High Voltage probes on usb scope?

Post any questions you may have about our current range of oscilloscopes
Post Reply
cinmay
Newbie
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:25 pm

High Voltage probes on usb scope?

Post by cinmay »

Hi.

I want to measure high voltage signals. Anything from mains 230V up to maybe 5KV or more. It's some sort of crazy resonance circuit.
But I am a bit skeptical to hock up my old Picoscope 2204 to that kind of voltage. Do any of you have experience doing this? Can I use a regular high voltage probe?

Martyn
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 4491
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:15 am
Location: St. Neots

Re: High Voltage probes on usb scope?

Post by Martyn »

Mains will require high voltage active probes, so proceed with extreme caution.

Please contact support@picotech.com for further advice.
Martyn
Technical Support Manager

cinmay
Newbie
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:25 pm

Re: High Voltage probes on usb scope?

Post by cinmay »

Thanks :)
I'm considering using an op-amp buffer circuit in front of the probes rather then expensive active probes. This way I will know what goes in to the picoscope and if anything goes wrong the buffer will blow up rather then the scope. It will probably mess with my signal but I don't need the measurements to be 100% accurate. Will this be a ok solution?

PeterF
Advanced User
Advanced User
Posts: 435
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2007 10:53 am
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: High Voltage probes on usb scope?

Post by PeterF »

Hi,
Active differential & high voltage probes are expensive for a reason and that is safety. Please don't mess with high voltages unless you really know what you are doing. An Op-amp circuit is no protection for the scope or operator when things go wrong! Please look at the specifications of our high voltage differential probes:-
http://www.picotech.com/oscilloscope-ac ... tml#active
Regards,
PeterF.

cinmay
Newbie
Posts: 0
Joined: Sun Dec 22, 2013 8:25 pm

Re: High Voltage probes on usb scope?

Post by cinmay »

I definitely see your point. As you probably guessed I'm a bit skeptical to this entire circuit. There are too many unknown variables here. Ill have a look at the probes but I'm guessing Ill end up bringing it to a proper high voltage lab before turning the darn thing on and try to fix it.

Post Reply