International Islamic University

Islamabad

Instrumentation and Measurement LAB

Experiment No. 3: Galvanometer as a DC Voltmeter

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Roll No.: ________________________________________

Lab conducted on:________________________________

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 Galvanometer as a Voltmeter
1. Objective

To design and construct a DC Voltmeter from a normal galvanometer and then analyze the
loading effect of connecting a voltmeter on a simple circuit.

2. Equipment Required

1. Digital Multi Meter

2. DC Power Supply
3. Bread Board
4. Galvanometer
5. Wires
6. Resistors: as needed

3. Introduction

Galvanometer is an instrument used to indicate the presence, direction, or strength of a small

electric current. The typical galvanometer is a sensitive laboratory instrument used mainly to
detect and compare currents. It is used for DC measurements and is one of the earliest measuring
instrument mechanisms.

3.1Specifications of a Galvanometer

Galvanometers are specified with certain full scale deflection Ifsd (e.g. 1mA) and internal
resistance Rg(e.g. 100Ω).

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3.2Galvanometer as a Voltmeter

Galvanometers can be turned into voltmeters if they are connected with a suitably high series
resistance. The purpose of the series resistance is to limit the current through the meter and
extend the range to measure voltage.

𝑉=𝐼 𝑅 + 𝑅
𝑉
𝑅 = − 𝑅
𝐼

3.3Galvanometer as a Multi range Voltmeter

The addition of a number of multipliers, together with a range switch, provides the instrument
with a workable number of voltage ranges. For a four-range voltmeter, we find the resistances as:
𝑉
𝑅 = − 𝑅
𝐼
𝑉
𝑅 = − 𝑅 −𝑅
𝐼
𝑉
𝑅 = −𝑅 −𝑅 − 𝑅
𝐼
𝑉
𝑅 = −𝑅 −𝑅 −𝑅 − 𝑅
𝐼

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3.4 Loading Effect

Each voltmeter has a certain input impedance. 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.

4.Procedure

1. First of all, find the parameters of galvanometer. Use DMM to find R g and then connect
the galvanometer in series with a potentiometer and power supply. Change the value of
potentiometer (or the input supply) slowly until you get full deflection on the
galvanometer. Measure the input voltage and potentiometer resistance and put in the
following equation to find Ifsd.
𝑉
𝐼 =
𝑅 +𝑅
2. For the ranges of 10V, 20V, 50V and 100V for given galvanometer, calculate and note
down multiplier resistors R1, R2, R3 and R4. Remember as the value of multiplier
resistor increases, less current flows through the galvanometer and therefore the range is
increased.
3. Using the closest values of the resistor, construct the voltmeter.
4. Generate test voltages at about 80% of the ranges using suitable supply.
5. Take the readings using the constructed voltmeter and then with DMM for comparison.

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 6. Construct the above circuit. Take those values of R1 and R2 that are comparable to the
multiplier resistances. First measure using the DMM (which has higher input impedance)
and then measure using the constructed voltmeter. Record the values in the table.

𝑉 (𝑢𝑛𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑑) − 𝑉 (𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑑)
%𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = ∗ 100
𝑉 (𝑢𝑛𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑑)
5. Observations

Input Data

Sr No. Parameter Nominal Value Measured Value

1. Vin

2. R1

3. R2

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 Test Data

Sr No. Range - 4 Range - 3 Range - 2 Range - 1

1. V (Range)

2. V (Applied)

3. V (Read)

Output Data

Sr. No. Parameter Equation

1. Vout

2. Vout – Loaded

3. %age Error

Load – Voltmeter
Sr No. Parameter Unloaded Load - DMM
(constructed)

1. Vout (Calc)

2. Vout (Read)

3. %age Error

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