GW Instek GDM-8200A Series User manual

Digital Multimeter
GDM-8200A Series
USER MANUAL
GW INSTEK PART NO. 82DM-8255AEA1
ISO-9001 CERTIFIED MANUFACTURER

This manual contains proprietary information, which is protected by
copyrights. All rights are reserved. No part of this manual may be
photocopied, reproduced or translated to another language without
prior written consent of Good Will company.
The information in this manual was correct at the time of printing.
However, Good Will continues to improve products and reserves
the right to change specifications, equipment, and maintenance
procedures at any time without notice.
Good Will Instrument Co., Ltd.
No. 7-1, Jhongsing Rd., Tucheng City, Taipei County 236, Taiwan.

Table of Contents
3
Table of Contents
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ....................................................5
Safety Symbols....................................................5
Safety Guidelines ................................................6
GETTING STARTED............................................................9
GDM-8200A Series Lineup ................................ 10
GDM-8200A Series Characteristics ................... 11
Front Panel Overview ........................................ 12
Rear Panel Overview ......................................... 17
Set Up ............................................................... 19
BASIC MEASUREMENT....................................................21
Basic Measurement Overview........................... 22
AC/DC/AC+DC Voltage Measurement .............. 24
AC/DC/AC+DC Current Measurement .............. 28
2W/4W Resistance Measurement ..................... 30
Diode Test ......................................................... 32
Continuity Test .................................................. 33
Frequency/Period Measurement ....................... 36
Temperature Measurement ............................... 37
ADVANCED MEASUREMENT ...........................................40
Advanced Measurement Overview .................... 41
dBm/dB Measurement...................................... 43
Max/Min Measurement..................................... 45
Relative Value Measurement............................. 46
Hold Measurement ........................................... 48
Compare Measurement..................................... 49
Math Measurement........................................... 52
Dual Display Measurement............................... 55
SYSTEM/DISPLAY CONFIGURATION ..............................57
Refresh Rate Setting.......................................... 58
Trigger Setting................................................... 59

GDM-8200A Series User Manual
4
Digital Filter Setting..........................................62
Display Setting ..................................................64
STORE/RECALL ............................................................... 66
Store Measurement Record...............................67
Recall Measurement Record..............................68
Save Instrument Settings ..................................69
Recall Instrument Settings ................................70
SCANNER (OPTIONAL) .................................................. 71
GDM-SC1 Scanner Specifications .....................72
Scanner Installation ..........................................72
Setup Scan ........................................................79
Run Scan ...........................................................86
DIGITAL I/O .................................................................... 89
Digital I/O Terminal Configuration ...................90
REMOTE CONTROL ........................................................ 94
Configure Interface............................................95
Command Syntax ..............................................98
Command Set....................................................99
FAQ ................................................................................108
APPENDIX ......................................................................109
Firmware Version ............................................ 110
Fuse Replacement ........................................... 111
Specifications.................................................. 113
EC Declaration of Conformity.......................... 120
INDEX ............................................................................121

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
5
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
This chapter contains important safety instructions that
you must follow when operating the GDM-8200A series
and when keeping them in storage. Read the following
before any operation to insure your safety and to keep
the best condition for the GDM-8200A series.
Safety Symbols
These safety symbols may appear in this manual or on the GDM-8200A
series.
WARNING
W
arning: Identifies conditions or practices that could
result in injury or loss of life.
CAUTION
Caution: Identifies conditions or practices that could
result in damage to the GDM-8200A series or to other
properties.
DANGER High Voltage
A
ttention Refer to the Manual
Protective Conductor Terminal
Earth (ground) Terminal

GDM-8200A Series User Manual
6
Safety Guidelines
General Guideline
CAUTION
Make sure that the voltage input level does not exceed
DC1000V/AC750V.
Make sure the current input level does not exceed 10A.
Do not place any heavy object on the GDM-8200A
series.
Avoid severe impacts or rough handling that leads to
damaging the GDM-8200A series.
Do not discharge static electricity to the GDM-8200A
series.
Use only mating connectors, not bare wires, for the
terminals.
Do not block or obstruct the cooling fan vent opening.
Do not perform measurement at the source of
low-voltage installation or at building installations
(Note below).
Do not disassemble the GDM-8200A series unless you
are qualified as service personnel.
(Note) EN 61010-1:2001 specifies the measurement categories and
their requirements as follows. The GDM-8200A series fall under
category I or II.
Measurement category IV is for measurement performed at the
source of low-voltage installation.
Measurement category III is for measurement performed in the
building installation.
Measurement category II is for measurement performed on the
circuits directly connected to the low voltage installation.
Measurement category I is for measurements performed on circuits
not directly connected to Mains.
Power Supply
WARNING
AC Input voltage: 100–240 V AC, 50–60Hz
The power supply voltage should not fluctuate more
than 10%.
Connect the protective grounding conductor of the
AC power cord to an earth ground, to avoid electrical
shock.

