Key Features at a Glance

• Power range up to 6,000 W in a single 6U chassis
• Voltage range up to 500 V, current up to 720 A
• CC / CV / CR / CW operating modes
• Transient mode up to 25 kHz with 16-bit measurement
• List-mode, battery test, automatic test mode, CR-LED mode
• OVP / OCP / OPP / OTP with local and remote reverse-voltage protection
• Standard USB (USBTMC) and RS232; GPIB optional on select models
• NI-certified LabVIEW drivers and free battery test software included

In summary: The B&K Precision 8600/B Series is a stand-alone benchtop and rack-mount DC electronic load family delivering up to 6 kW of sink capability in form factors from 2U half-rack to 6U. With 11 models spanning 150 W to 6000 W, voltage ratings up to 500 V, and current ratings up to 720 A, the 8600/B Series provides modular-grade performance — including 25 kHz transient operation and 16-bit measurement resolution — without requiring a separate mainframe.

What is the 8602 used for?

The 8600/B Series is used for testing and evaluating DC power supplies, DC-DC converters, batteries, battery chargers, and photovoltaic arrays. Each model supports CC, CV, CR, and CW operating modes, list-mode programming, automatic test mode, CR-LED mode for simulating LED-driver loads, and built-in battery discharge test with capacity reporting in ampere-hours.

Who chooses this instrument?

Engineers select 8600/B when they need professional measurement performance in a self-contained chassis — without committing to a modular system. The 2U half-rack models are the workhorse for design-bench characterization; the 3U and 6U high-power models cover production test and high-current battery applications. The CR-LED mode in selected models is widely used by LED-driver manufacturers to simulate the forward-voltage characteristic of an LED string.

8600/B Series instruments offer CC-mode accuracy down to ±(0.025% + 0.05% F.S.) on high-current models, adjustable slew rate, transient mode up to 25 kHz, OVP/OCP/OPP/OTP with both local and remote reverse-voltage protection, and a free battery test software application for discharge profiling. Standard USB (USBTMC) and RS232 interfaces are present on all models, with GPIB available as an option on the non-suffix versions (model numbers without the "B" suffix).

The 8600/B Series occupies the value-performance position in the professional DC electronic load market — offering measurement specifications competitive with Chroma 63000 and Keysight N3300 systems, with full SCPI compatibility and NI-certified LabVIEW drivers. The series has been deployed across power-supply manufacturing, R&D battery characterization, and ATE production environments since the original 8600 was released.

Accessories Supplied

• Power cord (regional)
• Quick-start guide / user manual
• NI-certified LabVIEW driver (download)
• PC operating software (download)
• Rack-mount brackets (3U / 6U models)
• Battery test software (download)

Product Core & Specifications

The 8602 is the 200 W member of the 8600/B Series in a 2U half-rack chassis, delivering up to 500 V and up to 15 A of sink current. CC-mode accuracy is ±(0.05 + 0.05% FS), with a minimum operating voltage of 4.5 V at full-scale current. The 8600/B Series uses 16-bit measurement resolution and supports transient operation up to 25 kHz, list-mode programming with flexible triggering, automatic test mode, CR-LED mode for LED-driver loading simulation, and built-in battery discharge test with Ah capacity reporting. Analog current control and monitoring is supported in addition to the standard digital interfaces.

Specifications

Unit Options

Select any of the following add-on options (multiple selections allowed):

• GPIB Interface (optional add-on, available on non-B variants only)

Calibration Options

Select one calibration option for this unit:

• No Calibration Required (factory new)
• NIST Traceable
• NIST Traceable with Full Data
• ISO/IEC 17025 Accredited

This webpage was written by a human with an A.I. 'Intern', which may contain errors. Please review the Manufacturer's Data Sheet to verify published specifications. Feedback on this webpage is always welcome — please reach out to your Test Architect at any time for questions or concerns. Thank you, we truly appreciate you being our customer.