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Multimeter: Principles and History

A multimeter is an instrument that can measure multiple electrical properties such as voltage, resistance, and current. Analog multimeters use a moving pointer display while digital multimeters (DMMs) have numeric displays and are more precise and robust. The first multimeter was invented by British Post Office engineer Donald Macadie, who wanted a single instrument that could measure amps, volts and ohms, instead of carrying multiple separate devices. He called his invention the Avometer. The Automatic Coil Winder and Electrical Equipment Company was established in 1923 to manufacture Macadie's Avometer design.

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1K views3 pages

Multimeter: Principles and History

A multimeter is an instrument that can measure multiple electrical properties such as voltage, resistance, and current. Analog multimeters use a moving pointer display while digital multimeters (DMMs) have numeric displays and are more precise and robust. The first multimeter was invented by British Post Office engineer Donald Macadie, who wanted a single instrument that could measure amps, volts and ohms, instead of carrying multiple separate devices. He called his invention the Avometer. The Automatic Coil Winder and Electrical Equipment Company was established in 1923 to manufacture Macadie's Avometer design.

Uploaded by

Sanjivee Sachin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Multimeter:-

A multimeter or multitester is a measuring instrument that can


measure multiple electrical properties. A typical multimeter can
measure voltage, resistance, and current, in which case it is also known
as a volt-ohm-milliammeter (VOM).

Analog multimeters use a microammeter with a moving pointer to


display readings. Digital multimeters (DMM, DVOM) have numeric
displays and have made analog multimeters obsolete as they are
cheaper, more precise, and more physically robust than analog
multimeters.

The first moving-pointer current-detecting device was the


galvanometer in 1820. These were used to measure resistance and
voltage by using a Wheatstone bridge, and comparing the unknown
quantity to a reference voltage or resistance. While useful in the lab,
the devices were very slow and impractical in the field. These
galvanometers were bulky and delicate.

The D'Arsonval–Weston meter movement uses a moving coil which


carries a pointer and rotates on pivots or a taut band ligament. The coil
rotates in a permanent magnetic field and is restrained by fine spiral
springs which also serve to carry current into the moving coil. It gives
proportional measurement rather than just detection, and deflection is
independent of the orientation of the meter. Instead of balancing a
bridge, values could be directly read off the instrument's scale, which
made measurement quick and easy.
The basic moving coil meter is suitable only for direct current
measurements, usually in the range of 10 μA to 100 mA. It is easily
adapted to read heavier currents by using shunts (resistances in parallel
with the basic movement) or to read voltage using series resistances
known as multipliers. To read alternating currents or voltages, a
rectifier is needed. One of the earliest suitable rectifiers was the copper
oxide rectifier developed and manufactured by Union Switch & Signal
Company, Swissvale, Pennsylvania, later part of Westinghouse Brake
and Signal Company, from 1927.[1]

The first attested usage of the word "multimeter" listed by the Oxford
English Dictionary is from 1907.[2]

The invention of the first multimeter is attributed to British Post Office


engineer, Donald Macadie, who became dissatisfied with the need to
carry many separate instruments required for maintenance of
telecommunications circuits.[3] Macadie invented an instrument which
could measure amperes (amps), volts and ohms, so the multifunctional
meter was then named Avometer.[4] The meter comprised a moving
coil meter, voltage and precision resistors, and switches and sockets to
select the range.

The Automatic Coil Winder and Electrical Equipment Company


(ACWEECO), founded in 1923, was set up to manufacture the Avometer
and a coil winding machine also designed and patented by MacAdie.
Although a shareholder of ACWEECO, Mr MacAdie continued to work
for the Post Office until his retirement in 1933. His son, Hugh S.
MacAdie, joined ACWEECO in 1927 and became Technical Director.[5]
[6][4] The first AVO was put on sale in 1923, and many of its features
remained almost unaltered through to the last Model 8.

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