Yokogawa launched a Current Sensor Element and upgraded the firmware for its WT5000 Precision Power Analyzer. The enhancements are designed to help companies improve performance when developing or evaluating electronic devices such as Electric Vehicle (EV) related equipment or systems for solar and wind power installations. The Current Sensor Element runs off the internal DC power supply of the WT5000, making external power supplies unnecessary.
Three sensor connection cable lengths are available - 3 m, 5 m and 10 m. This helps take account of varying test bench layouts, where the power analyzer may not be located right next to the device under test. The three different cable lengths allow users to select the one most suitable for their set up while keeping the leads as short as possible. The new Current Sensor Element also improves noise immunity with a low noise power supply and measurement circuit.
Previously, reducing the signal to noise ratio required external shunt resistors. In the new modules, shunt resistors are built-in and are included in the shielding in the instrument, increasing noise immunity. Also, current signals can be measured with a higher degree of precision, even if they are small when using the Current Sensor Element & dedicated cable. A step-by-step navigation menu simplifies the configuration and use of the current sensors.
Firmware is also upgraded, with the Data Streaming function now supporting a 50 ms to one second update rate. On the previous version, when using the Data Streaming function, the WT5000 only offered an update rate - measurement interval – of one second. This meant that all electrical parameters, such as power and Urms and Irms, were calculated over a period of one second. With the new upgrade, the WT5000 calculates all parameters over measurement periods of up to 50 ms, giving a better insight into the dynamic behavior of the device under test.
The upgraded firmware now also offers a 10 ms update rate. Other upgrades include improvements to the menu such as Current Phase Correction and Amplitude Correction, which makes setting up external sensors easier by compensating for the phase and gain error. The measurement accuracy of ±0.03%, combined with stability, noise immunity, and plug-in modular flexibility, help the WT5000 meet the measurement needs of developing energy-efficient systems.