User Manual    AMETEK Programmable Power 
RS Series    55 
3.9  Clock and Lock Configurations 
The RS Series may optionally be equipped for clock and lock mode of operation. This mode is a 
special form of Master/Auxiliary, which requires each chassis to have its controller. As such, it is 
possible to create 3, 6 or 9 phase power systems using 2 to 3 RS chassis. For most 
applications, the normal multi-box parallel mode of operation as described in section 3.7 is most 
common as it provides a single controller (and GPIB/RS232 control interface). 
In a clock and lock configuration, each unit has its own front panel controls (as well as individual 
GPIB, RS232C, USB or LAN interfaces) for operating the supply but the output frequency and 
phase of the auxiliary unit(s) (-LKS option) is synchronized (locked) tot he Master RS unit (-
LKM). Despite this phase lock mode of operation, the outputs of two clock and locked RS 
systems cannot be paralleled. Use normal multi-box parallel mode instead for application 
requiring more power than a single RS90 can provide. 
This mode of operation requires that one RS has the -LKM (Lock Master) option and one or two 
RS units have the -LKS (Lock auxiliary) option.  
3.9.1  Clock/Lock Configuration Settings 
 
Clock and lock configuration. settings for -LKM and -LKS equipped RS's are set at the factory at 
the time of shipment and cannot be changed. To check the configuration settings for an RS, 
select the UTILITY2, CONFIGURATION screen. In the configuration screen, the CLK/LOC entry 
determines if the unit is a Master or Auxiliary as follows: 
Description 
CLK/LOC  N/A  Stand alone RS or RS-LKM clock and lock 
master. 
Frequency mode is set to either INT (internal 
= default) or SYNC (external sync). 
  ON  Auxiliary RS. 
Frequency mode selection is INT (internal = 
for stand alone use) or EXT (external for 
Clock and Lock mode operation.) 
Table 3-12: Clock and Lock Configuration settings 
Note that the actual mode of operation of a Clock/Lock RS-LKM auxiliary unit is determined by 
the Clock mode set in the PROGRAM2 screen. For clock and lock mode of operation, the 
master is set to INT and the Auxiliary to EXT.