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
7
Fuse
WARNING
Fuse type: T3.15A/ 250V
Make sure the correct type of fuse is installed before
power up.
To ensure fire protection, replace the fuse only with
the specified type and rating.
Disconnect the power cord before fuse replacement.
Make sure the cause of fuse blowout is fixed before
fuse replacement.
Cleaning the
GDM-8200A series
Disconnect the power cord before cleaning.
Use a soft cloth dampened in a solution of mild
detergent and water. Do not spray any liquid into the
GDM-8200A series.
Do not use chemical or cleaner containing harsh
material such as benzene, toluene, xylene, and acetone.
Operation
Environment
Location: Indoor, no direct sunlight, dust free, almost
non-conductive pollution (Note below)
Relative Humidity: < 75%
Altitude: < 2000m
Temperature: 0°C to 40°C (operation), 18°C to 28°C
(full accuracy)
(Note) EN 61010-1:2001 specifies the pollution degrees and their
requirements as follows. the GDM-8200A series falls under degree
2.
Pollution refers to “addition of foreign matter, solid, liquid, or
gaseous (ionized gases), that may produce a reduction of dielectric
strength or surface resistivity”.
Pollution degree 1: No pollution or only dry, non-conductive pollution
occurs. The pollution has no influence.
Pollution degree 2: Normally only non-conductive pollution occurs.
Occasionally, however, a temporary conductivity caused by
condensation must be expected.
Pollution degree 3: Conductive pollution occurs, or dry,
non-conductive pollution occurs which becomes conductive due to
condensation which is expected. In such conditions, equipment is
normally protected against exposure to direct sunlight, precipitation,
and full wind pressure, but neither temperature nor humidity is
controlled.
Storage
Environment
Location: Indoor
Relative Humidity: < 75% (0~35°C), <50% (35~50°C)
Temperature: 10°C to 70°C

GDM-8200A Series User Manual
8
Power cord for the United Kingdom
When using the GDM-8200A series in the United Kingdom, make sure the
power cord meets the following safety instructions.
NOTE: This lead / appliance must only be wired by competent persons
WARNING: THIS APPLIANCE MUST BE EARTHED
IMPORTANT: The wires in this lead are coloured in accordance with the
following code:
Green/ Yellow: Earth
Blue: Neutral
Brown: Live (Phase)
As the colours of the wires in main leads may not correspond with the
colours marking identified in your plug/appliance, proceed as follows:
The wire which is coloured Green & Yellow must be connected to the Earth
terminal marked with the letter E or by the earth symbol or coloured Green
or Green & Yellow.
The wire which is coloured Blue must be connected to the terminal which is
marked with the letter N or coloured Blue or Black.
The wire which is coloured Brown must be connected to the terminal marked
with the letter L or P or coloured Brown or Red.
If in doubt, consult the instructions provided with the equipment or contact
the supplier.
This cable/appliance should be protected by a suitably rated and approved
HBC mains fuse: refer to the rating information on the equipment and/or
user instructions for details. As a guide, cable of 0.75mm2 should be
protected by a 3A or 5A fuse. Larger conductors would normally require 13A
types, depending on the connection method used.
Any moulded mains connector that requires removal /replacement must be
destroyed by removal of any fuse & fuse carrier and disposed of immediately,
as a plug with bared wires is hazardous if a engaged in live socket. Any
re-wiring must be carried out in accordance with the information detailed on
this label.

