DC METERS

INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL

BY: ENGR. RIAH ANN FERMIN - CAYANAN
• permanent magnet moving coil meter movement – “d'Arsonval
movement”
• current measuring device which is used in the ammeter,
voltmeter, and ohmmeter

BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ANALOG METER

• The basic principle of this device is the interaction of
magnetic fields: the field of the compass (a permanent
magnet) and the field around the conductor (a simple
electromagnet).

BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ANALOG METER

• The coil of wire is wound on an aluminum frame, or
bobbin, and the bobbin is supported by jeweled bearings
which allow it to move freely

BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ANALOG METER

• To use this permanent-magnet moving-coil device as a meter, a
way must be found to return the coil to its original position
when there is no current through the coil and a method is
needed to indicate the amount of coil movement.

BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ANALOG METER

• As the current through the coil increases, the magnetic
field generated around the coil increases. The stronger the
magnetic field around the coil, the farther the coil will
move.

BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ANALOG METER

To increase the accuracy and efficiency of this meter
movement:
• an iron core is placed inside the coil to concentrate the
magnetic fields.
• curved pole pieces are attached to the magnet to ensure
the turning force on a coil increases steadily as the current
increases

BASIC PRINCIPLE OF ANALOG METER

• is controlling torque controls the deflection and tries to stop the
pointer at its final position
• But due to inertia, the pointer oscillates around its final position
before coming to rest. Hence damping torque is provided to
avoid this oscillation and bring the pointer quickly to its final
position.

Deflection Torque
Deflecting Torque, Td = BINA

Where
B = flux density in Wb/m2 (Tesla)
I = current (A).
N = number of turns of the coils.
A = area ( length x wide), (m2).

Deflection Torque
Example :

Given frame of permanent moving coil is 6m2. The number of

winding around coil is 50 and flux 0.12 wb/m2. If 1mA current
through the coil, calculate the deflection torque.

Deflection Torque
• Any effect that tends to reduce the amplitude of
oscillations in an oscillatory system, particularly the
harmonic oscillator.
• The process of "smoothing out" the oscillation of the
pointer

Damping
Two basic techniques:
• The first method of damping comes from the d’Arsonval meter
movement itself. In the d’Arsonval meter movement, current
through the coil causes the coil to move in the magnetic field of
the permanent magnet. This movement of the coil (conductor)
through a magnetic field causes a current to be induced in the
coil opposite to the current that caused the movement of the coil.
This induced current will act to damp oscillations.

Damping
Two basic techniques:
• The second method of damping used in most meter movements
is an airtight chamber containing a vane (like a windmill vane)
attached to the coil.

Damping
Two classes of damped motion
• PERIODIC - in which the pointer oscillates about the
final position before coming to rest.

• APERIODIC - in which the pointer comes to rest without

overshooting the rest position.

Damping
DAMPING RATIO - The value of the damping ratio ζ
determines the behavior of the system
• Critical damping (ζ = 1)
• Over-damping (ζ > 1)
• Under-damping (0 ≤ ζ < 1)

Damping
Common Damping System In Indicating Instrument
• Air friction damping

Damping
Common Damping System In Indicating Instrument
• Liquid damping
- Similar principle as air damping only the vane moves
in a liquid chamber with a proper concentration.
• Eddy current damping
- Eddy currents are currents induced in conductors to
oppose the change in flux that generated them

Damping
• A basic d’Arsonval movement can be converted into dc
voltmeter by adding in series resistor multiplier

Current in series

𝐼𝑆 = 𝐼𝑀

𝑉
𝑅𝑆 = − 𝑅𝑀
𝐼𝑀

DC VOLTMETER
From Ohm’s Law:
𝑉 = 𝐼𝑀 𝑅𝑆 + 𝑅𝑀
= 𝐼𝑀 𝑅𝑆 + 𝐼𝑀 𝑅𝑀

IM = full scale deflection current of the movement (Ifsd)

RM = internal resistance of the movement
RS = multiplier resistance
V = full range voltage of the instrument

DC VOLTMETER
Example:
A basic D’ Arsonval movement with a full-scale
deflection of 50 μA and internal resistance of 500Ω is
used as a DC voltmeter. Determine the value of the
multiplier resistance needed to measure a voltage range of
0-10V.

DC VOLTMETER
• Multi-Range Voltmeter - A DC voltmeter can be
converted into a multirange voltmeter by connecting a
number of resistors (multipliers) in series with the meter
movement.

