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Wattmeter – Types and Working Principle

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Melroy Pereira
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54 views

Wattmeter – Types and Working Principle

Uploaded by

Melroy Pereira
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Wattmeter – Types and Working Principle


Electronics & Electrical Digital Electronics Miscellaneous

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A wattmeter is an instrument which is used to measure electric power given to or


developed by an electrical circuit. Generally, a wattmeter consists of a current coil and a
potential coil.

Types of Wattmeter

Electrodynamometer wattmeter – for both DC and AC power measurement

Induction wattmeter – for AC power measurement only

Working Principle of Electrodynamometer Wattmeter


The electrodynamometer wattmeter works on the dynamometer principle i.e. a mechanical
force acts between two current carrying conductors or coils.

It consists of a fixed which is divided into two halves which are parallel to each other and
is connected in series with the load while the moving is connected across the load through
a series multiplier resistance. The fixed coil is called current coil while the moving coil is
called potential coil.
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When the wattmeter is connected in a circuit to measure power. The current coil carries
the load current and potential coil carries a current proportional to the load voltage. Due
to the currents in the coils, a mechanical force acts between them. The result of this
mechanical force deflects the moving coil and the pointer over the scale. The pointer
comes to the rest when the deflecting torque and controlling torque become equal. As the
reversal of the circuit current reverses the currents in both the current coil and potential
coil so that the direction of deflecting torque remains unchanged. Therefore,
electrodynamometer wattmeter can measure power in both the AC as well DC circuits.

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Working Principle of Induction Wattmeter


The induction type wattmeter can be used to measure AC power only.

The working of induction type wattmeter is based on the principle of electromagnetic


induction.

The induction wattmeter consists of two laminated electromagnets viz. Shunt Magnet and
Series Magnet. The shunt magnet is connected across the supply and carries a current
proportional to the supply voltage. The coil of shunt magnet is made highly inductive so
that the current in it lags the supply voltage by 90°. The series magnet is connected in
series with the supply and carries the load current. The coil of series magnet is made
highly noninductive. A thin disc (made up of aluminium) mounted on a spindle is placed
between the two magnets so that it cuts the flux of the two magnets.

When the wattmeter is connected in an AC circuit, a current flows through the coil of the
shunt magnet that is proportional to the supply voltage and the series magnet carries the
load current. The fluxes produced by the two magnets induce eddy currents in the
aluminium disc by the action of electromagnetic induction. Due to the interaction between
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the fluxes and eddy currents, a deflecting torque is produced on the disc, causing the disc
to move and hence, the pointer connected to the disc moves over the scale. The pointer
comes to rest when the deflecting torque becomes equal to the controlling torque.

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