so they have a much more advanced design ethic, it probably explains why the build quality is more consistent with say Instek than Atten. The factory is in PRC. Array is very likely OEM for many look-alikes, such as Tekpower, IWH or CSI. I can say this because their product manuals, software, and photos of the devices [ 3710 and 3711 at least] are identical to Array's model, except for the brand name. I haven't had time to tear mine down and confirm that by looking at the PCBs. The forum has a lot of reports, but few are collated or polled. Any member can make a query and ask. One thing about PRC devices, the bolded item in your quote below, is in most instances you should expect low to none. A key feature of reviews I look for is to estimate its DIY repair-ability, which is why a tear down is most helpful. Its another reason I look at the PRC devices because they are often made with older technology, or more generic parts, and the probability of repair is higher. The Kikusui PLZ is a superior device in many ways, but the great unknown is how it was used. Power devices are likely to wear out with heavy use to its rated power, so its a bigger risk. I think a repair cost may outstrip its eBay cost given Kikusui bottom line models start over $3000. No schematic and only 12 years old or so for PLZ300W, could be challenge to self service. --- Quote from: MikeO on September 06, 2012, 02:00:17 pm ---And therein lies the great value of your reviews and teardowns, Dave. Perhaps there is a bit more opportunity as well? Maybe you would consider adding some polls to the site, say a post one year and two year ownership with a few basic questions, like still working? Still accurate? Good service/support/repair/repairability? Maybe you already do, and I've failed to peruse the site before making such recommendations--can you tell I was moved to management? --- End quote --- |
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