INSTRUMENTATION [E3042] 39

ELECTRONIC METERS

TOPIC 4

ELECTRONIC METERS

Types of electronic meter:

1. Analogue electronic meter

2. Digital electronic meter

4.1 ANALOGUE ELECTRONIC METER

- Used to measure voltage, current and resistance.

- High accurate measurement

- Using amplifier, rectifier and added circuit to make sure the current flow is
propotional to the measured quantity. The current will be triggering the
meter movement.

- Used for DC and AC measurement.

4.1.1 Advantages of analogue electronic meter

 Sensitive – can measure for a very small value.

 High input impedance
 Very low battery power
+VCC
 Wide
DC inputrange range
voltage R1
 Able to measure the very low voltage
Q1

R2
Q2 meter
4.1.2 Schematics circuit of analogue electronic meter for BJT and FET types.

adjuster R3 ohm
Zero
adjuster
 40 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042]
ELECTRONIC METERS

Figure 4.1: Schematics circuit of analogue electronic meter

Circuit Operation

 Before the measured voltage is triggered to FET gate, Q1 and Q2 is working which is the
current flow from Vcc to R1 and Q1 base. The Q1 emmitter current will be flowing through
R2 and R3 then Q2 base current is supplied.

 When the positive voltage is supplied to FET gate, the current will flow and the circuit start
its operation.

 If low positive voltage supplied to FET gate, drain current (Id) will increase since the drain
current is propotional to 1/V+.

 At the same time, collector current for Q2 increase too. So that, the base current for Q1
(Ib1) will be decreasing as same as Q1 emmitter current (Ie1). So the current flow to the
meter and reads the value which is propotional to input voltage
 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042] 41
ELECTRONIC METERS

 If high positive voltage supplied to FET gate, drain current will be decreasing. So, Ic2
current also decrease and Ib1 will be increasing as same as Ic1 current. The current flow
to the circuit also increase. The meter movement become higher which is proportional to
input voltage.

4.1.3 Voltage measurement with BJT and FET VOM

4.1.3.1 AC Voltage measurement

To DC
AC input R amplifier &
meter

Figure 4.2: AC voltage detector circuit

 AC voltage should be converted DC voltage and the output is loaded to DC

amplifier and meter part.
 The meter is usually calibrated in Vrms value.
 The meter movement is proportional to average input.
 The meter scale reads RMS value and the pointer operates at average value.

4.1.3.2 Peak to peak voltage measurement

 Peak to peak detector circuit is to measure the unsymetrical osscillate signal within
-20V to 50V.
 It is to convert the measured signal voltage to peak to peak value before loaded to
DC amplifier and meter part.
42 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042]
ELECTRONIC METERS

C1 D2

Vp DC amplifier
D1 C2
and meter

Figure 4.3: Peak to peak detector circuit

Circuit Operation

- A

C1 At negative cycle, the current

D1 flow through D1 and C1. C1
Vp will be charging to Vp

+ B

+ A
At positive cycle, the voltage
C1 across AB is 2Vp which is C1 and
D1 supply voltage as same as 2
Vp
series of battery connection.

- B

 Vp will be rectified by D2.

 C2 will be charging to 2Vp.
 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042] 43
ELECTRONIC METERS

 For circuit operation, the discharge time for R1 C2 > an input voltage cycle time.

4.2 Resistance measurement

When the function switch is turned to ohm scale, the measured resistor is connected in
series with the internal battery. So, the meter is actually measuring the resistance voltage
drop.
X100k
ΩΩ
Ω terminal
X10kΩ

1.5V X1kΩ

XΩ Vx Rx DC amplifier &
meter

Fig: Resistance measurement circuit with different resistance range

1.4.1 Circuit operation

 When measured resistor is connected to ohm terminal, the current from 1.5V
battery flow through the selected resistance range and a resistor Rx to the
earth.
 The voltage drop Vx is loaded to DC amplifier and meter.
 The voltage drop Vx is proportional to Rx. So,the meter is calibrated in
resistance value.
44 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042]
ELECTRONIC METERS

4.3 Main parts of Analogue electronic meter

 DC amplifier
 Limiting switch
 Rectifier
 Function switch
 Internal battery

5 Digital Electronic Meter

4.2 Introduction
 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042] 45
ELECTRONIC METERS

Digital multimeter display the reading by numbering. Most of digital multimeter were
built by logic building blocks such as gate, register, counter, encoder etc. It was called
a conversion circuit such as voltage to time with electronic counter and display unit

4.3 Advantages of digital multimeter

 High impedance, zero over load effect Julat yang Luas

 Reducing error
 Quick and accurate reading
 Wide range

4.4 Basic principles of digital multimeter

Input rectifier

To convert the input to DC voltage stage which fullfill the ADC input condition.

