1

DC VOLTMETER
• Most D'Arsonval meter movements are
sensitive devices- have full-scale deflection
current ratings as low as 50 µA, with an
(internal) wire resistance of less than 1000 Ω.

• This makes for a voltmeter with a full-scale

rating of only 50 mV=
(50 µA X 1000 Ω)!.

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DC VOLTMETER
• In order to build voltmeters with practical
scales from such sensitive movements, we
need to reduce the voltage down to a level
the movement can handle…

• The basic d’Arsonval meter movement can be

converted to a DC Voltmeter by connecting a
Multiplier (Rs) with the meter movement.

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 DC VOLTMETER
Im

+ Rs

Rm

-
Figure 1: The d’Arsonval meter movement used in a DC voltmeter

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 DC VOLTMETER

The purposes of the Multiplier (Rs):

to extend the voltage range of the meter

movements.

to limit the current through the d’Arsonval

meter movement to a maximum full-scale
deflection current.

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 DC VOLTMETER

• To find Rs value, first determine the Sensitivity, S of the meter

movements.

• Sensitivity, S :
1
S ( / V )
I fs

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DC VOLTMETER
Voltage measurements are made by placing the Voltmeter across the resistance of
interest.

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DC VOLTMETER

Measuring:-
• Rm||Rc
• ∴ Rm>> Rc (circuit resistance).
• Why?

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DC VOLTMETER
• Since the value of the multiplier is different
for each range, total resistance is difficult to
express.

• More meaningful info can be conveyed via

Sensitivity rating of the instrument- telling
the resistance of the instrument for a-one-
volt range.

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DC VOLTMETER

Total resistance (Rs+Rm)?

Thus;
Rs +Rm = S X Range
Rs = S X Range – Rm

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DC VOLTMETER
Example 1.
Calculate the sensitivity of a 100-mA meter movement which is to be used
as a DC Voltmeter.

A: 10,000 Ω/V

Example 2.
Calculate the value of the multiplier Rs on the 50-V range of a DC Voltmeter
that used 200-mA meter movements with an internal resistance of
1.2kΩ.

A: 248.8k Ω

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DC VOLTMETER

Example 3.
Calculate the values
of Rs for the Rm = 2 kΩ
Ifs = 100mA
multiple- range DC
Rs1 Rs2 Rs3
Voltmeter circuits
as shown below:
10V
5V 30V

+ -
Rs1= 48kΩ
Rs2= 98kΩ
Rs3= 298kΩ
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DC VOLTMETER

Example 4.
Calculate the values Rc Rb Ra
of Rs for the Rm = 2 kΩ
Ifs = 50mA
multiple- range DC
Voltmeter circuits 5V
as shown below: 10V

50V

+ -
Ra=98kΩ
Rb=100kΩ
Rc=800kΩ
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VOLTMETER LOADING EFFECTS
• When a voltmeter is used to measure the voltage
across a circuit component, the voltmeter circuit
itself is in parallel with the circuit component.

• Since the parallel combination of two resistors is

less than either resistor alone, the resistor seen
by the source is less with the voltmeter connector
than without.

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VOLTMETER LOADING EFFECTS
• Therefore, the voltage across the component is
less whenever the voltmeter is connected.

• The decrease in voltage maybe negligible or

appreciable, depending on the Sensitivity of
the voltmeter being used.

• This effect is called voltmeter loading and the

resulting error is called loading error.

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 VOLTMETER LOADING EFFECTS
Example 5:
Two different voltmeters are used to measure the voltage across RB in the
circuit below. The meters are:

• Meter A : S= 1kΩ/V;Rm=0.2kΩ; Range =10V

• Meter B : S=20kΩ/V;Rm=1.5kΩ; Range = 10V

RA 25kOhm
10kΩ
Calculate:
E = 20V

 Voltage across RB without any meter.

 3.3V RB 5kOhm
1.8kΩ

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 VOLTMETER LOADING EFFECTS
Example 5:
Two different voltmeters are used to measure the voltage across RB in the
circuit below. The meters are:

• Meter A : S= 1kΩ/V; Rm=0.2kΩ; Range =10V

• Meter B : S=20kΩ/V; Rm=1.5kΩ; Range = 10V

RA 25kOhm
10kΩ
Calculate:
E = 20V

 Voltage across RB without any meter. (3.3V)

RB 5kOhm
1.8kΩ
 Voltage across RB when meter A is used.
 Rm+Rs = S*Range
 Rm+Rs = 10KΩ
 Rt=(Rm+Rs)||RB ≈ 3333Ω
 Vmeasured ≈ Rt/(Rt+RA)*E ≈ 2.35V

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 VOLTMETER LOADING EFFECTS
Example 5:
Two different voltmeters are used to measure the voltage across RB in the
circuit below. The meters are:

• Meter A : S= 1kΩ/V;Rm=0.2kΩ; Range =10V

• Meter B : S=20kΩ/V;Rm=1.5kΩ; Range = 10V

RA 25kOhm
10kΩ
Calculate:
E = 20V

 Voltage across RB without any meter. (3.3V)

 Voltage across RB when meter A is used. (2.35V) RB 5kOhm
1.8kΩ

 Voltage across RB when meter B is used.

 Rm+Rs = S*Range
 Rm+Rs = 200KΩ
 Rt=(Rm+Rs)||RB ≈ 4878Ω
 Vmeasured ≈ Rt/(Rt+RA)*E ≈ 3.26V

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 VOLTMETER LOADING EFFECTS
Example 5:
Two different voltmeters are used to measure the voltage across RB in the
circuit below. The meters are:

• Meter A : S= 1kΩ/V;Rm=0.2kΩ; Range =10V

• Meter B : S=20kΩ/V;Rm=1.5kΩ; Range = 10V

RA 25kOhm
10kΩ
Calculate:
E = 20V

 Voltage across RB without any meter. (3.3V)

 Voltage across RB when meter A is used. (2.35V) RB 5kOhm
1.8kΩ
 Voltage across RB when meter B is used. (3.26V)

 Loading Errors in both voltmeter readings.

𝑉𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 −𝑉𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
𝐸𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 = x 100%
𝑉𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
𝐸𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔−𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐴 = 28.7879%
𝐸𝐿𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔−𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝐵 = 1.2121% 19
VOLTMETER LOADING EFFECTS

Example 6:
Find the voltage reading and the
percentage of loading error of each
reading obtained with a voltmeter on:
 Its 3-V range. 15.3261V RA 2.2kΩ

E = 20V
 Its 10-V range 15.6336V
 Its 30-V range. 15.7236V RB
8.2kΩ
The meter has a 20-kΩ/V sensitivity and
connected across RB.

Vcal=15.7692V
E(loading-3V)=2.8099%
E(loading-10V)=0.8599%
E(loading-30V)=0.2892% 20
SUMMARY

In this sub-topic, we have learned about:

1. the purpose of multipliers put in series with
a meter movements.
2. calculation of the multiplier resistance of a
Voltmeter.
3. voltmeter loading effects.

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CONCLUSION
1. The basic d’Arsonval meter movement can be
converted to a DC Voltmeter by connecting a
Multiplier (Rs) with the meter movement.

2. Sensitivity, S is the reciprocal of the full-scale

deflection current.

3. Therefore, it is desirable to make the voltmeter

resistance much-much more higher than the circuit
resistance.

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