INSTRUMENTS AND

MEASUREMENTS
EE131.1
TERM 1, A.Y. 2015-2016

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Electrical instruments
 measure the changes in variables such as voltage,
current and resistance

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Error
Types of Error

 Static Error
 the numerical difference between the true value of a quantity and its value as obtained by
measurement.
 Mistakes
 errors due to human mistakes such as careless reading, mistakes in observations, incorrect
application of a correction, improper application of instruments and computational errors.
 Parallax Error
 introduced by reading scales from the wrong angle i.e. any angle other than at right angles
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Error
 Systematic Error:
 Instrumental Error
 errors inherent in measuring instruments because of their mechanical structure, such as friction in
bearings of various moving components, irregular spring tension
 Environmental Error
 due to conditions external to the measuring device including conditions in the area surrounding
the instrument such as the effect of change in temp , humidity, barometric pressure , or
magnetic or electrostatic fields.

 Random Error
 cause of such error is unknown or not determinable in the ordinary process of making
measurements. Such errors are normally small and follows the laws of chance.
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Sources:
 Insufficient knowledge of process parameters and design conditions.
 Poor design.
 Poor maintenance.
 Error caused by people who operate instrument equipment.
 Certain design limitations.
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PMMC or D’Arsonval Meter

 based on the moving-coil galvanometer

constructed by Jacques d’ Arsonval in 1881.
 can be used to indicate the value of DC and
AC quantity magnet

 a current measuring device which is used in

the ammeter, voltmeter, and ohmmeter
 an indicating instrument
 subjected to three types of torques

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 3 Types of Torques
 Deflecting Torque
 causes the moving system to move from zero position when the instrument is connected to the circuit
to measure the given electrical quantity
 Controlling Torque
 increases with the deflection of the moving system so that, the final position of the pointer on the
scale will be according to the magnitude of the electrical quantity to be measured
 brings the pointer back to zero position, when the deflecting torque is removed
 provided by one or more springs

 Damping Torque
 prevents the oscillation of the pointer; caused by the eddy current set up in the aluminum coil 7
Don’t Forget.. 

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Meter Sensitivity and Scale Change

 Meter Sensitivity
 usually expressed as the amount of current required to give full scale deflection
 may be expressed as the number of millivolts across the meter when full scale
current flows through it. This voltage drop is obtained by multiplying the full scale
current by the resistance of the meter movement.

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Extension of Range (Ammeter)
 where:
• Rm = instrument resistance
• S = shunt resistance
• Im = full-scale deflection current of the instrument
• I = line current to be measured

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Multi-range Ammeter

Ayrton Shunt
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Problems:

1. Calculate the value of the shunt resistance required to convert a 1-mA meter
movement, with a 100-Ω internal resistance, into a 0-100mA ammeter.
2. Design an ammeter to measure 100mA using a 50µA PMMC meter movement with
internal resistance 3k Ω.
3. Design a multirange ammeter to provide an ammeter with a current range of 0-
1mA, 0-10mA, 0-50mA and 0-100mA. A d’Arsonval movement with an internal
resistance of 100Ω and full scale current of 50µA is used.

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Extension of Range (Voltmeter)

 where:
• Im = full-scale deflection current
• Rm = galvanometer resistance
• ν = RmIm = full-scale p.d. across it
• V = voltage to be measured 13

• R = series resistance required

Multi-range Voltmeter

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Problems

1. Find the value of the multiplier resistor to convert a 50µA meter into a voltmeter having a
full-scale voltage of 5volts. The resistance of the meter movement is 1800Ω. (Ans. 98.2kΩ)
2. A basic D’Arsonval movement with a full-scale deflection of 50µA and internal resistance of
500Ω is used as a DC voltmeter. Determine the value of the multiplier resistance needed to
measure a voltage range of 0-10V.
3. Calculate the value of the multiplier resistance value in multiple range dc voltmeter circuit
shown in the figure if Ifsc = 50µA and Rm = 1kΩ.

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Ohmmeter
𝐸𝑏
𝐼𝑚 =
𝑅𝑥 + 𝑅1 + 𝑅𝑚

 When the meter terminals are

shorted,
𝑅𝑥 = 0
full-scale deflection occurs
𝐸𝑏
𝐼𝐹𝑆 = 𝑅1 +𝑅𝑚
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 Example:
 The series ohmmeter shown in
Figure is made up of a 1.5V
battery, a 100 μA meter, and a
resistance R1 which makes (R1 +
Rm) =15kΩ.
a. Determine the instrument
indication when Rx = 0.
b. Determine how the resistance
scale should be marked at 0.75
FSD, 0.5 FSD and 0.25 FSD 17
ohmmeter scale is nonlinear

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Ohmmeter with Zero Adjust

 With terminals A and B short-circuited, the

total circuit resistance is R1 + (R2 // Rm).
 Since R1 is always very much larger than
R2 // Rm, the total circuit resistance can be
assumed to equal R1

Each time the ohmmeter is used,

terminals A and B are first short
circuited, and R2 is adjusted for zero-20
ohm indication on the scale.
Multirange Ohmmeter

 the ohmmeter can be converted to a multi-range ohmmeter by employing several

values of standard resistance R1 and a rotatory switch

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 Example:
 An ohmmeter as shown in the figure with Eb =
1.5V, R1 = 15kΩ, Rm = R2 = 50Ω and IFS = 50μA.
Calculate
a. Rx at 0.5FSD
b. when Eb = 1.3V what is the value of R2 to get
full-scale current
c. when Eb = 1.3V what is the value of Rx at
half-scale current. 22
 An ohmmeter as shown in
the figure with Eb = 1.5V, R1 =
15kΩ, Rm = R2 = 50Ω and IFS =
50μA. Calculate
a. Rx at 0.5FSD

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 An ohmmeter as shown in the
figure with Eb = 1.5V, R1 = 15kΩ,
Rm = R2 = 50Ω and IFS = 50μA.
b. when Eb = 1.3V what is the
value of R2 to get full-scale
current

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 An ohmmeter as shown in the
figure with Eb = 1.5V, R1 = 15kΩ,
Rm = R2 = 50Ω and IFS = 50μA.
c. when Eb = 1.3V what is the
value of Rx at half-scale
current.

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