B+K precision 5492B User manual

Model: 5492B, 5492BGPIB
5 ½ Bench Digital Multimeter
USER MANUAL

2
Safety Notice
As described in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard IEC 664, digital
multimeter measuring circuits (e.g., B&K Models 5492B) and the USB terminal are Installation
Category II (CAT II). All other instruments’ signal terminals are Installation Category I and must
not be connected to mains.
This equipment is a POLLUTION DEGREE 2, INDOOR USE product.
Safety Summary
The following safety precautions apply to both operating and maintenance personnel and
must be observed during all phases of operation, service, and repair of this instrument.
Before applying power, follow the installation instructions and become familiar with the
operating instructions for this instrument.
GROUND THE INSTRUMENT
To minimize shock hazard, the instrument chassis and cabinet must be connected to an
electrical ground. This instrument is grounded through the ground conductor of the
supplied, three-conductor ac power cable. The power cable must be plugged into an
approved three-conductor electrical outlet. Do not alter the ground connection. Without the
protective ground connection, all accessible conductive parts (including control knobs) can
render an electric shock. The power jack and mating plug of the power cable meet IEC
safety standards.
DO NOT OPERATE IN AN EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERE
Do not operate the instrument in the presence of flammable gases or fumes. Operation of
any electrical instrument in such an environment constitutes a definite safety hazard.
KEEP AWAY FROM LIVE CIRCUITS
Instrument covers must not be removed by operating personnel. Component replacement
and internal adjustments must be made by qualified maintenance personnel. Disconnect the
power cord before removing the instrument covers and replacing components. Under certain
conditions, even with the power cable removed, dangerous voltages may exist. To avoid
injuries, always disconnect power and discharge circuits before touching them.
DO NOT SERVICE OR ADJUST ALONE
Do not attempt any internal service or adjustment unless another person, capable of
rendering first aid and resuscitation, is present.
DO NOT SUBSTITUTE PARTS OR MODIFY THE INSTRUMENT

3
Do not install substitute parts or perform any unauthorized modifications to this instrument.
Return the instrument to B&K Precision for service and repair to ensure that safety features
are maintained.
WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS
WARNING and CAUTION statements, such as the following examples, denote a hazard
and appear throughout this manual. Follow all instructions contained in these statements.
A WARNING statement calls attention to an operating procedure, practice, or condition,
which, if not followed correctly, could result in injury or death to personnel.
A CAUTION statement calls attention to an operating procedure, practice, or condition,
which, if not followed correctly, could result in damage to or destruction of parts or the
entire product.
WARNING: Do not alter the ground connection. Without the protective ground
connection, all accessible conductive parts (including control knobs) can
render an electric shock. The power jack and mating plug of the power cable
meet IEC safety standards.
WARNING:
To avoid electrical shock hazard, disconnect power cord
before removing
covers. Refer servicing to qualified personnel.
CAUTION:
Before connecting the line cord to the AC mains, check the rear panel AC line
voltage indicator. Applying a line voltage other than the indicated voltage can
destroy the AC line
fuses. For continued fire protection, replace fuses only
with those of the specified voltage and current ratings.
CAUTION:
This product uses components which can be damaged by electro-
static
discharge (ESD). To avoid damage, be sure to follow proper pr
ocedures for
handling, storing and transporting parts and subassemblies which contain
ESD-sensitive components.

4
SAFETY SYMBOL
This symbol serves as a warning to users of the input safety ratings. Refer to the
operating instructions for details.
Electrical Shock hazard.
Chassis ground symbol.
CAT I
(1000V) IEC Measurement Category I.
Inputs may be connected to
mains (up to 300 VAC) under
Category II overvoltage conditions.
CAT II
(300V) IEC Measurement Category II.
Compliance Statements
Disposal of Old Electrical & Electronic Equipment (Applicable in the European
Union and other European countries with separate collection systems)
This product is subject to Directive 2002/96/EC of the European
Parliament and the
Council of the European Union on waste
electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) , and in jurisdictions
adopting that Directive, is marked as being put on the market after
August 13, 2005, and should not be disposed of as unsorted
municipal waste. Please utilize your local WEEE collection facilities
in the disposition of this product and otherwise observe all applicable
requirements.
.

