Volt Meter

What is a voltmeter?

A voltmeter is a measurement device used to measure voltage in electrical circuits or device. It is commonly used to measure the voltage across a circuit. Voltage (v) represents the electrical potential difference between to points

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Types of voltmeters

Voltmeters come in various types and measurement ranges. At a high-level we have AC voltmeters and DC voltmeters to measure the voltage across the two different types of electric circuits.

The second main difference is the type of display the meter has,

Analog

the old style meters were analog with a needle and a dial with the needle moving up or down against a printed scale to indicate the voltage level.

Digital

Modern day digital voltmeters can display the voltage information more efficiently using 7-segment LED displays, LCD display or even OLED display.

Remote display

A new generation of headless voltmeters allow the measurements to be displayed and recorded remotely on a computer or other simillar device. These meters can have a wired interface (USB, RS485) or a wireless interface (Bluetooth, WiFi).

Measurement Range

Both AC and DC voltmeters have an operating voltage range. This is something that need to be considered when selecting the correct meter for your needs

Measurement speed

Analog meters naturally show the measurement in real-time. For digital meter the speed is reflected by the sampling rate, the higher the sampling rate the closer to real-time the measurement would be.

Measurement Accuracy

For most applications a measurement resolution of 1/100 of a volt or even 1/10 of a volt is sufficient, however some use cases may require a much higher resolution and the measurement accuracy may be critical for some circuits.

How Does a Voltmeter Work?

A Voltmeter function as devices for measuring electrical voltage. The basic operational principles are as follows:

Internal Resistance

Voltmeters have high internal resistance, allowing only a minimal current to pass through when the measurement probe or tip is connected to the circuit. This ensures that the meter does not significantly affect the circuit during measurement.

Voltage Divider

When connected to the point where voltage is to be measured, voltmeters use a voltage divider to reduce the voltage. The voltage divider lowers the voltage at the measurement point, making it suitable for measurement by the voltmeter.

In summary, voltmeters are devices with high internal resistance that measure voltage without significantly affecting the circuit. They use internal resistances and voltage dividers to provide accurate measurements. The measured voltage is then displayed to the user through an indicator or digital screen.