ESYS 50

Week-3 Lab Activity

Student Guide

VOLTAGE, CURRENT, AND RESISTANCE MEASUREMENTS

ESYS 50 – Introduction to Electronic Systems Technology
Student Name: ___________________________________________________

Acknowledgements
Subject Matter Expert: Wayne Phillips, Chabot College, Hayward, CA

Purpose
An electronics technician must be able to effectively use a digital multimeter (DMM) to
measure voltage and current in circuits and component resistances. The technician
must also be able to evaluate the data and determine if a system, circuit, or component
is performing within specifications.

Systems Rationale
Regardless of the size or complexity of a system, the technician must be able to
perform basic electrical checks. Checking the supply voltage is a fundamental step of
testing even the most complex system

Prerequisite Knowledge & Skills

 Basic word processing and spreadsheet editing
 Completing the Week 2 reading assignment and online activities

Student Learning Outcomes

Relevant knowledge (K), skill (S), or attitude (A) student learning outcomes include:

K1. Identify the proper meter connections and circuit conditions for measuring
voltage, current, and resistance with a digital multimeter (DMM)
K2. Compare measured data with specified limits
K3. Evaluate voltage of a series battery
S1. Measure voltages with a DMM in a functioning system
S2. Measure current with a DMM in a functioning system
S3. Measure resistance of components from a deactivated system
S4. Compile data into a test report.
A1. Recognize the positive impact of well-organized and neatly prepared report.

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Student Guide

Process Overview
In this lab activity, you will make voltage, current, and resistance measurements on the
BOE-bot robot trainer. You will compare your measurements to specifications and
determine if your BOE-bot is ready for its run on the racetrack. You will monitor its
operation on the track and evaluate its performance based on your measurements and
manufacture’s data.

Time Needed
Lab Performance:
It should take students approximately 4.0 hours to work through the entire lab.

Lab Deliverables:
It should take students approximately 2.0 hours of homework time to create the lab
report summary.

Equipment & Supplies

Item Quantity
BOE-bot robot trainer 1
Optical sensor course tracking board 1
DMM and test leads 2
BOE-bot power monitor test cable 1
AA alkaline cells (batteries) – installed in BOE-bot 4

Special Safety Requirements

 The BOE-bot wheels can present a pinch hazard when moving. Keep fingers and
loose parts away from the wheels.
 Incorrect connection of an ammeter can create a shorting hazard, with possible
overheating and damage to the BOE-bot and meter. Ask the instructor to double-
check your connections before connecting power to the BOE-bot

Lab Preparation
1. The lab instructor will set up the BOE-bot racetrack for the final performance test.
2. The BOE-bot must have the program follow-line.bs2 loaded on the BASIC Stamp
microcontroller. The instructor will confirm that you have the correct software
loaded.
3. The BOE-bot must have the optical sensor course tracking board installed. Verify
that the board is mounted securely on the front of the robot.

Introduction
You are the technician responsible for preparing the BOE-bot for the “ESYS 500 Robo-
Race.” You will verify that the robot is ready to race by comparing your measurements
with specified limits and you will monitor the performance as it runs the test course.

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Your final report will evaluate the race performance and predict the chances of your
robot completing a longer endurance race.

Task
You will practice setting up voltage, current, and resistance measurements, collecting
data, and summarizing your findings in a report.

Performance
1. Download the lab worksheet E50lab2.xlsx from the CANVAS site. Open the file in
Excel.
2. Place the BOE-bot upside-down on the lab bench, with the rear ball wheel facing
left. If AA cells are not already in place, install 4 cells in the battery holder. Refer
to Figure 1.

Figure 1

3. Set the DMM to measure voltage, and if it is not an auto-ranging meter, set the
range to the closest value greater than 10 V. Measure the voltages where cell
terminals contact the battery holder. Refer to Table 1 on the worksheet and
Figure 1 above for the locations of the red (+), and black (-) leads. Enter your
measured values in Table 1. You may round your values to the nearest
hundredth of a volt (example: round 1.325 to 1.33 volts).
4. As you enter the values in Table 1, the values in the green cells are copied into
Table 2. Compare these values to the minimum specified voltage. If any of the
cells are out of spec, ask the instructor for a replacement AA alkaline cell. Once
all cells are in-spec, proceed to the next step.
5. Turn the BOE-bot right side up, unplug the power plug from the power jack
(labeled 6-9VDC). Measure the voltage between the center contact and outer
ring of the power plug. Refer to Figure 2. Determine the polarity (+ or -) of the
center contact relative to the outer ring. Enter your findings in the area to the right
of Table 2.

