1. Principles & Applications Instruments and Measurements
Electricity
Principles & Applications
Sixth Edition
Richard J. Fowler
Chapter 15
Instruments and Measurements
© Glencoe/McGraw-Hill

2. INTRODUCTION Digital Ohmmeter Basic Meter Movement Analog Meters
Current Transformer
Meter Loading
Bridges

3. Facts About Instruments and Measurements
Many analog instruments use a d’Arsonval meter movement.
Analog wattmeters use electrodynamometer meter movements.
Rectifiers convert ac to pulsating dc.
Meter movements have voltage, current, and resistance ratings.
A DVM measures the time to charge a capacitor, from a constant-current source, to the value of the voltage being measured.

4. Instruments and Measurements
More Facts About
Instruments and Measurements
Shunts and multipliers are used to extend the range of meter movements.
High-frequency currents can be measured with thermocouple meters.
Digital capacitance meters measure the time required to charge the capacitor.
Digital inductance meters measure the inductor’s cemf.
Wattmeters measure true power.
Impedance can be measured by the equivalent-resistance method.

5. Ohmmeter Function of a DMM
Voltmeter
circuitry
1 mA
constant
current
source
The ohmmeter function uses the voltmeter section of the DMM.
A constant current source
develops a voltage across the resistor.
If the voltmeter measures 0 to mV,
and the current
source is 1mA,
then the displayed output will be in ohms.
This resistance of this resistor is very close to its coded value.

6. Basic Meter Movement The basic meter movement
1 kW
50 mV
The basic meter movement
has a full-scale current (Ifs) rating
and an internal resistance (Ri) rating.
Using these two ratings, the full-scale voltage rating (Vfs) is:
Vfs = Ifs x Ri =
50 µA x 1 kW =
50 mV

7. Analog Ammeters This meter movement is a 50 µA ammeter.
1 kW
50 mV
This meter movement
is a 50 µA ammeter.
Its range can be extended by adding a shunt resistor.
The shunt resistance for a 1-mA range is calculated thus:
Rshunt = Vfs / (Irange - Ifs) =
50 mV / (1 mA - 50 µA) =
52.63 W

8. Analog Voltmeters This meter movement is a 50 mV voltmeter.
1 kW
50 mV
This meter movement
is a 50 mV voltmeter.
Its range can be extended by adding a multiplier resistor.
The multiplier resistance for a 20-V range is calculated thus:
Rmult = (Vrange - Vfs) / Ifs =
(20 V - 50 mV) / 50 µA =
399 kW

9. Analog Ohmmeters R1 R2 This meter movement
1 kW
50 mV R1 R2
This meter movement
can be converted to an ohmmeter
by adding a fixed and a variable resistor
and a cell.
RT = R1 + R2(mid value) + R i =
1.5 V / 50 µA =
30 kW
Make R2(mid value) = 0.05RT = 1.5 kW.
Thus, R1 = 30 kW kW - 1 kW =
27.5 kW

10. Rectifier-Type Ac Ammeter
Output pdc
50 µA
1 kW
50 mV - +
Input ac
A polarized (dc) meter
can respond to ac when a rectifier is used.
The rectifier allows current to flow in only one direction.
The converted meter can be used in extended-range
ammeters and voltmeters.

11. Analog-Meters Quiz The Vfs rating a meter movement is ____ 80 mV
when Ifs = 100 mA and Ri = 800 W.
80 mV
To extend the range of a 500-mA, 298-W
meter movement to 100 mA requires a____
resistor of ____ W.
shunt
1.5
To extend the range of a 200-mA, 500-W
meter movement to 100 V requires a____
resistor of ____ W.
multiplier
499.5 k
An analog ohmmeter requires a(n) ____ as
well as resistors and a meter movement.
cell
A ____ allows a polarized meter movement
to measure ac.
rectifier

12. Current Transformer Principle
AMPERES
The current transformer, with a split core, is used in the clamp-on meter.

13. Current Transformer Principle
AMPERES
The current transformer, with a split core, is used in the clamp-on meter.
To measure current in a conductor, open the core
and insert the conductor.

14. Current Transformer Principle
AMPERES
The current transformer, with a split core, is used in the clamp-on meter.
To measure current in a conductor, open the core
and insert the conductor.
The conductor is now a single-turn transformer primary.
The current induced in the secondary is measured by the digital meter.

15. Voltmeter Loading R1 V 45 V B1 90 V R2 V 45 V 2 kW
(Case 1) R1 R2 B1
90 V
2 kW
45 V V
45 V V
Circuit analysis tells us that each resister should drop 45 V.
Using a 20-kW/V meter on the 50-V range, the voltages are as expected.
The 1 MW of Rmeter in parallel with 2 kW does not significantly change the resistance in the circuit.
Thus, there is no meter loading!

16. Voltmeter Loading R1 V 20 V B1 60 V R2 V 20 V 1 MW
(Case 2) R1 R2 B1
60 V
1 MW
20 V V
20 V V
Circuit analysis tells us that each resister should drop 30 V.
Using a 20-kW/V meter on the 50-V range, the voltages are much lower than expected.
The 1 MW of Rmeter in parallel with 1 MW gives an equivalent resistance of 0.5 MW in series with 1 MW.
The meter-resister combination drops only 20 V. There is meter loading!

17. Capacitance Bridge R1 R2 1.6 kW V Cu C1 0.002 µF 2.2 kW .00275 µF
Bridge null occurs when R1 is adjusted to 2.2 kW.
Therefore, the measured capacitance is:
Cu = (C1 / R2) R1 =
(0.002 / 1.6) x 2.2 = µF

18. Meter-Use Quiz A ____ ammeter can measure current without
physically interrupting the circuit.
clamp-on
A clamp-on ammeter uses a ____
____ connected to another ammeter.
current
transformer
Voltmeter ____ occurs when the meter’s
Ri is not many times larger than the
resistance to which it is connected.
loading
A DMM with 10 MW of Ri should indicate
____ V when connected to a 10-MW resistor
that is series connected with a 5-MW
resistor to a 40-V source. 20
A capacitor bridge uses ____ capacitor(s)
and ____ resistor(s) in the bridge.
two

19. REVIEW Basic Meter Movement Analog Meters Current Transformer
Digital Ohmmeter
Basic Meter Movement
Analog Meters
Current Transformer
Meter Loading
Bridges