EEVBlog µCurrent GOLD Precision Current Adapter for Multimeters

Note: This product can be purchased, but is currently on backorder and without a confirmed delivery date by EEVBlog. The displayed delivery time is only an estimation and cannot be guaranteed. The CurrentRanger is an alternative product which is available immediately.

The µCurrent turns your multimeter (or oscilloscope) into a powerful and precise current measurement tool, from picoamps to amps.

Utilise the more accurate voltage range of your multimeter to measure precise current. Even expensive precise multimeters can be severely limited on their current ranges by the shunt burden voltage and tolerance.

Measure the standby and sleep current of the latest generation of microcontroller and other digital electronics, energy harvesting devices etc, down to the nanoamp (or even picoamp!) level with superb accuracy.

The µCurrent also works as a precision x100 voltage amplifier.

See Dave Jones' article originally published in Silicon Chip magazine about this project and explaining burden voltage.

Thousands of the original µCurrent are in use all around the world, and it has quickly become the industry standard low cost tool for low power current measurement in modern low power microcontroller based digital electronics. The µCurrent GOLD is the latest design with greatly improved specs over the original design:

• 0.1% vs 0.5% on the mA range
• 0.05% vs 0.1% on the µA and nA ranges
• 300 kHz bandwidth vs 8 kHz bandwidth
• ±1.25A vs ±0.3A maximum current (and improved mA range burden voltage)
• Shorting switch (useful when changing ranges, so you don?t break your circuit)

With the extra bandwidth you can now measure fast changing ?sleep? modes in microcontrollers. The added shorting mode ensures uninterrupted power to your device under test whilst changing ranges. The µCurrent can rival 5 1/2 digit multimeters in accuracy, it is truly a precision instrument.

Box Contents

• Assembled and tested µCurrent PCB
• Case with screws (unassembled)

Note: Neccessary CR2032 battery is not included!

Specifications

• ± 0-1250 mA (20 µV/mA burden voltage typical) * switch contact resistance plays a role here. 10uV due to the shunt resistor.
• ± 0-1250 µA (10 µV/µA burden voltage)
• ± 0-1250 nA (10 µV/nA burden voltage)

1 mV/mA, 1 mV/µA, 1 mV/nA
NOTE: You simply read your milivolt multimeter range as if it were mA/µA/nA

• 100pA (3.5 digit meter)
• 10pA (4.5 digit meter)
• 1pA (5.5 digit meter)

• < ±0.05% on µA and nA ranges
• < ±0.1% on mA range.

Output Offset Voltage:
< 50 µV (essentially insignificant on 4.5 digit meter)

Bandwidth:
> 300 kHz (-3dB)

Temperature Drift:
< 10 ppm/°C (µA/nA), <15 ppm/°C (mA)

Noise:
< -90 dBV

THD:
< -60 dB

Battery:
CR2032 Lithium coin cell (NOT supplied)

Battery Life:
>50 hours (battery good LED ensures accurate measurement when LED is on).

MADE IN AUSTRALIA!