Agilent Technologies E3631A User manual

Service Guide
Part Number: E3631-90011
Twelfth Edition, October 25, 2013
For warranty information, refer to the back of the manual.
©Copyright Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2000–2013
All Rights Reserved.
Agilent E3631A
Triple Output
DC Power Supply

The Agilent Technologies E3631A is a high performance 80 watt-triple output DC
power supply with GPIB and RS-232 interfaces. The combination of bench-top and
system features in this power supply provides versatile solutions for your design and
test requirements.
Convenient bench-top features
• Triple output
• Easy-to-use knob control for voltage and current settings
• Highly visible vacuum-fluorescent display for voltage and current meters
• Tracking operation for ±25V outputs
• Excellent load and line regulation and low ripple and noise
• Operating states storage
• Portable, ruggedized case with non-skid feet
Flexible system features
• GPIB (IEEE-488) and RS-232 interfaces are standard
• SCPI (Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments) compatibility
• I/O setup easily done from front-panel
Agilent E3631A
Triple Output
DC Power Supply

3
The Front Panel at a Glance
1 Meter and adjust selection keys
2Tracking enable/disable key
3Display limit key
4Recall operating state key
5Store operating state / Local key
6Error / Calibrate key
7I/O Configuration / Secure key
8Output On/Off key
9Control knob
10 Resolution selection keys
11 Voltage/current adjust selection key

4
1 Meter and adjust selection keys Select the output voltage and current of any one
supply (+6V, +25V, or -25V output) to be monitored on the display and allow knob
adjustment of that supply.
2 Tracking enable / disable key Enables / disables the track mode of ±25V supplies.
3 Display limit key Shows the voltage and current limit values on the display and allows
knob adjustment for setting limit values.
4 Recall operating state key Recalls a previously stored operating state from location
"1", "2", or "3".
5 Store operating state / Local key1Stores an operating state in location "1", "2", or
"3"/ or returns the power supply to local mode from remote interface mode.
6 Error / Calibrate key2Displays error codes generated during operations, self-test
and calibration / or enables calibration mode (the power supply must be unsecured
before performing calibration).
7 I/O Configuration / Secure key3Configures the power supply for remote interfaces
/ or secure and unsecure the power supply for calibration.
8 Output On/Off key Enables or disables all three power supply outputs. This key
toggles between two states.
9 Control knob Increases or decreases the value of the blinking digit by turning
clockwise or counter clockwise.
10 Resolution selection keys Move the flashing digit to the right or left.
11 Voltage/current adjust selection key Selects the knob function to voltage control
or current control.
1The key can be used as the "Local" key when the power supply is in the remote interface mode.
2You can enable the "calibration mode" by holding down this key when you turn on the power
supply.
3You can use it as the "Secure" or "Unsecure" key when the power supply is in the calibration
mode.

5
Front-Panel Voltage and Current Settings
You can set the voltage and current from the front panel using the following
method.
1Press the key after turning on the power supply.
2Set the knob to the voltage control mode or current control mode using the voltage/
current adjust selection key.
3Move the blinking digit to the appropriate position using the resolution selection keys.
4Change the blinking digit to the desired value using the control knob.
5Press the key to enable the output. After about 5 seconds, the
display will go to the output monitor mode automatically to display the voltage and
current at the output.
Note All front panel keys and controls can be disabled with remote interface commands.
The Agilent E3631A must be in "Local" mode for the front panel keys and controls to
function.
Use the voltage/current adjust selection key, the resolution selection keys, and
the control knob to change the limiting or limitings value of voltage or current.
Display Limit
Output On/Off

