How to keep the Ping Sensor warm?
Matthias09
Posts: 47
Hey guys,
in my desperate trials to make the Ping))) sensor measuring more distant objects, I had a breakthrough today.
Keeping the sensor warm makes it measuring longer distances, from around 20cm (has to detect a ball) to now 35cm!!
However, I cannot hold my hand all the time on the backside of the sensor, so any idea how I can keep it warm? Basically I just have to put some kind of warming object over the whole backside of the sensor that protects him from the cold air conditioning. Active warmer is not necessary.
Best,
Matthias
in my desperate trials to make the Ping))) sensor measuring more distant objects, I had a breakthrough today.
Keeping the sensor warm makes it measuring longer distances, from around 20cm (has to detect a ball) to now 35cm!!However, I cannot hold my hand all the time on the backside of the sensor, so any idea how I can keep it warm? Basically I just have to put some kind of warming object over the whole backside of the sensor that protects him from the cold air conditioning. Active warmer is not necessary.
Best,
Matthias
Comments
I'm skeptical about this, but still open-minded. When you held your hand over the backside of the PCB, were you in contact with it? I wonder if it's more of a skin conduction thing than heat. Can you verify your findings by using a blow dryer instead? Also, is it possible that when you had your hand over it that you deflected or shielded it from something closer (which would have registered first)?
-Phil
If we are wrong and it is in fact the heat you can use a pellitier junction one side cools but the other side heats ,,,if the hair dryer causes interference with air turbulence
try a 60 watt light bulb keep everyone posted I am very curious
I am skeptical too. Background story is: I started to work with these sensors in another office a couple of months ago, there was no a/c and it was always too warm to feel comfortable. Few weeks ago I moved to the new, a/c enabled office and the sensors couldn't detect the whole range of the beam anymore (what they could do before). It took my some time to consider temperature as an option.
The backside of the sensors is taped with duck tape (or insulating tape), where I applied the sticky side directly on the chips. So when I touch the sensors, I actually only touch the tape, not the sensors themselves. There is nothing around the sensors, they are fixed to an alumina beam with a plastic holder (similar to the one Parallax offers, made of Alumina). The sensor are connected to the SX with an unshielded cable. Might that influence them as well?
I'll try the light bulbs and, if I can get one, the hair blower and keep you posted!
The cold air being denser would be harder for the ping to "push through" limiting its range ???? I am really curious I only one ping and its embedded in a project that I don't want to pull apart right now but I will keep an eye on this post to see what you come up with
C_air = 331.5+ (0.6
-Phil