Collection and Sharing out By Pravin Mevada.

Audible Milliohm meter

PARTS LIST
ITEM Description Mouser Part Number
R1, R4, R5, R8, R9, R14, R16 1K 5% 1/4W Resistor
R2 15 ohm 5% 1/4W Resistor
R6, R7 470K 5% 1/4W Resistor
R3 10K Potentiometer 81-PV37W103C01B00
R10, R11 5.6K 5% 1/4W Resistor
R12, R13 2.7K ohm 5% 1/4W Resistor
R15 220K 5% 1/4W Resistor
R17 150 ohm 5% 1/4W Resistor
C1 100 nF Capacitor
C2 47 nF Capacitor
C3 1 uF Capacitor
D1, D2 1N4148 Diode
U1, U2 UA741 Op-Amp
U3, U4 NE555 Timer Circuit
U5 CD4027BE JK Flip-Flop 595-CD4027BE
Q1, Q2 2N4401 Transistor
Speaker 40 ohm .8W Speaker 253-2032
S1 SPST Switch
Snap 9V Battery Snap
J1, J2 Mono Phone Jack 16PJ135
Test Probes (2) 5” Black Test Prod 17PR122
Phono Plugs (2) Mono Phono Plug 171-PA3191-GY-E
Stereo cable with two shields Stereo Cable
Battery 9V Alkaline Cell

The components without a Mouser Part Number can probably be found in your parts cabinet. Otherwise, they are
available at RadioShack.

Pravin Mevada
Pravin Mevada
Kelvin Measurement
This project uses a four-point resistance measurement process also known as the Kelvin method. This procedure
uses a current source to determine the value of an unidentified resistance. A constant current flows through the
unknown resistance and the voltage drop across it is measured. Note that the current source and voltage
measurement wires are soldered together at the test prod tips Figure 2.

Because the voltage drop across the unidentified resistance is measured at the probe tips, the resistance of the
test leads carrying the constant current is not included. The resistance under test can be found by dividing the
voltage drop between the test prods by the current source.

Theory
The design is composed of the following:
a) 50 milliamp Current Sink
b) Amplifier with a gain of 470
c) Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO)
d) Chopper e) Flip-Flop and Speaker

Transistor Q1 forms a 50 milliamp current sink. To find the voltage drop for a one milliohm resistance, multiply
the current source by the resistance: 0.05 * 0.001 = 5 uV. U1 is a differential amplifier with a gain of 470. For a
5 uV input, the output of U1 pin 6 is 5 uV * 470 = 23.5 mV per one milliohm of test resistance.

U2 and U4 form a VCO. U2 is a current source whose output is controlled by the voltage at U1, pin 6. When the
current source charges C2, its voltage ramps up in a linear fashion until it reaches U4’s threshold level (2/3 *
9V = 6V). Then the internal transistor of U4 discharges C2 until it reaches U4’s trigger voltage level (1/3 * 9V
= 3V). The output of U4, pin 3 goes low during the discharge of C2. Then it goes high while C2 charges to 6V
again. When the voltage input to the VCO increases, the source current also increases. This causes C2 to be
charged in less time. The result is an oscillation frequency proportional to the voltage at the input of the current
source. If the input voltage is zero, the output frequency (U4, pin 3) is zero. The frequency of the VCO

Pravin Mevada
increases at a rate of 1,250 Hz per volt.

I found it easier to discern changes in pitch by “chopping” the VCO on and off. U3 generates a 3 Hz signal at
pin 3. This drives the Reset input of U4, enabling the VCO at a 3 Hz rate. U5A is a divide-by-two flip-flop
which produces a square wave at U5A, pin 1. This square wave has an oscillation frequency of 625 Hz per volt.
The speaker is driven by transistor Q2 with a power of approximately 100 mW.

Construction/Testing
When building the Kelvin cables, use the phono plugs and test prods found in the Parts List. Refer to Figure 2.
Note that the wire I used for this purpose was a stereo audio cable with separate shields for the left and right
channels. Construct the circuit using whatever assembly technique you prefer. Photo 1 shows the circuit
assembled on a breadboard. When mounting C1, keep it as close as possible to where the wire from J1 attaches
to the +9V on the circuit board. Figure 3 shows the pin designations for Q1 and Q2. Once the device has been
assembled, it needs to be calibrated. Apply 7 VDC to the 9V battery connection. Plug the Kelvin test leads into
J1 and J2. Short the leads together and adjust R3 for an output frequency of 330 Hz at the speaker. Next, install
a new 9V alkaline battery and close S1.

To test the milliohmmeter, obtain a one ft. length of 22 gauge bare copper wire. Press the test probes on the wire
six inches apart and listen to the tone. Move the probes closer together, and the frequency should decrease. If
the probes are moved farther apart, the frequency should increase. The speaker’s frequency change is 0.0235 V /
milliohm * 625 Hz / V = 14.6 Hz / milliohm. Note that the resistance of one inch of 22 gauge wire is 1.34
milliohms.

Use
The circuit will operate with a battery voltage between 7 VDC and 9 VDC. The milliohmmeter’s frequency is
slightly dependent on the supply voltage. This is not a problem because we are interested in the change of
oscillation frequency, not the value. The device draws an average current of 75 milliamps. A 9V alkaline
manganese-dioxide battery should last for about three hours. When making measurements, the test leads must
be in good contact with the resistance under test. Otherwise, the output frequency will be scratchy. One way to
avoid this is to file the tips of the test probes to a sharp point as this will allow better contact with PCB traces.

The “just noticeable difference” for frequencies measures how easy it is to determine one frequency from
another.

I obtained the following data from the hyperphysics.phy website:

Frequency Just noticeable difference

450 Hz 1.3 Hz
1,250 Hz 3.8 Hz
2,060 Hz 6 Hz

Pravin Mevada