Computer Systems Technology UG1 201 0 Lab 2 - AC, DC and RMS Measurements

Introduction Analogue electronic systems operate with DC (direct) and/or AC (alternating periodic) voltages and currents as signals. It is necessary when building circuits to take measurements of these various signals to ensure that the circuits are functioning correctly. This is known as diagnostics. Instruments that may be used for diagnostic purposes include Digital Multimeters, power supply units, Function Generators and Cathode Ray Oscilloscopes. Since measuring instruments are used for both AC and DC signals it is important to gain an appreciation of how they may affect the measurements being taken and to how they respond to the various signals. The way we interpret these depends on whether they are given DC or AC (RMS) values. RMS is an abbreviation for Root Mean Square and is used to describe the value of AC signals in DC terms. In fact it is the effective value which is that current which will have the same heating effect as an equivalent direct current. It is assumed that when an alternating value is given it is in fact an rms value. For a sine wave,
rms = 0.707 PeakValue

or
rms = 1 PeakValue 2

Aim and Objectives To gain an understanding of DC and AC (RMS) signals and experience in electronic signal measurement techniques using three pieces of basic laboratory equipment, namely: The Function Generator for generating AC signals The Cathode Ray Oscilloscope for measuring AC signal The Digital Multimeter for measuring AC voltages

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Apparatus Digital Multimeter Oscilloscope Function Generator: BNC leads Model: _______________________ Model: _______________________ Model: _______________________

BNC-to-BNC lead

BNC-to-plug lead

The Y INPUT lead to an oscilloscope should be a co-axial lead and the diagram shows its construction. The central wire carries the signal and the screen is connected to earth (0V) to shield the signal from electrical interference (usually called noise).

Most oscilloscopes have a BNC socket for the Y input and the lead is connected with a push and twist action, to disconnect you need to twist and pull. Professionals use a specially designed lead and probes kit for best results with high frequency signals and when testing high resistance circuits, but this is not essential for simpler work at audio frequencies (up to 20 kHz). An oscilloscope is connected like a voltmeter, but you must be aware that the screen (black) connection of the input lead is connected to mains earth at the oscilloscope! This means it must be connected to earth or 0V on the circuit being tested. The trace on an oscilloscope screen is a graph of voltage against time. The shape of this graph is determined by the nature of the input signal.

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Procedure 1.0 Setting up the Oscilloscope 1.1 Switch on the oscilloscope (CRO) by pressing the POWER button. The screen will light up displaying various parameters. 1.2 In the TRIGGER section of the CRO front panel press the button labelled ATO/NML. The indicator labelled ATO should illuminate. If the ATO indicator is not illuminated, press the ATO/NML button again to illuminate it, thus setting the CRO to trigger automatically. 1.3 In the VERTICAL section of the CRO front panel press the button labelled CH1, the indicator labelled CH1 should now illuminate; channel 1 of the CRO is now switched on. 1.4 If the indicator labelled CH2 (for channel 2 of the CRO) is illuminated, press the button labelled CH2 to switch of channel 2; it is not needed for this experiment. 1.5 Adjust the timebase control labelled TIME/DIV to set the timebase to 2S. The timebase control itself does not have any settings indicating the timebase setting; however, the timebase setting is displayed in the bottom right-hand corner of the CRO screen as shown in Fig.1. 1.6 Adjust the voltage sensitivity control labelled VOLTS/DIV to measure 5mV per division. The voltage sensitivity control itself does not have any settings indicating the voltage sensitivity setting; however, the voltage sensitivity setting is displayed in the bottom left-hand corner of the CRO screen as shown in Fig.1.

