Author Topic: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?  (Read 28138 times)

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Offline SteveRosenlundTopic starter

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Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« on: March 16, 2016, 11:05:41 am »
Like the title says, is there any good reason to buy the Rigol DP832A over the DP832 for an additional $350?



 

Online tszaboo

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2016, 12:22:29 pm »
Moar digits and moar colors. Look, it has even a funky looking display to match the funky looking controls. You remember when this was a success?
 

Offline SteveRosenlundTopic starter

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2016, 12:37:11 pm »

Moar digits and moar colors. Look, it has even a funky looking display to match the funky looking controls. You remember when this was a success?


Lol so no real benefit.
 


Offline TAMHAN

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2016, 12:50:00 pm »
I dont want to partypoop, but I am very happy with my HP 6624A. Four channels, Kelvin capable, loud and cheap to buy. Plus, no Rigol/Siglent whatever...trusted experienced PSU design company.
Feel like some additional tamile wisdom? Visit my YouTube channel -> https://www.youtube.com/user/MrTamhan for 10min tid-bits!
 

Offline rx8pilot

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2016, 02:54:16 pm »
I also have 2 HP/Agilent supplies and would never trade them for Rigol. Bargains on eBay and they will easily outlive me.

Sent from my horrible mobile....

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Offline Macbeth

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2016, 06:02:56 pm »
Get the DP832, then apply the Riglol codes to unlock the extra digits and features for free  ;)
 

Offline Howardlong

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2016, 10:20:16 pm »
Get the DP832, then apply the Riglol codes to unlock the extra digits and features for free  ;)

This.
 

Offline SteveRosenlundTopic starter

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2016, 11:46:02 pm »
Thank you all for your comments. I have the DP832 in my cart at TEquipment. I spent some time looking at the HP6624a and thank you for that recommendation. For now though I'm going with the DP832.
 

Offline LaurentR

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2016, 04:54:35 am »
Thank you all for your comments. I have the DP832 in my cart at TEquipment. I spent some time looking at the HP6624a and thank you for that recommendation. For now though I'm going with the DP832.

You'll be very happy with it and won't regret the funky color scheme of the A.
 

Offline LaurentR

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2016, 05:46:17 am »
Of course then this shows up:

and you're totally having second thoughts about the whole DP832 thing, right?  >:D >:D >:D
 

Offline SteveRosenlundTopic starter

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2016, 12:03:38 pm »
How very timely. Weird. Cool video though.
 

Offline mos6502

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2016, 12:17:56 pm »
Look at the TO220 at 12:16. WTF is up with that? The tab is so thin it looks like it's made out of foil. Did Rigol use "Chinese special" components?

Also, a TO220 output transistor for a 100W power supply? That's gotta be a joke.

Might as well go for the Korad KA3305 and have the same crappy design and components for half the price, minus the flashy front panel. Wait, let me correct that, the KA3305 has much beefier TO-3P pass transistors:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/inside-the-new-korad-ka3305p-linear-psu/
« Last Edit: March 17, 2016, 12:28:41 pm by mos6502 »
for(;;);
 

Offline rx8pilot

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2016, 05:39:01 pm »
This is why my supplies are HP/Agilent from eBay. I can count on them to deliver even if I do stupid things. One less distraction, one less worry. On top of that, I have spent much less than DP832 in the process.
Factory400 - the worlds smallest factory. https://www.youtube.com/c/Factory400
 

Offline mmagin

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2016, 08:06:36 pm »
This is why my supplies are HP/Agilent from eBay. I can count on them to deliver even if I do stupid things. One less distraction, one less worry. On top of that, I have spent much less than DP832 in the process.

Me too, though I wonder whether the problem is a budget-priced mosfet or the circuit design allowing excessive Vgs to occur when the output is abused sufficiently.  But, then again, the fact that some mosfets are specifically sold for extended SOA in the linear region makes me wonder if that wasn't sufficiently considered in the design.

This makes me think that before my next power supply project, I want to build a "power supply abuser" test rig.  This could be a really fun project. :)
 

Offline flash2b

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #15 on: March 17, 2016, 09:32:15 pm »
Stop complaining!

