1.

The Higher Institute of Engineering

El-Shorouk City
Electronics, Communication, and First year - 1st semester
Computer Engineering Dept.
Measurement - Sheet (3) Dr. Fatma El- Fouly
Explain the internal structure of DC voltmeter and its operation in details.

Answer:

DC voltmeter:

As voltmeter is connected in parallel across points in circuit, hence multiplier resistance is connected
in series with PMMC as to increase voltmeter range. As meter current is directly proportional to the
applied voltage so that the meter scale can be calibrated to indicate the voltage as shown in Figure 1.

The reciprocal of full-scale current is the voltmeter sensitivity (KΩ/V).

Hence total voltmeter resistance = sensitivity ×range.

V =I m Rs + I m Rm=I m (R s + Rm )

Figure 1

2. a) A PMMC instrument with FSD of 50µA and a coil resistance of 1700 Ω is to be used as
voltmeter with ranges of 10V, 50V, and 100V. Calculate the required values of multiplier
resistor for the circuits in Figure 2a, 2b.

Figure 2a, and 2b

b) Using sensitivity method for calculating the multiplier resistances.

Answer:

Figure 2a) Figure 2b)

1
 V V 10
R S= −R m at ( a ) range 10 V : R1= −R m= −1700=198 .3 K Ω
Im Im 50 ×10
−6

10 V 50
at 10V range : R1= at ( b ) range 50 V : R2= −R m−R1=
−1700=198 .3 K Ω −1700−198.3 K
50× 10
−6
Im 50 ×10
−6

50 V 100
at 50V range : R2= at ( c ) range 100 V : R 3= −Rm −R1−R2=
−1700=998 . 3 K Ω −1700−19
50× 10
−6
Im 50 ×10
−6

100
at 100V range : R3= −6
−1700=1.998 3 M Ω
50 ×10

Using sensitivity method:

Figure 2a) Figure 2b)

1 1
SV = =20 k Ω /V SV = =20 k Ω /V
Im Im

RV =Total voltmeter resistance=SV ×V =( Rm + R s ) RV =Total voltmeter resistance=SV ×V =( Rm + R s )

R s=multiplier resistance=(S ¿¿ V × V )−Rm=R V −R

R s=multiplier
m¿ resistance=(S ¿¿ V × V )−Rm ¿=
RV −Rm
at 10V range : R1=( S ¿¿ V × V )−Rm=(20 k Ω/V ×10 V )−1700=198 .3 K Ω ¿
at ( a ) range 10 V : R1=RV −Rm =(20 k Ω /V ×10 V )−1700=19
at 50V range : R1=(S ¿¿ V × V )−Rm=(20 k Ω/V ×50 V )−1700=998 .3 K Ω ¿

at ( b ) range
at 100V range : R1=(S ¿¿ V × V )−Rm=(20 k Ω/V ×100 V )−1700=1.998 V (
20 k Ω
50 V : R2= 3 M Ω×50
¿ )
V −Rm −R1=
20 k Ω
V (×50

at ( c ) range 100 V : R 3= ( 20Vk Ω × 100 V )−R −R −R =( 20Vk

m 1 2

3. Find the voltage reading and relative error of each reading obtained with a voltmeter on i) 5V
range, ii) 10V range, and iii) 30V range. If the instrument has a 20KΩ/V sensitivity, accuracy
1% of full scale deflection and the meter is connected across Rb.

Figure 3

Answer:

2
 Rb 5 × 10
3
Without loading effect of voltmeter: V b =E =50 =5 V
Rb + R a 3
5 ×10 + 45 ×10
3

With voltmeter is connected RV =Total voltmeter resistance=SV ×V

i) On range 5V:
3
RV =Total voltmeter resistance=SV ×V =20 ×10 ×5=0.1 MΩ

Requivalent =R b ∥ RV =( 50 ×10 3) ∥ 0.1 MΩ=4.76 KΩ

Requivalent 4.76 KΩ
V b =E =50 =4.782 V
Requivalent + Ra 4.76 KΩ+45 × 10
3

loading error=5−4.782=0.218
1
meter error =± ×5=± 0.05 V
100
Total error=0.218+ 0.05=± 0.27 V
± 0.27
Relative error of 5 V range= × 100=± 5.36 %
5
i) On range 10V:
3
RV =Total voltmeter resistance=SV ×V =20 ×10 ×10=0.2 MΩ

