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CO1 : Ability to define, describe and ANALYZE the

elements of a complete electronic instrumentation
and measurement system. (C4, P3, A3)
CO2 : Ability to define, describe and ANALYZE types of
error, statistical, regression and correlation, standard
and calibration of the instrumentation and
measurements. (C4, P3, A4)
CO3 : Ability to DESIGN and apply the working principles of
various sensors and signal conditioning/ processing
techniques in instrumentation and measurements.
(C6, P3, A3)
CO4 : Ability to describe and ANALYZE display systems,
data acquisition system and computer interfacing
techniques in instrumentation and measurement.
(C4, P3, A3) 2
At the end of the lesson, students should be
able to:

• Define basic concept of Permanent Magnet

Moving Coil (PMMC)
• Apply the concept of PMMC used in DC ammeter,
voltmeter, ohmmeter, half wave and full wave
rectification.
• Apply in-depth knowledge in the loading effects
and ammeter insertion effects

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• BASIC METER MOVEMENT
• PRINCIPLE OPERATION OF A PMMC METER
• ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PMMC
METER
• DC AMMETER
• AYRTON SHUNT
• AMMETER INSERTION EFFECT
• DC VOLTMETER
• MULTIRANGE DC VOLTMETER
• LOADING EFFECT
• AC VOLTMETER
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• The action of the most commonly analog meter is based on the fundamental
principle of motor.

• Motor action : produced by the flow of a small current through a moving coil
which is positioned in the field of a permanent magnet.

• Basic moving coil system is called

d’Arsonval meter or Permanent Magnet
Moving Coil (PMMC) meter.

• Coil (rotor) moves in a rotary fashion.

Amount of rotation is proportional to the
amount of current flowing through the coil.

• Pointer attached to the coil indicates

the position of the coil on a scale
calibrated in terms of current or voltage. Basic Meter Movement

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A coil is suspended in the magnetic field of a
permanent magnetic in the shape of a horse-
shoe.
Function of a spring:
• To make electrical connections to the coil
• To return the coil to its original position when there
is no current through the coil
• To resist the movement of coil when there is
current .through the coil

When a current flows through the coil, the

resulting magnetic field reacts with the
magnetic field of the permanent magnet
generating an electromagnetic (EM) torque,
causing the coil to rotate.

PMMC Meter
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 Advantages Disadvantages

 Can be modified using  Can measure only dc

shunt to cover a wide
range of currents/voltages
 No hysteresis loss
 Cheap and robust
 Low power consumption
 Scales are uniform
current/voltage
 Friction due to jewel-pivot
suspension
 Some errors due to ageing
of control springs and the
permanent

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 PMMC galvanometer constitutes the basic
movement of dc ammeter.
 Coil winding is small and light – carry very
small current.
 Large current to be measured – bypass the
major part of the current through a
resistance called a shunt.

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Where:
Rsh = resistance of the shunt
Rm = internal resistance of the
moving coil
Ish = current through shunt
Im = full scale deflection
current of the moving coil
I = full scale deflection current
of the ammeter
Vm = voltage drop across Rm
Vsh = voltage drop across Rsh

From circuit in Figure 3: Therefore,

Vm = Im Rm
Vm = Vsh
Ish = I – Im

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A 100 μA meter movement with an internal
resistance of 800Ω is used in a 0-100 mA
ammeter. Find the value of the required
shunt resistance.

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A 100 µA meter movement with an internal
resistance of 500 Ω is to be used in a
0 – 100 mA Ammeter. Find the value of the
required shunt.
(Ans :0.50 Ω)

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 A high resistance shunt used to increase the
range of a galvanometer without changing
the damping.
 Eliminates the possibility of having the
meter in the circuit without a shunt.

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 Im

Rm

I - Im

Rc Rb Ra

I2
5A
I3 I1
I 10A 1A

+ -
Fig. 3: An Ammeter using Aryton shunt.

