The Agilent N6781A is a 20 W, 2-quadrant Source/Measure Unit (SMU) module in the N6780 Series for the N6700 Modular Power System. A source/measure unit pairs a controllable power source with integrated, high-resolution measurement in one instrument, so a device under test can be driven and characterized without a separate supply and meter. The N6781A combines precise sourcing, sinking, and measurement in a single module, letting you visualize current drain from nA to A in one pass to gain insight into a device's power consumption. It is tuned for battery drain analysis — optimizing power consumption and maximizing battery life of battery-powered devices and their components, including e-Book readers, MP3 players, wireless mice, mobile phones, large smartphone phablets, tablets, military radios, and pacemakers.

As an SMU module, the N6781A provides dual output ranges (20 V / 6 V and ± 1 A / ± 3 A), an auxiliary voltage measurement input, and built-in 18-bit digitizers that measure and log voltage, current, and power roughly every 5 µs (~200 kHz). Seamless measurement ranging across its top three current ranges captures fast-changing current without switching ranges. User-selectable emulation modes configure the unit as a power supply, CC/CV load, voltmeter, or ammeter; a zero-burden ammeter mode supports battery rundown tests; and programmable output resistance together with battery emulator and battery charger emulation modes round out its battery-analysis toolkit.

The N6781A installs in the Agilent N6700 Modular Power System — a 1U-high, multiple-output programmable DC power supply system that lets test system integrators optimize performance, power, and price to match their test needs. A single mainframe holds one to four DC power modules selected from over 30 different modules, creating a 1- to 4-channel DC power system. The N6700 low-profile mainframes target automated test equipment (ATE) systems in R&D, design validation, and manufacturing across aerospace and defense, consumer electronics, computers and peripherals, communications, semiconductor, and automotive electronics — industries where complex ATE often requires multiple power sources and where reducing occupied rack space and increasing test throughput are constant pressures. Installed instead in an N6705 DC Power Analyzer mainframe, the same module gains front-panel scope view, arbitrary waveform generation, and data logging, bringing sourcing and measurement to the R&D bench.

ValueTronics stocks and holds its own test-and-measurement inventory in a 20,000-square-foot secure warehouse at 1675 Cambridge Drive in Elgin, Illinois. Every pre-owned unit is inspected and functionally verified in-house before it ships, while new units ship factory-sealed exactly as received from the manufacturer. Holding inventory under our own roof lets us confirm configuration and condition directly, match the right SMU and condition to your application, and ship quickly to the engineers, labs, and production teams who rely on us.

Brand Heritage

These instruments are branded Agilent Technologies. Agilent Technologies was formed in 1999 as a spin-off of Hewlett-Packard's test and measurement business; that electronic measurement business was subsequently established as Keysight Technologies in 2014, the brand under which this product line is carried forward today. Documentation and ordering references issued before that transition may carry the earlier brand names.

Compare Other Models in This Series

The N6780 Series groups five Source/Measure Units for the N6700 Modular Power System, each combining a controllable source with integrated measurement. The models differ along three lines the series itself defines: output power (20 W or 80 W), quadrant operation (2-quadrant or 4-quadrant), and the application each is tuned for — battery drain analysis, functional test, or general-purpose use. The N6781A and N6785A are tuned for battery drain analysis, the N6782A and N6786A for functional test, and the N6784A is the general-purpose member of the family. Within each application pairing, the 20 W and 80 W versions cover devices from 20 W to 80 W.

The N6781A is the 20 W, 2-quadrant member tuned for battery drain analysis. The clearest differences across the family are output power and quadrant operation: the N6781A, N6782A, and N6784A are 20 W modules, while the N6785A and N6786A are 80 W modules with higher current ranges. The N6784A is the only 4-quadrant model and the only one that does not support seamless measurement ranging; the N6781A, N6782A, N6785A, and N6786A are 2-quadrant units whose top three ranges do support it. Application tuning separates them further: the N6781A and N6785A add programmable output resistance and battery emulator/charger modes for battery drain analysis, while the N6782A and N6786A add output modulation up to 100 kHz for functional test.

Each pre-owned model below is its own dedicated product page with condition-matched pricing. Compare the models here, then open the page for the specific model and configuration that fits your application.

