Electrical Measurements

Measurement of Resistances;
Potentiometers;
AC Bridge Methods for Measurement of Inductance &
Capacitance;
Magnetic Measurements
Measurement of Resistances
1. Low Resistance: Up to 1;
2. Medium Resistance: 1to 100K;
3. High Resistance: Above 100K.
Measurement of Medium Resistances:
1. Ammeter-Voltmeter Method;
2. Substitute Method;
3. Wheatstone Bridge Method;
4. Ohmmeter Method.
a
a R
m
R R
I
V V
I
V
R + =
+
= =
1
V
V R
m
R
R
R
I I
V
R
+
=
+
=
1
2
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
1
1
1
m
a
m
R
R
R R
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
V
m
m
R
R
R R
2
2
1
1
1. Ammeter-Voltmeter Method:
2. Substitution Method:
Accuracy of this method is greatly affected if there is any change in
the battery emf.
This method is not widely used for medium resistance
measurements and is used in a modified form for measurement of
high resistances.
3. Wheatstone Bridge Method:
S
R
Q
P
=
R I P I
2 1
=
Q P
E
I I
+
= =
3 1
S R
E
I I
+
= =
4 2
Sensitivity of Bridge
Q P
EP
P I E
ab
+
= =
1
( )
( )
( ) S R R
R R E
R R I E
ad
+ +
+
= + =
2
(

+ +
+
= =
Q P
P
S R R
R R
E E E e
ab ad
S R
R
Q P
P
+
=
+
( ) ( ) S R R S R
R ES
e
+ + +

=
2
( )
2
S R
R ES
e
+

=
S
V
be the voltage sensitivity
of Galvanometer
( )
2
S R
R ES
S e S
V V
+

= =
S
B
is the Bridge Sensitivity
R
R
S
B

=

R
S
S
R
E S
S
V
B
+ +
=
2
4
E S
S
V
B
=
4. Ohmmeter Method:
(i) Series Type Ohmmeter:
R
X
= Unknown Resistance;
R
m
= Internal Resistance of the meter;
R
h
= Half scale position Resistance;
I
h
= Half-full scale deflection;
I
fm
= Full scale deflection current of the meter;
I
f
= Full scale deflection battery current
m sh
m sh
se h
R R
R R
R R
+
+ =
h
h
R
V
I
2
=
h
h f
R
V
I I = = 2
fm f sh
I I I =
m fm sh sh
R I R I =
h fm
h m fm
fm f
m fm
sh
R I V
R R I
I I
R I
R

=
V
R R I
R
R R
R R
R R
h m fm
h
m sh
m sh
h se
=
+
=
(ii) Shunt Type Ohmmeter:
R
X
= Unknown Resistance;
R
m
= Internal Resistance of the meter;
R
h
= Half scale position Resistance;
I
B
= Battery Current;
I
fm
= Full scale deflection current of the meter;
I
f
= Full scale deflection battery current
m se
fm
R R
V
I
+
=
X m
X m
se
B
R R
R R
R
V
I
+
+
=
X m
X
X m
X m
se
m
R R
R
R R
R R
R
V
I
+
+
+
= .
( )
( )
X m X m se
m se X
fm
m
R R R R R
R R R
I
I
S
+ +
+
= =
P X
X
R R
R
S
+
=
(iii) Crossed Coil Type Ohmmeter:
(a) Fixed Magnetic Moving Coil (b) Crossed Coil Moving Magnetic
Measurement of Low Resistances:
Measured
Resistance
Contact
Resistance
% error
100
0.002
Negligible
0.02 10%
Methods for Measurement of Low Resistance
1. Ammeter-Voltmeter Method;
2. Kelvin Double Bridge Method;
3. Potentiometer Method.
Kelvin Double Bridge Method:
Q
P
r
r
=
2
1
Q P
P
r r
r
+
=
+
2 1
1
r
Q P
P
r
+
=
1
r
Q P
Q
r
+
=
2
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
+ =
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
+ r
Q P
Q
S
Q
P
r
Q P
P
R
S
R
Q
P
=
ac ab
E
Q P
P
E
+
=
(

+ +
+
+ + =
r q p
r q p
S R I E
ac
) (
(

)
`

+ +
+
+
+ =
r q p
r q p
q p
p
R I E
amd
) (
(

+ +
+ =
r q p
pr
R I E
amd
(

+ +
+ =
(

)
`

+ +
+
+ +
+ r q p
pr
R I
r q p
r q p
S R I
Q P
P ) (
(

+ +
+ =
q
p
Q
P
r q p
qr
S
Q
P
R
S
R
Q
P
=
Measurement of High Resistances:
1. Insulation resistance of cables;
2. Resistance of high resistance circuit elements;
3. Volume resistivity of a material;
4. Surface resistivity.
Difficulties in Measurement of High Resistances
1. Due to leakage current;
2. Due to electrostatic effect;
3. Definite ratios in potential distribution with respect to
surroundings;
Use Guard Circuit
Methods for Measurement of High Resistance:
1. Prices Guard-wire Method;
2. Loss of Charge Method;
3. MegohmBridge Method;
4. Megger Method.
Prices Guard Wire Method:
Measurement of Volume and Surface Resistivity
d
1
= Diameter of the upper electrode d
1
;
d
2
= Diameter of the lower electrode d
2
;
t = Thickness of the specimen sheet;
V
1
, V
2
= Reading of voltmeter;
I
1
= current through galvanometer G
1
;
I
2
= current through galvanometer G
2
Volume resistivity of specimen:
1
1
2
1
2
1
4 4 I
V
t
d
R
t
d
= =
Surface Resistivity:
2
2 2
2
2
I
V
t
d
R
t
d
s

= =
Loss of Charge Method:
dt
dv
C
dt
dq
i = =
Again,
' R'
R' across drop Potential
R
V
i = =
dt
dv
C
R
V
=
' ' CR
dt
V
dv
=

=
2
1
0
'
V
V
t
CR
dt
V
dv
'
1 2
CR
t
e V V

=
'
'
1
1
R R
R R
R

=
MegohmBridge Method:
Megger Method:
Detail Circuit Diagram: