Chapter 4 Features and Functions

General Measurement ConfigurationGeneral Measurement Configuration

This section contains general information to help you configure the instrument for making measurements during a scan. Since these parameters are used by several measurement functions, the discussion is combined into one common section. Refer to the later sections in this chapter for more information on parameters that are specific to a particular measurement function.

Note: It is important that you select the measurement function before selecting other parameters on a given channel. When you change the function on a channel, all other settings (range, resolution, etc.) are reset to their default values.

Measurement Range

You can allow the instrument to automatically select the measurement range using autoranging or you can select a fixed range using manual ranging. Autoranging is convenient because the instrument decides which range to use for each measurement based on the input signal. For fastest scanning operation, use manual ranging on each measurement (some additional time is required for autoranging since the instrument has to make a range selection).

∙Autorange thresholds:

Down range at <10% of range

Up range at >120% of range

∙If the input signal is greater than can be measured on the selected range, the instrument gives an overload indication: “±OVLD” from the front panel or “±9.90000000E+37” from the remote interface.

∙For a complete list of the measurement ranges available for each function, refer to the instrument specifications in chapter 9.

∙For temperature measurements, the instrument internally selects the range; you cannot select which range is used. For thermocouple measurements, the instrument internally selects the 100 mV range. For thermistor and RTD measurements, the instrument autoranges to the correct range for the transducer resistance measurement.

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