GETTING STARTED
9
GETTING STARTED
This chapter describes the GDM-8200A series in a
nutshell, including its main features, package contents,
and front / rear / display panel introduction. After going
through the overview, follow the Power-up sequence and
Functionality check section to properly setup the
GDM-8200A series.
Please note the information in this manual was correct at
the time of printing. However as GWInstek continues to
improve its products, changes can occur at any time
without notice. Please see the GWInstek website for the
latest information and content.
Characteristics GDM-8200A Series Lineup .....................................10
GDM-8200A Series Characteristics.........................11
Panel Overview Front Panel Overview .............................................12
Measurement keys (Upper row) .............................13
Measurement keys (Lower row) .............................15
Rear Panel Overview ..............................................17
Setup Tilt Stand................................................................19
Power Up................................................................20

GDM-8200A Series User Manual
10
GDM-8200A Series Lineup
The GDM-8200A series consists of two models:
GDM-8251A and GDM-8255A.
Appearance Both two models are identical except for the model name and
the meter count of the 1st display.
Models GDM-8251A 1st display meter: 120,000 counts
GDM-8255A
1st display meter: 199,999 counts

GETTING STARTED
11
GDM-8200A Series Characteristics
The GDM-8200A series are portable, dual-display digital
multimeters suitable for wide range of applications, such
as production testing, research, and field verification.
Performance High DCV accuracy: 0.012%
High current range: 10A
High Voltage range: 1000V
High ACV frequency response: 100kHz
Features 120000 meter count (GDM-8251A)
199999 meter count (GDM-8255A)
Multi functions: ACV, DCV, ACI, DCI, 2W/4W R, Hz,
Continuity, Diode test, MAX/MIN, REL, dBm,
HOLD, AutoHold, Compare.
Manual or Auto ranging
AC true RMS or AC + DC true RMS
Interface Voltage/Resistance/Diode/Temperature input
Current input
4W sense input
USB device/RS232 for remote control
9-pin digital I/O
16 channel scanner x2 (optional)
Optional Items 16 channel scanner x 2

GDM-8200A Series User Manual
12
Front Panel Overview
Measurement
key
Main
Terminal
4W Ohm
Terminal
Fuse
Power Switch
Main
Display
DCI/ACI
Terminal
Output
On/Off key
COM
Terminal
Power Switch
Turns On or Off the main power.
For power up sequence, see page20.
Main Display Shows measurement results and parameters.
For display configuration details, see page64 (light
setting).
Input fuse / 4W
Ωsense LO
terminal
A
s a fuse, protects the instrument from
over-current. Rating: T2A, 250V.
For fuse replacement procedure, see
page112.
A
s a sense terminal, accepts 4W 
measurement LO connection. Also
accepts current input less than 2A. For
details, see page30.
4W ΩSense HI
Terminal
A
ccepts HI sense line in 4W resistance
measurement. For details, see page30.

GETTING STARTED
13
COM Terminal
A
ccepts ground (COM) line in all
measurements except the sense line in
4W Resistance (page30).
Voltage/ 2W Ω/
(Diode)
Terminal
A
ccepts input in all measurements
except for DC/AC Current and 4W
Resistance sense line.
Current Terminal
A
ccepts DC/AC Current input.
For DCI/ACI details, see page28.
Output On/Off
key
Turns the display on or off. When the
display is turned off, all panel keys
except the Output On/Off key become
disabled. The Output On/Off key is On
by default.
Measurement keys (Upper row)
SHIFT/EXIT
A
s the Shift key, selects the second
functionality assigned to each front
panel key. When pressed, the
indicator appears in the display.
A
s the Exit key, gets out of the
parameter configuration mode and
goes back to the measurement result
display mode.
ACV
Measures AC Voltage (page24).
SHIFT →ACV
(SCAN)
Starts the optional scan measurement
(page79).
DCV
Measures DC Voltage (page24).

GDM-8200A Series User Manual
14
SHIFT →DCV
(STEP)
Starts the step measurement (page79)
using the optional scanner.
ACV + DCV
W
hen the ACV key and the DCV key
are pressed together, they measure
A
C+DC Voltage (page24).
ACI
Measures AC Current (page28).
SHIFT →ACI
(RECALL)
Recalls a normal measurement result
(page68) or a scan measurement
result (page87).
DCI
Measures DC Current (page28).
SHIFT →DCI
(STORE)
Stores a measurement result
(page67).
ACI + DCI
W
hen the ACI key and the DCI key
are pressed together, they measure
A
C+DC Current (page28).
2/4W
(Resistance)
Measures 2-wire or 4-wire Resistance
(page30).
SHIFT →2/4W
(MATH)
Enters the Math measurement mode
(page52).
/
(Diode/
Continuity)
/
Tests Diode (page32) or Continuity
(page33).
SHIFT →
/
(dBm)
Measures dBm (page43).
Hz/P (Frequency/
Period)
Measures Frequency or Period
(page36).
SHIFT + Hz/P
(dB)
Measures dB (page44).

