A. C.

STANDARDS

&

MEASUREMENTS
There is no readily available

absolute Standard for A.C.

Voltage
Root Mean Square is the
universally accepted description
of A.C. Voltage level. The
R.M.S. voltage of an A.C. source
is numerically equal to that of a
D.C. source.

This is true for all waveshapes.

 A. C. MEASUREMENTS

A.C. Voltage measurements having accuracies

comparable to that of the D.C. Voltage is difficult
due to following reasons.

1. Non availability of A. C. Voltage Reference

Standard.

2. The effect of frequency on measuring device.

3. The effect of distortion & different wavefrom

shapes.
So for these reasons A. C. Measurements
are carried out by either converting A. C.
into D. C. or by comparing the heating
effect produced.
 THERMAL TRANSFER
STANDARD
Traditionally, RMS has been measured by its
heating effect in a resistance, the heat flow thus
created being the most readily measurable form
of energy flow. The heat flow is normally
sensed by a temperature measuring device, a
thermocouple.
Thermal transfer standard provides a means for
defining the R.M.S. value of a given A.C.
Voltage of current in terms of a D.C. Voltage.
The effective or R.M.S. value of an A.C.
Voltage or current is that value which produces
the same heating effect as the same heating
effect as an equivalent amount of D.C. Voltage.

This AC / DC Thermal voltage standard is used

to achieve A.C. Voltage Tractability.

AC CURRENT tractability is also achieved by

using thermal transfer standard and AC /DC
resistors. The technique is same as A.C.
Voltage.