Signal Splitting

Husker

What would be the best way to split a current signal while maintaining the integrity? The signal I want to split is 4-20mA and 6-36V. Thanks for any help!

Mike Green

What do you mean by "split" and what's the signal coming from. Why do you want to "split" it?

The "4-20mA" implies that you have a current loop and usually you don't "split" that, you just put two receivers in series and the same current flows through both receivers.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

If the devices you're feeding have floating inputs, the current source can be "split" by feeding the inputs in series, assuming you have a high-enough voltage compliance. With 36V, it sounds like you do. If the devices can't be fed in series, you'll have to use active circuitry to do the job: probably a pair of voltage-to-current converters.

-Phil

Husker

Right now I have one receiver/power supply in a loop with a pressure transducer. The receiver decodes the signal from the pressure transducer. If I could get two receivers in the loop, it would increase my chance of decoding the signal. I would like to split the signal from the pressure transducer into two identical signals.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)

I think we've pretty well covered your options here. How is the "supply receiver" wired, i.e. where is the sense resistor? Is one leg connected to ground? If not, you can easily add a second, passive receiver in series with it, on the low side. If one leg is grounded, you can still add a second receiver between the transducer and the "top" of the first receiver's sense resistor, or between the power source and the transducer, but the second receiver's sense resistor will have to float. Such a receiver may be harder to find.

I'm not sure I get why this is necessary. You say it would increase your chance of decoding the signal. What's preventing the first receiver from doing that? Maybe you just need a faster processor.

-Phil