Analogue to Digital Converter

To convert analog to digital signal.

Display

To display digital number on LCD. ac/dc

Range switch convert
acV er
dcV
dcV
Range switch Select
4.5 Digital multimeter block diagram or
inpu switch
t Selector dc/ac
Current dcV
switch ma
detector

ohm Ohm/DC V dcV

Converter

Decimal
point

LCD display A/D coverter &

display drive
46 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042]
ELECTRONIC METERS

4.5.1 Circuit operation

 Input DC voltage signal will flow through a range switch to ADC and display
drive. The reading is displayed on LCD screen in digital number.
 For AC voltage also flowing through a range switch and it is converted to DC
voltage by AC-DC converter. The DC voltage then transfered to ADC and
display drive.
 For current measurement (DC @ AC), the signal will be converted to DC or
AC voltage by current circuit detector before It will be transfered to ADC.
 For resistance measurement, the measured resistor should be connected
with rrefference resistor in series connection and the current signal will be
supplied. So, the voltage across measured resistor will be transfered to
ADC.
 So, all input signals at ADC are DC analog data.

4.6 Types of analogue to digital converter

 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042] 47
ELECTRONIC METERS

 Ramp
 Integrate
 Penghampiran berturutan
 Continuous balance

4.7 Ramp converter (ADC)

Input voltage
Input comparator
voltage

Pulse
start
Ramp
generat Gate
oscillator Counte
or
r

Pulse stop

LCD
Zero comparator
Sample
rate
Display
oscillator Pulse reset to counter
2-3 Hz
Fig: Ramp converter block
diagram

4.7.1 Circuit operation

 Ramp voltage is generated by ramp generator which it was triggered by sample

rate oscillator. The function of oscillator is for time base to produce a pulse at 2Hz-
3Hz. The pulse is transfered to the counter circuit for clearing the data.
48 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042]
ELECTRONIC METERS

 The ramp voltage will be compared continuously together with input voltage and
zero voltage.

 When the ramp voltage has same value with input voltage comparator, the input
will generate a pulse to open the gate.

 When the ramp voltage is zero, the zero comparator will generate a pulse to close
the gate.

 The oscillator will generate a clock pulse. This clock pulse will going through the
opened gate. And it will be counted at counter part.

 The time of opened gate is proportional to input voltage. So, the number of counted
pulse is equal to input voltage.

 AC voltage shoul be rectified by a rectifier circut. The DC output voltage will be

loaded to DC amplifier and meter.

 The below figure shows a diagram of ramp voltage in ramp ADC.

Ramp voltage
12V

clock
 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042] 49
ELECTRONIC METERS

Measured
T
voltage

Fig: Ramp voltage

4.8 Differential ADC

 Differential ADC can be built by using with three comparator circuits.

 For each comparator circuit should have reference input voltage.
 A voltage divider is connected across the reference voltage supply with an
output voltage.
 For other input terminals, it will be driven by an analogue voltage with unknown
value.

2.6.1 Advantages of ADC system :-

 Simple and fast operation to get a result

 For a system with high value result, it should have many comparators in the
circuit.
 Ramp ADC
50 INSTRUMENTATION [E3042]
ELECTRONIC METERS

2.6.2 Circuit operation

 When input is supplied, the voltage will be compared through comparator op-
amp.
 The voltage level is fixed by comparator output. With high comparator output,
the encoder input will be logic ‘1’. With low comparator output, the encoder input
will be logic ‘0’.
 The comparator output to encoder will be set to binary decimal code. The
decimal code will be counted at counter.
 The below figure shows a ramp block diagram for an electronic meter.

Reference
voltage Analogue
voltage

C3

3/4V
C2 Comparator output

1/2V

C1
1/4V