Current and Voltage Measurements with Multimeter

Experiment

I. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Multimeter

A multimeter is a measuring instrument that we will use frequently throughout electrical

experiments. So it is better to learn how to use a multimeter.

A Multimeter is an electronic instrument, every electronic technician and engineers widely

used piece of test equipment. A multimeter is mainly used to measure the three basic
electrical characteristics of voltage, current, and resistance. It can also be used to test
continuity between two points in an electrical circuit. This post mainly introduces the basic
information of multimeters, applications, and types of multimeters are in. Let’s see all of
these.The multimeter has multi functionalities like, it acts like ammeter, voltmeter, and
ohmmeter. It is a handheld device with positive and negative indicator needle over a
numeric LCD digital display. Multimeters can be used for testing batteries, household
wiring, electric motors, and power supplies.

1.1.1. Applications:
The applications of ammeter mainly involve in various electrical and electronic projects for
components testing and also used in different measurement applications in the multimeter.
1 Temperature and Environmental Applications
• Low-cost weather station
• DMM internal temperature
2 Voltage Measurements
• High and low-value DC measurement
• Peak to Peak and DC average measurement
3 Current Measurements
 • DC measurement
• True RMS AC
4 Resistance Measurement
• Micro ohmmeter
• Measuring resistance with constant voltage
• Measuring resistance with constant current
5 Time and Frequency measurement
• Fast frequency
• Time measurement

1.1.2.Types of Multimeters:

There are different types of multimeters like Analog, Digital, and Fluke multimeters.

Digital Multimeter:
We mostly used multimeter is a digital multimeter (DMM). The DMM performs all functions
from AC to DC other than analog. It has two probes positive and negative indicated with
black and red color is shown in the figure. The black probe connected to COM JACK and
red probe connected by user requirement to measure ohm, volt, or amperes. The jack
marked VΩ and the COM jack on the right of the picture are used for measuring voltages,
resistance, and for testing a diode. The two jacks are utilized when an LCD that shows
what is being measured (volts, ohms, amps, etc.). Overload protection prevents damage to
the meter and the circuit and protects the user.

Figure 1.Digital multimeter

The Digital Multimeter consists of an LCD, a knob to select various ranges of the three
electrical characteristics, an internal circuitry consisting of a signal conditioning circuitry, an
analog to digital converter. The PCB consists of concentric rings which are connected or
disconnected based on the position of the knob. Thus as the required parameter and the
range are selected, the section of the PCB is activated to perform the corresponding
measurement. To measure the resistance, current flows from a constant current source
through the unknown resistor and the voltage across the resistor are amplified and fed to
an Analog to Digital Converter and the resultant output in form of resistance is displayed
on the digital display. To measure an unknown AC voltage, the voltage is first attenuated to
get the suitable range and then rectified to DC signal and the analog DC signal is fed to
A/D converter to get the display, which indicates the RMS value of the AC signal. Similarly
to measure an AC or DC, the unknown input is first converted to a voltage signal and then
fed to an analog to digital converter to get the desired output(with rectification in case of
AC signal).

Advantages of a Digital Multimeter are its output display which directly shows the
measured value, high accuracy, ability to read both positive and negative values.

Analog Multimeter:
The Analog Multimeter or VOM (Volt-Ohm-Milliammeter) is constructed using a moving coil
meter and a pointer to indicate the reading on the scale. The moving coil meter consists of
a coil wound around a drum placed between two permanent magnets. As current passes
through the coil, the magnetic field is induced in the coil which reacts with the magnetic
field of the permanent magnets and the resultant force causes the pointer attached to the
drum to deflect on the scale, indicating the current reading. It also consists of springs
attached to the drum which provides an opposing force to the motion of the drum to control
the deflection of the pointer.
For the measurement of DC, the D Arsonval movement described above can be directly
used. However, the current to be measured should be lesser than the full-scale deflection
current of the meter. For higher currents, the current divider rule is applied. Using different
values of shunt resistors, the meter can also be used for multi-range current
measurements. For current measurement, the instrument is to be connected in series with
the unknown current source.

Figure 2. Analog multimeter

For measurement of DC voltage, a resistor is connected in series with the meter, and the
meter resistance is taken into account such that the current passing through the resistor is
the same as the current passing through the meter and the whole reading indicates the
voltage reading. For voltage measurement, the instrument is to be connected in parallel
with the unknown voltage source. For multirange measurement, different resistors of
different values can be used, which are connected in series with the meter.
For measurement of resistance, the unknown resistance is connected in series with the
meter and across a battery, such that the current passing through the meter is directly
proportional to the unknown resistance.
For AC voltage or current measurement, the same principle is applied, except for the fact
that the AC parameter to be measured is first rectified and filtered to get the DC parameter
and the meter indicates the RMS value of the AC signal.
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4. Experimental Procedures
Advantages of an Analog Multimeter are that it is inexpensive, doesn’t require a battery,
can measure fluctuations in the readings.
The two main factors affecting the measurement
4.1. EXPERIMENTAL are sensitivity and accuracy. Sensitivity
PROCEDURE
refers to the reciprocal of the full-scale deflection current and is measured in ohms per
volt. Part-1: Verifying Ohm’s Law

II.APPARATUS
1. Construct the circuit shown in the Figure-
Resistance, cables, multimeter, basic electrical set. Figure-27: The voltage across the resistor
(26) below by using the resistor board.
current in the circuit.
III. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

4.4. For each output voltage

record the reading values o
V and current I by the m
then fill the values in the Ta

5. Using the data values, plot the

Figure-26: Set-up to determine the resistance. vs I on a graph paper (Figure-2

1) Set up the circuit provided on the up side. 5.1. Draw the best line passing
2. Keep the power supply off until you have the data values on the graph.
2) If you have one multimeter, prepare it for 2 situations. You can use your multimeter for
circuit approved by your instructor. 5.2. Find the slope of the best li
measuring current and voltage.
5.3. From the slope, find the
3) Please make the connection
3. Don’tofforget
powerto supply.
bring the multimeter to its value of the resistance R .
maximum range for the voltage (V ) and
4) Do not forget that Ammeters are connected in series so that the current flows through
6. Using the resistor color codes,
them. The ideal ammeter hascurrent (I ) readings,ofrespectively.
a resistance zero.Voltmeters are connected in parallel to
resistive elements in the circuit so that they measure the potential difference expected value(on
across of the resistance
each side of) the element.
4. Switch on the DC power supply.
7. Compare the experimental an
4.1.
5) In this experiment, please fill Set
thethe output
Table voltage
1 for to V 1V .
this circuit. values of the resistance used in
4.2. Vary the output voltage of the supply
using the voltage adjusting button.
Table1 4.3. Take voltage V and current I
V (V) I (A)
measurements for R1(Ω) output
different V1 (R1)
9 voltages of the supply on the basic
electrical experiment set.

Ref.

1) Serway, R, Beichner,R. Physics for Scientists ans engineers with modern physics, Fifth
edition. 2000.
2) Rentech.Experiments in electricity, student guide. 2013. 32
3) https://www.elprocus.com/multimeter-types-and-applications/