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ADC in the millivolt range - please help — Parallax Forums

ADC in the millivolt range - please help

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2002-04-10 21:16 in General Discussion
I need to sample a signal that fluctuates from about .5 millivolts to
around 15 millivolts and convert to digital with my stamp. Does
anyone know of an ADC capable in that range. Is there a better way?
Any help appreciated.

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-04-10 03:50
    I'm a beginner at this, but I just did a project to measure 10-100 mv, and
    an op-amp and ADC works great.

    Bruce

    Original Message
    From: sr2500flyer [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=9CXQlncCvCNIsVtRVDRTarHUMUd54YkoKWIg6Qx0-2AaeMecs9ByKu9UTYEO5yUZImErwaYRAap23hrIFX2y]fdarnell@c...[/url
    Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 3:56 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] ADC in the millivolt range - please help


    I need to sample a signal that fluctuates from about .5 millivolts to
    around 15 millivolts and convert to digital with my stamp. Does
    anyone know of an ADC capable in that range. Is there a better way?
    Any help appreciated.


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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-04-10 15:33
    I need to sample a signal that fluctuates from about .5 millivolts to
    around 15 millivolts and convert to digital with my stamp. Does
    anyone know of an ADC capable in that range. Is there a better way?
    Any help appreciated.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-04-10 16:31
    Is this a slowly varying signal (time scale ~>1 second)? The
    simplest option is an amplifier, one that will bring your signal up
    to the range of 1 to 5 volts full scale that an ADC can work with. A
    gain factor of x200 would bring the 15 millivolts fs up to 3 volts
    fs. For example,
    http://www.owlogic.com/usea_dat.htm
    is an low-level signal amplifier we sell that offers gain factors
    from x2 up to x1500. The circuit inside is straightforward, a two
    stage op amp noninverting amplifier. It uses an LT1051 op amp, which
    is special due to its very low and stable input offset voltage, <10
    microvolts. It is a CMOS CAZ (commutating auto-zero) op-amp. When
    you are working with a signal that is significant at 0.5 millivolt,
    you have to keep the amplifier errors well below that level.

    Another option would be a high resolution ADC. There are 24 bit chips
    like the TI ADS124x or the LTC24xx from Linear tech. These can go
    right next to the sensor and digitize right down to the microvolt
    level. There is Stamp code for them around (SPI serial).

    -- regards,
    Tracy Allen
    electronically monitored ecosystems
    mailto:tracy@e...
    http://www.emesystems.com




    >I need to sample a signal that fluctuates from about .5 millivolts to
    >around 15 millivolts and convert to digital with my stamp. Does
    >anyone know of an ADC capable in that range. Is there a better way?
    >Any help appreciated.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-04-10 18:02
    I use AD7730 with BS2,a high resolution(24/16 bits)ADC that accepts low
    level signals directly from a transducer and outputs a serial digital word.


    >From: "sr2500flyer" <fdarnell@c...>
    >Reply-To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    >To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    >Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] ADC in the millivolt range - please help
    >Date: Wed, 10 Apr 2002 14:33:28 -0000
    >
    >I need to sample a signal that fluctuates from about .5 millivolts to
    >around 15 millivolts and convert to digital with my stamp. Does
    >anyone know of an ADC capable in that range. Is there a better way?
    >Any help appreciated.
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    >from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    >Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    >Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >




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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-04-10 21:16
    It transitions quickly, but stays at its new level for a few seconds, so it
    sounds like your amp will work. I'll look into it and the ADC you mention.
    Thanks. Thanks to the others that replied as well.

    Original Message
    From: Tracy Allen [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=zmz3IgUupeCJp46jUFZn0wGOcWmSQZ4BVGQFaG8EGexyiiIYXuDwFS-Snvc_EcIW7a2yoAniH8-o9vBjWw]tracy@e...[/url
    Sent: Wednesday, April 10, 2002 11:32 AM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] ADC in the millivolt range - please help


    Is this a slowly varying signal (time scale ~>1 second)? The
    simplest option is an amplifier, one that will bring your signal up
    to the range of 1 to 5 volts full scale that an ADC can work with. A
    gain factor of x200 would bring the 15 millivolts fs up to 3 volts
    fs. For example,
    http://www.owlogic.com/usea_dat.htm
    is an low-level signal amplifier we sell that offers gain factors
    from x2 up to x1500. The circuit inside is straightforward, a two
    stage op amp noninverting amplifier. It uses an LT1051 op amp, which
    is special due to its very low and stable input offset voltage, <10
    microvolts. It is a CMOS CAZ (commutating auto-zero) op-amp. When
    you are working with a signal that is significant at 0.5 millivolt,
    you have to keep the amplifier errors well below that level.

    Another option would be a high resolution ADC. There are 24 bit chips
    like the TI ADS124x or the LTC24xx from Linear tech. These can go
    right next to the sensor and digitize right down to the microvolt
    level. There is Stamp code for them around (SPI serial).

    -- regards,
    Tracy Allen
    electronically monitored ecosystems
    mailto:tracy@e...
    http://www.emesystems.com




    >I need to sample a signal that fluctuates from about .5 millivolts to
    >around 15 millivolts and convert to digital with my stamp. Does
    >anyone know of an ADC capable in that range. Is there a better way?
    >Any help appreciated.


    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.


    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
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