Vernier Tech Info Library TIL #1986

Power Amplifier Troubleshooting and FAQs

Power Amplifier, order code PAMP, $199.00
Specifications and User Guide

TROUBLESHOOTING
- Primary Test:
First test the connections:
-Does the yellow LED turn on when you flip the front switch on (up, toward the "1")?
-If you are controlling the PAMP via LabQuest, do you have a stereo mini phone plug running from the round connector on the back of the PAMP to the audio out connector on LabQuest (with the symbol of the speaker near it)? Make sure this cable is plugged in all the way on both ends. Sometimes the shielding on the cable hits against the rubber on the LabQuest and will not go in all the way.
-If you are controlling the PAMP with a LabPro, do you have a double-ended BTA connector between the back BTA connector on the PAMP and CH4 of the LabPro? No other channel on the LabPro will work.

- Secondary Test:
Connect a small lamp or LED to the red and black terminals of the PAMP. Set the output to a sine wave and see if it lights.

OTHER TIL ENTRIES
-TIL 1251: How do I use the Pasco Power amplifier with LabPro?
-TIL 2118: When I plug in a Power Amplifier, it is not recognised.
-TIL 2131: Is connector on the Power Amplifier connected to the black lead of a VP-BTA?

SPECIFICATIONS
- Maximum voltage: �10 V
- Maximum current: up to 1 A
- Waveform supported: DC, sine, square, triangle, and sawtooth waveforms
- Frequency range: 0.25 Hz to 10,000 Hz

CALIBRATION
- Calibrate? No.
Note that there is a current sensor inside the PAMP. It is an autoID sensor. It only shows up when the PAMP power is on. It is different from our DCP-BTA. It has a range of +/-1 ampere.

RELATED VERNIER PRODUCTS
- Differential Voltage Probe, order code DVP-BTA, $39.00
- Current Probe, order code DCP-BTA, $39.00
- Extech Digital DC Power Supply, order code EXPS, $199.00

Created by: jhopkins on April 16 2009
Last updated by: jhopkins on December 29 2009