Altonovus Ltd

Altonovus Ltd

AltoNovus Ltd specializes in ultra-low power designs and energy optimization. They produce affordable electronic instruments for engineers, including NanoRanger, an auto-ranging ammeter, and ΩhmRanger-LCV, a low compliance voltage ohmmeter. The company also...

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AltoNovus Ranger meters: low-current and low-voltage measurement

AltoNovus Ltd makes the Ranger family of low-cost bench instruments for measuring very small currents and very high resistances at low stimulus. The NanoRanger NR-01 is an auto-ranging DC nanoammeter covering 1 nA to 800 mA, and the ΩhmRanger-LCV is a low-compliance-voltage ohmmeter that measures from 10 Ω to above 100 MΩ without applying more than about 380 mV to the device under test.

How the NanoRanger measures low currents

The NanoRanger NR-01 is wired in series with the supply to the circuit under test, and it switches automatically between nine ranges across 8.5 decades. Burden voltage stays below 50 mV on every range, so the meter barely disturbs a low-power circuit. A 12-bit ADC is oversampled to a 16-bit result, and each reading is averaged to remove most 50 Hz and 60 Hz mains noise.

The NanoRanger sits in series with the load, and its isolated USB link keeps host noise away from the circuit under test.

What a low compliance voltage ohmmeter does

The ΩhmRanger-LCV measures resistance while limiting the stimulus voltage across the device under test to a selectable 380 mV (default) or 205 mV, approximately. A standard multimeter can apply several volts on its resistance ranges, which can damage voltage-sensitive devices. The ΩhmRanger-LCV gives accurate readings from above 100 MΩ down to 10 Ω, and its display shows the stimulus voltage and a signal-to-noise indication for each reading.

Stimulus voltage is limited to about 380 mV or 205 mV, so delicate devices are not driven beyond a safe level.

AltoNovus Ranger meters at a glance

Model	Measures	Range	Key figures	Power
NanoRanger NR-01	DC current	1 nA to 800 mA, 9 ranges	Resolution down to 10 pA; burden voltage below 50 mV	2 x AA, over 150 hours
ΩhmRanger-LCV	Resistance	10 Ω to over 100 MΩ	Stimulus about 380 mV or 205 mV; reading every 400 ms	2 x AA, around 150 hours

Key specifications

NanoRanger display: backlit 128 x 64 LCD with an 11-digit readout showing mA, µA, nA and pA on one line, a signal-to-noise indication and a range bar.
NanoRanger averaging mode: runs for as long as you choose, then reports average current, elapsed time and total charge, which suits measuring a single event such as a device waking to transmit.
NanoRanger limits: not intended for currents above 0.8 A.
ΩhmRanger-LCV sampling: each reading is built from 160 samples and averaged to reject 50 Hz and 60 Hz mains noise.
Host interface (both): fully isolated USB for control and readings export, using SCPI-format commands.
Power (both): two AA cells with a user-configurable auto power-off timer. USB does not power the instruments, which keeps mains-borne interference out of the measurement.
ΩhmRanger-LCV size: 148 x 90 x 30 mm.

Software and logging

Neither instrument needs proprietary software. Both accept SCPI-format commands over their isolated USB port, so a serial terminal such as RealTerm (tested by AltoNovus with the NanoRanger) can log readings to a file on the host PC.

Typical applications

Measuring standby and sleep current of battery-powered and IoT devices with the NanoRanger NR-01
Charge per event, such as a radio transmission, using the NanoRanger averaging mode
Leakage current measurement over time
Resistance measurement of voltage-sensitive devices with the ΩhmRanger-LCV
High-value resistance checks up to and above 100 MΩ at a low stimulus level

Frequently asked questions

What current range does the NanoRanger cover?

The NanoRanger NR-01 measures from 1 nA to 800 mA across nine auto-selected ranges, with resolution down to 10 pA.

Can the NanoRanger measure sleep-mode current of a battery device?

Yes. Burden voltage is below 50 mV on all ranges, and the averaging mode reports average current and total charge over a period you choose, so a wake, transmit and sleep cycle can be captured as one figure.

Why use the ΩhmRanger-LCV instead of a multimeter?

The ΩhmRanger-LCV limits stimulus to about 380 mV (or 205 mV), so voltage-sensitive devices are not overdriven during a resistance measurement.

Can either meter be powered over USB?

No. Both run from two AA cells. The USB port is isolated and carries data only, which avoids injecting noise into low-level measurements.

How do I log readings to a PC?

Connect the isolated USB port and send SCPI-format commands from a serial terminal. AltoNovus has tested RealTerm with the NanoRanger.

Are batteries and leads included?

For the NanoRanger, test leads, a USB cable and batteries are part of the TuffTest package, which also adds a rugged waterproof case. For the ΩhmRanger-LCV, AltoNovus states that batteries, probes and carry cases are not supplied. Check the product page for what is included with your order.

Source: AltoNovus Ltd product documentation and NR-01 instruction manual. Need help choosing a model? Ask our engineers.

The company also develops in-house design tools and offers sensor-based management information systems for businesses.

AltoNovus NanoRanger NR-01 Auto-Ranging Nanoammeter

AltoNovus NanoRanger NR-01 Auto-Ranging Nanoammeter

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AltoNovus ΩhmRanger-LCV (TT-OR-01) Low-Compliance Voltage Ohmmeter

AltoNovus ΩhmRanger-LCV (TT-OR-01) Low-Compliance Voltage Ohmmeter

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AltoNovus

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AltoNovus Ranger meters: low-current and low-voltage measurement

How the NanoRanger measures low currents

What a low compliance voltage ohmmeter does

AltoNovus Ranger meters at a glance

Key specifications

Software and logging

Typical applications

Frequently asked questions

AltoNovus NanoRanger NR-01 Auto-Ranging Nanoammeter

AltoNovus NanoRanger NR-01 Auto-Ranging Nanoammeter

AltoNovus ΩhmRanger-LCV (TT-OR-01) Low-Compliance Voltage Ohmmeter

AltoNovus ΩhmRanger-LCV (TT-OR-01) Low-Compliance Voltage Ohmmeter

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Altonovus Ltd

AltoNovus Ranger meters: low-current and low-voltage measurement

How the NanoRanger measures low currents

What a low compliance voltage ohmmeter does

AltoNovus Ranger meters at a glance

Key specifications

Software and logging

Typical applications

Frequently asked questions

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AltoNovus NanoRanger NR-01 Auto-Ranging Nanoammeter

AltoNovus NanoRanger NR-01 Auto-Ranging Nanoammeter

AltoNovus ΩhmRanger-LCV (TT-OR-01) Low-Compliance Voltage Ohmmeter

AltoNovus ΩhmRanger-LCV (TT-OR-01) Low-Compliance Voltage Ohmmeter