GETTING STARTED
15
°C/°F
(Temperature)
Measures Temperature (page37).
SHIFT + °C/°F
(SENSOR)
Selects the type of thermocouple
used in the Temperature
measurement (page38).
Measurement keys (Lower row)
AUTO/ENTER
A
s the AUTO key, selects the
measurement range automatically.
A
s the ENTER key, confirms the
entered value.
SHIFT →AUTO
(RATE)
Selects the measurement update rate:
Slow, Medium, or Fast (page22).
Up/Down
Selects the parameter in various
occasions: higher ( ) or lower ( ).
HOLD
A
ctivates the Hold function (page48).
SHIFT →HOLD
(COMPare)
A
ctivates the Compare measurement
(page49).
TRIG (Trigger)
Triggers sample acquisition manually
(page59).
SHIFT →TRIG
(Int/Ext Trigger)
Selects the Internal or the External
trigger source (page59).
Left/Right
Selects the parameter in various
occasions: left ( ) or right ( ).
REL
Measures the Relative value (page46).
SHIFT →REL
(RELative base)
Manually sets the reference value for
the Relative value measurement
(page46).

GDM-8200A Series User Manual
16
MX/MN
(MAX/ MIN)
Measures the Maximum or the
Minimum value (page45).
SHIFT →
MX/MN (FILTER)
Selects the digital filter type for the
signal sampling (page62).
2ND (Display) /
LOCAL
A
s the 2nd key, selects the
measurement item on the 2nd display
(page55). Pressing and holding for
more than 1 second turns off the 2nd
display.
A
s the Local ke
y
, releases the remote
control and goes back to the local
panel operation (page95).
SHIFT → 2ND
(Menu)
Enters the configuration mode.
Configures or displays the following
items: Display (page57), Beep
(page35), Continuity threshold
(page34), Scanner (page79), Digital
I/O (page89), and System
information (page109).

GETTING STARTED
17
Rear Panel Overview
RS-232C
Port
Optional Item
Slot x2 Power Cord Socket
Fuse
T3.15A/250V
CAL Key
Port
Digital I/O
Port USB Device
Port
Power Cord
Socket
A
ccepts the power cord. AC
100–240V, 50–60Hz.
For power on sequence, see page20.
Fuse Socket
Holds the main fuse: T3.15A 250V,
20VA.
For fuse replacement details, see
page111.
RS-232C port
A
ccepts an RS-232C cable for remote
control; DB-9 male connector.
For remote control details, see page96.
USB device port
A
ccepts a USB device cable for remote
control; Type A, female connector.
For remote control details, see page95.
CAL key port
CAL KEY
Reserved for internal uses as in
firmware update and calibration.

GDM-8200A Series User Manual
18
Digital I/O port
A
ccepts a digital I/O cable for the
Hi/Lo limit test; DB-9 pin, female
connector.
For digital I/O details, see page90.
Optional slot x2
A
ccepts up to two optional scanner modules. 16
channels are available per scanner. When two modules
are used, maximum 32 channels are available.
For scanner details, see page71.

GETTING STARTED
19
Set Up
Tilt Stand
Tilt stand steps Pull out the
handle sideways
and rotate it.
Place the unit
horizontally,
Or in the tilt
stand position.
Place the handle
v
ertically for hand
carry.

GDM-8200A Series User Manual
20
Power Up
Power up steps 1. Connect the power
cord to the AC
Voltage input.
Note
Make sure the ground connector of the power cord
is connected to a safety ground. This will affect the
measurement accuracy.
2. Push and turn On the
main power switch on
the front panel.
3. The display shows the model name and the version
for a few seconds.
Example: GDM-8255A, V2.00
4. Then the default setting appears.
Example: DCV, Auto, 1V range