66xxA, E363xA and E364xA: Ca Keysight Power Supplies Sink Current?
Yes! Sinking, or down-programming, is the ability to pull current into the positive terminal of power supply. A power supply sinks current when a lower output voltage is selected. Stored energy from the power supply's output capacitor and external capacitance from the load including the wiring must be dissipated to lower the voltage at the output terminals.
Sinking is provided to improve a power supply's transition time from a higher to a lower constant voltage level, and is not intended to be a steady-state operating condition. Active loads that create a sinking current should not be connected to a power supply.
In order to improve test times, higher performance power supplies include active circuitry to dissipate energy faster. Test times in which a DUT is tested at several output voltages will be improved. An example is testing an automotive component at a high voltage 14V, a nominal voltage of 12 V and a low voltage of 10V. Test times will also be improved in a system where the supply is switched and the power supply is set to zero before the supply is switched. This also includes the power supplies output relay. The power supply should be programmed to 0V before its output relay is opened or the power supply is reset. For a complete list of Keysight power supplies with an active down programming circuit see the sinking capability table.