Mapúa University - Intramuros Last Name:

School of Electrical, Electronics and Computer First Name:

Engineering Middle Name:

EE101-1L Fundamentals of Electric Circuits, Student No:

Lab.

Laboratory Experiment 1
Familiarization with Electrical Measuring Instruments

I. Objectives:

1. To determine the characteristics and proper connection of common electrical measuring devices.
2. To be able to learn how to read measurements of basic electrical measuring devices.
3. To become familiar with the basic circuit training kit and learn the proper connection of the trainer kit
devices.

II. Theoretical Discussion:

The galvanometer is a versatile analog instrument used in detecting and measuring small amount of
current in the circuit. The essential parts of the meter are a permanent magnet, measuring scale, pointer attached
to a soft iron core wounded with coils of wire connected through a pivot.

A coil of wire wound on a soft iron core is pivoted on jewel bearings between the poles of the permanent
magnet. The coil becomes a magnet when current in induced in it. The instrument contains 2 permanent
magnets: a horseshoe magnet in a fixed axis and an electromagnet free to turn on its axis. There are coiled
springs connected to restrain rotational movement and to return the pointer to the zero position.

When there is current in the movable coil, its core is magnetized. The poles of the core are then attracted
or repelled by the poles of the permanent magnet. A torque acts upon the coil and the coil rotates in an attempt
to align its plane perpendicular to the line joining the poles of the permanent magnet. The torque is neutralized
by the reaction of the springs. Since the permanent field flux is constant, the torque on the coil is proportional to
the current in it. The current sensitivity of a meter (pointer deflection, d) is proportional to the amount of
current in the coil ( I M ),

IM α d
I M =k d

If the basic meter movement is used as a voltmeter ,

Figure 1

V T =I m ( R m + Rs ) =I m RT
Where:

V T = the voltage to be measured at full scale deflection

 R S = the higher multiplier resistance in series with the basic meter movement

Note that the same small current I M is needed to cause full scale deflection in the voltmeter and the same
small voltage V m is across the basic meter movement. The rest of the voltage will appear across R S and this is
equal to I M RS . The total high input resistance will now be equal to ( Rs+ Rm).

If the basic meter movement is used as an ammeter,

Figure 2

V m =I m Rm =( I T −I m ) Rsh=I T RT

Where:

V m = the small voltage across the meter to cause full scale deflection
I m = The small current to cause full scale deflection
Rm = The resistance of the basic meter movement
I T = The current to be measured at full scale deflection
R sh = the low shunt resistance

The resistance of the shunt is given by the equation

I m Rm I m Rm
R sh= =
I T −I m I sh

The electrodynamometer is similar to the galvanometer movement of the dc meters except that it does
not include a permanent magnet. The moving coil rotates in the magnetic field of a pair of fixed coils carrying
magnetizing current. As the current in the fixed coils produces magnetic flux B, a current in the moving coil
produces a flux along its axis, and the coil tends to align in the two magnetic fields. This torque produces a
pointer deflection related to the product of the two coil currents. The dynamometer mechanism is used in
quality ammeters, voltmeters and wattmeters.

PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET

LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 1
FAMILIARIZATION WITH ELECTRICAL MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

1. Using MATLAB Simulink, follow the circuit diagram below (Fig. 1)

 Fig. 1

2. Provide screenshot of your own circuit in MATLAB Simulink in Fig. 2 (with V S =5 V ) and R as in
Table 1.

(insert screenshot here)

Fig. 2

Table 1: Trial 1
VS R in ohms
50
70
102
120
144
203
75
90
125
156
209
221
107
127
142
208
227

PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET

LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 1
FAMILIARIZATION WITH ELECTRICAL MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

Table 2
TRIA GIVEN
VL IL PL VL / IL PL / IL2 VL2 / PL
LS RL
 1
2 Trial 1 + 20Ω
3 Trial 1 + 30 Ω
4 Trial 1 + 50 Ω
5 Trial 1 + 70 Ω
6 Trial 1 + 90 Ω
7 Trial 1 + 100
Ω
8 Trial 1 + 110
Ω
9 Trial 1 + 120
Ω
10 Trial 1 + 140
Ω

3. Record all the meter readings (VL and IL) in Table 2 for each trial. Complete the table by computing the
power PL = VLIL and the rest of the other columns.

VL = voltage measured by voltmeter V

IL = current measured by ammeter A

*Include screenshots for VL and IL measurements in Trials 2, 4, 6, 8 in Fig. 3a, 3b, 3c, and 3d.

(insert screenshot here)

Fig. 3a

(insert screenshot here)

Fig. 3b

(insert screenshot here)

Fig. 3c

(insert screenshot here)

Fig. 3d

Questions and Problems:

1. Describe the type of meter movement used in analog meters.

2. What device is used to extend the range of a DC ammeter and how is it connected to the basic meter?
3. What device is used to extend the range of a DC voltmeter and how is it connected to the basic meter?
4. Why is it necessary that an ammeter be a low resistance instrument? Why must a voltmeter be a high
resistance instrument?
5. What type of basic meter is configured as a wattmeter?
6. Two 150V voltmeters are being compared; meter A had 5kΩ/V while meter B has a total meter
resistance of 750 kΩ. Which is the more sensitive meter? Why?
7. What current is required for full scale deflection of a galvanometer having a current sensitivity of 50µA
per scale division? The meter has exactly 50 divisions on either side of the mid-scale index.
8. What potential difference appears across the galvanometer described in problem 6 when the pointer is
fully deflected? The meter resistance is 10Ω.
9. Determine the series resistance needed to convert a galvanometer to a voltmeter reading 15V on full
scale deflection if a current of 2.5mA causes full scale deflection and the resistance of the coil is 10Ω.
10. Determine the shunt resistance needed to convert a galvanometer to an ammeter with a full scale reading
of 10A if the scale requires 2.5mA to cause full deflection with a coil resistance of 10Ω.