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Figure 2

6. Set the DMM to resistance mode, and if the meter is not auto-ranging set the
range to 200 k ohm (or higher). Place the black meter leads on the black lead of
the opto sensor board harness and the red meter lead on the red wire. Place
your finger over the face of the left photoresistor and measure the “dark
resistance.” Enter the value in Table 3. Remove your finger, measure the “light
resistance,” and enter the value in Table 3. Move the red meter lead to the green
wire. Repeat dark and light measurements for the right photo-resistor.
7. If the optical sensor board is not connected to the boe-bot, mount it on the front
using a 1/2” standoff, #6 x 1” screw, washer, and nut. Using the three-pin header,
connect the harness to the proto board to match figure 3. Use 22 ga. solid wire to
make the jumper connections.

Figure 3
8. Turn the BOE-bot right side up. Connect the BOE-bot power monitor test cable
to the power jack on the circuit board. Do not connect the power plug from the
battery pack until instructor checks your connections! Set one meter to
measure voltage and the other to measure current. Connect the meters as
shown in Figure 4.

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Figure 4

9. After the instructor has checked your connections, plug in the power plug. With
the power switch on the BOE-bot in position 0 (off), measure voltage and current
and enter the values in Table 4. Set the power switch to position 1
(microcontroller on, motors off), measure voltage and current and enter the
values in Table 4.
10. Pick up the BOE-bot so that the main wheels can spin freely. Set the power
switch to position 2 (microcontroller and motor power on). Both main wheels
should spin. Measure voltage and current and enter the values in Table 4.
11. Turn the BOE-bot so that the photo-resistors are pointing towards a light. Put
your finger on the face of the left photo-resistor. The left wheel should stop
spinning. Take your finger off the photo-resistor. The left wheel should start
spinning. Repeat for the right photo-resistor and wheel. Congratulations! By
completing these steps you have verified that the power supply, motors, and
control systems are ready for the race track.
12. Set the power switch to 0 (OFF). With the power monitor test cable, voltmeter,
and ammeter still connected, carefully transport the BOE-bot to the race track.
13. Place the BOE-bot with the photo-resistors straddling the black course line.
Route the cable from the test cable so that it will not interfere with the path of the
robot on the track.
14. Set the power switch to position 2. After one second your robot will start on the
course. Measure the voltage and current when your robot is on one of the
straight-aways. Enter your values in Table 4. Pick up your robot and set the
power switch to position 1.
15. The instructor will place the track on an incline. Run your BOE-bot on the course,
and measure the voltage and current when the robot is going uphill and downhill,
and enter these values in Table 4.
16. In this system, the AA batteries are the power source and the BOE-bot
electronics and motors are the load. We can calculate the total resistance of the
load by dividing the current into the voltage, R = V / I. When you divide volts by

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milliamps, the resistance is in kilohms (k ohm). Calculate the resistance for the 5
conditions listed in Table 4.

Deliverable(s)
Save your completed Lab 2 Worksheet and your Performance Report (at the end of this
document) in your Lab Activity Binder.

Grading
Your instructor will let you know how this lab will be graded.

Lab 2 BOE-bot Performance Report

Student Name: _______Gerardo Sanchez____

Battery Voltage Measurements

What can you conclude about the relation between the individual battery voltages and the total
voltage supplied to the BOE-bot?

The total voltage supplied to the BOE-bot was the sum of each indivual battery voltage.

Refer to the voltage measurement table on your lab worksheet. Can you match the position of
each battery (identified by the letters at each terminal) with the schematic of the battery pack?

1.53V

1.53V

1.53V

1.53V

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What would happen if one of the AA cells were installed backwards?

If a battery were to be installed backwords, there would be opposing current, and current
would not flow.

Photo-Resistor Test
Can you positively determine if the photo-resistor is working properly from the test you
performed? What conditions, other than the photo-resistor itself, may affect the measured values
you recorded?

Yes, According to the calculations and the lab tests, the photo-resistor is working properly.
Additionally, light affects the photoresistor and may change our values.

Voltage and Current Measurements

What is the difference between how the voltmeter and the ammeter are connected in the test
circuit? What would happen to the circuits and to the meters if the ammeter and voltmeters
swapped positions (that is, if the ammeter were connected as a voltmeter and the voltmeter were
connected as an ammeter)?

The voltmeter is connected across any two points that need to be measured, while the ammeter
needs to be connected in series with the circuit to properly measure the current. If the positions
of the meters were swiched, a short would occur on the circuit.

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Why was it not possible to calculate the resistance for the power switch in the 0 position?

Since there is no measureable current, the resistance cannot be calculated.

How did the voltage and current change for the different test conditions?

The current increased as we increased the power swtich, while the current began to decrease

If the capacity of the AA battery pack is 1 AH (1,000 mAH), how long would the Boe-Bot run
on a straight course? Use the formula: Endurance = mAH ÷ mA

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