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Reading: Formulas to calculate mA from PV, LRV and URV
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Inst Tools > Blog > Basics > Formulas to calculate mA from PV, LRV and URV

Formulas to calculate mA from PV, LRV and URV

Last updated: April 20, 2019 2:55 pm
Editorial Staff
Basics Formulas
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The formula for calculating equivalent current (ma) from known process variable (PV), Lower range value (LRV) and Upper range value (URV).

Formula to calculate mA from PV

Formulas to calculate mA from PV

The formula is:

4-20mA Current to PV Calculation

SPAN = URV – LRV

Where

PV          =  Process Variable
LRV       =  Low Range Value
URV      = Upper Range Value
ma        = milli ampere

Consider left side of formula for Process variable, LRV of transmitter lower range, Span is the difference between LRV & URV of transmitter ranges.

Consider right side of formula for current (ma), LRV of standard current range .i.e is 4ma,

Span is the difference between LRV (4ma) & URV (20ma) of standard current range

.i.e. 20 – 4 = 16, Using this formula we can calculate ma from pv and as well as pv from ma.

For example: The temperature transmitter range is 0 to 50 deg c and  known current ma is 12 then how to calculate the PV of the transmitter ?

Known values :

LRV =  0
URV =  50
mA = 12mA

Standard mA LRV and URV values are as follows –

LRV = 4mA
URV = 20mA

Span = URV – LRV
Span = 20 – 4
Span = 16

Required :

PV = ?

Formula :

4-20mA Current to PV Calculation

 Solution:

Put Values in Formula

PV – 0         =       mA – 4 

SPAN                 16

SPAN = URV – LRV
SPAN = 50 – 0
SPAN = 50

Current to PV Calculation

PV – 0  =       0.5  * 50

PV  =       0.5  * 50

PV  =    25

Also Read: Instrumentation Formulas

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11 Comments
  • balachandran says:
    January 16, 2016 at 3:28 pm

    Good

    Reply
  • Devidas says:
    August 25, 2016 at 8:31 am

    Dear bhardwaj sir,we have Polmon system.we controlling temp and rh in are bye it system. Now there temp showing wrong when getting 13 mA .but system range is -40 to +60 degree .how many should be there PV temp.

    Reply
    • Rubén Miguel says:
      April 22, 2025 at 6:30 pm

      Let’s assume:
      LRS=4 mA, lower read signal
      URS=20mA, upper read signal
      LRV=-40° (°F or °C), lower range value
      URV=60°, upper range value
      PRS=13mA, present read sigal
      Gain:
      m=(Y2-Y1)/(X2-X1)
      m=(60°-(-40°))/(20-4)
      m=6.25°/mA
      System offset:
      Y=mX+b
      b=Y-mX
      b=60°-6.25°/mA*20mA
      b=-65°
      Process value:
      Y=-6.25°/mA*13mA+(-65)
      Y=16.25° (°F or °C)
      Regards.

      Reply
  • Devidas says:
    August 25, 2016 at 8:34 am

    We calculate PV from mA through u given formula mA convertor .bt temp value getting wrong.plz give me rply.

    Reply
    • S Bharadwaj Reddy says:
      August 28, 2016 at 3:06 pm

      For formula to calculate PV from mA. Click Here

      Reply
  • Gama sonkar says:
    August 29, 2017 at 3:47 am

    Explain in detail

    Reply
  • KM says:
    August 14, 2019 at 12:04 pm

    outstanding
    plz transmitter calibration step by step full process

    Reply
  • Vimal Prasath says:
    January 4, 2020 at 4:15 pm

    Instrument detail

    Reply
  • Muhammad Haroon Asghar says:
    August 17, 2023 at 9:39 pm

    I have another method to calculate at ease of better understanding to everyone,

    For mA =,

    [(16 × Process Value (PV) ÷ Process Span] + 4

    For scalled variable =,

    [{Scalling Span × Process Value; (PV)} ÷ Process Span]

    Reply
  • Ranjeet says:
    April 1, 2025 at 9:10 pm

    20 mA in URV 804mmwc what is the 4 mA

    Reply
    • Spandan Bavishi says:
      May 21, 2025 at 12:21 pm

      160.8

      Reply

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