6
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 General Information .....................................................................................................9
1.1 Feature Overview...............................................................................................................9
1.2 Input Power and Fuse Requirements .................................................................................9
1.3 Package Contents............................................................................................................11
Chapter 2 Overview ........................................................................................................................ 12
2.1 Front Panel Overview.......................................................................................................12
2.2 Screen Display.................................................................................................................14
2.3 Front Panel Menu Options................................................................................................14
2.4 Front Panel Menu Overview.............................................................................................16
2.5 Rear Panel Summary.......................................................................................................17
2.6 Power up..........................................................................................................................18
2.6.1 Power Line Connection ....................................................................................................18
2.6.2 Power-up Sequence.........................................................................................................18
2.6.3 High Energy Circuit Safety Precautions...........................................................................19
2.6.4 Power-on Defaults............................................................................................................19
2.6.5 Warm-up time ...................................................................................................................21
Chapter 3 Basic Measurements.................................................................................................. 22
3.1 Overview..........................................................................................................................22
3.2 Measuring Voltage............................................................................................................22
3.2.1 Connections......................................................................................................................22
3.2.2 Crest factor.......................................................................................................................24
3.3 Measuring Current............................................................................................................24
3.3.1 Connections......................................................................................................................24
3.3.2 Front Panel Fuse Replacement........................................................................................25
3.4 Measuring Resistance......................................................................................................26
3.4.1 Connections......................................................................................................................26
3.4.2 Shielding...........................................................................................................................27
3.5 Measuring Frequency and Period.....................................................................................28
3.5.1 Trigger Level and Measurement Errors............................................................................28
3.5.2 Gate Time.........................................................................................................................28
3.5.3 Connections......................................................................................................................28
3.6 Measuring Continuity........................................................................................................29
3.6.1 Connections......................................................................................................................29
3.6.2 Threshold resistance level................................................................................................30
3.7 Testing Diode ...................................................................................................................30
3.7.1 Connections......................................................................................................................30
3.7.2 Current Range..................................................................................................................31
3.8 Math Functions.................................................................................................................32

7
3.8.1 mX+b.................................................................................................................................32
3.8.2 Percent..............................................................................................................................33
3.8.3 dB Calculation...................................................................................................................34
3.8.4 dBm Calculation................................................................................................................35
Chapter 4 Measurement Options .............................................................................................. 37
4.1 Measurement configuration..............................................................................................37
4.1.1 Range ...............................................................................................................................37
4.1.2 Filter..................................................................................................................................38
4.1.3 Relative.............................................................................................................................39
4.1.4 Rate ..................................................................................................................................40
4.2 Trigger Operations............................................................................................................41
4.2.1 Trigger Model....................................................................................................................41
4.2.2 EXT Trig & VM Comp .......................................................................................................44
4.3 Buffer Operations.............................................................................................................44
4.3.1 Store Reading...................................................................................................................45
4.3.2 Recall Readings................................................................................................................46
4.3.3 Buffer Statistics.................................................................................................................47
4.4 Limit Operations...............................................................................................................47
4.4.1 Enabling limits...................................................................................................................48
4.4.2 Setting Limit Values..........................................................................................................48
4.4.3 Configure Limit Beep........................................................................................................49
4.5 System Operations...........................................................................................................49
4.5.1 Beeper Control..................................................................................................................50
4.5.2 Save Settings....................................................................................................................50
4.5.3 Restore Settings...............................................................................................................51
4.5.4 Display Control .................................................................................................................51
4.5.5 Key Sound........................................................................................................................52
4.5.6 Self-test.............................................................................................................................52
4.5.7 Calibration.........................................................................................................................53
Chapter 5 Remote Operation....................................................................................................... 54
5.1 Selecting an Interface.......................................................................................................54
5.1.1 USB (Virtual COM) Interface............................................................................................54
5.1.2 RS-232 Serial Interface.................................................................................................... 55
5.1.3 GPIB Interface (model 5492BGPIB only).........................................................................55
5.2 USB & RS-232 Interface Operation..................................................................................56
5.2.1 RS-232 Connection ..........................................................................................................56
5.2.2 Sending and receiving data..............................................................................................57
5.2.3 Selecting Baud Rate.........................................................................................................57
5.2.4 Selecting Parity Mode.......................................................................................................57
5.2.5 Selecting Terminal Character...........................................................................................58
5.2.6 Selecting Echoing.............................................................................................................58
5.2.7 Software Protocol .............................................................................................................59

