2606B System SourceMeter® Instrument Reference Manual
Section 2: General operation
2606B-901-01 Rev. B / May 2018
2-45
V-meter and I-meter measurements
To make V-meter and I-meter measurements without using the MODE key (such as when configuring
measure-only tests over the remote interface), follow the procedure below.
To use the 2606B to measure voltage or current:
1. Select the source-measure functions:
V-meter:
Press the
SRC
key to select the I-source, and press the
MEAS
key to select the
voltage measurement function.
I-meter:
Press the
SRC
key to select the V-source, and press the
MEAS
key to select the
current measurement function.
2. Set source and compliance levels. To edit the source level, use the procedure provided in
Select and set the source level
(on page 2-39); to edit the compliance level, use the procedure
provided in
Step 2: Set the compliance limit
(on page 2-39):
Select the lowest source range and set the source level to zero.
Set compliance to a level that is higher than the expected measurement.
When using the 2606B as a voltmeter, the voltage compliance limit must be set higher than
the voltage that is being measured. Failure to do this could result in excessive current flow
into the 2606B, incorrect measurements, and possible damage to the instrument.
3. Use the
RANGE
keys to select a fixed measurement range that will accommodate the expected
reading. Use the lowest possible range for best accuracy. You can also select autorange, which
will automatically set the 2606B to the most sensitive range.
4. Connect the voltage or current to be measured. Make sure to use 2-wire connections from the
2606B to the device under test (DUT) (see
(on page 2-54)).
5. Press the
OUTPUT ON/OFF
control to turn the output on.
6. View the displayed reading (press the
TRIG
key if necessary).
7. When finished, press the
OUTPUT ON/OFF
control to turn the output off.
Ohms measurements
Resistance readings are calculated from the measured current and measured voltage as follows:
R = V/I
Where:
R
is the calculated resistance
V
is the measured voltage
I
is the measured current
Ohms ranging
The virtual front panel ohms function does not use ranging. The instrument formats a calculated
resistance reading (V/I) to best fit the display. There may be leading zeros if the ohms reading is less
than 1 m
Ω
.