6
Display Annunciators
Adrs Power supply is addressed to listen or talk over a remote interface.
Rmt Power supply is in remote interface mode.
+6V Displays the output voltage and current for +6V supply. Knob is active
for 6V supply.
+25V Displays the output voltage and current for +25V supply. Knob is active
for +25V supply.
-25V Displays the output voltage and current for -25V supply. Knob is active
for -25V supply
CAL Power supply is in the calibration mode.
Track The output of +25V and -25V supplies are in track mode.
Lmt The display shows the voltage and current limit values of a selected
supply.
ERROR Hardware or remote interface command errors are detected and also the
error bit has not been cleared.
OFF The three output of the power supply is disabled.
Unreg The displayed output is unregulated (output is neither CV nor CC).
CV The displayed output is in constant-voltage mode.
CC The displayed output is in constant-current mode.
To review the display annunciators, hold down key as you
turn on the power supply.
Display Limit

7
The Rear Panel at a Glance
Use the front-panel key to:
• Select the GPIB or RS-232 interface (see chapter 3 in User's Guide).
• Set the GPIB bus address (see chapter 3 in User's Guide).
• Set the RS-232 baud rate and parity (see chapter 3 in User's Guide).
1 Power-line voltage setting
2Power-line fuse-holder assembly
3AC inlet
4Power-line module
5GPIB (IEEE-488) interface connector
6RS-232 interface connector
I/O Config

8
In This Book
Specifications Chapter 1 lists the power supply’s specifications and describes how
to interpret these specifications.
Quick Start Chapter 2 prepares the power supply for use and helps you get familiar
with the front-panel features.
Calibration Procedures Chapter 3 provides performance verification and
calibration procedures.
Theory of Operation Chapter 4 describes block and circuit level theory related to
the operation of the power supply.
Service Chapter 5 provides guidelines for returning your power supply to Agilent
Technologies for servicing, or for servicing it yourself.
Component Locator Diagrams Chapter 6 contains the component locator
diagrams.
If you have questions relating to the operation of the power supply, call
1-800-829-4444 in the United States, or contact your nearest Agilent Technologies Sales
Office.

9
Environmental Conditions
This instrument is designed for indoor use and in an area with low condensation. The
table below shows the general environmental requirements for this instrument.
Environmental condition Requirements
Temperature Operating condition
• 0 °C to 40 °C
Storage condition
• –20 °C to 70 °C
Humidity Up to 80% RH
Altitude Up to 2000 m
Installation category II
Pollution degree 2

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Contents
Contents
Chapter 1 Specifications
Performance Specifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Supplemental Characteristics- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19
Chapter 2 Quick Start
To prepare the power supply for use - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25
To check the rated voltages of the power supply - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27
To check the rated currents of the power supply - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29
To use the power supply in constant voltage mode - - - - - - - - - - - - 31
To use the power supply in constant current mode - - - - - - - - - - - - 33
To use the power supply in track mode - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 35
To store and recall the instrument state - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36
To rack mount the power supply - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 38
Chapter 3 Calibration Procedures
Agilent Technologies Calibration Services - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 43
Calibration Interval - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 43
Automating Calibration Procedures - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44
Recommended Test Equipment - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44
Test Considerations - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 45
Performance Verification Tests - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 46
Self-Test - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 46
Performance Verification Tests - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 46
Measurement Techniques - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 47
Setup for Most Tests - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 47
General Measurement Techniques - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 48
Electronic Load - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 48
Current-Monitoring Resistor - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
Programming - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
Voltage and Current Values - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
Constant Voltage (CV) Verifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 50
Constant Voltage Test Setup - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 50
Voltage Programming and Readback Accuracy - - - - - - - - - - - - - 50
CV Load Regulation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 52
CV Line Regulation- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 53
Normal Mode Voltage Noise (CV Ripple and Noise) - - - - - - - - - 54
Common Mode Current Noise- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 56
Load Transient Response Time - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 57
Constant Current (CC) Verifications - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 58
Constant Current Test Setup - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 58

