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| A Multimeter is the sure fire way of telling if metal thingie one is connected to metal thingie two. | | A Multimeter is the sure fire way of telling if metal thingie one is connected to metal thingie two. |
| A Magnifying glass also helps if you are trying to see quite where the tiny bit of solder has bridged between two tracks on a piece of stripboard. | | A Magnifying glass also helps if you are trying to see quite where the tiny bit of solder has bridged between two tracks on a piece of stripboard. |
| + | |
| + | ===A Multimeter ?=== |
| + | Yes, the essential first purchase after the soldering iron. |
| + | At minimum it will measure three things |
| + | ====Voltage==== |
| + | The potential difference in Volts between two points. |
| + | Selected with a V Dc or Dc Volts setting on the control knob. |
| + | A battery is an obvious example. You will see them with voltages from half a volt up to 20 Volts and more. The meter will show you the voltage. |
| + | Reerse the leads notice the display now shows -20Volts. You are measuring the difference between two voltages, even if one of them os at 0V and attached to all the metal around you. Volts are always about differences. |
| + | |
| + | ====Current==== |
| + | No of electrons flowing per second |
| + | |
| + | It might be tempting to simply put the meter when set to amps across the battery we measured in Volts, but this is not a good idea. A current measurement is measuring how many electrons are flowing. And if we do this with a voltage we have just measured are then we are effectively connecting the two voltages together and as much electricity as can will flow. A SHORT CIRCUIT! |
| + | Since our the electronic we have constructed does not behave like a short circuit (Hopefully!) then there must be something limiting the current. V= IR, Resistance ! The Next measurement . |
| + | |
| + | So in small electrical circuits we tend not to measure too much current, because it normally involves breaking a wire to perform the measurement. Measuring current consumption of a Pi can be an indicator of problems but ensuring a reliable way of actually making the measurement with a Pi & a Multimeter can get rather involved. Best measured on a Bench Power Supply. The net purchase. . . |
| + | But I digress, The Pi acts as a resistance and using the two equations of electricity |
| + | |
| + | '''V=IR Voltage (Volts) = Current(Amps) * Resistance (Ohms) ''' |
| + | |
| + | & |
| + | |
| + | '''W=VI Power (Watts) = Voltage (Volts) * Current (Amps) ''' |
| + | |
| + | Looking at the Zynth here I'm dring it from a 12V power supply into a hifiberry Power Amp Card. |
| + | |
| + | My Bench top power supply shows a voltage of 12.27 Volts, 0.460 Amps and 5.656 Watts |
| + | |
| + | The Maths checks out (fairly closely to an engineering accuracy) |
| + | |
| + | 12.27 * 0.460 = 5.6442 |
| + | |
| + | So it's right to about two decimal places 9 this is a whole area in itself...) |
| + | |
| + | |
| + | So we know the Pi is consuming 5.6 Watts of power. |
| + | |
| + | And here's the clever bit. A Pi runs from 5V so we can calculate the Current flowing into the Pi by playing with the same equation again. |
| + | |
| + | W = IV |
| + | 5.64 Watts = Current * 5 Volts |
| + | |
| + | So the current = 5.64/5 = 1.128 Amps |
| + | ====Resistance==== |
| | | |
| ==How does the zynthian understand the encoders?== | | ==How does the zynthian understand the encoders?== |