Digital Panel Meters: Voltmeter, Ammeter, VAF & Multifunction Meter Guide (India)

A digital panel meter is a small instrument fitted in a control-panel door that shows electrical values (voltage, current, frequency, power or energy) on an LED or LCD display. The main types are ammeters, voltmeters, VAF meters, multifunction meters and energy meters. The usual sizes are 96x96, 72x72 and 48x96 mm. Prices in India start at about ₹526.

By Team Voltkart · Reviewed by Amit, Voltkart · Last updated 28 September 2026 · Prices checked 28 September 2026

If you build, maintain or buy for control panels, you will pick a panel meter sooner or later: an ammeter on a motor feeder, a voltmeter on an incomer, a VAF meter on a DG panel, or a multifunction meter for an energy audit. This guide explains what each type shows, which size and CT setting you need, what to check on the datasheet, and what each one costs in India today. Every model and price mentioned is a genuine Selec or Cautoni Swastik product stocked by Voltkart.

In this guide: What is a digital panel meter? · Types · Which meter shows what? · Sizes and cut-outs · CT and PT basics · Specifications to check · Price in India · Brands · 5-step checklist · Common problems · FAQ

What is a digital panel meter?

A digital panel meter (DPM) is a measuring instrument designed to be mounted in a cut-out in a panel door, with its display facing the operator and its terminals inside the panel. It reads a signal from the circuit (directly, or through a current transformer or potential transformer) and shows the value as numbers on a 7-segment LED or a backlit LCD.

Digital vs analogue panel meters

Moving-coil analogue meters are still found on older panels, but digital meters have largely replaced them for four reasons:

• Readability: a bright numeric display is read the same way by every operator, with no parallax error and no needle to interpret.
• Accuracy: for example, the Selec MA-series ammeters and MV-series voltmeters are specified at ±0.5% of full scale.
• Programmable CT ratio: one digital ammeter model covers many feeders, because you set the CT primary in the meter (5 to 4000 A on the Selec MA series) instead of buying a scale plate for each ratio.
• More readings per cut-out: a single 96x96 VAF or multifunction meter replaces three or more analogue meters.

Where digital panel meters are used

You will find them on LT distribution panels, motor control centre (MCC) panels, DG and ATS panels, APFC (power factor correction) panels, machine control panels, pump panels, and solar or inverter panels. Anywhere an operator needs to see "what is the voltage, how much current is this feeder drawing, and how much energy has it used", a panel meter is the simplest answer.

Types of digital panel meter

1. Digital ammeter (current)

A digital ammeter shows the current on one line. On most panels it is CT-operated: the meter's current input is 5 A, and a current transformer steps the feeder current down to that level. The Selec MA series has a programmable CT primary from 5 to 4000 A with a fixed 5 A secondary, a 4-digit LED, ±0.5% of full scale accuracy and a 240 V or 110 V AC supply. The same meter comes in three sizes: Selec MA12 (48x96), Selec MA202 (72x72) and Selec MA302 (96x96), each ₹526. Use an ammeter on motor feeders, heater loads and any outgoing circuit where you want to watch the load current. More: digital ammeter: how to choose and connect.

2. Digital voltmeter (voltage)

A digital voltmeter shows the voltage between two points, usually phase-to-neutral or phase-to-phase on an incomer. The Selec MV series measures 50 to 480 V AC directly (516 V maximum), with a 3-digit LED and ±0.5% of full scale accuracy, so no PT is needed on LT panels. Sizes: Selec MV15 (48x96), Selec MV205 (72x72) and Selec MV305 (96x96), each ₹550. Many panels pair a voltmeter with a selector switch to read all three phases on one meter.

