Teledyne T3CP30-50 User manual

T3CP Current Probes Manual
DC/AC Current Probes

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Contents
General Safety Summary ..................................................................................... 1
Safety Terms and Symbols ................................................................................... 2
Product Overview ................................................................................................. 3
Key Features ................................................................................................... 3
Applications ...................................................................................................... 3
Product Description ............................................................................................... 4
Making Measurements .......................................................................................... 5
Safe Probing.......................................................................................................... 7
Operating Method.................................................................................................. 9
Preparation Before Testing ............................................................................. 10
Degaussing and Zero Setting ........................................................................ 10
Measuring Method.......................................................................................... 11
Frequently Asked Questions and Tips..................................................................11
Specications ...................................................................................................... 12
Certications........................................................................................................ 17
Safety Compliance .............................................................................................. 18
Environmental Compliance ................................................................................. 18
Warranty ............................................................................................................. 20

Page 1
© 2021 Teledyne LeCroy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Users are permitted to duplicate and distribute Teledyne LeCroy, Inc. documentation for internal
educational purposes only. Resale or unauthorized duplication of Teledyne LeCroy publications is
strictly prohibited.
Teledyne Test Tools is a trademark of Teledyne LeCroy, Inc., Inc. Other product or brand names are
trademarks or requested trademarks of their respective holders. Information in this publication
supersedes all earlier versions.
Specications are subject to change without notice.
Safety Instructions
Follow these instructions to keep the probe operating in a correct and safe condition. Observe
generally accepted safety procedures in addition to the precautions specied here. The overall safety
of any system incorporating this product is the responsibility of the assembler of the system.
Symbols
These symbols appear on the probe body or in documentation to alert you to important safety
considerations.
Precautions
Comply with the following safety precautions to avoid personal injury or damage to your
equipment:
Use only as specied. The probe is intended to be used only with compatible Teledyne LeCroy
instruments. Using the probe and/or the equipment it is connected to in a manner other than specied
may impair the protection mechanisms.
Do not use the probe for measurements on Mains circuits. The probe should only be applied
around or removed from insulated, limited-energy circuit conductors that are not directly connected to
the mains.
CAUTION, possibility of electric shock.
CAUTION of damage to probe or instrument, or WARNING of hazard to health. Attend
to the accompanying information to protect against personal injury or damage. Do not
proceed until conditions are fully understood and met.
Do not apply around or remove from UNINSULATED HAZARDOUS LIVE conductors
which may render electric shock, electric burn, or arc ash.
Equipment protected by double insulation or reinforced insulation.
CAUTION, hot surface.
!
!
sss

Do not overload; observe all ratings. To avoid electric shock or re, do not connect the current probe
to any wire that carries voltages or currents that exceed the ratings of the probe.
Connect and disconnect properly. Connect the probe to the test instrument before connecting to
the circuit/conductor being measured.
Avoid damaging the cable through excessive bending.
Never install or remove the probe on bare conductors which are energized. The transformer core
and shield are grounded but not insulated and may contact the conductor when the locking lever is
open.
Be careful not to damage the insulation surface when making measurements. Before clamping to
the conductor being measured, check that the insulation on the conductor is undamaged, and take
care not to damage the insulation when clamping the conductor. Any damage to the insulation could
cause an electric shock.
Use only indoors within the operational environment listed. Do not use in wet or explosive
atmospheres.
Do not remove the probe's casing. Touching exposed connections may result in electric shock.
Keep product surfaces clean and dry.
Comply with the maximum input current vs. frequency derating when measuring current that
includes a high frequency component. Using the probe at high frequencies or in strong magnetic elds
may cause the device to become abnormally hot, resulting in re, equipment damage or burns.
Do not operate with suspected failures. Before each use, inspect the probe and accessories for any
damage such as tears or other defects in the probe body, cable jacket, accessories, etc. If any part is
damaged, cease operation immediately and sequester the probe from inadvertent use.
NOTE: Depending on the amplitude and frequency of the current being measured, the sensor head
may emit a resonant sound. This sound may also occur during demagnetizing operation, but it does
not represent a malfunction (device failure).
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Page 3
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
T3CP30-50: 30 Amps, 50 MHz
T3CP30-100: 30 Amps, 100 MHz
T3CP50-50: 50 Amps, 50 MHz
T3CP150-12: 150 Amps, 12 MHz
T3CP500-5: 500 Amps, 5 MHz
Key Features
●Accurate and easy current measurements.
●Wide bandwidth.
●Combined DC and AC measurements.
●Over-current protection with dual indicators.
●High and low range / sensitivity selection (dual range).
●Low current measurements feature.
●Degaussing and automatic zero setting.
●User control of range / sensitivity selection,
degaussing and automatic zero.
Teledyne Test Tools new T3CP series current probes are wide bandwidth DC/AC active current
probes, featuring high bandwidth, fast and accurate waveform capture, measurement accuracy up
to 1% and low circuit insertion loss. These probes can be used with any oscilloscope having a high-
impedance BNC input.
Applications
●Switching and linear power design.
●Single and multi-phase inverters.
●Consumer electronics and household appliances.
●Electric vehicle motor, power train and drive electronics.
●Power component measurements.
●Domestic and industrial photo-voltaic (PV) system
design.
●LED lighting Power design.
●Industrial and military control electronics.
●Research and development.
●Universities. General electronics education and power
focused courses.

