Originally posted by Wicaksono
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You are correct on the DC component issue. But a fast pulse is not really DC. If you look at its frequency spectrum it has everything in it from DC to Daylight. Signals with most of their energy in the AC region can be observed with this kind of device. These transducers also come with a "Droop" rating that describes its low frequency response. If the observed signal doesn't change in a few tenths of a millisecond then the output starts to droop at a certain prescribed rate. Apparently you can use this information to extract some additional data from low frequency signals. I figure that my current probe is useless below 3 kHz.
The DC component is completely removed from observation. With an AC signal the areas above and below the neutral line are automatically balanced to maintain the relationship that the current in equals the current out over a certain time period. So, only so much information can be evaluated with a wide band current transformer. At least a pretty good evaluation of the time rate of change of the current can be made - if it is within range of the device being used.
Yes, a new active Hall chip device would be wonderful for this kind of work. But, a LeCroy current probe of that caliber (50 MHz 400 Amp) starts at $1,400 on the eBay market.
Face it, there are many things in this world that money will not buy, but advanced electronic instrumentation is not among them. That is why we are called "Non-funded researchers". We may spend a couple of hundred bucks a month on this exploration, but that is a very small drop in the bucket when compared to professional research. We, have to live within our resources and come up with techniques and methods to deal with financial reality.
This example only shows why Blogs like this are so important. Here we can share cost effective solutions to these measurement issues that are very specific to our area of work. If some one comes up with a better method then all of us can benefit from that knowledge.
But, good technical questions like this one are just as important.
Mark McKay
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