Contents
12
Current Programming and Readback Accuracy - - - - - - - - - - - - - 58
CC Load Regulation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 60
CC Line Regulation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 61
Normal Mode Current Noise (CC Ripple and Noise) - - - - - - - - - 62
Performance Test Record for Agilent E3631A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 63
CV Performance Test Record - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 63
CC Performance Test Record - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 64
Calibration Security Code- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 65
To Unsecure the Power Supply for Calibration - - - - - - - - - - - - - 66
To Unsecure the Power Supply Without the Security Code - - - - - 68
Calibration Count - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 69
Calibration Message - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 69
General Calibration/Adjustment Procedure - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 70
Aborting a Calibration in Progress - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 75
Calibration Record for Agilent E3631A - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 76
Error Messages - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 77
Calibration Program - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 79
Chapter 4 Theory of Operation
Block Diagram Overview - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 85
AC Input and Bias Supplies - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 87
Floating Logic - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 88
D-to-A Converter - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 90
A-to-D Converter - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 91
Power Mesh and Control - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 92
Earth-Referenced Logic - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 94
Front Panel- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 94
Chapter 5 Service
Operating Checklist - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 97
Is the Power Supply Inoperative? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 97
Does the Power Supply Fail Self-Test?- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 97
Types of Service Available - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 98
Standard Repair Service (worldwide) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 98
Express Exchange (U.S.A. only) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 98
Repacking for Shipment - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 99
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Precautions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 100
Surface Mount Repair - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 100
To Replace the Power-Line Fuse - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 100
Troubleshooting Hints - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101
Unit is Inoperative - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101
Unit Reports Errors 740 to 748 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101

Contents
13
Contents
Unit Fails Self-Test - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101
Bias Supplies Problems - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 102
Self-Test Procedures - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 103
Power-On Self-Test - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 103
Complete Self-Test - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 103
Chapter 6 Component Drawings
E3631-60002 Component Locator for the Main Board — Top - - - 109
E3631-60003 Component Locator for the Front Panel - - - - - - - - - 110
E3631-60004 Component Locator for the Main Board — Bottom - 111
Component Locator for the Main Board — Top (serial MY53xx6xxx) 112
Component Locator for the Front Panel (serial MY53xx6xxx) - - - 113
Component Locator for the Main Board — Bottom (serial MY53xx6xxx) 114

Contents
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1
Specifications

16
Specifications
The performance specifications are listed in the following pages. Specifications are
warranted in the temperature range of 0 to 40°C with a resistive load. Supplemental
characteristics, which are not warranted but are descriptions of performance
determined either by design or testing. Chapter 3 "Calibration Procedures" contains
procedures for verifying the performance specifications. All specifications apply to
the three outputs unless otherwise specified.

Chapter 1 Specifications
Performance Specifications
17
1
Performance Specifications
Output Ratings (@ 0°C - 40°C)
+6V Output 0 to +6 V ; 0 to 5 A
+25V Output 0 to +25 V ; 0 to 1 A
-25V Output 0 to -25 V ; 0 to 1 A
Programming Accuracy[1] 12 months (@ 25°C ±5°C), ±(% of output + offset)
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Voltage 0.1% + 5 mV 0.05% + 20 mV 0.05% + 20 mV
Current 0.2% + 10 mA 0.15% + 4 mA 0.15% + 4 mA
Readback Accuracy[1] 12 months (over GPIB and RS-232 or front panel with respect
to actual output @ 25°C±5°C), ±(% of output + offset)
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Voltage 0.1% + 5 mV 0.05% + 10 mV 0.05% + 10 mV
Current 0.2% + 10 mA 0.15% + 4 mA 0.15% + 4 mA
Ripple and Noise (with outputs ungrounded, or with either output terminal grounded,
20 Hz to 20 MHz)
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Voltage <0.35 mV rms <0.35 mV rms <0.35 mV rms
<2 mV p-p <2 mV p-p <2 mV p-p
Current <2 mA rms <500 μA rms <500 μA rms
Common mode current <1.5 μA rms
Load Regulation, ±(% of output + offset)
Change in output voltage or current for any load change within ratings
Voltage <0.01% + 2 mV
Current <0.01% + 250 μA
Line Regulation, ±(% of output + offset)
Change in output voltage and current for any line change within ratings
Voltage <0.01% + 2 mV
Current <0.01% + 250 μA
[1] Accuracy specifications are after an 1-hour warm-up and calibration at 25°C