8
5.3 GPIB Interface operation (model 5492BGPIB only)..........................................................60
5.3.1 GPIB Connection..............................................................................................................60
5.3.2 GPIB Interface Capability.................................................................................................61
5.3.3 GPIB Addressing..............................................................................................................61
5.4 Data Format.....................................................................................................................61
Chapter 6 SCPI Command Reference....................................................................................... 62
6.1 Command Structure.........................................................................................................62
6.2 Command Syntax.............................................................................................................63
6.2.1 Commands and command parameters............................................................................63
6.2.2 Short-form Rules...............................................................................................................64
6.2.3 Basic Rules of Command Structure.................................................................................65
6.2.4 Multiple Command Rules .................................................................................................65
6.2.5 Command Path Rules ......................................................................................................65
6.3 Command Reference .......................................................................................................66
6.3.1 Measurement Commands................................................................................................66
6.3.2 DISPlay subsystem...........................................................................................................70
6.3.3 CALCulate Subsystem .....................................................................................................70
6.3.4 SENSe subsystem command...........................................................................................79
6.3.5 SYSTem Subsystem.........................................................................................................92
6.3.6 UNIT Subsystem...............................................................................................................94
6.3.7 TRIGger Subsystem.........................................................................................................97
6.3.8 Common Commands........................................................................................................99
Chapter 7 Troubleshooting Guide.......................................................................................... 100
7.1 Frequently Asked Questions...........................................................................................100
7.2 Error Messages..............................................................................................................101
Chapter 8 Specifications............................................................................................................. 102
8.1 Technical Specifications .................................................................................................102
SERVICE INFORMATION ............................................................................................................ 110
LIMITED THREE-YEAR WARRANTY..................................................................................... 110

General information
9
Chapter 1 General Information
This chapter is outlined as follows:
1.1 Feature Overview
1.2 Input Power and Fuse Requirements
1.3 Package Contents
1.1 Feature Overview
5492B is a 5½ digital multimeter with high accuracy, stability and speed. It has a 0.01% DC voltage
basic accuracy, 0.03% basic resistance accuracy and broad ranges that can measure:
DC voltage up to 1000 V
AC (RMS) voltage up to 750 V, or about 1000 V Peak
DC current up to 12A
AC (RMS) current up to 12 A
Two and four-wire resistance up to 120 MΩ
Frequency from 5 Hz to 1 MHz
1.2 Input Power and Fuse Requirements
The 5492B digital multimeter can operate on 110 V or 220 V with +/- 10% tolerance at 60 Hz or 50 Hz
with +/- 5% tolerance respectively. Before powering the instrument, please check for correct power
input setup that corresponds to the line voltage to be used for operation. Note the label in the rear label,
as shown below:
RATING FUSE
~110 V / 60 Hz T1AL, 250 V
~220 V / 50 Hz T500mAL, 250 V
There are two items to check for:
1. Check that the correct fuse is placed inside the fuse box. Referring to the above table, use a 1
A fuse for 110 V/ 60 Hz operation, and 500 mAfuse for 220 V/50 Hz operation.
2. Check the fuse holder position. There is a voltage indicator window on the front face of the fuse
box that indicates the selected line voltage. To change or select the appropriate line voltage,
remove the fuse box and pull out and rotate the fuse holder, as illustrated below:

General information
10
There is a second fuse with a fuse holder located in the front panel of the multimeter. This is an over
current protection fuse for the low current measurement input. It is rated for a T2AL, 250 V fuse. To
remove and replace this fuse, see the illustration below:
There is a third fuse located inside the instrument which protects the 12 A input terminal if current
exceeds the maximum rating. It is a 6 x 32 mm 250V, 20 A fast acting high energy ceramic fuse.
Fuse Box
110
To remove, use a flat head screw driver or a coin to
insert into the slid and turn counter-clockwise to
open. Similarly to put back the fuse box, push the
box down and turn clockwise.
Voltage Indicator Window
Fuse Holder
Fuse Box
110
110
220
Press both sides indicated by the arrows and pull to
remove fuse box.

