The multimeter is a very useful and important tool for electronics hobbyists and for professionals. Even though analog multimeters are very useful, it is necessary to calibrate them once in a while to make sure the multimeter is working correctly.
No matter what kind of multimeter you have, you should regularly calibrate your multimeter. If you don’t calibrate your multimeter, it can lead to false readings.
Knowing More About Analog Multimeters
An analog multimeter, also known as a VOM, is an instrument used to measure voltage, resistance, and current. The multimeter uses an analog dial to display the values rather than an LCD or LED readout.
Analog multimeters are generally less expensive than their digital counterparts but do have some limitations. For example, they are sensitive to static electricity and cannot be easily used in wet or dusty locations.
Analog multimeters are very helpful in troubleshooting and repairing electronic circuits. But they’re not perfect. One issue is that analog meters are not very accurate.
They’re prone to error, and the only way to correct that is by calibrating them. An analog meter reads voltage by comparing the voltage to a known amount of resistance. The problem is that resistance might change over time due to factors like temperature or manufacturing defects.
There are many analog multimeters in the market. But the question is, what is the big advantage of having an analog multimeter.
What is the entire purpose of an analog multimeter? The biggest advantage of having an analog multimeter is that you can see the needle moving on the meter, which helps the user to know whether the connections are good or bad.
Since analog multimeters are analog, it is much easier to read a voltage or current in a circuit than to take an average reading.
Why Is Calibration Needed?
Calibrating your analog multimeter means making sure that the device is measuring what it is supposed to measure and not something else. This means that the multimeter’s circuit needs to be brought to a state where a known voltage (and current) is applied, and the measured response is compared to the expected (desired) response.
Sometimes you may need to calibrate your multimeter when it reaches a certain age, or when it begins to show glitches, or even when you want to make sure that it still works.
If you want to use a multimeter to measure voltage, current, or resistance, it is important to calibrate it before use.
Otherwise, it will not be able to measure what you want it to measure accurately. Calibration is a process that should be done frequently to ensure that your multimeter continues to be able to provide accurate measurements over time.
If you’re using an analog multimeter, you need to calibrate it to make sure that the voltage and current readings you get are accurate. The reason is that the analog multimeter uses a needle that moves back and forth to show you the voltage or current of the circuit you’re testing.
Even the smallest amount of friction can cause the needle to move a little, which can lead to an inaccurate reading. By using a special calibration procedure, you can make sure that your analog multimeter is giving you accurate readings.
The Calibration Process
There are two ways to calibrate an analog multimeter: using a voltage divider made from two resistors or by using a known good voltage source. The first method is useful for high accuracy multimeters, while the second method is only useful for low cost or high accuracy multimeters. The steps are:
- Set the meter to the highest resistance range.
- Set the voltage selector dial to the highest voltage readout.
- Connect the positive meter lead to the negative voltage source.
- Connect the negative meter lead to the positive meter lead.
- Read the voltage.
- Subtract the readout from the voltage source to get the error.
Most analog multimeters come with a special screwdriver to calibrate the multimeter. This screwdriver has a switch on the handle that acts as a dummy load. You can insert this screwdriver into the analog multimeter’s socket and use it to make sure that your multimeter is accurate by using the V scale.
What If You Didn’t Do the Calibration?
Why does a multimeter have to be calibrated? I mean, after all, how can you tell if it’s telling the right voltage? Shouldn’t the device just work? Think of a multimeter as the scale in a grocery store.
The scale tells you how much you need to pay, but it doesn’t change your purchase. In the same way, a multimeter tells you how much current is going through the wire, but it doesn’t change the current.
It just tells you the amount of voltage that is present in the circuit. The voltage present in the circuit depends on the amount of current flowing and the resistance of the wire. If you don’t calibrate the multimeter, the number that you get may not be accurate.
You may be wondering why I should bother calibrating my analog multimeter – that is a very good question. Calibrating your analog multimeter is very important for several reasons.
One of the reasons is so that your readings are more accurate. This is very important if you are trying to build a circuit and you can’t find the problem that you are having. By calibrating your meter, you are able to make sure that you are getting the most accurate reading possible.
How Often Should You Calibrate This Type of Multimeter?
The problem with analog multimeters is that you need to calibrate them regularly. If you don’t, then your readings will give you the wrong values.
You need to calibrate a multimeter so that you can get more accurate readings. If you don’t calibrate it, then you’ll find yourself frustrated when the reading won’t tell you how much voltage is really there.
Vintage analog multimeters are inexpensive and readily available at electronics stores. While they are usually considered low-end and low precision, they still have a multitude of uses in the electronics lab.
However, as they are analog instruments, they can vary from reading to reading. In some cases, this can be a benefit, but in others, it is not.
For example, if you wish to measure an unknown voltage, you would set your meter’s dial to the highest value (i.e., the highest voltage it can read) and then use the dial to offset your reading.
