General Description; Measuring Average Values Andtrms Values; Definition Of True Root Mean Square Value And Crest Factor - HT FLASHMETER F100 Mode D'emploi

2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The instrument carries out the following measurements in full Autorange:
 DC/AC TRMS Voltage
 DC/AC TRMS Current by means F100 fork clamp
 Detection of AC Voltage without contact
 Resistance and Continuity test
According to the quantity present at the input, the instrument automatically switches
between voltage, resistance and current (with F100 clamp connected) measurement. The
instrument is also provided with the following function keys: HOLD/ZERO to enable
freezing the measured value on the display and the zeroing of residual magnetization in
the DC current measurement, the
activation/deactivation of the white light torch and a central V/Ω/ /A
resistance measurement, continuity test and AC or DC current. The selected quantity
appears on the LCD display with the indication of the measuring unit and of the enabled
functions. The instrument is provided with a display backlight function which automatically
deactivates after approximately 2 minutes' idling. The instrument is also equipped with an
Auto Power OFF device which automatically switches it off approx. 15 minutes after the
last time the instrument was used.
2.1.

MEASURING AVERAGE VALUES ANDTRMS VALUES

Measuring instruments of alternating quantities are divided into two big families:
 AVERAGE-VALUE meters: instruments measuring the value of the sole wave at
fundamental frequency (50 or 60 Hz).
 TRMS (True Root Mean Square) VALUE meters: instruments measuring the TRMS
value of the quantity being tested.
With a perfectly sinusoidal wave, the two families of instruments provide identical results.
With distorted waves, instead, the readings shall differ. Average-value meters provide the
RMS value of the sole fundamental wave; TRSM meters, instead, provide the RMS value
of the whole wave, including harmonics (within the instruments bandwidth). Therefore, by
measuring the same quantity with instruments from both families, the values obtained are
identical only if the wave is perfectly sinusoidal. In case it is distorted, TRMS meters shall
provide higher values than the values read by average-value meters.
2.2.

DEFINITION OF TRUE ROOT MEAN SQUARE VALUE AND CREST FACTOR

The root mean square value of current is defined as follows:
an alternating current with a root mean square value of 1A intensity, circulating on a
resistor, dissipates the same energy that, during the same time, would be dissipated by a
direct current with an intensity of 1A". This definition results in the numeric expression:
T
t
1
0

2
G= g ) ( t dt The root mean square value is indicated with the acronym RMS.
T
t
0
The Crest Factor is defined as the relationship between the Peak Value of a signal and its
RMS value: CF (G)=
sinusoidal wave it is
as wave distortion increases.
/
G
p
This value changes with the signal waveform, for a purely
G
RMS
2 =1.41. In case of distortion, the Crest Factor takes higher values
for switching on/off the instrument and the
EN - 4
FLASHMETERPRO
to manually select
In a time equal to a period,
"