Overview
12
Chapter 2 Overview
This chapter is outlined as follows:
2.1 Front Panel Overview
2.2 Screen Display
2.3 Front Panel Menu Options
2.4 Front Panel Menu Overview
2.5 Rear Panel Summary
2.6 Power up
2.1 Front Panel Overview
The front panel of the B&K 5492B is shown in Figure 2-1. This figure includes some important
abbreviated information that should be reviewed before operating the instrument.
Figure 1- Front Panel View

Overview
13
1. Measurement function keys
Select measurement function: DC voltage and current, AC voltage and current, 2-wire and 4-wire
resistance, frequency, period, continuity and diode test.
2. Math function keys
Select math function: mX+b, %, dB, dBm and Rel.
3. Menu operation keys
→Open/Close menu
→Recall the menu performed last
Move through selections within menu level, sub-menu level or parameter level
Move through selections within menu level, sub-menu level or parameter level.
Move up a level.
Move down a level.
(ENTER) Save the changes made on “parameter” level, and return to the “sub-menu” level.
(ESC) Cancel the changes made on “parameter” level, and return to the “sub-menu”
level.
4. Range and measurement speed keys
Select a higher range and disable auto ranging.
Select a lower range and disable auto ranging.
Toggle between auto ranging and manual ranging.
→Set measurement speed to Fast.
→Set measurement speed to Medium.
→Set measurement speed to Slow.
5. Trig/Hold Key
Trigger a measurement from the front panel.
→Hold a stable reading on the display when selected numbers of samples are
within the selected tolerance.
6. Shift/Local keys
Used to access shifted keys (labels are in blue).
(LOCAL) Exit remote operation and set back to local operation.

Overview
14
2.2 Screen Display
Figure 2-2 Display Annunciators
* (asterisk) Instrument is ready to store readings (when in system menu) /
Reading is being stored (when in measurement mode)
(Diode) Instrument is in diode testing function
(Speaker) Beeper on for continuity testing function
4W Multimeter is in 4-wire resistance measurement mode.
ADRS Multimeter is addressed to listen or talk over the GPIB interface
AUTO Auto ranging enabled
ERR Hardware or remote control error detected
FAST Fast reading rate
FILT Digital filter enabled
HOLD Reading HOLD is enabled
MATH A math operation is enabled (mX+b, %, dB, dBm).
MED Medium reading rate
MEM Turns on when reading memory is enabled
REL Relative reading displayed
RMT Multimeter is in remote mode
SHIFT Accessing shifted keys
SLOW Slow reading rate
TRIG Multimeter is waiting for a trigger (manual, bus, or external trigger).
2.3 Front Panel Menu Options
A : MEASurement MENU
1:CONTINUITY →2:FILTER → 3:FILT TYPE → 4:FILT COUNT
1. CONTINUITY Select the continuity beeper threshold: 1 Ω to 1000 Ω
2. FILTER Enable or disable FILTER function.
3. FILT TYPE Select the type of filter.
Select MOVNG AV (Moving Average) or REPEAT (Repeating Average).
4. FILT COUNT Set the number of readings to be filtered or averaged.
B : MATH MENU
1:SET M →2:SET B →3:PERCENT →4:dB REF →5:dBm REF →6:LIMIT TEST →7:HIGH LIMIT
→8:LOW LIMITT→9:LIMIT BEEP
1. SET M Set the scale factor M for MX+B function.
2. SET B Set the offset factor B for MX+B function.