3. VAF meter (volt, amp, frequency)

A VAF meter shows voltage, current and frequency on one display, with separate rows for each value. It is the standard choice for DG panels and main feeders, where you want to see all three at a glance. The Cautoni Swastik AVF-961 is a three-phase 96x96 LED VAF meter on a 230 V AC supply at ₹1,181. The Selec VAF391 (₹1,245) adds power, power factor, run hour and RPM, and accepts 1 A or 5 A CTs with a programmable primary up to 10 kA. The Selec VAF39A-1-230V (₹1,323) adds built-in RPM and run-hour measurement on a 5 A CT input. More: VAF meter (volt, amp, frequency) guide.

4. Multifunction meter (MFM)

A multifunction meter measures almost everything on a three-phase feeder: voltage, current, frequency, active, reactive and apparent power, power factor and energy (kWh). Higher models add harmonics (%THD) and maximum demand. The "-C" models add an RS485 port with Modbus RTU, so a PLC, SCADA system or energy-monitoring software can read the values. Selec options at Voltkart:

• Selec MFM376-CE: LED, %THD up to the 31st harmonic, pulse output, 40–300 V AC/DC auxiliary supply, ₹2,642.
• Selec MFM376-C-CE: as above with RS485, ₹3,590.
• Selec MFM383A: backlit LCD, 85–270 V AC supply, ₹3,390. MFM383A-C-CE with RS485, ₹3,988.
• Selec MFM384-C-CE: backlit LCD with a current bargraph, RS485, %THD up to the 31st harmonic, max demand and phase-sequence detection, 85–300 V AC supply, ₹4,985.

Use an MFM on main incomers, on feeders you want to audit for energy, or wherever you need power factor and kWh data.

5. Energy (kWh) meter

An energy meter records consumption for sub-metering, tenant billing or machine-wise energy tracking. There are two styles:

• Panel-mount, CT-operated: the Selec EM306 is a 96x96 three-phase kWh meter with a 6-digit LED, programmable CT and PT ratios and a pulse output, at ₹1,946.
• DIN-rail, direct-connected: no CT is needed up to 100 A. The Selec EM2M-1P-C-100A is single-phase, self-powered, with RS485, import/export energy and MID certification, at ₹2,238. The Selec EM4M-3P-C-100A is its three-phase version with RS485 and max-demand power, at ₹5,525.

6. Process indicators (4–20 mA / 0–10 V)

Process indicators are panel meters for sensor signals rather than mains values: pressure, level, flow or temperature transmitters that output 4–20 mA or 0–10 V. You scale the signal to engineering units in the meter. The Selec PIC101A-VI-230 (48x96, 4-digit LED, 0–10 V and 0/4–20 mA input, ±0.5% of full scale ±1 digit) costs ₹1,130, and the Cautoni Swastik PIC-491 (48x96, voltage and current input) costs ₹1,106. See all process indicators (4–20 mA).

Comparison: which meter shows what?

Rule of thumb: if you only need to see one value, a single-function meter is cheapest. If you need to see several values, use a VAF meter. If you need to record power and energy or send data to a PLC, use a multifunction meter with RS485.

Sizes and panel cut-outs: 96x96 vs 72x72 vs 48x96

Panel meters are sold by their front-bezel size in millimetres. 96x96 is the most common size on industrial LT and MCC panels, because it gives the largest display. 72x72 suits smaller doors and compact panels, and 48x96 (a horizontal half-size format) fits where width is tight, such as a row of meters above a set of push buttons.

How to measure your existing cut-out

When you replace a meter, measure the hole in the panel door, not the bezel of the old meter. The bezel is always larger than the cut-out so it can cover the edge. The exact cut-out and panel-thickness limits for each model are given in its Selec datasheet, which is linked from every product page on Voltkart. Check that there is enough depth behind the door for the meter body and the terminal wiring.

Same reading, different sizes

Selec makes most single-function meters in all three sizes with identical specifications: the ammeters MA12 / MA202 / MA302 are ₹526 each, and the voltmeters MV15 / MV205 / MV305 are ₹550 each. So you can choose the size purely on panel space, without paying more for the bigger display. VAF, multifunction and CT-operated energy meters are generally 96x96 because they display several rows at once.

