Measurement 
Tutorial 
DC 
VOLTAGE 
MEASUREMENT 
. 
lWx 
Rs 
CIRCUIT LOADING  ERROR 
IN 
Oh 
= 
Rs 
+Ri 
where Rs 
= 
Source impedance 
Ri 
= 
8840A input impedance 
(Ri 
=>10,000  Mi2  in  200 mV,  2V,  and 20V  ranges) 
(Ri 
= 
10 MR  in  200V  and 1OOOVranges) 
EXAMPLE 
When measuring the voltage across the 10 kR  leg of a90 mover 10 knvoltagedivider, thecircuit loading error 
is 
I 
than 0.1% in  the upper ranges, and less than 0.0001% in  the lower ranges: 
SOURCE 
, 
8840A 
VOLTAGE 
- 
R 
i 
Error in  the 200V and 
lOOOV 
ranges 
= 
100 x 
9kQ 
9kn+10Mn 
= 
0.09% 
Error 
in 
the 200 mV.  2V 
and 
20V  ranges 
= 
100 x 
9Kn 
9 
=O-MQ=m 
Figure 
4-1. 
Circuit 
Loading 
Error Calculation 
5. 
Remove  the 
1 
MQ 
resistor. 
6. 
Measure the voltage  of  the circuit  under  test. 
Note that this procedure 
does 
not  correct for circuit load- 
ing error. 
Also 
note that  if  input bias current error is not 
corrected for, it may  be added to the circuit ioading error. 
4-5. 
RESISTANCE MEASUREMENT 
The 
8&40A 
allows  you  to  measure  resistance  in  both 
2-wire  and  &wire configurations.  Each  has  its  benefits. 
The 
test cullrent and full-scale voltage  for each resia 
range  are shown in Table 
4-1. 
Since the 
HI 
INPU' 
lead is psieve with respect to the 
LO 
INPUT 
lead, 
test  leads aie not  interchangeable when  a  semiconc 
device  is  being  measured. 
4-7. 
Cowcting 
for 
Test 
Lead 
Resistance in 
2-Wire 
Ohb 
In  2-wire  ohms,  the  resistance  of  the  test  lead! 
introduce efror  when  measuring low  resis$ances. 
TI 
4-6. 
2-Wire 
Ohms 
test 
leads 
rbay  add 
as 
much  as  0.58  to  2-wire 
readings. 
Two-Wire  ohms  measurements are simple 
tc 
set up and 
yield good results for most measurement conditions. Mea- 
with 
~WA, 
it is 
easy 
to 
corren 
for 
this enor 
surements are made 
as 
shown in  Figure 
4-3. 
An 
internal 
the 
button: 
current source (the "ohms  current source") passes a known 
test  current  (Itest)  through  the  resistance  being  tested 
1, 
Select 
the 
2-wire ohms  function. 
(Runknown). The 8840A measures the voltage drop across 
Runknown,  calculates  Runknown  using  Ohm's  law 
2.  Touch  the 
test 
ltd~ 
together. 
The 
t#4oA 
s 
(Runknown 
= 
Vtafitest),  and  displays 
the 
result. 
indicate the  resistance  of  the  test  leads. 
4-2 
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lnce 
test 
lese 
ctor 
can 
lical 
Ims 
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