Overview
15
3. PERCENT Set the reference value for PERCENT function.
4. dB REF Set the dB reference voltage value.
5. dBm REF Set the dBm reference impedance value.
6. LIMIT TEST Enable or disable the limit testing.
7. HIGH LIMIT Set the high limit for limit testing.
8. LOW LIMIT Set the low limit for limit testing.
9. LIMIT BEEP Set the beep mode for limit testing.Select from: NEVER, HI, IN, LO, OUT.
C : TRIGger MENU
1:TRIG MODE → 2:TRIG DELAY
1. TRIG MODE Select the trigger source.
Select IMM (Immediate), MAN (Manual), BUS, or EXT (External) trigger
source.
2. TRIG DELAY Select AUTO or MANUal trigger delay mode. Selecting manual will allow
you to specify a time interval which is inserted before a measurement.
D : SYStem MENU
1:RDGS STORE → 2:RDGS COUNT → 3:SAVED RDGS → 4:BEEP →5:SAVE CNFG
→ 6:LOAD CNFG → 7:DISPLAY → 8:KEY SOUND → 9:TEST
1. RDGS STORE Enable or disable reading memory.
2. RDGS COUNT Set the number of readings to be saved (2 to 512).
3. SAVED RDGS Recall readings stored in memory.
4. BEEP Enable or disable the beeper function
5. SAVE CNFG Save the present configuration as one of the 10 user’s settings.
6. LOAD CNFG Restore factory or one of the 10 user’s settings
7. DISPLAY Enable or disable the front panel display.
8. KEY SOUND Enable or disable the key sound when you press a key.
9. TEST Perform a complete self-test.
E : Input / Output MENU
1:GPIB ADDR → 2:INTERFACE → 3:BAUD RATE→4:PARITY→5:TX TERM→6:RETURN
1. GPIB ADDR Set the GPIB bus address. (0 to 31)
2. INTERFACE Select between GPIB and USB/RS232 as the remote control interface.
3. BAUD RATE Select the baud rate for USB/RS232C operation.
Select from: 115.2K, 57.6K, 38.4K, 19.2K, 9600,4800, 2400.
4. PARITY Select the parity mode for USB/RS232C operation.
Select from: NONE, EVEN, ODD.
5. TX TERM Select the terminal character for USB/RS232C communication.
Selection from: LF, CR, LFCR
6. RETURN Enable or disable echoing command strings.
F : CALibration MENU (This function is not available)
1:SECURED → 3:CAL DATE → 4:CAL COUNT

Overview
16
2.4 Front Panel Menu Overview
The menu is organized in a top-down tree structure with three levels (menus, submenus and parameters)
as shown in Figure 2-3. You can use down ( ) or up () keys to browse through the menu tree
from one level to another. Each of the three levels has several choices which you can view by using left
() or right ( ) keys.
Figure 2-3 Menu Tree
To turn on the menu, press →(Menu).
To turn off the menu, press →(Menu), or press any of the function or math keys
on the top row of front panel keys (i.e. DC V, Freq, etc.).
To confirm a change on the “parameter” level, press (ENTER).
To cancel a change on the “parameter” level, press (ESC).
To recall the last menu command that was executed, press →(Recall)
The messages displayed during menu operation are listed in the following Table 2-1.
Table 2-1 Messages Displayed During Menu Operation
MESSAGES DESCRIPTION
CHANGE SAVED The change made on the “parameter” level is saved. This message will
be displayed after you press (ENTER) to save the changes.
TOO SMALL The value you specified on the “parameter”
level is too small for the
selected command. The minimum value allowed is displayed for you to
edit.
TOO LARGE The value you specified on the “parameter”
level is too large for the
selected command. The maximum value allowed is displayed for you to
edit.
FILE SAVING System configuration file is being saved.
FILE LOADING System configuration file is being restored.
SAVE SUCCEED System configuration file is successfully saved.
LOAD SUCCEED System configuration file is successfully restored.
Menus
Submenus
Parameters

