Testec TT-CC 550 current probe - hackable?

[tatus1969]

I've just upgraded from my Hantek CC-65 (20kHz) to this 500kHz probe, only to realize that I still need more bandwidth (well, stupid decision anyway, how did I expect to measure the inductor current of a 500kHz step down with a 500kHz probe? But I digres...)

Testec has made an entire family of current probes, ranging from 300kHz to 1.5MHz but looking identically otherwise. I wonder if these are hackable with regards to the usable bandwidth, in a similar way like e.g. the Siglent SDS2000X family (just did that to my SDS2074X yesterday, works perfectly) ??

I'm tempted to open mine and see myself, but I don't want to get in trouble with the seller when wanting to return it and purchase an upgrade.

[tautech]

Current probes are buy once cry once tools.
With the savings made on your 300 MHz DSO splash out and buy once for a lifetime of use and trustworthiness !

After cobbling a current probe together from a CT off an old ATX PCB that worked well enough into the 10's of KHz I saved up and waited for a Tek 60 MHz P6021 on eBay for a reasonable price then pounced. Still have it many years later.

[capt bullshot]

Can't tell from the datasheets / manuals if these are open or closed loop.
In case of open loop, there might be a different sensor (or the sensor biased at different currents), in case of closed loop there will be a different number of turns on the secondary.

One could measure the current draw from the battery - if this is constant and independent of primary current, it's open loop, if the current draw is kind of proportional to the primary current, it's closed loop.

[tatus1969]

The higher BW models state shorter battery life, that could be a hint. But these are AC+DC, so probably some hybrid form. The TEK P6021 is AC only AFAIK.

[capt bullshot]

Yes, shorter battery life would point into open loop / different sensor or higher bias direction. Also the rather not-so-accurate specifications make me think these are open loop.

A6302 + AM503 is what you want: http://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/A6302
Or, if you can spare the money, one of their modern equivalents made by Hioki and rebranded/sold by all big names  (Yokogawa, Tek, Agilent, LeCroy).

[tautech]

The TEK P6021 is AC only AFAIK.

Correct.
120 Hz to 60 MHz, 15 A p-p sine wave between 300 Hz and 5 MHz

[nctnico]

A bit of a shameless plug but one of my products is a dual channel current probe you can wire in between. The bandwidth exceeds 10MHz and it probably costs less compared to the Testec.

[tatus1969]

A6302 + AM503 is a dream, but still is 1800€ combined and above my budget. Just ordered that 1.5MHz probe now