Electrical Instrumentations and Measurements

[ELC 213]- Fall 2022

Lecture #4

Dr. Hany S. E. Mansour

Electrical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Suez Canal University
Email: hany_salem@eng.suez.edu.eg
Phone: 010 243 27 200
DC Voltameter
➢ Voltmeter is used for measuring voltage or the potential difference.

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Example 1

➢Calculate the value of multiplier resistance on the 50 V range of a dc voltmeter

that uses a 200 𝜇A meter movement with an internal resistance of 100 Ω.

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Example 2
➢A basic PMMC instrument with a full deflection of 50 𝜇 A and internal

resistance of 500 Ω is used as a voltmeter. Determine the value of the multiplier

resistance needed to measure a voltage range of 0–10 V.

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Multi-range DC Voltmeter

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Example 3
A 1 mA meter movement with an internal resistance of 50 Ω is to be used in a 0-1 V,
0-10 V, 0-50 V, and 0-100 V ranges. Find the required multiplier resistances.

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Example 3
A 1 mA meter movement with an internal resistance of 50 Ω is to be used in a 0-1 V, 0-10 V,
0-50 V, and 0-100 V ranges. Find the required multiplier resistances.

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DC Voltameter Sensitivity
➢ The sensitivity of a voltmeter is given in ohms per voltage.
➢ It is the reciprocal of the full-scale deflection current.

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Example 4
➢ Calculate the sensitivity of a 200 𝜇A meter movement which is to be used as a
dc voltmeter.

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Example 5
The fig. shows a simple series circuit of R1 and R2 connected to a 250 V DC
source. If the voltage across R2 to be measured by the voltameters having:
I. A sensitivity of 500 ohm/V.
II. A sensitivity of 10000 ohm/V.
Find which voltameter will read more accurately.
Both the meters are used on the 150 V range.

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Example 5
The fig. shows a simple series circuit of R1 and R2 connected to a 250 V DC source. If the
voltage across R2 to be measured by the voltameters having:
I. A sensitivity of 500 ohm/V.
II. A sensitivity of 10000 ohm/V.
Find which voltameter will read more accurately.
Both the meters are used on the 150 V range.

➢ The true voltage across R2

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Example 5

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Example 5

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Loading Effect

➢ If the voltameter has a low resistance, it draws a substantial amount of current.

➢ This action lowers the effective resistance of the circuit and changes the voltage reading.

➢ This is called loading effect.

➢ Loading effect is caused due to low sensitivity of the voltameter.

➢ When we make voltage measurements in high-resistance circuits, we should use a high

sensitivity voltmeter to prevent the loading effect of the voltmeter.

➢ The effect is less noticeable in low-resistance circuits because the loading effect is less.

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Example 6
➢ The voltage across the resistor of value 25 kΩ is to be measured first by using a voltameter of
sensitivity of 1 kΩ /V, and then with a voltameter of sensitivity of 20 kΩ /V. Calculate the
reading of the voltameter in each case and the % error in the measurement. Both the meters
are used on the 25 V range.

➢ The true voltage across 25 kΩ = 25 V.

➢ For S = 1 kΩ/V

15 −25
➢ % 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = × 100 = − 40%
25

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Example 6
➢ The voltage across the resistor of value 25 kΩ is to be measured first by using a voltameter of
sensitivity of 1 kΩ /V, and then with a voltameter of sensitivity of 20 kΩ /V. Calculate the
reading of the voltameter in each case and the % error in the measurement. Both the meters
are used on the 25 V range.

➢ The true voltage across 25 kΩ = 25 V.

➢ For S = 20 kΩ/V

24.2 −25
➢ % 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = × 100 = −3.2%
25

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Example 7
If the resistors in the previous example are changed to 5 kΩ and 2.5 kΩ from 50 kΩ and 25 kΩ,
calculate the reading of the voltameter with sensitivity of 1 kΩ /V and find the % error in the
measurement.
➢ The true voltage across 2.5 kΩ = 25 V.
➢ Choose the voltameter range of 25 V.
➢ For S = 1 kΩ/V

23.44 −25
➢ % 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = × 100 = −6.24%
25

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Ohmmeter
➢ The scale of the PMMC instrument can be calibrated to measure resistance in
ohms.
➢ The ohmmeter consists of:
✓ Battery with internal resistance
✓ Millimeter movement
✓ Adjustable resistance.