Overview
17
Note: If you press on the “menu” level, nothing will happen because it is at the top
menu level of already. Likewise, if you press on the “parameter” level, nothing will
happen because it is at the lowest menu level.
2.5 Rear Panel Summary
The rear panel of BK 5492B is shown in Figure 2-4. This section includes important information that
should be reviewed before operating the instrument.
Figure 2-4 Rear Panel
1. Power line fuse holder
The multimeters can be configured for line voltage of 110/220 V ± 10 % AC at line frequency of 50/60
Hz ± 5%.
Power line fuse is used for instrument protection. (220 V/500 mA or 110 V/1 A)
Note: Please use the same-type of fuse as it is in the fuse holder. To verify and replace the
fuse, remove the power cable and pull out the fuse holder. See section 1.2 for
details.
2. (optional) GPIB (IEEE-488) interface (model 5492BGPIB)
3. Chassis ground screw terminal
4. RS-232 (Serial) interface
5. USB interface
6. External Trigger BNC input terminal
7. VM Comp (Voltmeter complete) BNC output terminal
8. Serial number label

Overview
20
Table 2-2 Factory Default Settings
Setting Factory Default
Autozero
Buffer
Continuity
Beeper
Digits
Rate
Threshold
Current(AC and DC)
Digits(AC)
Digits(DC)
Filter
Count
Mode
Range
Relative
Value
Rate(AC)
Rate(DC)
Diode test
Digits
Range
Rate
Frequency and Period
Digits
Range
Relative
Value
Rate
Function
GPIB
Address
Language
Limits
Beeper
High limit
Low limit
mX+b
Scale factor
Offset
Percent
Reference
On
No effect
On
4 1/2
Fast(0.1 PLC)
10 Ω
5 1/2
5 1/2
On
5
Moving average
Auto
Off
0.0
Medium(10PLC)
Medium( 1 PLC)
5 1/2
1 mA
Medium(1 PLC)
5 1/2
12 V
Off
0.0
Slow(1 sec)
DCV
No effect
8
SCPI
Off
ON
+1
-1
Off
1.0
0.0
Off
1.0

Overview
21
Table 2-2 Factory Default Settings (cont.)
Resistance(2-wire and 4-wire)
Digits
Filter
Count
Mode
Range
Relative
Value
Rate
RS-232(USB)
Baud
Triggers
Continuous
Delay
Source
Voltage(AC and DC)
dB reference
dBm reference
Digits(AC)
Digits(DC)
Filter
Count
Mode
Range
Relative
Value
Rate(AC)
Rate(DC)
5 1/2
On
5
Moving average
Auto
Off
0.0
Medium(1 PLC)
On
9600
On
Auto
Immediate
No effect
75 Ω
5 1/2
5 1/2
On
5
Moving average
Auto
Off
0.0
Medium(10PLC)
Medium( 1PLC)
2.6.5 Warm-up time
The 5492B is ready for use after power-up sequence (boot and self test) is completed. However, to
achieve specified accuracy and stability, allow the instrument to warm up for half an hour. If the
instrument has been subjected to extreme temperatures, allow additional time for internal temperature to
stabilize

Basic Measurements
22
Chapter 3 Basic Measurements
This chapter is outlined as follows:
3.1 Overview
3.2 Measuring Voltage
3.3 Measuring Current
3.4 Measuring Resistance
3.5 Measuring Frequency and Period
3.6 Measuring Continuity
3.7 Testing Diode
3.8 Math Functions
3.1 Overview
The front panel has two rows of keys to select various functions and operations. Most keys have a
shifted function printed in blue above the key. To perform a shifted function, press (the Shift
annunciator will turn on). Then, press the key that has the desired label above it. For example, to select
the AC current function, press then press (AC I).
If you accidentally press , just press it again to turn off the Shift annunciator.
3.2 Measuring Voltage
Voltage ranges: 120 mV, 1.2 V, 12 V, 120 V, 1000 V (750 VAC)
Maximum resolution: 1 μV (on 120 mV range)
3.2.1 Connections
Assuming the multimeter is under factory default conditions, the basic procedure for measuring voltage
is as follows:
1. Connect test leads to INPUT HI and LO terminals.
2. Select DC or AC voltage measurement by pressing or respectively.
3. Press to toggle between auto and manual ranging. Notice the AUTO annunciator is
displayed with auto ranging. For manual range, use the RANGE and keys to select
the appropriate range for measurement.
4. Connect test leads to the sources as shown in Figure 3-1.
CAUTION: Do not apply more than 1000 V peak to the input or it will damage the instrument.
5. If the “OVR.FLW” message is displayed, press the up key to select a higher range until a
normal reading is displayed (or press key for auto ranging). Use the lowest possible range for
the best resolution. The measured reading is displayed.