DC VOLTMETER
Multi-Range Voltmeter

Example:
Convert a basic D’ Arsonval movement with an internal
resistance of 100Ω and a full scale deflection current of 1mA into
a multirange dc voltmeter with voltage ranges of 0-15V and 0-
50V.

DC VOLTMETER
• Loading Effects in DC Voltmeter
- When a voltmeter is used to measure the voltage across a circuit
component, the voltmeter circuit itself is in parallel with the
circuit component. Total resistance will decrease, so the voltage
across component will also decrease. This is called voltmeter
loading. The resulting error is called a loading error. The
voltmeter loading can be reduced by using a high sensitivity
voltmeter.

DC VOLTMETER
• Loading Effects in DC Voltmeter
Example:

Find the voltage across the resistor 50KΩ as shown in figure above
if using
a. Voltmeter with sensitivity 1000Ω/V
b. Voltmeter with sensitivity 20000Ω/V
And voltmeter range for both measurements is 0 -50V.

DC VOLTMETER
• The PMMC galvanometer constitutes the basic movement
of a dc ammeter. The coil winding of a basic movement is
small and light, so it can carry only very small currents
• The PMMC can use to build an ammeter with connected
the shunt resistor and meter in parallel.

DC AMMETER
RM = internal resistance of the movement
RSH = shunt resistance
ISH =shunt current
IM = full scale deflection current of the movement
I = full scale current of the ammeter + shunt (i.e. total current)

DC AMMETER
DC AMMETER
Example:

A 1 mA meter movement with an internal resistance of 100Ω

is to be converted into a 0-100 mA. Calculate the value of
shunt resistance required.

DC AMMETER
• Multirange Ammeter – Individual Shunt
a. Individual Shunt

DC AMMETER
b. Ayrton Shunt

Total shunt resistor, RSHT = R2 + R1

Total resistor, RT = RSHT + RM

DC AMMETER
Example:

Refer the circuit above, calculate shunt resistor (R1 and

R2) when using range - 10mA and 100mA.

DC AMMETER
• The PMMC can change to be ohmmeter with connected voltage
source and limited current resistor in series.
- Series Ohmmeter
- Parallel Ohmmeter
• The purpose of an ohmmeter is to measure the resistance placed
between its leads. This resistance reading is indicated through a
mechanical meter movement which operates on electric current.

OHMMETER
• Series Ohmmeter

OHMMETER
Operation of Series Ohmmeter

• When Rx = 0 ( AB terminal short), the current in circuit is

maximum and the pointer shown the full reading. Adjust the
R2 until the full scale, IM. The pointer at full scale is mark as 0
ohm.
• When Rx = infinity (AB terminal open), the current in circuit
is 0. The unknown resistance must connect series with basic
meter movement. This circuit use to measure higher resistance
and the pointer is mark as infinity.

OHMMETER
Operation of Series Ohmmeter

OHMMETER
Example:
Given PMMC with resistance 100Ω was using in series
ohmmeter. R1 = 500Ω, R2 = 400Ω and supply voltage = 10V.
When connected with Rx, the reading shows 0.5mA. Find the
value of Rx.

OHMMETER
• Shunt Resistor in Series Type Ohmmeter

OHMMETER
OHMMETER
OHMMETER
• Parallel (Shunt) Ohmmeter

OHMMETER
• Operation of Shunt Ohmmeter

S1 is using for cut-off the battery (Vin) when not using the circuit.
When Rx = 0 ( AB terminal short), no current in circuit and the
pointer is mark as 0 ohm.

OHMMETER
• Operation of Shunt Ohmmeter
When Rx = infinity (AB terminal open), the current (I
) in circuit is maximum. Adjust R1 until the meter movement is
full scale, and the pointer is mark as ∞Ω (Infinity).

OHMMETER
• FUNCTION
1. Current limiting resistance - A resistor inserted in an electrical
circuit to limit the flow of current to some predetermined value.
It is used chiefly to protect tubes and other components during
warm-up.
2. Zero adjusts resistance - A resistor inserted in an electrical
circuit to adjusts the value of resistance to zero.
3. Meter resistance - A resistance of the meter's armature coil.
4. Unknown resistance - A resistance that unknown value in a
circuit.

OHMMETER
ASSIGNMENT:

OHMMETER
• AC METERS
• ELECTRODYNAMOMETER
• IRON VANE
• ELECTROSTATIC
• THERMOCOUPLE
• D’ ARSONVAL

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