AC Voltage monitor
samsn4
Posts: 49
I'm wanting to monitor the AC Voltage from a home outlet and eventually input the data into a PC, but first things first. I'm thinking something like AC voltage in to a bridge, then into a comparator that feeds an LED graph . . .
AC
> comparator ----> Bar Graph
Thanks for your feedback
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Daniel Mueth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Just plug it in and let's see what happens"
AC
> comparator ----> Bar Graph
Thanks for your feedback
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Daniel Mueth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Just plug it in and let's see what happens"
Comments
You could use one side of the winding for sensing and the other side for +5V regulated power for the circuit.
And heed Mike's cautions -- you absolutely must isolate from the line, for safety.· Any transformer except an autotransformer will do that·perfectly.
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· -- Carl, nn5i@arrl.net
A couple of suggestions...
Have a look at this circuit:
www.edn.com/article/CA6455602.html
The schematic is attached. Basically this uses an opto-isolator feeding an RC circuit on the output. The result is a pulse-width that is proportional to the AC voltage. Perhaps you can measure the output with a Propeller timer-counter. The circuit is completely isolated from the line.
Fairchild semiconductor has the MID400 AC line monitor chip. It comes in an 8-pin DIP package too.
www.fairchildsemi.com/pf/MI/MID400.html
This part doesn't have an analog output, it is a logic output; but you can set the input threshold where the output is switched.
Enjoy... David