How to Measure Current with a DC Current Sensor?

A DC current sensor is a device used to measure the flow of direct current (DC) in an electrical circuit. It works by detecting the magnetic field generated by the current passing through a conductor. This magnetic field induces a voltage or current in a secondary winding, which is proportional to the primary current. The current sensor then converts this induced voltage or current into a measurable signal that can be read by instruments or control systems.

DC current transducers are crucial in various applications where monitoring and control of electrical currents are essential, such as in power systems, industrial machinery, renewable energy systems, and automotive electronics. They offer benefits like real-time monitoring, precise measurement, and compatibility with automation and control systems. Overall, these current sensors play a vital role in maintaining operational efficiency, ensuring safety, and facilitating intelligent decision-making in diverse industries. Next, ATO is gonna walk you through how to measure current using a DC current sensor.

Preparation

Products needed

• Digital Multimeter
• 24V Power Supply
• 10A DC Current Sensor
• A Load (A 8 Channel Relay Module)

DC current sensor basic specs

• Model: ATO-CURTS-DZIA
• Input: DC 0 to 10A
• Output: DC 4-20mA
• Rated Power: 24V

Wiring

1. Let’s begin our connection and as you can see from the diagram, we need to connect terminal NO.12 to the positive terminal of the 24V DC power supply and terminal NO.10 to the 0V DC terminal.
2. Pay attention, the loop current is required to be flowing in the direction as indicated by the arrow marking on the transducer unit. This arrow indicates the orientation of the supplied current should be applied to the sensor.
3. A wire is expected to extend from the positive terminal of the load and go through the hole in the middle of the current sensor to the power supply.
4. And we need to connect the negative terminal of the load to the 0V DC port.
5. We’re gonna join a circuit breaker into the circuit as the switch.
6. Once the connection is done, let’s flip on the switch to power on the circuit.
7. We need to put the multimeter in 400mA DC measuring mode, with red probe plugged into mA port and black probe to the common port of the multimeter.
8. After that, connect the red probe to the positive terminal, marked NO.9 of the current transducer and black Common probe to the negative terminal No.7 of the unit.

Calculate actual current

The multimeter shows 4.4mA. And to calculate the actual current value, we need to use the formula in the picture below. Since we know the output signal is 4 to 20mA, the actual current can be calculated to be 250mA.

That’s all about how we measure current using a DC current sensor. If you want to learn more, watch the detailed video below.