PARTMHAR

ENGR. KRISTIAN 1 DE PADUA

 DC AMMETER

It a device that measures and indicates the

amount of current flowing through a component by
connecting it in series with the element to be
measured. The most common type is D’ Arsonval
ammeter which is consist of moving coil, spring and
permanent magnet.
 DC AMMETER

D’ Arsonval Ammeter
As current passes through the coil, a magnetic
torque causes the coil to move. The amount of
movement is determined by the size of the current.
By attaching a needle to the coil, an indication of the
size of the current is obtained.
 DC AMMETER

IDEAL PRACTICAL/REAL
has some resistance but it is
The internal resistance is 0 Ω
made as low as possible
The needle deflection is
directly proportional to current,
the needle deflection is not
which implies that the meter
exactly proportional to the
space is marked off with
amount of current
uniform spacing between the
divisions
 DC AMMETER ERRORS

1. Calibration error
It arises from the fact that the meter face may
not be accurately marked. The size of calibration
error for a specific ammeter maybe obtained from
the manufacturer’s data sheet. The specification for
this error is in terms of full-scale current, the greatest
inaccuracy will occur for small deflection.
 DC AMMETER ERRORS

2. Error caused by its resistance

A real ammeter will add resistance to the
branch. This added resistance always reduces the
current in any real circuit.
 DC AMMETER ERRORS

Accuracy:
𝐼𝑤𝑚 𝑅𝑜
Ro =
𝐼𝑤𝑜𝑚 𝑅𝑜 + 𝑅𝑚
Rm Iwm – current with meter
Iwom – current without meter
Ro – equivalent resistance
Rm – internal resistance of
ammeter
 DC AMMETER ERRORS

Percent of Loading error

Percent error in the ammeter reading due to
loading effects.

%𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = 100 − %𝐴𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑦

 Sample problem no. 1:

In the given figure, the ammeter has a resistance of

100Ω. Assuming no calibration error, what does the
ammeter reads? If the ammeter is ideal, what will it
read?
 Sample problem no. 2:

From the same circuit, if the calibration error is

+1.5% and the full scale current is 100 µA, what is
the range of accuracy and percent loading error?
 Sample problem no. 3:

In the given figure, the ammeter has a resistance of

100Ω and full scale current of 2 mA. If the
calibration error is +1%, what values does the
ammeter reads? Find the accuracy.

10 A
 Sample problem no. 4:

An ammeter with a full-scale deflection of 1 mA has

a calibration error of +5 percent of the full-scale
current. If the ammeter reads 0.35 mA , What is the
possible range in the true current through the
ammeter?
 Ammeter shunt

An ammeter with a full – scale current of Ifs can be

shunted by a resistor in order to measure current
greater than Ifs.
 Ammeter shunt

Equivalent circuit:
Required Shunt Resistance:
𝐼𝑓𝑠
𝑅𝑆𝐻 = × 𝑅𝑚
𝐼𝑇 − 𝐼𝑓𝑠
 Ammeter shunt

Equivalent circuit:
Ammeter Input Resistance:
𝑅𝑆𝐻 × 𝑅𝑚
𝑅𝑖𝑛 =
𝑅𝑆𝐻 + 𝑅𝑚
 Sample problem no. 5:

An ammeter with a meter resistance of 50 ohms and

a full–scale deflection current of 1 mA is to be
shunted so as to allow a total current of 3 mA. Find
the value of the shunt resistor of the shunted
ammeter.
 Sample problem no. 6:

An ammeter with a meter resistance of 50 ohms and

a full–scale deflection current of 1 mA is shunted as
required to obtain a total current of 1 A. Find the
value of the input resistance of the shunt ammeter.
 ayrton shunt

A special kind of ammeter shunt arrangement

which avoids having the ammeter in the circuit with a
shunt. It uses an ordinary switch, but the total current
is interrupted between positions, thus preventing any
possible meter damage due to switching.
ayrton shunt
 Sample problem no. 7:

For the circuit shown, find the range of currents can

be measured by an Ayrton shunt if it uses a basic
ammeter with internal resistance of 1 kΩ and full
scale current of 2 mA.
Sample problem no. 7:

2 mA

200 Ω 160 Ω 1 kΩ

500 Ω
 PARTMHAR
ENGR. KRISTIAN 2 DE PADUA
 VOLTMETER

A simple d-c voltmeter can be constructed by

placing a resistor in series with an ammeter and
marking the meter face to read the voltage across
the resistor and ammeter.
 VOLTMETER
Ifs Voltmeter
RS sensitivity:
Rm 1
𝑆=
𝐼𝑓𝑠

Voltage Range: 𝑉 = 𝐼𝑓𝑠 (𝑅𝑠 + 𝑅𝑚 )

 VOLTMETER

RS
Rm
Rin

Voltage Input Resistance: 𝑅𝑖𝑛 = 𝑅𝑠 + 𝑅𝑚

 VOLTMETER

RS
Rm
Rin

𝑉𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 − 𝑉𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑
%𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = × 100%
𝑉𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
 VOLTMETER

RS
Rm
Rin

%𝐴𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑦 = 100% − %𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟

 Sample problem no. 8:

An ammeter with Ifs = 1mA and Rm = 50 ohms is to

be converted to a voltmeter. Compute the size of the
series resistor required to measure a full scale
voltage of 50 volts. What is the sensitivity of the
meter?
 Sample problem no. 9:

To convert an ammeter with Ifs = 50 µA and Rm =

2kΩ to a voltmeter with a full scale voltage of 100
volts, the needed series resistance to be connected
is:
 Sample problem no. 10:

A voltmeter measures 25.5 V across a resistor, if the

calculated value is 26 V, what is the accuracy of the
voltmeter?
 PARTMHAR
ENGR. KRISTIAN 3 DE PADUA
 OHMMETER

A simple ohmmeter can be made by using a

battery, an ammeter and a resistor as shown.
Ifs
𝑉𝑜𝑐
𝐼𝑓𝑠 =
𝑅𝑜
 OHMMETER

Ro is an adjustable resistor because a rheostat is

always included in an ohmmeter to correct for the
aging of the battery. Normally, an ohmmeter is first
zeroed before trying to measure the unknown
resistor. Zeroing means that we must short the
terminal AB and adjust Ro to produce full scale
current through the ammeter.
 OHMMETER

When the unknown resistance Rx is connected

across the ohmmeter terminals, the current is
measured by:
I 𝑉𝑜𝑐
𝐼=
𝑅𝑜 + 𝑅𝑢
 OHMMETER

An easy way to determine ohm meter deflection

is by use of a deflection factor (D) which is the ratio
of circuit current to meter current.
I 𝑅 𝑜
𝐷=
𝑅𝑜 + 𝑅𝑢
 Sample problem no. 11:

An ohm meter with Ro = 30Ω and full scale current Ifs

= 300 µA. Find the circuit current when a 5 ohm
resistance is measured.