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Lecture 4

This document discusses how to convert a D'Arsonval meter movement into a DC voltmeter by connecting a multiplier resistor in series. The purpose of the multiplier is to extend the voltage range and limit current. To calculate the multiplier value, you first determine the meter's sensitivity by taking the reciprocal of its full-scale current. You then multiply the sensitivity by the voltage range minus the meter's internal resistance. This allows a single meter movement to be used for multiple voltage ranges through a rotary switch selecting different multiplier resistors.

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Ian Bagunas
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32 views

Lecture 4

This document discusses how to convert a D'Arsonval meter movement into a DC voltmeter by connecting a multiplier resistor in series. The purpose of the multiplier is to extend the voltage range and limit current. To calculate the multiplier value, you first determine the meter's sensitivity by taking the reciprocal of its full-scale current. You then multiply the sensitivity by the voltage range minus the meter's internal resistance. This allows a single meter movement to be used for multiple voltage ranges through a rotary switch selecting different multiplier resistors.

Uploaded by

Ian Bagunas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DC VOLTMETER

The basic D’Arsonval meter movement can be converted to a DC voltmeter by connecting a multiplier Rs
in series with the meter movement.

The purpose of the multiplier is to extend the voltage range of the meter and to limit current through the
D’Arsonval meter movement to a maximum full-scale deflection current. To find the value of the
multiplier resistor, we may first determine the sensitivity, S, of the meter movement. The sensitivity is
found by taking the reciprocal of the full-scale deflection current,

𝟏 𝛀
𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚 = ( )
𝑰𝒇𝒔 𝑽

𝟏 𝟏 𝒐𝒉𝒎𝒔
𝑺𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒚 = = =
𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒔 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒔
𝒐𝒉𝒎𝒔

Voltage measurements are made by placing the voltmeter across the resistance of interest. This in effect
places the total voltmeter resistance in parallel with the circuit resistance; therefore; it is desirable to make
the voltmeter resistance much higher than the circuit resistance. Since different meter movements are
used in various voltmeters and since the value of the multiplier is different for each range, total resistance
is a difficult instrument rating to express. More meaningful information can be conveyed to the user via
the face, tells the resistance of the instrument for a one-volt range. To determine the total resistance that a
voltmeter presents to a circuit, multiply the sensitivity by the range.

Example 1:
Calculate the sensitivity of 100µA meter movement which is to be used as a DC voltmeter

The units of sensitivity express the value of the multiplier resistance for the 1V range. To calculate the
value of the multiplier for voltage ranges greater than 1V, simply multiply the sensitivity by the range and
subtract the internal resistance of the meter movement, or

𝑹𝑺 = 𝑺 𝒙 𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 − 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆

Example 2:
Calculate the value of the multiplier resistance on the 50V range of a DC voltmeter that uses a 500µA
meter movement with an internal resistance of 1kΩ.
Multiple Range DC Voltmeter

By adding a rotary switch arrangement, we can use the same meter movement for ranges of DC voltage

Example 3:
Calculate the value of the multiplier resistances for the multiple-range DC voltmeter below.

Example 4:
Calculate the value of the multiplier resistors for the multiple-range DC voltmeter below.

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