HP Hewlett Packard 78571B Chart Recorder 100-240V Selectable Voltage 5A Output

HP Hewlett Packard 78571B Chart Recorder 100-240V Selectable Voltage 5A Output

The HP 78571B is a benchtop thermal strip chart recorder made by Hewlett-Packard. It records continuous analog signals onto heat-sensitive chart paper using a heated stylus, producing a permanent paper trace of measured data over time. The unit features a manual voltage selector for worldwide use and an onboard date/time stamping system for time-correlating recorded data.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard (HP)
• Model: 78571B
• Type: Thermal strip chart recorder (heated stylus)
• Input Voltage: 100V, 120V, 220V, 240V — manually selectable via rear-panel voltage selector
• Power Rating: 80 VA MAX
• Frequency: 60 Hz
• Max Output: 5A
• Fuse: 100V/120V — 1.0A T; 220V/240V — 500mA T
• AC Inlet: IEC C14 standard 3-pin connector
• Chart Speed: Adjustable (mm/s), set via front-panel controls with red LED numeric readout
• Stylus Heat: Front-panel adjustable Stylus Heat control with indicator LED
• Date/Time Functions: Date View, Time Set (HR/MIN), Date Set (DAY/MO), Year Set — pushbutton front-panel controls
• Operating Modes: Stop and Continuous — front-panel pushbutton selection
• Input/Output: Rear-panel terminal block (labeled INPUT and OUTPUT) with screw-terminal wiring
• Form Factor: Benchtop/desktop, horizontal orientation
• Country of Manufacture: United States
• Date Label: HP Exp. Date Jun 25 1983
• UL Listed: Medical Equipment label visible on rear terminal block panel

Applications

The HP 78571B belongs to a family of HP strip chart recorders used widely in medical, laboratory, and industrial monitoring environments during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Strip chart recorders of this type were standard instruments for producing a continuous paper record of slowly varying electrical signals — such as physiological data (patient vital signs, respiratory flow), process temperatures, pressure readings, or instrument outputs — at a controlled, selectable chart speed. The presence of a UL Medical Equipment listing and the integrated date/time stamping function indicate this unit was designed for or used in a clinical or medical instrumentation context, where time-stamped paper records were required. HP's 785xx recorder series was a common choice in hospital clinical labs, cardiology departments, and biomedical research settings of that era. While modern data acquisition systems have largely replaced paper recorders in new installations, HP strip chart recorders like the 78571B remain in use for legacy applications, instrument calibration verification traces, and in facilities that still maintain paper-based documentation workflows.