Moving-Coil Meter Measures Low-Level Currents

Abstract:TheMAX4172ICsubstitutesacurrentamplifierfortheshuntnormallyassociatedwithamoving-coilmeter.Thiscircuitallowsuseofthemoving-coilmeter,evenwhenthemetercurrentisalargefractionofthecurrentbeingmeasuredMaxim>AppNotes>AMPLIFIERANDCOMPARATORCIRCUITSDIGITALPOTENTIOMETERSDISPLAYDRIVERSKeywords:moving-coilmeter,high-sidecurrentamplifier,remotemeasurement,displaydriversJun20,2005APPLICATIONNOTE3536Moving-CoilMeterMeasuresLow-LevelCurrentsAbstract:TheMAX4172ICsubstitutesacurrentamplifierfortheshuntnormallyassociatedwithamoving-coilmeter.Thiscircuitallowsuseofthemoving-coilmeter,evenwhenthemetercurrentisalargefractionofthecurrentbeingmeasured.Thedisplayofchoiceforcertainapplicationsremainsthelargemoving-coilmeter.Whileamoving-coilmetermaylacktheaccuracyofadigitalpanelmeter,theperceivedextrainformationderivedfromtheneedle'srateofchangecannotbematchedbythedigital