Oscilloscope Probes for Power Electronics: Be Sure to Choose the Right Probe for Accurate Measurements

Oscilloscopes are the go-to instruments for designing and debugging power electronics circuits of all types. However, probing in the realm of power electronics is not as simple as plugging in a probe and poking around in the circuit. Whenever you're working with power electronics, there's a high likelihood that you will encounter potentially lethal voltages, higher than 60 V, or the safety extra-low voltage. It is important to use a probe with an appropriate safety rating to avoid harm to the operator and damage to the device being tested, but a probe's safety rating doesn't ensure an accurate measurement of the in-circuit signal. It is best to choose a probe with an appropriate safety rating and topology for accurate measurements in the specific measurement application.