How to safely use a logic analyzer ?

[electronic_guy]

Hi,

I’m new to logic analyzers. I have an Agilent 1683AD. I need to know how to use it safely without damaging the equipment. Can you guys point me out how not to destroy it and what are the good practices to use it effectively ?

Any beginner tutorials you have or you have found would be certainly helpful for me to get started.

Thanks in advance.

[tggzzz]

I’m new to logic analyzers. I have an Agilent 1683AD. I need to know how to use it safely without damaging the equipment. Can you guys point me out how not to destroy it and what are the good practices to use it effectively ?

Any beginner tutorials you have or you have found would be certainly helpful for me to get started.

Treat it as an unisolated "USB oscilloscope" that doesn't record analogue waveforms but does record digital signals.

Don't exceed the input voltages specified in the manual. They will be much more restricted than an oscilloscope's input.

Do connect all the common "0V" wires to the same point; that is unlikely to be difficult, but I have come across equipment with TTL signals running between -16V and -11V!

As with oscilloscopes, only attach the 0V to points on the circuit that can be connected to protective mains earth.

Consider using a scope to verify that the points that you intend to use for connections actually are "safe" before connecting the LA.

As for a tutorial, RTFM is always a good start

[rcjoy]

Always have the logic analyzer to be the first on and the last off.

That is, when turning on, turn on the logic analyzer first , then turn on the device under test.
When turning off, turn off the device under test first, then turn off the logic analyzer.

[alm]

It is an instrument with the ground of all channels connected to earth (assuming it's connected to a socket with earth), just like a scope. In general this is less of a problem than for scopes, because you are not likely to use a logic analyzer for power supplies or anything like that. But on occasion you need to pay attention to where ground is. Otherwise, as tggzzz says pay attention to the voltage limits, although I believe the limit of the pods isn't that low (40 Vpeak?). I haven't had problems in the systems I worked on where the 5V/3.3V logic was usually well separated from any higher voltages, but that obviously doesn't apply to every system.