89887-26

89887-26 Panel Meters - Counters, Hour Meters: Application Field and Working Principle

Panel meters are a type of display device used to measure, monitor, and adjust various types of parameters in electronic circuits such as voltage, frequency, power, current, and temperature. Counters, which are a type of panel meter, are used to count occurrences of certain events. Hour meters are used to measure how long a machine has been running. Examples of applications of these different types of panel meters are found in instrumentation and control systems for many different kinds of industrial, commercial, and consumer products.

Application Field

The number of applications for panel meters is almost infinite. Some of the most common applications include:

• Industrial process control, such as monitoring of pressure, temperature, speed, and flow.
• Automotive electronics, such as engine speed, water temperature, oil level, and fuel level.
• Power control applications, such as monitoring of power consumption and voltage.
• Home automation, such as monitoring of temperature and lighting levels.
• Security systems, such as monitoring of motion and sound.
• Test and measurement equipment, such as voltmeters, ammeters, and frequency counters.
• Computer equipment, such as display of CPU speed and memory usage.

Working Principle

Panel meters, counters, and hour meters all work by measuring an electrical signal from a transducer or meter. This signal is usually represented as an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) voltage. Each type of meter has its own unique way of displaying the signal.

Panel meters typically use a physical pointer or a digital display in order to indicate the level of the measured parameter. This can be a simple analog meter or a digital one. Counters use a numerical display to indicate the number of occurrences of the event. Hour meters are most commonly digital and simply indicate the total amount of time the machine has been running.

Conclusion

In conclusion, panel meters, counters, and hour meters play an important role in many industrial, commercial, and consumer applications. They are used to measure, monitor, and adjust various types of parameters in electronic circuits. Panel meters use a physical pointer or digital display to indicate the level of the measured parameter, counters use a numerical display to indicate the number of occurrences, and hour meters use a digital display to indicate the amount of time the machine has been running.