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Extension of Range of Ammeter

1. Instruments use shunts and multipliers to extend their measurement ranges for large currents, voltages, and power. Shunts are low-resistance devices connected in parallel to divert most of the current around the instrument. 2. For AC measurements, the inductances of the instrument and shunt must be considered in addition to their resistances. Their time constants must be equal to maintain constant current division for all frequencies. 3. Ammeter shunts have low resistances connected in parallel to the instrument coil to measure large currents. The instrument constant is the ratio of the measured current to the full-scale current and depends on the shunt used. Shunts have large current terminals and smaller

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2K views3 pages

Extension of Range of Ammeter

1. Instruments use shunts and multipliers to extend their measurement ranges for large currents, voltages, and power. Shunts are low-resistance devices connected in parallel to divert most of the current around the instrument. 2. For AC measurements, the inductances of the instrument and shunt must be considered in addition to their resistances. Their time constants must be equal to maintain constant current division for all frequencies. 3. Ammeter shunts have low resistances connected in parallel to the instrument coil to measure large currents. The instrument constant is the ratio of the measured current to the full-scale current and depends on the shunt used. Shunts have large current terminals and smaller

Uploaded by

Yash Bansal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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1.

EXTENSION OF INSTRUMENT RANGE:


The range of an electrical measurement is limited by the current, which can be carried by the coil
of the instrument safely. Hence for measurement of large currents or voltage or power, some
means for increasing the range of the instrument is to be adopted.

1.1. DEVICES COMMONLY USED:


When instruments are supplied with such external devices, the instrument is calibrated and its
scale is correspondingly marked, over the range of associated shunt, multiplier or transformer.

Shunts and multipliers are the resistances connected in shunt or series with ammeter and
voltmeters to enhance their measuring capacity.

1.2. SHUNTS:
A resistance placed in parallel with an instrument (like ammeter or galvanometer) to control the
current passing through it, when placed in a circuit carrying a large current is called a shunt.
The shunt resistance used with a basic instrument may consists of a length of constant
temperature resistance wire within the box of the instrument. Alternatively, there may be an
external (manganin or constantan) shunt having very low resistance.

1.3. REQUIREMENTS OF A SHUNT:


 The temperature coefficient of the shunt and instrument should be low and nearly identical.
 The resistance of the shunt should not vary with time.
 It should carry the current without excessive temperature rise.
 It should have a low thermal emf.

1.4. MATERIAL USED FOR SHUNT:


Manganin is usually used as a shunt for d.c. instruments since it gives a low value of thermal emf
with copper.
Constantan is a useful material for a.c. circuits since its comparatively high thermal emf being
unidirectional, is ineffective on these circuits.

2. SHUNTS FOR AC INSTRUMENTS:


When the shunt is used for ac measurements, the inductance of both instrument and the shunt
must be considered as well as their resistances.

In order to maintain the current division between shunt and Instrument constant for all
frequencies, the ratio of impedance of the instrument and leads to that of the shunt must remain
constant. This is possible only when time constants of the shunt and the instrument are the same.

R 2m   2 L2m
R 2s   2 L2s
If Lm and Ls are inductances of the instrument and shunt respectively then the ratio
should remain constant for all frequencies, which is possible only when time constants of the shunt
and instrument are same.
Lm L
 s k
Rm R s
i.e.
I I  Im I
N  s  s 1
Im Im Im
Multiplying factor,
R 2m   2 L2m
 1
R 2s   2 L2s

Rm 1  2  Lm / Rm 
2

 1
R s 1  2  L s / Rs 
2

Rm 1  2 k2 Rm
 1  1
Rs 1   k 2 2 Rs

3. AMMETER SHUNTS:
An ammeter shunts should have a low resistance that is placed in parallel with the coil circuit of
the instrument in order to measure large currents. The greater part of the current in main circuit is
then diverted around the coil through the shunt. Low resistance shunt is connected across the coil
of ammeter.

Let I be the circuit current to be measured.


Let Rm = ammeter resistance
S = shunt resistance
Im = full scale deflection current of ammeter
Is = shunt current
∴ I = Is + Im
or Is = I – I m
since the voltage across shunt and ammeter is same,
∴ Im Rm = (I – Im) Rs [∵ Is = I – IA]
or Im(Rm + Rs) = IRs
I R  Rs
  m
Im Rs
Rm  R s
I  Im
Rs
or

3.1. Instrument constant:


The ratio of current to be measured to full scale deflection current is called instrument constant.
I R  Rs
m  m
Im Rs
Instrument constant,
With different shunts, the same instruments will have different instrument constants.

3.2. Terminals of shunts:


The shunt has four terminals are
 Current terminals: Two terminals of large current carrying capacity known as current
terminals for inserting it in series with the main circuit
 Potential terminals: Other two of smaller size, known as potential terminals for connecting
the ammeter across it.

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