Chapter 1 Specifications
Performance Specifications
18
Programming Resolution
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Voltage 0.5 mV 1.5 mV 1.5 mV
Current 0.5 mA 0.1 mA 0.1 mA
Readback Resolution
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Voltage 0.5 mV 1.5 mV 1.5 mV
Current 0.5 mA 0.1 mA 0.1 mA
Meter Resolution
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Voltage 1 mV 10 mV 10 mV
Current 1 mA 1 mA 1 mA
Transient Response Time
Less than 50 μsec for output recover to within 15 mV following a change in output
current from full load to half load or vice versa
Command Processing Time
Programming Commands : Maximum time for output to change after receipt of APPLy
and SOURce commands : <50 msec
Readback Command : Maximum time to readback output by MEASure? command :
<100 msec
The Other Commands : < 50 msec
Tracking Accuracy
The ±25V outputs track each other within ±(0.2% of output + 20 mV).

Chapter 1 Specifications
Supplemental Characteristics
19
1
Supplemental Characteristics
Output Programming Range (maximum programmable values)
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Voltage 0 to 6.18 V 0 to 25.75 V 0 to -25.75 V
Current 0 to 5.15 A 0 to 1.03 A 0 to 1.03 A
Temperature Coefficient, ±(% of output + offset)
Maximum change in output/readback per °C after a 30-minute warm-up
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Voltage 0.01% + 2 mV 0.01% + 3 mV 0.01% + 3 mV
Current 0.02% + 3 mA 0.02% + 0.5 mA 0.02% + 0.5 mA
Stability, ±(% of output + offset)
Following a 30-minute warm-up, with the output in the ON state according to the
operating mode (CC with load or CV), and with a change in the output over 8 hours
under constant load, line, and ambient temperature
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Voltage 0.03% + 1 mV 0.02% + 2 mV 0.02% + 2 mV
Current 0.1% + 3 mA 0.05% + 1 mA 0.05% + 1 mA
Voltage Programming Speed
Maximum time required for output voltage to settle within 1% of its total excursion (for
resistive load). Excludes command processing time.
+6V Output +25V Output -25V Output
Full load Up 11 msec 50 msec 50 msec
Full load Down 13 msec 45 msec 45 msec
No load Up 10 msec 20 msec 20 msec
No load Down 200 msec 400 msec 400 msec
Isolation
The 0-6V supply is isolated from the ±25V supply up to ±240 Vdc. Maximum isolation
voltage from any terminal to chassis ground ±240 Vdc.
AC Input Ratings (selectable via rear panel selector)
std 115 Vac ± 10%, 47 to 63 Hz
opt 0E3 230 Vac ± 10%, 47 to 63 Hz
opt 0E9 100 Vac ± 10%, 47 to 63 Hz
Maximum Input Power
350 VA with full load

Chapter 1 Specifications
Supplemental Characteristics
20
Cooling
Fan cooled
Operating Temperature
0 to 40°C for full rated output. At higher temperatures, the output current is derated
linearly to 50% at 55°C maximum temperature.
Output Voltage Overshoot
During turn-on or turn-off of ac power, output plus overshoot will not exceed 1 V if the
output control is set to less than 1 V. If the output control is set to 1 V or higher, there
is no overshoot.
Programming Language
SCPI (Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments)
State Storage Memory
Three (3) user-configurable stored states
Recommended Calibration Interval
1 year
Dimensions*
212.6 mmW x 132.6 mmH x 348.2 mmD (8.4 x 5.2 x 13.7 in)
*See the next page for detailed information.
Weight
Net 8.2 kg (18 lb)
Shipping 11 kg (24 lb)