{"id":1407,"date":"2014-05-29T17:46:13","date_gmt":"2014-05-30T00:46:13","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-07-25T09:00:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T16:00:50","slug":"1407","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/1407","title":{"rendered":"Current Probe Troubleshooting and FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"\/product\/current-probe\/\">Current Probe<\/a> (<nobr>DCP-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/h3>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"\/manuals\/DCP-BTA\">Specifications and User Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/product.dcp-bta._hero.001-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Primary Test:<\/strong> Plug the probe into an interface and run the data collection program. Use wire leads to connect the probe to a DC supply in series with a known resistance. Use a voltage probe or voltmeter to measure the voltage of the supply. Compare the measured current against the current calculated from Ohms Law. We recommend a battery for this test, since some DC power supplies may not deliver clean DC voltage.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/1026\/\">The readings from my Current and\/or Voltage Probe are erratic, but if I measure the voltage with a multimeter instead, I get a solid reading.  What is wrong with my sensor?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/1139\/\">How can I measure currents outside the range of the Vernier Current Probe?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/1351\/\">What is the overvoltage protection on the Differential Voltage Probe and Current Probe?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/1973\/\">How do I measure currents larger than 0.6 amperes?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/2110\/\">How do I tell if a Current Probe is damaged?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Specifications<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Current Probe Range: \u00b10.6A<\/li>\n<li>Maximum Voltage on any input: \u00b110 V<\/li>\n<li>Input Impedance<br \/>\u26ac between inputs: 0.1\u03a9<br \/>\u26ac to ground: 10 M\u03a9<\/li>\n<li>Linearity: 0.01%<\/li>\n<li>Resolution<br \/>\u26ac 10-bit: 1.25 mA (CBL, CBL 2, original ULI)<br \/>\u26ac 12-bit: 0.31 mA (LabQuest &#8211; any version, LabPro, Go! Link, ULI II, Serial Box)<\/li>\n<li>Supply Voltage: 5 VDC<\/li>\n<li>Supply Current (typical): 9 mA<\/li>\n<li>Output Voltage Range: 0 to 5 V<\/li>\n<li>Transfer Function: V<sub>out<\/sub> = -4(I) = 2.5<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Calibration<\/h3>\n<p>Calibrate? No. The probe is set to match the stored calibration before shipping. If you choose to calibrate the probe, conduct a two-point calibration using two known currents.<\/p>\n<p>You may also zero the probe by shorting out the leads and then choosing the Zero option in the data collection program. If you zero the probe, it will adjust the calibration offset but does not adjust the calibration gain.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Products<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/vernier-circuit-board-2\/\">Vernier Circuit Board 2<\/a> (<nobr>VCB2<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/high-current-sensor\/\">High Current Sensor<\/a> (<nobr>HCS-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-current-probe\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Current Probe<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-CUR<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/differential-voltage-probe\/\">Differential Voltage Probe<\/a> (<nobr>DVP-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/voltage-probe\/\">Voltage Probe<\/a> (<nobr>VP-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/30-volt-voltage-probe\/\">30-Volt Voltage Probe<\/a> (<nobr>30V-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/instrumentation-amplifier\/\">Instrumentation Amplifier<\/a> (<nobr>INA-BTA<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-voltage-probe\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Voltage Probe<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-VOLT<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Specifications and User Guide Troubleshooting Primary Test: Plug the probe into an interface and run the data collection program. Use wire leads to connect the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11012,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[1817,1200,1818,720],"class_list":["post-1407","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-currentmain","tag-dcp-bta","tag-dcpmain","tag-maintil"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1407","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11012"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1407"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1407\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1407"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1407"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1407"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}