How to Measure Resistance Using Four-Wire Measurement

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Digital Multimeter
+ Digital Multimeter
Digital Multimeter
+ Digital Multimeter

Removing the effects of cable resistance

Making accurate low-resistance measurements requires the Kelvin measurement method, commonly known as the four-wire measurement method. The four-wire method offers a more accurate way to measure small resistance. This method uses a pair of terminals that source current across the device under test (DUT). It also has another pair of terminals that independently sense or measure the voltage across the DUT, meaning the resistance across the DUT comes from the known current source and the measured voltage.

Test engineers require a digital multimeter (DMM) equipped with four-wire measurement capabilities and two sets of test leads for the test. The four-wire measurement method eliminates the errors from test leads and contact points. Some applications require the four-wire method, such as measuring high-precision components, testing with long test leads, measuring temperature using precision resistance-based temperature detectors, and sourcing accurate power to a load via long lead cables.

Accurate low-resistance measurement solution

Accurate resistance measurements require a high-precision digital multimeter with a four-wire measurement setup capability. The Keysight 8.5-digit multimeter is a high-precision DMM. The DMM has the four-wire measurement capability for making accurate resistance measurements. The Keysight Kelvin probe set has gold-plated flat tweezers and special gripping surfaces to reduce ground-related errors and contact resistance. Additionally, DMM control software can assist in executing multiple measurements and plotting statistical data for better analysis.
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