CT and PT basics for panel meters

Why a meter needs a CT

Panel meters are not designed to carry feeder current through their terminals. Their current input is nominally 5 A (many models also accept 1 A). A current transformer (CT) around the feeder cable or busbar produces a proportional secondary current, for example 5 A when 200 A flows in a 200/5 CT. The meter reads that 5 A and multiplies it by the CT ratio you have programmed. The exception is a direct-connected DIN-rail energy meter such as the Selec EM2M or EM4M, which carries up to 100 A itself.

Setting the CT ratio in the meter

You enter the CT primary (and, where it is programmable, the secondary) in the meter's setup menu. On the Selec MA series the CT primary is programmable from 5 to 4000 A in steps with a fixed 5 A secondary. On the VAF391, MFM376, MFM383A, MFM384 and EM306, the CT primary is programmable from 1 A or 5 A up to 10 kA, and the secondary can be set to 1 A or 5 A. If the displayed current is exactly wrong by a fixed factor, the CT ratio is the first thing to check.

When you need a PT

On LT panels (up to 415 V AC line-to-line), voltage is usually connected directly. On HT metering, a potential transformer (PT) steps the voltage down, and you program the PT ratio into the meter: the VAF391, MFM376, MFM384 and EM306 accept a PT primary from 100 V up to 500 kV, and the MFM383A up to 10 kV.

Safety note: never open-circuit the secondary of a CT while current is flowing in the primary. An open CT secondary can develop a dangerously high voltage. Always short the CT secondary (with a shorting link or test terminal block) before disconnecting or replacing a meter.

Key specifications to check before you buy

Auxiliary supply

Every digital meter needs a supply to power its display. Check it against what is available in your panel: the Selec MA and MV series run on 240 V or 110 V AC ±20%; the VAF391, MFM383A and EM306 accept a wide 85–270 V AC range; the MFM384-C-CE accepts 85–300 V AC; and the MFM376 accepts 40–300 V AC/DC. The EM2M and EM4M are self-powered from the measured supply.

Wiring configuration

Single-function ammeters and voltmeters are 1Ø-2W instruments. VAF and multifunction meters support 3Ø-4W (three phases plus neutral), 3Ø-3W, 2Ø-3W and 1Ø-2W, selected in the setup menu. Choose 3Ø-4W for most LT feeders with a neutral.

Accuracy

Use the accuracy figure stated on the datasheet. For example, ±0.5% of full scale for the Selec MA and MV series, and ±0.5% of full scale ±1 digit for the PIC101A-VI signal input. Do not assume a class that is not stated.

Display: LED vs LCD

7-segment LED displays are bright and easy to read from a distance. Backlit LCDs (MFM383A, MFM384, EM2M, EM4M) show more parameters and units at once, and the MFM384 adds a bargraph for current.

Communication

If the readings must go to a PLC, SCADA system or energy-monitoring software, choose a model with RS485 Modbus RTU: the Selec "-C" multifunction meters (MFM376-C-CE, MFM383A-C-CE, MFM384-C-CE) and the EM2M-1P-C-100A and EM4M-3P-C-100A energy meters.

Outputs and certification

Energy and multifunction meters provide a pulse output for an external counter or PLC (the EM2M and EM4M have two). For billing or tenant sub-metering, check for MID certification, which the EM2M-1P-C-100A and MFM384-C-CE list.

Digital panel meter price in India (Voltkart, incl. GST)

Genuine Selec and Cautoni Swastik meters stocked by Voltkart. Prices checked 28 September 2026; the product page always shows the live price.

The minimum online order at Voltkart is ₹1,001, so a single ₹526 meter needs a second item (a common pairing is an ammeter with a voltmeter). Delivery is ₹200 below ₹3,001 and free above. See the full range in digital panel meters.