VOLTS/DIV setting and 1.7 AC or DC

5mV

~
1.8 Fig.1

Timebase
2S

(TIME/DIV) setting

1.9 Set the CRO to measure AC by pressing the button labelled AC/DC. The screen will indicate whether the CRO is measuring in AC or DC mode. If it is measuring in AC mode, a ~ will show next to the VOLTS/DIV setting in S. Shabbir/D. Gibson/R. Thomas

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the CRO screen, if it is set to measure in DC mode then a indicator will show next to the VOLTS/DIV setting on the CRO screen. 1.10 At this stage, you should have a straight-line trace visible on the screen. If necessary adjust the FOCUS and INTEN (intensity) controls to obtain a sharp and clear line. 1.11 Adjust the control labelled POSITION to bring the line to the centre of the screen. 1.12 Now that the trace is centred in the screen, set the voltage sensitivity to 50mV/DIV and set the timebase to 5mS/DIV. 1.13 Connect a BNC lead to the channel 1 input of the CRO. The channel 1 input is labelled CH1. The BNC lead should turn and lock into the socket in the CRO. 1.14 Touch the inner conductor (red lead) of the BNC lead with your hand, what happens? Write answer in the box provided on the results page 14. 1.15 Now set the volts/div control to 2V/DIV. Again, touch the inner connecter of the BNC lead, what happens? 2.0 Using the Function Generator 2.1 Ensure that the CRO has a timebase setting of 0.5mS/DIV and a voltage sensitivity of 50mV/DIV AC. 2.2 Ensure that the trace is positioned to the centre of the screen. 2.3 Switch on the function generator. 2.4 Set the output waveform of the function generator to sinewave by pressing the button labelled ~, the LED indicator above this button should now light up. 2.5 Set the frequency of the output sinewave to 1kHz by pressing the 1K button in the range section, when pressed the LED indicator directly above this button should light up. Adjust the control labelled FREQUENCY, the function generator will display numerically the frequency of the output sinewave. Set the frequency to 1KHz. 2.6 Connect the output of the function generator to the channel 1 input of the CRO. This can be done by using a BNC-to-BNC lead See Fig.2. 2.7 The output voltage is set by adjusting the control labelled AMPL. The AMPL control has a dual function. By gently pulling out the AMPL control the function generator can beset to deliver small voltages, by pressing the control in, higher voltage can be outputted. By ensuring that the AMPL control is pulled out, set the output voltage to 200mV peak-topeak. Read the output voltage from the CRO. 2.8 Sketch the trace (to scale) in the results section. 2.9 Do not alter the function generator settings.

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Fig.2 3.0 Reading AC Voltages Using the DMM (AC Setting) 3.1 As in the previous exercise, ensure that the function generator is set to deliver a 200mV peak-to-peak sinewave output at 1kHz. 3.2 Set the DMM to measure AC voltages in the millivolt range. This is done by firstly pressing the button labelled AC followed by pressing the button labelled mV. 3.3 Using a BNC-to-plug lead, connect the output of the function generator to the input of the DMM. Ensure that red wire from the connecting lead is connected to the DMM input labelled V/ and the black wire of the connecting lead is connected to the COM input. See Fig.3. 3.4 Record the reading in the results section. Is this result what you would have expected?

Fig.3 4.0 Reading AC Voltages Using the DMM (DC Setting)

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4.1 As in the previous exercise, ensure that the function generator is set to deliver a 200mV peak-to-peak sinewave output at 1kHz. 4.2 Set the DMM to measure DC voltages in the millivolt range. This is done by firstly pressing the button labelled DC followed by pressing the button labelled mV. 4.3 Using a BNC-to-plug lead, connect the output of the function generator to the input of the DMM. Ensure that red wire from the connecting lead is connected to the DMM input labelled V/ and the black wire of the connecting lead is connected to the COM input. See Fig.3. 4.4 Record the reading in the results section. Is this result what you would have expected? Results Results from Section 1 1.14

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

1.15

______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________

Results from Section 2 2.7 Peak-to-peak voltage

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Timebase: _________________(S)(mS)(S)/DIV Voltage Sensitivity: ____________(mV)(V)/DIV Results from Section 3 3.4 Actual output voltage of function generator: Output voltage reading using DMM in AC mode: Results from Section 4 4.4 Actual output voltage of function generator: Output voltage reading using DMM in DC mode: Analysis and Discussion For discussion in tutorial Analyse the results you obtained in this experiment based on the suggested points below: Explain why the A.C. readings taken with a multimeter differ from those on the oscilloscope. Use your results and calculations to do this. (HINT: do some calculations involving RMS values as described in the introduction). Would a D.C. reading taken with a multimeter be the same as that displayed on an oscilloscope? What can one conclude about taking measurements with these two items of equipment? mV/V (pk-pk) mV/V mV/V (pk-pk) mV/V

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