What is the difference between analog multimeter and digital multimeter
Analog Multimeter
Analog multimeters are the oldest type of multimeter. It has a hand that rotates along the scale, but it is difficult to read. The advantage is that it is cheap and sensitive. Analog multimeters are more sensitive than digital multimeters and can sense even small changes in readings.
An analog multimeter is made of a coil placed between two permanent magnets, with a needle placed on top of the coil. When current is passed through the coil, the coil generates a magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field of the permanent magnet, causing it to rotate. As the coil rotates, the pointer moves along the scale. The angle of rotation of the coil depends on the amount of current flowing through the coil. So an analog multimeter is also known as a galvanometer, which has a very small resistance and is therefore more sensitive than a digital multimeter. But be careful to avoid full scale deflection (FSD). When the current exceeds the range that the coil deflects, it starts to burn the coil, causing damage to the meter.
digital multimeter
A digital multimeter refers to an instrument that can measure various parameters and display them on an LCD screen. Unlike analog multimeters, digital multimeters display digital calculations, making it easier to read measurement results. But the flip side of this advantage is that an analog multimeter displays a reading without any calculations and therefore has a fast response time.
A digital multimeter has an LCD, a rotary dial, and multiple ports. The dial contains the internal circuitry, which is connected by a circle of concentric rings. Dial knobs are used to activate circuits for specific measurements. A digital multimeter has a microprocessor embedded in it to calculate the readings. However, the input voltage or current is in analog form. Therefore, an ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) is included to convert the reading and display it on the LCD screen. Unlike the pointer scale on an analog multimeter, the LCD makes measurements easy to read. In addition, the DMM has overload protection when the measurement is out of range.
