2470 High Voltage SourceMeter Instrument Reference Manual
Section 5: Source-measure considerations
2470-901-01 Rev. A /
May
2019
5-17
Sink operation
When the 2470 is operating as a sink, voltage and current have opposite polarities and the instrument
is dissipating power rather than sourcing it. The instrument can be forced into sink operation by an
external source, such as a battery, or an energy storage device, such as a capacitor. For detail on the
sink region, see
(on page 5-4).
For example, if a 12 V battery is connected to the voltage source (HI to battery high) that is
programmed for +10 V, sink operation occurs in the second quadrant (V and measure –I).
Carefully consider and configure the output-off state, source, and limits before connecting
the 2470 to a device that can deliver energy. Devices that can deliver energy include voltage
sources, batteries, capacitors, and solar cells. Configure instrument settings before making
connections to the device. Failure to consider the output-off state, source, and limits may
result in damage to the instrument or to the device under test (DUT).
When using the current source as a sink, always set the voltage limit and configure
overvoltage protection (OVP) to levels that are higher than the external voltage level. Failure
to do so could result in excessive current flow into the 2470 (> 105 mA) and incorrect
measurements. When the instrument is operating in limit, be aware that the instrument
always tries to maintain the limit.
When the instrument is operating as a sink and you set source or limit values that exceed the
operating boundaries, the source limit is reached. When the sink limit is reached, the source value
turns yellow and the limit annunciator is active.