This popup can do 3 test on a power supply or DC/DC converter, it will do them fully automatic and save both data (csv) and charts (png) files of the test. It will also save a summary and a list of equipment used for the test.
The first test is checking the parameters at a couple of specified points, the specified points can be both input voltage and output current.
The data saved will be:
15/05-2026 15:59:55 230V No load
Eff: 5.162m Loss: 385.4mW Temp: 26.77°C
VI: 229.7V CI: 10.147mA PI: 387.4mW
VO: 5.182V CO: 400uA PO: 2mW
15/05-2026 16:00:03 230V 300mA
Eff: 632.7m Loss: 889.6mW Temp: 26.77°C
VI: 229.8V CI: 31.387mA PI: 2.423W
VO: 5.145V CO: 298mA PO: 1.533W
It will also be saved in a table for better overview.
This test makes a curve of output voltage, efficiency and power loses from 0 to maximum specified current, both chart and csv file is saved. If more voltages are specified, the test will be performed for each voltage.
This test do a long term (Usually one or a few hours) load test, it will make a curve of output voltage, power loss and temperature both chart and csv file is saved. If more currents or voltages are specified, the test will be performed for each current/voltage combination.
Many different combinations of devices are possible, a load is mandatory, all other are optional, but add functionality.
DUT: Device under test, it can be a power supply (USB or other) or a DC/DC converter.
With only a load it is only possible to show data for output, not how well the DUT performs the conversion. The input power can be AC or DC, depending on the DUT.
Using a power supply for input power makes it possible to control the supply and test at multiple input voltages and also calculated efficiency and power loss in the DC/DC converter.
With a watt meter either DC or AC can be used as input power, remember to select it on the popup. This allows calculated efficiency, power factor and power loss, but no control of input voltage.
A AC power source can be used to test power supplies. This allows calculated efficiency, power factor and power loss and control of input voltage and frequency.
All the above connections can be supplemented with one or more DMM's, if present they will be used for current and voltage. Be aware that in DC mode power is calculated as current*voltage, in AC mode power is read from the watt meter or AC power source and never calculated.
TC will use the settings and optionally the reading on the meter to locate where it is placed.
It is also possible to add a number of thermometers, typically the points to measure are: Switching transistor, transformer, output rectifier diode (Output capacitor may also be interesting). Be careful with isolation, a thermocoupler is not isolated by itself!
This page gives a overview of the testing and provide controls to start/stop it.
It shows the follow parameters:
The bar at the top shows how far TC is in the current test, each test has a different color bar. There will be ticks for each time the current or voltage is changed (Sweep will not mark current changes).
Colors: Gray:User setup, Yellow:User can change output voltage, Cyan:Points, Blue:Sweep, Red:Load test, Green:done
Mode: Is either AC or DC. In AC power is read from a AC source or watt meter, in DC power is calculated from voltage and current.
State refer to the chapter below: "The flow of testing".
Info is a text describing what is going on, it is mostly useful when a abnormal termination happens.
Efficiency is calculated as (Output power)/(Input power), it can only be shown when power is available for both input and output.
Power loss is calculated as (Input power)-(Output power), it can only be shown when power is available for both input and output.
Temperature is the maximum temperature measured across all temperature sensors.
Input voltage is the voltage supplied to the DUT.
Input current is the current into the DUT
Input power is the power used by the DUT from the input side.
Output voltage is the voltage out of the DUT
Output current is the current out of the DUT
Output power is the power out of the DUT
The Start button will start a test.
The Stop/Abort button will stop a test and change from done to input state.
This page is used to configure the testing parameters.
AC when checked power readings must be supplied from a AC power source or from a watt meter. TC will often configure this value by itself and disable the setting.
50/60Hz is used in AC mode to switch a AC power source between 50Hz (For 230Volt) and 60Hz (For 120Volt). When checked all voltages below 160V will use 60Hz and all voltages above will use 60Hz.
Input voltage: A list of input voltages to test at, all tests are performed at all listed voltages. This setting requires a power supply or a AC power source.
Max. input current is used to limit AC power sources and power supplies, TC will also do a software check for a value 10% above this setting and terminate the test.
Max. input power is checked in software and a value 10% above this setting and terminate the test.
Test currents this setting is used for the points test, each current will be selected at each voltage and the values logged in the Points table.
Max. sweep current is used for the sweep test, load will be adjusted slowly from 0 to specified current while drawing a curve, this will be done for each voltage.
Steps for sweep is how many steps to increase the current in, more steps will give a smoother curve.
Load currents for each listed current and voltage and long test at the listed current will be done. This is most useful for checking the temperature rise.
Load test time is how long the long test is, write a time terminated with m for minutes or h for hours.
Max. temperature is the maximum temperature allowed on any temperature sensor, test will be terminated if it is reached.
Remote sense will enable remote sense for loads and power supplies if they support it.
Prefix for saved files this text will be added before all file names for the saved data, if this field is empty no data will be saved.
Most input fields has a right click menu with some suggested values.
This is the initial state where the test parameters can be entered on the setup page. It can also be verified what equipment is used on the equipment page.
TC will be measuring voltage and count time, but not do turn the load or input voltage on (Depending on source input voltage may be present).
When starting a new test TC will check that the actual load current matches the selected current on the load, if this fail all test will be stopped.
