Agilent Technologies E4356A Controller Connections, Stand-Alone Connections, Linked Connections

Programming. Note from Figure 4-1 that you have three options for programming the current. You can use a voltage source that is positive, negative, or floating with respect to Common P. Do not exceed ±15 V with respect to Common P.

Make certain that the common connection for your voltage programming source is isolated from the load. Failure to do this may cause damage to the power supply.

The effect of the analog programming source is always summed with the values programmed over the GPIB or from the front panel. The voltage source can act alone only if you set the other program sources to zero. Keep the total programmed setting of the unit (the analog input summed with the GPIB or front panel settings) at or under the output ratings specified in Table A-2. Exceeding the output ratings will not damage the unit, but it may not be able to regulate its output at the higher levels. If this happens, the Unr annunciator will light to warn you that the output is unregulated.

Controller Connections

Figure 4-10 shows two basic ways of connecting your power supply to a controller. They are "linked" and "stand-alone configurations.

Stand-Alone Connections

See Figure 4-10A. Each stand-alone power supply has its own GPIB bus address. Stand-alone power supplies may be connected to the bus in series configuration, star configuration, or a combination of the two. You may connect from 1 to 15 stand-alone power supplies to a controller GPIB interface.

Linked Connections

See Figure 4-10B. Up to 16 power supplies may be used at a single GPIB primary bus address by making linked connections. (You cannot use linked connections if you intend to program power supplies with the Compatibility Language - see the Appendix G.)

■The first power supply in a linked connection is a "direct unit" connected to the controller via a GPIB cable. The direct unit is the only unit connected directly to the bus and has a unique primary bus address.

■The remaining power supplies are "linked units” connected to the direct unit via a serial-link cable. Each linked unit has a unique secondary GPIB address and derives its primary address from the direct unit. You may connect from 1 to 15 linked supplies to each direct unit.

Note	The power supply is shipped from the factory with its GPIB address set to 5. The power supply primary
	and secondary addresses can be changed from the front panel as described in Chapter 6 - "Remote
	Programming". For power supply GPIB interface capabilities, see Table 1-5 in Chapter 1 of this guide.

User Connections 35