CH2 of PXI-4110 Returns Positive Current Measurement When Sourcing Negative Current

Updated Sep 1, 2025

Issue Details

I am sourcing voltage or current in channel 2 of PXI-4110. From the PXI-4110 User Manual, I understand that channel 2 operates in Quadrant III, which means that the source voltage and current are both negative. However, when I use the Soft Front Panel or niDCPower functions and acquire a current measurement, the value is positive instead of negative. Is this an expected behavior or is there something wrong?

Solution

This is expected behavior and is documented in NI DCPower help. In NI DC Power Supplies and SMUs Help, it says "the polarity of the measured voltage is negative (measured using the niDCPower Measure VI or the niDCPower Measure Multiple VI) and the polarity of the measured current is positive. The difference in polarities is due to the positive current direction on channel 2 being defined as current flowing into the common floating GND."

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Related Links

PXI-4110 User Manual: PXI-4110 Overview

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