WATTMETER

Electric power is measured by means of a wattmeter. This instrument is of the electrodynamometertype. As shown in figure 3-18, it consists of a pair of fixed coils, known as current coils, and a movingcoil, called the voltage (potential) coil. The fixed current coils are wound with a few turns of a relativelylarge conductor. The voltage coil is wound with many turns of fine wire. It is mounted on a shaft that issupported in jeweled bearings so that it can turn inside the stationary coils. The movable coil carries aneedle (pointer) that moves over a suitably graduated scale. Coil springs hold the needle at the zeroposition in the absence of a signal.

Figure 3-18.Simplified electrodynamometer wattmeter circuit.

Wattmeter ConnectionT
the current coil of the wattmeter is connected in series with the circuit (load), and the voltage coil isconnected across the line. When line current flows through the current coil of a wattmeter, a field is set uparound the coil. The strength of this field is in phase with and proportional to the line current. The voltagecoil of the wattmeter generally has a high-resistance resistor connected in series with it. The purpose forthis connection is to make the voltage-coil circuit of the meter as purely resistive as possible. As a result,current in the voltage circuit is practically in phase with line voltage. Therefore, when voltage is impressed on the voltage circuit, current is proportional to and in phase with the line voltage. Figure 3-19shows the proper way to connect a wattmeter into a circuit.