CHAPTER 2 : DC METER

2.1.1 PMMC
The

Permanent Magnet Moving Coil (PMMC)

galvanometer used for dc measurement only.
The motor action is produced by the flow of a
small current throught a moving coil which is
positioned in the field of a permanent magnet
The basic moving coil system-DArsonval
galvonometer

Figure 2.1: dArsonval meter

2.1.3 Deflecting Torque

Resulting

from the effects of magnetic

electrostatic.
This torque causes the pointer moves from
the zero position
F
N

IRON CORE
S

DEFLECTING TORQUE
Td = BANI (Nm)
B = flux density in Wb/m2 or Tesla (T)
N = number of coils
A = Area cross-section
(length (l) x coil diameter (d)m2 )
I = current flowing through the coil - Ampere

2.1.4 DAMPING CURVE

Works

to speed up the pointer stops

Pointer may oscillate before the show
reading and damping torque required to
accelerate the needle stops.

Damping curve
V

Under damp
Critical damp

Steady
state
Over damp

2.1.5 Damping Curve

Over damp pointer will move slowly and never

reach the steady state. The value will be less than
the actual value.

Under damp - pointer will oscillate until it finally reach

the final value. The result is difficult to read.

Critical damp - pointer to achieve the true value of

free oscillations in a short time.

2.1.6 Types of damping

Eddy

current damping
Air friction damping
Fluid damping

EDDY CURRENT DAMPING

An aluminum disc D, is controlled by a reel, can be

move between a the pole of a permanent magnet M.
If the disk moves clockwise, the e.m.f induced in the
disc circulate eddy currents distribution as shown
(interrupted lines). From Lenz Law, the current will
impose a force against the movement of their forms.
Therefore, the resulting damping force is counter
clockwise.
M
D

Air friction Damping

A piece

of the blade is attached to the

moving parts in the meter. Resistance
produced by the air around will give the
desired damping.

Fluid damping
The

same principle is used but the blade is

allowed to move in a container of liquid with
suitable viscosity.

2.2 DC VOLTMETER
The

basic dArsonval meter can be converted

to a dc voltmeter by connecting a multiplier
Rs in series with it as shown in Figure 2.6.
The purpose of the multiplier is to extend the
range of the meter and to limit the current
through the dArsonval meter to the
maximum full-scale deflection current.

2.2.1 Basic DC Voltmeter circuit

Figure 2.6

To find the value of the multiplier resistor, we may first determine the
sensitivity, S, of the dArsonval. If the sensitivity is known, the total
voltmeter resistance can be calculated easily.
The sensitivity of a voltmeter is always specified by the
manufacturer, and is frequently printed on the scale of the
instrument.

Voltmeter

If the full-scale meter current is known, the

sensitivity can be determined as the
reciprocal of the full scale current.
Sensitivity = 1 / Ifs

Where

Ifs is the full-scale deflection current

of dArsonval meter.

2.2.2 Multiplier Resistance

The

value of the multiplier resistance can be

found using this relationship:
Rs + Rm = S x Vrange

Thus,

Rs = (S x Vrange) - Rm

2.2.3 Example
Calculate

the value of the multiplier

resistance on the 50 V range of a dc
voltmeter that used a 500A dArsonval
meter with an internal resistance of 1 k.

Solution :

= 1/Ifs
= 1/500A = 2K/V

Rs

= S x Range Rm
= 2 k/V x 50 V 1 k
= 99 k

2.2.4 Multi range Voltmeter

A multi range voltmeter consists of a deflection instrument,

several multiplier resistors and a rotary switch. Two possible
circuits are illustrated in Figure 2.7 (a) and (b).

Figure 2.7(a): Multirange Voltmeter

 In

figure 2.7 (a) only one of the three

multiplier resistors is connected in series with
the meter at any time. The range of this
meter is
V = Im ( R + Rm )

Where

the multiplier resistance, R can be R1

or R2 or R3.

Figure 2.7(b): A commercial version of a multi range voltmeter

In figure 2.7(b) the multiplier resistors are connected

in series, and each junction is connected to one of
the switch terminals. The range of this voltmeter can
be also calculated from the equation
V = Im (Rm + R)

Where the multiplier, R, now can be R3 or (R3 + R2)

or (R1 + R2 + R3)
(Note: the largest voltage range must be associated
with the largest sum of the multiplier resistance)

2.2.5 Example
Calculate

the value of the multiplier

resistance for the multiple range dc voltmeter
circuit shown in Figure 2.7(a) and Figure
2.7(b), if Ifs = 50A and Rm = 1k

2.2.6

2.2.7
DC Voltmeter Loading Effect
As

the DC ammeter, the DC voltmeter also

observe for loading effect whenever it is
inserted to a measured circuit. Figure 2.7
shows a circuit with the DC voltmeter is
inserted into it. Inserting voltmeter always
increase the resistance and decrease the
current flowing through the circuit.

Figure 2.7: Circuit with voltmeter insertion effect

 Without

the insertion of the DC voltmeter, the

voltage VRB can be found as:
RB
VRB = _______ X E
RB + RA

2.2.8 LOADING EFFECT

Inserting

the voltmeter in parallel with RB

gives us the total inserted resistance as :
RT = RS + RM

Thus,

yield to
Req = RB //RT

 Now,

the voltage VRBm with the voltmeter

insertion is found as:
Req
VRB = ________ x E
Req + RA

 Therefore,

Insertion error = VRB VRBm X 100%

VRB

DC Voltmeter
Example 1.
Calculate the value of the multiplier Rs on
the 50-V range of a DC Voltmeter that used
200-A meter movements with an internal
resistance of 1.2k.

DC Voltmeter
Example 2.
Calculate the
values of Rs for
the multiplerange DC
Voltmeter
circuits as
shown below:

DC Voltmeter
Example 3.
Calculate the
values of Rs for
the multiplerange DC
Voltmeter
circuits as
shown below:

Voltmeter Loading Effects

When a voltmeter is used to measure the
voltage across a circuit component, the
voltmeter circuit itself is in parallel with the
circuit component.
Since the parallel combination of two
resistors is less than either resistor alone,
the resistor seen by the source is less with
the voltmeter connector than without.

Voltmeter Loading Effects

Therefore, the voltage across the
component is less whenever the
voltmeter is connected.
The decrease in voltage maybe negligible
or appreciable, depending on the
Sensitivity of the voltmeter being used.
This effect is called voltmeter loading
and the resulting error is called
loading error.

Voltmeter Loading Effects

Example 5:

Two different voltmeters are used to

measure the voltage across RB in
the circuit below. The meters are:
Meter A : S= 1k/V;Rm=0.2k; Range =10V
Meter B : S=20k/V;Rm=2.2k; Range = 10V

Calculate:
Voltage across
Voltage across
used.
Voltage across
used.
Loading Errors
readings.

RB without any meter.

RB when meter A is
RB when meter B is
in both voltmeter

Voltmeter Loading Effects

Example 6:
Find the voltage reading and the
percentage of loading error of
each reading obtained with a
voltmeter on:
Its 5-V range.
Its 10-V range
Its 50-V range.
The meter has a 20-k/V
sensitivity and connected
across RA.