Page 4
1) Sensor Head
The T3CP measurement clamp head where the DUT conductor is placed. The measurement clamp
head contains a precision semi-conductor sensor that could be damaged by drastic changes of
environmental temperature, external pressure, excessive vibration and shock. Please be careful
whilst taking a measurement and using the probe.
2) Opening lever
The operating lever used to open the sensor head. Pull the lever back away from the jaw to open
the sensor head. Put in the cable under test, close the jaw and push the lever to lock the sensor
head ready to measure the current. The opening lever must be in the locked state to make accurate
measurements.
3) BNC Output Connector
The standard BNC port that can be connected to any brand of oscilloscope using a standard BNC
Coaxial Cable. The oscilloscope input should be set to 1 MOhm and the oscilloscope channel
scaling set according to the table in 9 below.
4) Overload Indicator LED
If / when the current under measurement exceeds the maximum current, the red LED will light and
the buzzer will sound as an overload alarm.
5) Jaw unlocked indicator
When the light is on, it means that the opening lever is in the unlock state. Make sure that the jaw
is in the lock state for accurate measurements.
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10 10
T3CP Product Description

Page 5
6) Degaussing and Zero Setting Indicator
After pressing the degaussing / zero button, the indicator light will be green, and after degaussing,
the indicator light will turn off. The buzzer will make two short beeps after successful degaussing.
The buzzer will make an extended beep of about one second if degaussing failed. See 8 below.
7) Range LED Indicator
The green LED indicates the selected range.
8) Degauss / auto zero button
Frequent usage of the T3CP current probe will generate a residual magnetic eld within the
measurement jaw. It is recommended to degauss and auto-zero before a measurement for better
measurement precision. Press the degaussing and auto zero button to trigger the process (should
be around 5s). Remove any DUT from the measurement jaw before degaussing. See 6 above.
9) High / Low Range Selection button
Select the high or low range depending on the measurement being made. Set the oscilloscope
scaling accordingly. See the table below.
10) Power Supply Connection Socket
Connect the supplied external wall socket power supply to the T3CP current probe at this point.
Making Measurements
Before using the probe, check that the preparations described in Safe Probing have been undertaken.
• Inspect the current probe, power supply and cable to ensure that there is no damage. If the
current probe, power supply or cable are damaged please contact Teledyne LeCroy service centre
to arrange repair.
• The output of the current probe is terminated internally. Use the high input impedance 1 MΩ setting
on the oscilloscope’s input when making measurements. Set the oscilloscope’s input coupling to
DC. With the oscilloscope input grounded, adjust the oscilloscope’s trace to the zero position.
Connect the probe’s output BNC connector to the oscilloscope’s input BNC connector using a BNC
to BNC cable. If the oscilloscope input impedance is set to 50Ω, the measurement data will be
incorrect.
Model T3CP30-50 T3CP30-100 T3CP50-50 T3CP150-12 T3CP500-5
Ranges 5A 30A 5A 30A 7.5A 50A 30A 150A 75A 500A
Current
Transfer
Ratio
5A 1V / A 5A 1V / A 7.5A 1V / A 30A 0.1V / A 75A 0.1V / A
30A 0.1V / A 30A 0.1V / A 50A 0.1V / A 150A 0.01V / A 500A 0.01V / A
Oscilloscope
Input Scaling
5A x 1 5A x 1 7.5A x 1 30A x 10 75A x 10
30A x 10 30A x 10 50A x 10 150A x 100 500A x 100
Minimum
Measurable
Current
5A 1mA 5A 1mA 7.5A 1mA 30A 10mA 75A 10mA
30A 10mA 30A 10mA 50A 10mA 150A 100mA 500A 100mA