Basic Measurements
23
DC Voltage
Source
▲
▲
▲
▲
DC V AC V 2W Fr eq
Aut o Tr i g
MX+ B
Shi f t
Cont Rel
¦¸
Period dB/m
FastMenu Recall Med Slow Hold
CHOICES LEVEL ENTER ESC LOCAL
%
IDC IAC 4W
Ω
FAST
MED
SLOW
ADRS RMT HOLD TRIG *MEM AUTO REL FILT MATH SHIFT
4W
ERR
POWER
T2AL 250V
SENSE
V Ω
LO
HI
！
10A
CATⅡ(300V)
CATⅠ(1000V)
350V
MAX
1000V
MAX
12A
MAX
mA
12A
INPUT
R
5
5492B
12
/Digit Multimeter
Input Resistance = 10 MΩ on 1000 V and 120 V ranges;
> 10 GΩ on 12 V, 1.2 V and 120 mV ranges
CAUTION: Maximum Input = 1010 V peak
1000V
MAX
AC Voltage
Source
▲
▲
▲
▲
DC V AC V 2W Fr eq
Aut o Tr i
g
MX+ B
Shi f t
Cont Rel
¦¸
Period dB/m
FastMenu Recall Med Slow Hold
CHOICES LEVEL ENTER ESC LOCAL
%
IDC IAC 4W
Ω
FAST
MED
SLOW
ADRS RMT HOLD TRIG *MEM AUTO REL FILT MATH SHIFT
4W
ERR
POWER
T2AL 250V
SENSE
Ω4W VΩ
LO
HI
！
10A
350V
MAX
12A
MAX
mA
12A
INPUT
CATⅡ(300V)
CATⅠ(1000V)
R
5
5492B
12
/
Digit Multimeter
Input Impedance = 1 MΩ,100 pF
CAUTION: Maximum Input = 750 V RMS or 1000 V peak
Figure 3-1 DC and AC Voltage Measurement Connections

Basic Measurements
24
3.2.2 Crest factor
AC voltage and current accuracies are affected by the crest factor of the waveform, the ratio of the peak
value to the RMS value. Table 3-1 lists the fundamental frequencies at which the corresponding crest
factor must be taken into account for accuracy calculations.
Table 3-1 Crest Factor Limitations
Crest Factor Fundamental Frequency
2
3
4-5
50 kHz
3 kHz
1 kHz
3.3 Measuring Current
Current ranges: 12 mA, 120 mA (DCI only, not available for ACI), 1.2 A, 12 A
Maximum resolution: 100 nA (on 12 mA range)
Note: Auto range is only available for 12 mA and 120 mA (DCI only) ranges. For 1.2 A and 12 A
range, manual range must be used.
3.3.1 Connections
Assuming the multimeter is under factory default conditions, the basic procedure for measuring current
is as follows:
1. Connect test leads to INPUT LO and SENSE LO terminals
2. Select DCI or ACI measurement function by pressing →or →
respectively.
3. Press to toggle between auto and manual ranging. Notice the AUTO annunciator is displayed
with auto ranging. For manual range, use the RANGE and keys to select a
measurement range consistent with expected current.
Auto range is only available for 12 mA and 120 mA (DCI only) ranges. Manual range must be
used for 1.2 A and 12 A ranges.
Therefore, it is recommended to use manual range when measuring current greater than 1 A with
1.2 A or 12 A range.
4. Connect test leads to the source as shown in Figure 3-2:
CAUTION: Do not apply more than 2 A between INPUT LO and SENSE LO terminals or the
protective fuse on the front panel will blow. Use the 10 A terminal for measuring
current above 1 A. See Figure 3-2 for details.
5. If the “OVR.FLW” message is displayed, press up key to select a higher range until a normal
reading is displayed (or press key for auto ranging). Use the lowest possible range for the
best resolution. Note that auto ranging is only available for 12 mA and 120 mA (DCI only) ranges.