Dave is fixing a board revision that is no longer been manufactured since 5 Nov 2013. Revision 02.20 of the TopBoard uses a IRFP260N in TO247.
 

Offline rx8pilot

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #16 on: March 17, 2016, 09:42:11 pm »
I am not complaining - just pointing out why I avoid Rigol. They are 'cheap chasers' that will do anything to keep the price low. I choose not to deal with the outcome of being cheap.
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Offline Macbeth

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #17 on: March 17, 2016, 10:50:41 pm »
What with his new BK Precision blowing a fuse in short order for no good reason too, I wonder if his office complex is experiencing unusual power surges from the local utility transformer or something?

I whacked my DP832 up to 3.2A and repeatedly shorted and unshorted all the outputs and never had a problem (other than the usual croc clips trying to weld themselves to each other  :-DD ). Indeed Daves is the only DP832 I have heard of this problem with.

That's not to say I don't appreciate my old HP 6632B mind.
« Last Edit: March 17, 2016, 10:54:14 pm by Macbeth »
 

Offline Howardlong

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #18 on: March 17, 2016, 11:05:32 pm »
Regrettably I had an identical fault with my DP832. Until now I just thought I was unlucky.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/rigol-dp832-smoked-channel-1/msg619848/#msg619848
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #19 on: March 17, 2016, 11:10:54 pm »
Stop complaining!
Dave is fixing a board revision that is no longer been manufactured since 5 Nov 2013. Revision 02.20 of the TopBoard uses a IRFP260N in TO247.

Ah, didn't know that, thanks.
 

Offline haveissues

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #20 on: March 18, 2016, 01:25:30 am »
Stop complaining!

Dave is fixing a board revision that is no longer been manufactured since 5 Nov 2013. Revision 02.20 of the TopBoard uses a IRFP260N in TO247.
Great if you happen to have a newer version of this power supply.  Not so great for those that have older ones. 
 

Offline haveissues

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #21 on: March 18, 2016, 01:36:07 am »
Does anyone know if they fixed the power on spike on newer revisions?  Mine has a big enough spike to turn on the backlight on an LCD in my circuit for a split second when turning on the mains power for the supply.  I now know to unplug the outputs when turning the supply on but it's kinda annoying and I'm sure it is just a matter of time before I forget and fry something more sensitive.  I tried contacting Rigol since it is still under warranty but they basically said tough shit.
 

Offline grouchobyte

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #22 on: March 18, 2016, 02:33:24 am »
Rigol power supplies are junk. Cheap, yes. The early designs were done by neophyte engineers and Dave's teardowns and repairs prove that. Perhaps they are better today, but when they were fist released I got a loner and was not impressed. I swear by Agilent and Rhode and Schwartz lab supplies and have used them for over 40 years. If you can afford something better, then do so, otherwise you will find yourself repairing it when you have other stuff you would rather be doing. Do you like to drive your car or spend time fixing it?
Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Remember Dave gets this stuff for free so companies like Rigol get free exposure. Dave does not have to play favorites here and so you get the real picture from his reviews and teardowns. So far, Dave has validated my initial opinion of this PSU. I have some Rigol gear and am quite pleased with the performance and price point. Big negative for Rigol is their software is pathetic.
 

Offline rx8pilot

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #23 on: March 18, 2016, 02:46:38 am »
Do you like to drive your car or spend time fixing it?

I want my bench supplies to be nearly invisible to my design, validation, test, and assembly processes. I don't want to guess or worry about what it is doing. I want it to just work so that I can concentrate 100% of my available brain power on the design task. When I was younger and had less money, I still chose to buy the better tools and choose projects that were suitable to my smaller, but high quality tools.

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Offline Monkeh

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Re: Is there any good reason to get the DP832A?
« Reply #24 on: March 18, 2016, 03:03:58 am »
Look at the TO220 at 12:16. WTF is up with that? The tab is so thin it looks like it's made out of foil. Did Rigol use "Chinese special" components?

No, just an ordinary ST package.
 


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