• Connect the power supply to probe and the power indicator will light. Select the appropriate
measurement range using the Range Key.
• Ensure that the probe sensor is NOT clamped around any conductors. Slide the probe’s Opening
Lever into the LOCKED position as shown in Figure. Conrm that the sensor head is properly
closed.
• Degauss / auto-zero the probe before making a measurement. The degauss / auto-zero button
should be pressed. The probe will demagnetize the jaw measurement core and set the output to
zero voltage. This is necessary if the jaw core has become magnetized through switching the
power on and o, or by general measurement use. Always carry out degaussing and Zero Setting
before making a measurement and without the DUT in the clamp. The degaussing and Zero Setting
process takes a few seconds. During degaussing and Zero Setting, a demagnetizing waveform is
output and can be seen on the oscilloscope. This waveform is generated internally within the T3CP
current probe and is for the demagnitizing process, it has no useful meaning for the user.
• After degaussing and Zero Setting, the T3CP current probe buzzer will make two short beeps. If
degaussing and Zero Setting failed, the buzzer will make a single beep, for one second. If the
degaussing failed then ensure that no DUT or measurement conductor is in the measurement
jaws, lock the jaws and retry the degaussing process.
• Do not degauss / demagnetize while the DUT conductor being measured is clamped within the
measurement jaws. This could damage the components of the circuit being measured since the
degaussing waveform may be induced into the DUT conductor. For the same reason, ensure that
the DUT conductor being measured is not clamped within the measurement jaws when connecting
power to the current probe. Demagnetizing waveforms are generated when connecting and
switching on the T3CP current probe power supply.
• To make a measurement slide the opening lever to the open / unlocked position and open the
sensor head jaws.
Page 6
Locked
Locked

Page 7
• Align the probe so that the probe’s current direction indication corresponds to the direction of
current ow through the conductor to be measured, as shown below. Also, align the clamp so that
the conductor is in the center of the sensor aperture.
• Slide the opening lever on the sensor head to the lock position until the UNLOCK indication
disappears. Check that the opening lever is rmly locked, and the sensor head securely closed.
You are now ready to make the measurement.
Safe Probing
This device is designed to comply with Safety Standards and has been thoroughly tested for safety
prior to shipment. However, mishandling during use could result in injury or death, as well as damage
to the device. Be certain that you understand the instructions and precautions in the manual before
use. We disclaim any responsibility for accidents or injuries not resulting directly from device defects.
To avoid short circuits and potentially life-threatening hazards, follow these warnings and precautions:
• Never attach the clamp to a circuit that operates over the maximum rated voltage to earth.
• Do not clamp around bare conductors during measurement.
• While clamping and measuring, do not touch the clamp in front of the barrier, or the conductor
being measured.
• Be careful to avoid damaging the DUT conductor insulation while taking measurements.
• Make sure that the oscilloscope connected to this device's output BNC connector is equipped with
protective earthing with double-insulation construction.
• Do not allow the T3CP current probe to get wet, and do not take measurements with wet hands.
This may cause an electric shock.
• Read and observe all warnings and precautions relating to electrical safety for the measuring
instrument (typically an oscilloscope) being connected to the probe.
• Do not store or use the probe where it could be exposed to direct sunlight, high temperature,
humidity, or condensation. Under such conditions, the probe may be damaged and insulation may
deteriorate so that it no longer meets specications.