Precautions for daily maintenance of oscilloscope

Testing instruments are becoming more and more complex and sophisticated. Each organization has a dedicated measurement team responsible for maintenance. Any instrument needs to be carefully inspected before use, carefully protected during use, and maintained daily. Check the measuring instruments regularly to ensure their accuracy and use within the validity period, especially at critical times. People need special care in the dog days of summer, and with the arrival of the hot and humid season, measuring instruments also need more care and maintenance.

Taking an oscilloscope as an example, we summarize the precautions before and after use and daily maintenance.

Routine maintenance

Strict temperature control and moisture-proof measures must be taken in the warehouse or room where the instruments are stored. The appropriate temperature is about (23 ± 3) °C and the relative humidity is required (50 ± 20) %. Especially in hot and rainy seasons, special measures should be taken. Moisture-proof measures, control temperature and humidity;

When storing for a long time, take the instrument out of the packaging box to allow air circulation and prevent mold growth; the storage must be dust-proof and air-ventilated;

Check the oscilloscope and probe frequently and clean the outer surface of the oscilloscope promptly. Use a lint-free rag to remove floating dust from the outside of the oscilloscope and probe;

When using the instrument, pay attention to ventilation and heat dissipation, avoid the environment being too humid, keep it clean and dust-free, and remove dust from the instrument regularly;

Do not operate with the cover open: Do not operate with the outer cover or panel open. If you suspect damage, please find a qualified maintenance personnel for inspection;

Do not use it in humid environments, flammable or explosive environments, keep the surface clean and dry, and pay attention to proper ventilation.

Testing before use

Before use, carefully read the instructions for use, the settings before testing, and pay attention to the matching of the probe and impedance. The voltage of the connected probe cannot exceed the maximum allowable input voltage of the oscilloscope.

Check whether the oscilloscope's power cord is damaged;

The plug of the power cord and the wiring in the power strip must be tight and reliable to avoid electric shock or short circuit accidents during use.

Precautions during use

Connect Correctly and Disconnect Correctly: Before connecting the probe to the circuit under test, connect the probe output to the measuring instrument. Before connecting the probe input, please connect the probe reference lead to the circuit under test. Before disconnecting the probe from the measuring instrument, please disconnect the probe input terminal and the probe reference lead from the circuit under test.

Product grounding: Grounding can not only ensure the safety of operators and enable the instrument to work normally within a safe range, but also ensure the stability and reliability of the test waveform and reduce external interference;

Disconnect the power: The power switch can disconnect the product from the power supply. Do not block the power switch; this power switch must be accessible to the user at any time;

After the test, the probe must be properly stored and the channel must be capped to prevent dust from entering;

When the oscilloscope is turned off, it cannot be turned on immediately, it will take more than ten seconds;

Observe all terminal ratings: To avoid fire or electric shock, observe all ratings and markings on the product;

Stay away from external leakage circuits: After the power is turned on, do not touch leakage circuits and components;

In addition to the environmental characteristics of high temperature and high humidity, there are many other things to pay attention to when testing instruments. Maintenance personnel must also take targeted measures based on the characteristics of the instrument itself. For example, for small precision instruments, direct contact with human hands should be avoided during work. Due to the influence of temperature, people tend to sweat easily in hot weather. Operators should wear gloves to avoid direct contact with the instrument.