Description
Parallel the meter with the lower resistor, calculate unloaded and loaded divider voltages, and return loadingDelta = loadedVoltage-unloadedVoltage.
A measuring instrument becomes part of the circuit and can change the quantity it is intended to observe. A resistive loading model separates the ideal value from that loaded value while leaving actual instrument behavior to calibration.
Parallel the meter with the lower resistor, calculate unloaded and loaded divider voltages, and return loadingDelta = loadedVoltage-unloadedVoltage.
When to use this tool
Use Electricity: Voltage Divider Instrument Loading Delta when checking a supplied resistive meter-loading effect.
How to use the tool and how it works
- Enter supplyVoltage, upperResistance, lowerResistance, meterResistance. Use the units and conventions below.
- Run the tool. Correct any format, range, or cross-field input error before interpreting the output.
- Read result. Expand result to inspect the returned fields.
Require positive upperResistance, lowerResistance and meterResistance. Parallel the meter with the lower resistor, calculate unloaded and loaded divider voltages, and return loadingDelta = loadedVoltage-unloadedVoltage.1
| Input field | Meaning and units | Accepted input |
|---|---|---|
| supplyVoltage | Supply Voltage | Required. Finite number. |
| upperResistance | Upper Resistance | Required. Finite number. |
| lowerResistance | Lower Resistance | Required. Finite number. |
| meterResistance | Meter Resistance | Required. Finite number. |
| Output field | Interpretation | Returned shape |
|---|---|---|
| result | Object containing the named calculated members below. | Required. Object. |
| result.unloadedVoltage | Unloaded Voltage | Calculated result member: number. |
| result.loadedVoltage | Loaded Voltage | Calculated result member: number. |
| result.loadingDelta | Loading Delta | Calculated result member: number. |
{
"input": {
"supplyVoltage": 12,
"upperResistance": 1000,
"lowerResistance": 1000,
"meterResistance": 1000
},
"output": {
"result": {
"unloadedVoltage": 6,
"loadedVoltage": 4,
"loadingDelta": -2
}
}
}Limitations and assumptions
- Use a common resistance unit and signed supply voltage. The model treats the meter as purely resistive and omits source impedance, capacitance and instrument accuracy.
- Outputs are nested inside result. Inputs must satisfy both the field types and the cross-field conditions above. Invalid input causes an error; a successful false flag or documented placeholder is a different result.
- Numeric calculations use binary floating point unless exact decimal-integer arithmetic is explicitly stated. No hidden measurement tolerance or decimal rounding is added; nonfinite or out-of-contract results are rejected. Numeric signed-zero results are exported as zero.
Alternative or Complementary methods
Use the instrument specifications and a complete source model when frequency response, lead effects, accuracy or safe measurement matters.
References
Similar or alternative tools
- Electricity: Shunt Burden Single Reading Error
idealCurrent = sourceVoltage/sourceResistance; loadedCurrent = sourceVoltage/(sourceResistance+shuntResistance); burdenVoltage = loadedCurrent*shuntResistance; relativeCurrentChange = -shuntResistance/(sourceResistance+shuntResistance).
- Electricity: Resistor Conductance Weighted Current Share Tool
Compute one parallel-resistor branch current from total current, its resistance and the independently summed other-branch conductance; ideal resistive split only.