Hi everyone, 

I currently do a project in designing an electronics circuits about hardware tester. This hardware tester should be used for testing some/all peripherals of MCU. The aim why I would to make it is to check whether the MCU is still good OK or need to replace by another one. 

So then, I would like to make it portable by powering it with some batteries so then I can used it wherever I am. Since here I got  a problem, I could not get a specific value of power consumption that my hardware tester needed. To get it answered, I have tried to measure the current which flow from my batteries to the circuit and I got a value in mA rating.  I did it by wiring a multimeter and load (my hardware tester) in series with batteries like in the image below.

My question is, What have I done lead me to get an exact result of power consumption or Did I miss something? 

All of this test I did after the hardware is made, So, My other big question was, Is there a way or method that I can do/follow to estimate the power consumption of my hardware such a simulations before it send to manufacture?

I look forward for your reply and thank you

best regards

Amh

Howdy, like any measurement what are the parameters?

How accurate and fast are the quick two. If you need extreme accuracy, put a voltage data logger across a precision resistor then integrate for the area under the waveform. An easier approximation is an analog ammeter which will integrate by needle mass and magnetic field. Methods between those are numerous.

As for predicting from a design, you can simulate it. But I've never handed off a project without a fully functioning prototype using the parts set for manufacture.  G.H  <<<)))