Beyond the N6780 SMUs, the wider N6700 catalog organizes modules into distinct series: basic DC power modules (the N6730, N6740, and N6770 ranges), high-performance autoranging modules (N6750 series), precision modules (N6760 series), source/measure units (N6780 series), application-specific modules (N6783A), and DC electronic load modules (N6790 series). Per-module output power ratings run from 18 W up to 500 W, with module output voltages spanning 0–5 V to 0–150 V; the N6790 electronic loads provide up to 200 W, 60 V, and 40 A in constant voltage, current, resistance, and power modes. Autoranging output is available on the high-performance and precision modules, and the precision series adds low ranges and simultaneous voltage and current measurement. Mainframes are available at 400 W (N6700B), 600 W (N6701A), and 1200 W (N6702A) of total available output power, and the N6705 DC Power Analyzer mainframe provides 600 W total. Each module occupies one slot, except the double-wide N6753A–N6756A, N6763A–N6766A, N6785A–N6786A, and N6792A modules, which each occupy two of the four slots.

Additional differences in specifications beyond the few shown above are not listed here — see each model's full specifications below.

Product Core & Specifications

Important: Output terminal isolation: no output terminal may be more than ±240 VDC from any other terminal or chassis ground. When using the auxiliary measurement input terminals on the N6781A, no output or input terminal may be more than ±60 VDC from any other terminal and chassis ground.

Important: The N6780 Series SMUs are plug-in modules for the N6700 Modular Power System; a power module is not a standalone instrument and requires an N6700-series (N6700B/N6701A/N6702A) or N6705 DC Power Analyzer (N6705A/N6705B) mainframe to operate (sold separately). A module's basic capabilities depend not only on its own hardware but also on the hardware and firmware of the mainframe in which it is installed.

Important: N6781A specifications are warranted over the ambient temperature range of 0 to 55 °C after a 30-minute warm-up period, and apply at the mainframe output terminals with local sensing unless otherwise noted. Output current is derated 1% per °C above 40 °C ambient temperature.

Important: Option 760 (Output Disconnect/Polarity Reversal Relays) is not available on Models N6741B, N6751A, N6752A, N6761A, N6762A, and N6781A–N6786A, and it limits the output current to 10 A maximum on Models N6742B and N6773A.

Important: N6783A modules cannot be used in series with other N6783A modules or any other N67xx module.

Important: When sinking power, Model N6784A can operate at the maximum rated output power for only a limited amount of time; the unit monitors internal power device temperature and latches the output off if the safe limit is exceeded (annunciated by the OT status bit), and a protect clear is required to resume normal operation.

Important: For the N6761A–N6766A precision modules and the N6781A/N6782A/N6784A/N6785A/N6786A SMU modules (and the N6783A-BAT/N6783A-MFG application-specific modules), the performance specification values shown are for the highest output/measurement range; these modules have multiple ranges.

Important: This webpage lists an abbreviated set of specifications and characteristics. For the full list, see the N6780 Series Source/Measure Units (SMUs) for the N6700 Modular Power System Data Sheet (literature number 5990-5829EN) and the N6700 Modular Power System Family Specifications Guide, part number N6700-90001.

Recommended pairing: the N6780 Series SMUs install in the N6705 DC Power Analyzer mainframe, and the BV9200B/BV9201B PathWave BenchVue power control and analysis software adds advanced battery drain analysis when used with the N6781A or N6785A; PathWave BenchVue / the 14585A Control and Analysis Software can control up to four N6705 mainframes — up to 16 installed modules — from a single PC.

About this Pre-Owned unit

This pre-owned unit is inspected and functionally verified in-house before it ships and is backed by our pre-owned warranty. To confirm its exact condition, firmware revision, installed options, or included accessories for your application before ordering, contact our Test Architects.

• Warranty included
• Functional verification included
• Standard Calibration Upgrade Options: No Calibration Required, NIST Traceable, Z540.1 or ISO 17025 with Data, Z540.3 Guardbanding with Data.
• Note that unnecessary accessories may not be included (contact Test Architect to confirm).

ValueTronics supplies both new and used test and measurement equipment. New units ship factory-sealed, exactly as received from the manufacturer; every used unit is inspected and functionally verified in-house at our 20,000 sq ft secure facility in Elgin, Illinois before it ships. Our Test Architects can help you select the condition, calibration, and configuration that fit your application.

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.