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Series Ohmmeter

➢ The deflecting torque, produced due to the following current, has the following

characteristics:

✓ Proportional to the current flow.

✓ Displayed on a back-off scale, with ohm values

increasing to the left as the current backs off from

full-scale deflection.

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Series Ohmmeter

➢ With open circuit:

➢ Rx = ∞
➢ the current in the circuit drops to zero and
the movement indicates zero current,
which is then marked “∞ Ω” on the scale.

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Series Ohmmeter

➢ With short circuit:

➢ Rx = 0,
➢ the maximum current is flows in the circuit.
➢ In this condition the shunt resistor is adjust until
the movement indicates full-scale current (Ifsd).
➢ The full-scale current position of the pointer is
marked “0 Ω” on the scale.

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Series Ohmmeter

➢ By connecting different known resistance across

the terminals, intermediate marking can be done
on scale.
➢ The meter deflection is non-linear.

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Series Ohmmeter
❖ Design of Series Ohmmeter

➢ R1 and R2 are obtained in terms of the “ half of full-scale deflection resistance”.

➢ It is the resistance that causes a half-scale deflection when

connected across the terminals.

➢ Under the full-scale deflection conditions: Rx = 0

𝑅2 𝑅𝑚
➢ The equivalent resistance is: 𝑅𝑒𝑞−𝑓𝑠 = 𝑅1 +
𝑅2 + 𝑅𝑚
➢ The total resistance has to be doubled for half-
𝑅2 𝑅𝑚
𝑅ℎ = 𝑅𝑒𝑞−𝑓𝑠 = 𝑅1 +
scale deflection. 𝑅2 + 𝑅𝑚
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Series Ohmmeter

➢ R1 and R2 are obtained according to:

1. The full-scale deflection current Ifsd

2. The meter resistance Rm

3. The emf of the battery E

4. The half of full-scale deflection resistance Rh

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Series Ohmmeter

➢ The full-scale current (Rx =0) is:

𝐸 𝐸
𝐼𝑡 = =
𝑅𝑒𝑞−𝑓𝑠 𝑅ℎ

𝑉𝑠ℎ = 𝑉𝑚

𝐼2 𝑅2 = 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑 𝑅𝑚

𝐼2 = 𝐼𝑡 − 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑

𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑 𝑅𝑚 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑 𝑅𝑚 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑 𝑅𝑚 𝑅ℎ

𝑅2 = 𝐼𝑡 = 𝐸/𝑅ℎ 𝑅2 = =
𝐸
𝐼𝑡 − 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑 − 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑 𝐸 − 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑 𝑅ℎ
𝑅ℎ

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Series Ohmmeter

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Example

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Example

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Shunt Ohmmeter
➢ The resistance to be measured is in parallel with the
movement of the ohmmeter.
➢ Used for measuring very low values of resistances.
➢ A battery and variable resistor in series are connected across a milliammeter.
➢ The resistor is adjusted until the meter reads full-scale with the test terminals
unconnected.
➢ The external resistor will bypass some current and the meter reading will fall.
➢ The switch is used to prevent the continuous current flow from the battery
without external resistances.
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Shunt Ohmmeter
➢ At short circuit: no current will flow in the meter
and the pointer will not move.
➢ At open circuit: A maximum current flows in the
meter.
➢ The resistance R1 is adjusted such that the flowing
current causes a full-scale deflection at open
circuit.
➢ The scale of shunt ohmmeter is not reversed.

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Shunt Ohmmeter

➢ The deflecting angle is in proportional to the connected resistance.

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Shunt Ohmmeter
𝐸 𝐸
𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑 = 𝑅1 = − 𝑅𝑚
𝑅1 + 𝑅𝑚 𝐼𝑓𝑠𝑑

➢ With Rx connected to the meter:

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Shunt Ohmmeter
𝐸𝑅𝑥
𝐼𝑚 =
𝑅1 𝑅𝑚 + 𝑅𝑥 (𝑅1 + 𝑅𝑚 )

➢ The half-scale meter current is Im=0.5 Ifsd

➢ Half-scale resistance deflection is Rx=Rh

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