Connect a voltmeter is series with a power diode. Check the voltages with the diode connected both ways. If there is a voltage reading both ways, it's AC. If there's a voltage reading in only 1 direction of the diode, it's DC.Hi there,
Is there such device that can detect the type of a given voltage source if it is an AC or DC, assumed that it is not known in advance?
Especially I'm interested if there a way to do that test with a digital multimeter.
Regards,
Ataro.
Seems to be interesting solution. but assuming I have a manual range DMM, your solution intended to work if I set the DMM to DC Voltage measurement, am I correct?Connect a voltmeter is series with a power diode. Check the voltages with the diode connected both ways. If there is a voltage reading both ways, it's AC. If there's a voltage reading in only 1 direction of the diode, it's DC.
Sorry for my poor knowledge but what is "ripple voltage"?But then, if it is DC with ripple, it will read the ripple voltage.
You put the DMM in DC mode. On Auto Ranging, it might indicate a few millivolts of noise. I'm presuming that the Voltage being tested is more than 1 Volt, and the frequency may be upto a couple of KHz.Seems to be interesting solution. but assuming I have a manual range DMM, your solution intended to work if I set the DMM to DC Voltage measurement, am I correct?
In addition, can't it harm the DMM if I measure DC voltage while in AC mode and vice versa?