This step allows the user to switch output voltage on the DUT, i.e. use a device to select voltage on a USB charger. This phase will run for 15 seconds. TC may swap the voltmeters/ammeters during this phase if they do not match the load voltage and current.
TC do not really do anything during this phase, except maybe swap the DMM's.
To make the test and result generation as automatic as possible, the test will adjust some settings in TC.
Before drawing a chart it will select curves for that chart.
It will add its own formula to the math page and delete any other formula with matching name, that is Efficiency and PowerLoss
Logging is turned on at 1 sec interval before load sweep and load test and turned off at the end, then the data file and chart is saved.
The scales "Math.Efficiency" and "Math.PowerFactor" is defined with a 0 to 1 range.
TestController do not lock any controls and changing settings may affect the saved data and chart or the test itself if commands are send to the used devices.
Be aware that a a mains test with a power meter and a AC source will probably not give the same result, they will be somewhat similar, but not equal.
The main reason for that is the mains voltage is not a sinus, the generator is. Yes, we usually call the mains voltage a sinus, but that is past history, when everybody started rectifying mains voltage the sinus went away (Power regulation by chopping also spoils it). Most power meters can tell you how bad it is if you check harmonic distortion, only 50/60Hz is supposed to be present, anything else will affect the measurement.
A list of different equipment can be used and will be used to give the most precise test result. The minimum equipment the popup can work with is one electronic load, next up is one of power supply, AC power source or watt meter..
This is the main piece of equipment for testing, it is used to load at a specific current. When no voltmeter/ammeter is present it is used to read the voltage/current and it is recommended to use four terminal connections, when a external voltmeter is used there is no reason for four terminal connections.
For it to be used it must have these commands in the definition:
#interfaceType Load
#interface setCurrent
#interface getCurrent
#interface readVoltage
#interface readCurrent
#interface setOn
Optionally: #interface setRemoteSense
A power supply is used to control input voltage for DC/DC converter testing, it will also supply the actual voltage/current input measurements when no DMM's are present. Power is calculated from voltage/current readings, either from this device or from DMM's.
Mode will be locked to DC input when a power supply is used.
For it to be used it must have these commands in the definition:
#interfaceType ps
#interface setCurrent
#interface getCurrent
#interface setVoltage
#interface getVoltage
#interface readCurrent
#interface readVoltage
#interface setOn
Optionally: #interface setRemoteSense
A AC power source is used to control input voltage for power supply testing, it will also supply the actual voltage/current/power input measurements when no DMM's are present. Power is always read from this device, never calculated (That would give wrong results).
Mode will be locked to AC input when a AC power source is used.
For it to be used it must have these commands in the definition:
#interfaceType acps
#interface setCurrent
#interface getCurrent
#interface setVoltage
#interface getVoltage
#interface readCurrent
#interface readVoltage
#interface readPower
#interface setOn
Optionally: #interface setRemoteSense
A watt meter can be either used for DC or AC
In AC mode power is always read from the watt meter, in DC mode is is calculated from voltage and current readings.
It may be required for the user to set mode, if DMM's are present it may be possible for TC to figure it out.
For it to be used it must have these commands in the definition:
#interfaceType Power
#interface readCurrent
#interface readVoltage
#interface readPower
A DMM in voltage mode will be assumed to be connected to either input or output of the DUT. If DMM is in AC, AC mode is locked.
TC will determine if the DMM is on input or output at the end of the Setup phase or before.
For it to be used it must have these commands in the definition:
#interfaceType DMM
#interface readValue
A DMM in current mode will be assumed to be connected to either input or output of the DUT. If DMM is in AC, AC mode is locked.
TC will determine if the DMM is on input or output at the end of the Setup phase or before.
For it to be used it must have these commands in the definition:
#interfaceType DMM
#interface readValue
A number of thermometers or a DMM's in temperature mode will be assumed to be measure DUT temperature and will be used to stop tests if the device gets to hot.
Multichannel thermometers are supported and all channels will be logged.
With multiple thermometers the curve and test will work on the maximum temperature, but all temperature sensors are recorded and can be viewed manually.
For a DMM to be used it must have these commands in the definition:
#interfaceType DMM
#interface readValue
For a thermometer to be used it must have these commands in the definition:
#interfaceType Thermometer
#interface readTemperature
Like other advanced popups in TC, it is possible to save the settings, it is not done as part of the popup, but has its own setting in the main window.
The popup settings are not included in the "Layout", but requires selecting the "Power Supply Test" menu to save.
This will generate commands to recreate the popup with all its settings. These commands can be saved as a text file or as a menu entry for the log window.
As usual it is possible to combine commands, i.e. there is no issues coping the commands from PSTest onto the end of a saved Layout.
It will look something like this:
Code:
#ShowPopupSystem PSTest 30 91 500 370
#PSTest I 2 100 12 15
#PSTest P 100m 300m 1
#PSTest S 1 30
#PSTest L 30s 1
#PSTest O 120 0
#PSTest N Test
#SHOWPOPUPSYSTEM PSTest {x y {w h}}
#PSTEST I {ac} {hz} maxInputCurrent maxInputPower InputVoltages
#PSTEST P testCurrents
#PSTEST S maxSweepCurrent stepsForSweep
#PSTEST L loadTestTime loadCurrents
#PSTEST O maxTemperature remoteSense
#PSTEST N prefixForSavedFiles
#PSTEST Start
#CLOSEALL
Note: The letters stand for Input, Points, Sweep, Load, Other, Name
