Experiment No.

4
CO3: Understand to calibrate ammeter, wattmeter and calculate three phase
power for unbalanced load with two wattmeter method.

PO PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6 PO7 PO8 PO9 PO10 PO11 PO12
CO3 2 2 2 2
CO5 3 3

Name: Calibration of Ammeter and Wattmeter

OBJECTIVE: To calibrate moving iron type AC Ammeter and Dynamometer type AC

Wattmeter against calibrated Digital AC Ammeter and Voltmeter.

THEORY: The calibration of all instruments is important since it affords the opportunity to
check the instruments against a known standard and subsequently to find error and accuracy.
Calibration procedure involves a comparison of sample instrument with either a primary
standard or a secondary standard with a higher accuracy than the instrument to be calibrated.
Or against an instrument of known accuracy.
So all working instruments must be calibrated against some reference instrument, which have
higher accuracy and a traceable calibration (either from manufacturer or from Test labs, done
by comparison with a better accurate equipment)
Now a days, Digital Instruments are becoming popular, because,

i. No confusion in reading (parallax error in Analog Instruments)

ii. Higher accuracy.

iii. Easily re-calibratable. Simply by turning some potentiometer using screwdriver.

So Digital instruments are used as calibration reference.

On the other hand, analog instruments having following disadvantages,

i. Confusion in reading, due to parallax error, approximation error in between

graduation readings and zero position error readings.

ii. Less accurate.

iii. Difficulty in re calibration.

So Calibration of Analog instruments are checked with a reference Digital Meter to find out its
percentage error in reading and repeatability error. Apart from the Sample meters and reference
meters, one variable voltage source of 0 to 270V is used as power source (Voltage). One
variable Current source of 0 to 5A (short circuit current) is used as power source (Current). It
is a Step-down transformer, primary connected to Variac (0 to 270V). Secondary short circuited
via Ammeters. Hence no loading Resistor is required.

Table -1 : Instruments / equipment required

Sl. Name Qty Type Range Maker’s Name

No.
1 Sample Ammeter 1
2 Digital Ammeter 1
3 Digital Voltmeter 1
4 Sample Wattmeter 1
5 Variable Voltage source 1
6 Variable Current source 1
Circuit Diagram:

PROCEDURE: To calibrate AC AMMETER.

1. Make sure all MCBs are off.

2. Connect circuit as per connection diagram
3. Turn both variacs fully anticlockwise (Zero position)
4. Turn the Current source Variac slowly clockwise, watch analog meter reading
Stop movement at some graduation mark.
5. Take both reading, Analog ammeter and Digital Ammeter.
6. Turn the Current source Variac further slowly clockwise, watch analog meter reading
Stop movement at some graduation mark.
7. Take both reading, Analog ammeter and Digital Ammeter.
8. Repeat the process till full scale of Analog Ammeter.
9. Make both Variac zero and switch off the supply.
10. Derive the Percentage Accuracy Error.
 ( 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 – 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠) × 𝟏𝟎𝟎
%𝐄𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 =
𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠

Table -2 Ammeter Calibration

Sl. No. Mode Analog meter Digital Meter reading Error % Error
reading In Amps 𝐵−𝐴 𝐵−𝐴
In Amps (B) × 100
𝐵
(A)

1
2
3
4

PROCEDURE: To calibrate AC Wattmeter.

1. Make sure all MCBs are off.

2. Connect circuit as per connection diagram
3. Turn both the Variacs fully anticlockwise (Zero position)
4. Turn Voltage Variac to get a definite reading at digital voltmeter (say 100V)
5. Turn the Current source Variac slowly clockwise, note analog meter reading. Stop
movement at some graduation mark.
6. Note the reading of Analog Wattmeter and Digital Ammeter.
7. Turn the Current source Variac further slowly clockwise, watch analog meter reading.
Stop movement at some graduation mark.
8. Take both reading, Analog Wattmeter and Digital Ammeter.
9. Repeat the process till the rated current of wattmeter.
10. Calculate Power (W) = Digital Voltmeter reading × Digital Ammeter reading.
11. Make both Variac zero and switch off the supply.
12. Derive the Percentage Accuracy Error.

( 𝐖 – 𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠) × 𝟏𝟎𝟎

%𝐄𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 =
𝐖
 Table -3 Wattmeter Calibration

Sl. No. Mode Digital Analog meter Digital Power % Error

Voltmeter reading Ammeter in watt (𝐖 − 𝑾𝑨 )
reading in Watt reading 𝑾 = 𝑽×𝑩 𝑾
in Volts (WA) in Amps × 𝟏𝟎𝟎
(V) (B)

1
2
3
4

REPORT:

1. What do you mean by Calibration?

2. What do you mean by relative error?

3. Draw calibration curve (% Error vs Test meter reading)