Section 4: Theory of operation
Model 2110 5½ Digit Multimeter Reference Manual
4-2
2110-901-01 Rev. C/August 2013
Figure 32: RMS calculations and crest factor — square
Figure 33: RMS calculations and crest factor — rectified square
Figure 34: RMS calculations and crest factor — pulse
Figure 35: RMS calculations and crest factor - triangular sawtooth
The Model 2110 is an AC-coupled RMS instrument. For an AC waveform with DC content, the DC
component is removed before the RMS is calculated.
Crest factor is a relative measurement of the harmonic content of a particular waveform and reflects
the accuracy of the measurement. For a rectangular pulse train, the higher the crest factor, the higher
the harmonic content of the waveform. This is not always true when making spectral comparisons
between different types of waveforms. A sine wave, for example, has a crest factor of 1.414, and a
square wave has a crest factor of 1. The sine wave has a single spectral component and the square
wave has components at all odd harmonics of the fundamental.
Additional error uncertainties are also specified for non-sinusoidal waveforms of specific crest factors
and frequencies.