Close

3 Years

A project log for Precision Voltage and Current Reference

A little something to check your digital multimeter accuracy occasionally.

bud-bennettBud Bennett 06/09/2022 at 22:290 Comments

Digikey Voltage Box: (3.5hr soak, 62F ambient, 100PLC, HighZ input)

   Reading              Scale            Other                                     1 yr Drift                  Total Drift (2 year spec limit)

100.00489mV        100mV          Null + AVG 20 samples          3.92uV                    -1.61uV (+/- 10uV)

0.9999747V          1V                  Null + AVG 20 samples          15.6uV                     -48.3uV (+/- 62uV)

2.49983V              10V                Null + AVG 20 samples         -12uV                       100uV

4.999283V            10V                Null + AVG 20 samples        162uV                       63uV

9.999972              10V                AVG 20 samples                   -46uV                      -98uV (+/- 550uV)

AliExpress Box: (2.75hr soak, 64F ambient, 100PLC, HighZ input)

   Reading            Scale              Other                                 1 yr Drift                     Total Drift (2 year spec limit)

100.00095mV      100mV           Null + AVG 20 samples      1.13uV                        8.45uV (+/- 10uV)

1.0000647V          1V                  Null + AVG 20 samples      -2.8uV                      86.7uV (+/- 62uV)

2.500199V            10V               Null + AVG 20 samples      35uV                        219uV

10.000073V          10V               AVG 20 samples                 17uV                         3uV (+/- 550uV)

Current Reference:

(3 hour soak, 64F ambient, 100PLC)

Reading                 Scale            Other                                    1 yr Drift                   Total Drift* (2 yr Spec Limit)

99.99724uA          100uA           Null + AVG 20 samples       -4nA                          4.76nA (85nA)

0.999974mA          1mA              Null + AVG 20 samples       -12.7nA                      -9nA (660nA)

10.000667mA        10mA           Null + AVG 20 samples        1.33uA                       1.32uA (8uA)

*Relative to 6 month data.

Conclusions:

The only reading outside of the 2-year tolerance is the 1V reference point of the AliExpress box. I think if I had it to do over again I would ditch the LT1021-5 and divide down from the 10V reference to get the 1V reference. That LT1021-10 has stellar performance (or it just drifts in the same direction as the DVM...?) There is no concern regarding the accuracy of the DVM.

The only way to really find out whether the DVM or reference are drifting is to compare to a more accurate DVM that is still under calibration. My access to a lab with such a measurement tool is pretty much nonexistent now.

Discussions