Post by thread:[EE]: Measuring Current

Hello, Will placing an ammeter in series along the positive end of my power supply tell me how much current my circuit requires? Seems like it should, but my thumbs are green when it comes to actually doing EE. Thanks for taking the time to enlighten me. +5V ---> Ammeter ----> +5V terminal of circuit Regards, Donovan -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Donovan Parks wrote: >Will placing an ammeter in series along the positive end of my power supply >tell me how much current my circuit requires? Seems like it should, but my >thumbs are green when it comes to actually doing EE. Thanks for taking the >time to enlighten me. > >+5V ---> Ammeter ----> +5V terminal of circuit Yes, unless your application is supplied from several different voltage sources (e.g. 5V and 12V). In that case, you can connect the ammeter between circuit ground and the (common) power supply ground. That will allow you to measure TOTAL current drain. Michael V Thank you for reading my little posting. _________________________________________________________________ Join the world s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Just make sure you have the meter set on the amperage setting and in the expected range before you power up the circuit... You could pop a fuse in the meter if you aren't careful. I seem to manage to do this every other month or so... ----- Original Message ----- From: Dale Botkin <spam_OUTdaleTakeThisOuTBOTKIN.ORG> > > > +5V ---> Ammeter ----> +5V terminal of circuit > > That's the way, yes. > > Dale -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

Michael Vinson wrote: > Donovan Parks wrote: > >> Will placing an ammeter in series along the positive end of my power >> supply >> tell me how much current my circuit requires? Seems like it should, >> but my >> thumbs are green when it comes to actually doing EE. Thanks for >> taking the >> time to enlighten me. >> >> +5V ---> Ammeter ----> +5V terminal of circuit > > > Yes, unless your application is supplied from several different > voltage sources (e.g. 5V and 12V). OF THE SAME POLARITY!!! {Quote hidden}> In that case, you can connect > the ammeter between circuit ground and the (common) power supply > ground. That will allow you to measure TOTAL current drain. > > Michael V > > Thank you for reading my little posting. > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Join the world s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. > http://www.hotmail.com > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > > -- * | __O Thomas C. Sefranek .....tcsKILLspam@spam@cmcorp.com |_-\<,_ Amateur Radio Operator: WA1RHP (*)/ (*) Bicycle mobile on 145.41, 448.625 MHz ARRL Instructor, Technical Specialist, VE Contact. hamradio.cmcorp.com/inventory/Inventory.html http://www.harvardrepeater.org -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Vinson" <mjvinsonKILLspamHOTMAIL.COM> To: <.....PICLISTKILLspam.....MITVMA.MIT.EDU> Sent: Monday, February 18, 2002 1:59 PM Subject: Re: [EE]: Measuring Current > Donovan Parks wrote: > >Will placing an ammeter in series along the positive end of my power supply > >tell me how much current my circuit requires? Seems like it should, but my > >thumbs are green when it comes to actually doing EE. Thanks for taking the {Quote hidden}> >time to enlighten me. > > > >+5V ---> Ammeter ----> +5V terminal of circuit > > Yes, unless your application is supplied from several different > voltage sources (e.g. 5V and 12V). In that case, you can connect > the ammeter between circuit ground and the (common) power supply > ground. That will allow you to measure TOTAL current drain. > > Michael V > > Thank you for reading my little posting. > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Join the world s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. > http://www.hotmail.com > > -- > http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different > ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details. > > -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

> Will placing an ammeter in series along the positive end of my power supply > tell me how much current my circuit requires? Seems like it should, but my > thumbs are green when it comes to actually doing EE. Thanks for taking the > time to enlighten me. > > +5V ---> Ammeter ----> +5V terminal of circuit That should work fine most of the time. ******************************************************************** Olin Lathrop, embedded systems consultant in Littleton Massachusetts (978) 742-9014, EraseMEolinspam_OUTTakeThisOuTembedinc.com, http://www.embedinc.com -- http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different ways. See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.

On Mon, 18 Feb 2002, Jim wrote: > Yes. > > Connect an Ammeter *in series* for current > > and a Voltmeter *in parallel* for Voltage. > connect an ohmmeter in parallel with your mains socket to measure the internal mains resistence.... -- http://www.piclist.com#nomail Going offline? Don't AutoReply us! email listservspam_OUTmitvma.mit.edu with SET PICList DIGEST in the body