Requivalent =R b ∥ RV =( 50 ×10 3) ∥ 0.2 MΩ=4.878 KΩ

Requivalent 4.878 KΩ
V b =E =50 =4.88 V
Requivalent + Ra 4.878 KΩ+45 ×10
3

loading error=5−4.88=0.12 V
1
meter error =± ×10=± 0.1 V
100
Total error=0.12+0.1=± 0.22V
± 0.22
Relative error of 5 V range= ×100=±2.2 %
10
i) On range 30V:
3
RV =Total voltmeter resistance=SV ×V =20 ×10 ×30=0.6 MΩ

Requivalent =R b ∥ RV =( 50 ×10 3) ∥ 0.6 MΩ=4.96 KΩ

Requivalent 4.96 KΩ
V b =E =50 =4.964 V
Requivalent + Ra 4.96 KΩ+45 × 10
3

loading error=5−4.964=0.036 V
1
meter error =± ×30=±0.3 V
100
Total error=0.3+ 0.036=± 0.336 V
± 0.336
Relative error of 30 V range= × 100=± 1.12 %
30

3
4. PMMC instrument with Rm =1.3 KΩ and FSD =500 µA is used in a multi-range DC voltmeter.
The series connected multiplier resistors are R1=38.7 KΩ, R2=40 KΩ, and R1=40 KΩ.
Calculate the three voltage ranges and
determine the voltmeter sensitivity.

Answer:

V =I m Rs + I m Rm=I m (R s + Rm )

At point a: V =I m Rs + I m Rm=I m (R s + Rm )
Figure 4
V =I m Rs + I m Rm=I m ( R1 + Rm ) =500 ×10 ( 1.3 ×10 +38.7 × 10 )=20 V
−6 3 3

At point b:
V =I m Rs + I m Rm=I m ( R1 + R2 + Rm ) =500 ×10−6 ( 1.3 ×10 3+38.7 × 103 +40 × 103 )=40V
At point c:
V =I m Rs + I m Rm=I m ( R1 + R2 + R3 + Rm ) =500 ×10−6 ( 1.3 ×10 3+ 38.7 ×103 +40 × 103 +40 ×10 3 )=60 V
total resistance 1 2 KΩ
voltmeter sensitivity= = =
range I FSD V

5. a) Two resistors Ra =47KΩ and Rb =82 KΩ are connected in series across a 15 V supply. A
voltmeter on a 10 V range is connected to measure the voltage across R 2. The voltmeter
sensitivity is 10 KΩ/V calculate V R2 i) with the voltmeter is connected and ii) the voltmeter is
disconnected.

b) Repeat part (a) with voltmeter sensitivity 20 KΩ/V and range 10 V.

c) Repeat part (a) with voltmeter sensitivity 200 KΩ/V and range
10 V.

Answer:

a) Without voltmeter is connected:

Rb 82× 10
3
V R 2=E =1 5 =9.5 V
R b + Ra 3
47 × 10 +82 ×10
3

With voltmeter connected:

3
RV =Total voltmeter resistance=SV ×V =10 ×10 ×10=100 KΩ

Requivalent =R b ∥ RV =( 82 ×103 ) ∥ 100 KΩ=45 KΩ

Requivalent 45 KΩ
V R 2=E =15 =7.34 V
R equivalent + R a 45 KΩ+ 47 ×10
3

b) Without voltmeter is connected:

Rb 82× 10
3
V R 2=E =1 5 =9.5 V
R b + Ra 3
47 × 10 +82 ×10
3

With voltmeter connected:

4
 3
RV =Total voltmeter resistance=SV ×V =20 ×10 ×10=200 KΩ

Requivalent =R b ∥ RV =( 82 ×103 ) ∥ 200 KΩ=58.156 KΩ

Requivalent 58.156 KΩ
V R 2=E =15 =8.296 V
R equivalent + R a 58.156 KΩ+47 × 10
3

V R 2−V R 2 9.5−8.296
relative error ∈measured voltage across R2= ×100= ×100=12.674 %
V R2 9.5

c) Without voltmeter is connected:

Rb 82× 10
3
V R 2=E =1 5 =9.5 V
R b + Ra 3
47 × 10 +82 ×10
3

With voltmeter connected:

3
RV =Total voltmeter resistance=SV ×V =200 ×10 ×10=2000 KΩ

Requivalent =R b ∥ RV =( 82 ×103 ) ∥ 2000 KΩ=78.77 KΩ

Requivalent 78.77 KΩ
V R 2=E =15 =9.395 V
R equivalent + R a 78.77 KΩ+47 × 10
3

V R 2−V R 2 9.5−9.395
relative error ∈measured voltage across R2= ×100= ×100=1.105 %
V R2 9.5