C6 - Safety Considerations; Instrument - TPI Scope Plus 460 User Manual

460 User's Guide
This chapter deals with various aspects of safety, both for personnel and the instrument. Also
included is a List of safety signals and their meanings.
Instrument Cautions
o Test the Instrument before using
o Check Backlighting and Contrast (this will also accomplish a quick test on the
battery level).
o Check both oscilloscope channels. - A simple standard waveform test will usually
accomplish this.
Check the Test Leads and/or Adapter
o If there is a break or intermittent in the test leads, it will have the same effect as a
malfunctioning instrument.
o Check the adapter using a known sample or set-up before using on the device or
environment under test.
o Test Connections
o Check the security and quality of both the adapter connections to the instrument and
DUT (Device Under Test) connector points.
Disconnect Power to the Circuit (Unless using Clamp-On's)
o This step provides two safety factors. The first ensures that the operators hands are
not in the vicinity of dangerous voltages. The second allows you to check that the
instrument is set up to read the right values before power is present at the DUT.
o Understand the circuit being measured
o Failure to understand the circuit to be tested has the same level of risk as not setting
up the instrument before power is applied to the circuit. Namely the risk of too much
power for the level of measurement.
Keep the Instrument Non-Parallel to the Circuit
o If the instrument, or any substantial length of test cable is parallel to and/or in close
proximity to the bulk of the DUT or high current carrying cable, the test cable will
pick up some of the radiation and be affected by it. This is important when making
precise measurements or when seeking a stable waveform.
Chapter 6
Safety Considerations
C6-1
Safety Considerations