"Emilio" bravely wrote to "All" (21 Jan 06 15:11:44)
--- on the heady topic of "Digital Voltmeter Calibration"

Em From: "Emilio"
Em Xref: core-easynews sci.electronics.repair:356047

Em Is there an easy way to calibrate (low voltage) digital voltmeter? Is
Em there- say a battery that can be usd as a reference?

Em Thanks!
Em Emilio


You can use a band-gap temperature compensated voltage reference IC.
They are pretty inexpensive and unlike a battery will not discharge.
They come in various useful precisions like 1% and better to 0.1%.
The more precision the more expensive they are. A very common IC is
the TL431 with 1% tolerance and it can be trimmed still better.

However, it is always better to calibrate a voltmeter on the highest
voltage range. Then any error is divided into the other lower ranges.
By comparison if it is calibrated on a low range the error gets
multiplied into the higher ranges.

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... If all else fails, hurl it across the room a few times!