Floating Potentiostat

Gamry's Isolated Instruments

Why should you care about floating?

Anyone testing with a grounded electrode, grounded cell, using multiple working electrodes, or coupling to another instrument needs to have a floating potentiostat.  A floating potentiostat is electrically isolated from Earth ground.  If your instrument is not electrically isolated from Earth ground then your measurements will be susceptible to ground loops at a minimum.  At a maximum, you can damage your instrument.  We call this "The Smoke Test" at Gamry.  A typical example might be a grounded low-impedance shunt.  Ground one side to Earth, apply a maximum current across the shunt and see if your instrument starts smoking.  Seriously though, you shouldn't try this unless you are completely confident your instrument is floating. 

All of Gamry's instruments are floating and have been since the first unit rolled off of the production line in 1989.  Gamry prides itself on providing the highest electrical isolation in the industry. The ability to couple with loads and power supplies is a good indicator of our floating capability.  Our floating capability also means that you can perform in-situ coupled measurements such as electrochemistry inside a TEM holder.  Gamry has partnered with Protochips, makers of the finest holders and stages for microscopy equipment, to be the potentiostat provider for their Poseidon Select's “Electrochemistry Package” which includes the Gamry Reference 600+ Potentiostat/Galvanostat/ZRA and Gamry's Framework software supporting accurate ultra-low currents and providing a platform for performing all major electrochemistry techniques.  Gamry also partners with Greenlight Innovation, bringing impedance capabilities to their fuel cell test stations, BaSyTec, maker of high-throughput battery testing equipment and most recently BiTrode who provides ground-breaking energy storage solutions to battery manufacturers worldwide. 

Running measurements on top of these types of equipment requires a floating potentiostat.  If these companies trust us enough to help with their testing, shouldn't you?

Gamry has prepared a special application note, in conjunction with consultant, James Hardy, on running electrochemical corrosion experiments inside an autoclave.  When you are running experiments inside an autoclave you had better have a floating potentiostat. 

 Still have questions?  Contact us using our contact form or call us at 215-682-9330.