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 Im
From figure;
Vsh = Vm
Rm

ISh=I - Im Range 0 – IA;

IshRsh = ImRm ; I = Ish+Im
Rc Rb Ra (1-Im)(Rc+Rb+Ra) = ImRm

I2 Range 0 - 5A;
5A
I3
(5-Im)(Ra) = Im(Rm+Rc+Rb)
I 10A 1A
Range 0 – 10A;
I1 (10-Im)(Rb+Ra) = Im(Rm+Rc)

+ -
Fig. 3: An Ammeter using Aryton shunt.

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 Compute the value of the
shunt resistors for the
circuit.
Given that Rm = 1.2kΩ,
Im = 50 uA,
0-5mA, 0-50mA, 0-200mA.

Fig. 3: An Ammeter using Aryton shunt.

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• All ammeter contain internal resistance
• Inserting an ammeter:
a) increase the resistance
b) reduce the current

Ammeter
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• Circuit without ammeter:
(Iactual = current without inserting an ammeter)

V
I actual 
R

• Circuit with ammeter:

V
Im 
R  Rm

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• The insertion error of an ammeter is defined as:

Insertion error (%) = Iactual-Im x 100

Iactual

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An ammeter with internal resistance of 50Ω and full scale
deflection current of 0.1A is used to measure current in the
circuit as shown. Determine the insertion error.

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 A PMMC meter can be converted to a voltmeter
by connecting a multiplier Rs in series with the
meter.
 The purpose of the multiplier Rs is to extend the
range of meter and to limit the current through
the meter to the maximum full-scale deflection
current.
 DC voltmeter measures the potential difference
between 2 points in a dc circuit or a circuit
component.

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• To use as dc voltmeter, it is necessary to know the amount of
current required to deflect the basic meter full scale  Ifs
• For eg: suppose 50µA current required for full scale deflection.
This Ifs will produce a voltmeter with sensitivity, S of 20,000Ω
per V. Where:
Rs = multiplier resistors
Rm = internal resistance of the moving coil
V = full-scale deflection/full-range voltage of
voltmeter
Im = full-scale deflection current of the moving
coil
Ifs = Im
Rs is determine by the sensitivity of the
d’Arsonval meter.

Vm  I m ( Rs  Rm )
V  I m Rm V
Rs    Rm
Im Im
V
 Rs   Rm
Im 23
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Calculate the value of multiplier resistance for
a 50 V range DC Voltmeter that used 5mA
D’Arsonval meter with an internal resistance of
1kΩ.

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A basic PMMC meter movement with a fullscale
deflection of 50 μA and internal resistance of 500
Ohm is used as a voltmeter. Determine the value of
the multiplier resistance to measure a voltage range
of 0-10V .

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Using a 1mA, with internal resistance 100Ω PMMC movement,
design a multi-range voltmeter with the Following ranges: 0-
10V, 0-50V, 0-250V and 0-500V.

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• It is important to consider the sensitivity of a dc
voltmeter when selecting a meter for certain
voltage measurement.
• Low sensitivity produce unreliable readings in
high resistance circuit.
• A voltmeter when connected across two points in
a highly resistive circuits, acts as a shunt for that
portion, reducing the total equivalent resistance
of that portion.
• The voltmeter then indicates a lower reading
than the actual value. This is called the loading
effect and caused mainly by low sensitivity
instruments.

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Figure above shows a simple circuit of R1 and R2 connected to a
100V dc source. If the voltmeter across R2 is to be measured by
having a sensitivity of 1000Ω/V with a full scale reading of 50V
range. Calculate the voltage across the R2 resistance displayed
by the voltmeter. (Ans :45.43V)

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Figure below shows a series circuit consists of resistor R₁ and R₂, connected to a
100V dc source. The voltage across R₂ is to be measured by two voltmeters as
follows:
• Voltmeter A: S = 1000 Ω/V, range = 30V
• Voltmeter B: S = 10 000 Ω/V, range = 30V

Determine :
i) The actual voltage (before the meter is connected).
ii) Measured voltage using Voltmeter A.
iii) Measured voltage using Voltmeter B.
iv) Errors in both Voltmeter A and B.
v) Which voltmeter gives more accurate reading? Justify your answer.

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