Brands: Selec, Cautoni Swastik and others

Selec, an Indian manufacturer, makes a broad range of digital panel meters, from ₹526 single-function meters to RS485 multifunction and MID-certified energy meters, with the manufacturer datasheet linked from every product page at Voltkart. Cautoni Swastik offers a simpler, value-focused range of VAF meters and process indicators. Voltkart is an authorised distributor of Selec and Cautoni Swastik, so every meter is genuine and comes with a GST invoice. See all Selec products, Cautoni Swastik and our authorised Selec distributor page.

How to choose: a 5-step checklist

1. What do you need to see? One value (ammeter or voltmeter), three values (VAF meter), or power and energy (multifunction or energy meter).
2. What size is the cut-out? Match 96x96, 72x72 or 48x96 to the panel door, and check the depth behind it.
3. How is current measured? Note the CT ratio (for example 200/5) and the CT secondary (5 A or 1 A). For direct loads up to 100 A without a CT, consider the EM2M or EM4M.
4. What supply is available? 230 V AC, a wide-range 85–270 V AC input, or AC/DC (MFM376).
5. Do you need data or billing? Choose an RS485 "-C" model for PLC/SCADA, and a MID-certified model for billing.

Common problems and fixes

• The display is blank. Check the auxiliary supply at the meter's supply terminals, and that it is within the model's range.
• The current reading is wrong by a fixed factor. The CT ratio in the meter does not match the CT fitted. Re-enter the CT primary and secondary.
• Current reads zero or very low. Check the CT secondary wiring, and that any shorting link on the CT terminal block has been removed after installation.
• Power or power factor looks wrong on a multifunction meter. The CT polarity (P1/P2, S1/S2) or the phase sequence between CTs and voltage inputs is likely mismatched. Check that each CT is paired with its own phase voltage.
• Replacing a meter on a live feeder. Short the CT secondary first. Never leave a CT secondary open-circuit while current flows.

Frequently asked questions

What is a digital panel meter used for?

It shows live electrical values (voltage, current, frequency, power or energy) on the front of a control panel, so operators can check a feeder or machine without opening the panel.

What is the price of a digital panel meter in India?

On Voltkart, single-function Selec ammeters cost ₹526 and voltmeters ₹550. Three-phase VAF meters cost ₹1,181–₹1,323, and Selec multifunction meters ₹2,642–₹4,985, all including GST.

Which is better, a VAF meter or a multifunction meter?

A VAF meter is enough if you only need volts, amps and frequency. Choose a multifunction meter if you also need kW, power factor, kWh or harmonics, or want RS485 data for a PLC or energy-monitoring software.

What size of digital panel meter is standard?

96x96 mm is the most common size on industrial panels. 72x72 and 48x96 mm are used where door space is limited, and many models come in all three sizes with the same function.

Do digital panel meters need a CT?

Current-measuring panel meters read a 5 A (or 1 A) CT secondary, so a CT is needed on any feeder above that. The CT ratio is then programmed into the meter. Voltmeters connect directly up to their rated voltage (480 V AC on the Selec MV series).

Is Voltkart an authorised dealer for Selec meters?

Yes. Voltkart is an authorised distributor of Selec and Cautoni Swastik. Every order has a GST invoice and pan-India delivery, and bulk quotes are available on WhatsApp at 8800754881.

Related guides and products

• Digital panel meters: the full range with prices
• Digital ammeter: how to choose and connect with a CT
• VAF meter (volt, amp, frequency) guide
• Voltage protection relays (Selec VPR, Minilec): protect the panel from phase failure and voltage faults
• MCB vs MCCB: choosing the breaker for the feeder you are metering
• Process indicators (4–20 mA)

Need help choosing a meter or a CT ratio for your panel? Send your application or part number on WhatsApp to 8800754881 (Mon–Sat, 12:30–7 pm). Online orders at voltkart.in are open 24×7.