RigolDL3021 Programmable DC Electronic Load,DC 150V/40A,200W Total Power,15kHz Highest Frequency,Readback Resolution 1mV/1mA

This is a nice programmable DC load. I've had fun and learned a lot by measuring the capacity and health of rechargeable batteries with this device. The built-in network connectivity (Ethernet) is great for remote access. The data logging feature included with the available Windows software is particularly nice for exporting and analyzing the collected data later using a spreadsheet. This device is invaluable for understanding the capacity and discharge curve of a battery, when used for a specific application.

Voltage readout to tenth milivolt (0.0001v) and it matches exactly a 4 digit siglent bench multimeter (0.001v). It has banana ports for separate voltage probe. Will read high when drawing current otherwise by maybe half a significant digit. Good feature.Only records mAh when using "battery" function, not aure why you wouldnt want that available all the time. Short function is handy. Lots of bells and whistles to go along with the main operation modes.Menus are no problem, control layout is streight forward, coltrols themselves are good. Wish the terminal posts had banana plug option but not a big deal.One annoying thing is when you enter any menu or even change the display to show a graph over time instead of a momentary reading it aborts the current operation and you have to start again. Annoying because if your tracking voltage sag or something the display switch will mess that up.All around good tool. Works well for my needs.Graph display is nice but its not very flexible. Siglent has better graphing on their multimeters. Then again its lan capable so you can just graph on a computer uf its a necessity.Overall no real problems, good purchase.

Rigol products are mostly popular for two primary reasons. Price is one, and you can search for the other yourself...This DL3021 is no exception so in that regard you must conclude it's a decent purchase for the price point, assuming you've done your nuance homework by watching various video reviews and reading lengthy forum threads.Yes, there are some flaws with this product and Rigol hasn't updated the firmware since 2020. So you can assume you'll get what you get and no amount of writing to Rigol support will change things.Fan noise is a bit high, so expect to not want to sit next to it much. Even though the MOSFETs might be ice cold, there are components within the intake airflow path that can get pretty warm, so a simple fan swap isn't realistic without some extensive testing with a thermal camera. Multiple temperature controlled fans would probably be necessary.Side note, there is a banana jack adapter for sale on your favorite auction site that is a nice addition if you don't plan to pull 60A all the time.I also have the Keysight EL34143A, which is my primary bench load. It's quite a bit better in many regards, but the retail price is close to $3k. I wanted a load that could field test batteries but not hurt my wallet if it got damaged, and the Rigol works fine for that.So ultimately, this unit covers the bases at a low price and of course is quite a step up from those cheap, open-chassis, CPU-heatsink loads you see everywhere.

With the built in capability to test batteries, this made the process extremely easy. Had 25 100Ah LiFePo batteries to test and the DL3021 made the job quick and easy. Wish there was a model with a higher load capacity, but am very happy with the quality of the unit and its ability to test various scenarios. I would recommend the RIGOL DL3021.

Makes testing bench equipment and PCBs easier.

Great value for the money, lots of features. You can even upgrade the firmware to get the features of the higher-end models. No complaints!

I did initially like the unit as it was easy to program and the steady state loading was as accurate as they claimed. When I started some testing with slew rates above 0.6 [A/uS] I ran into trouble. The unit will not sink current any faster than that. I tried using the manual interface, Ultra load interface via Ultra Sigma and a python script via pyvisa. I changed the current range back and forth betwen 4[A] and 40[A] but nothing worked. After contacting tech support they told me that the current slew rates do not work in all ranges and that they are working on a solution. However this cost me a lot of time and credibility as it was critical to a clients project. Very disappointed in an otherwise decent unit.

Solid construction and easy to use. A firmware update was required to get time stamp logging when using the battery testing features, but it was a painless process and have had zero issues since.