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LTC1298 + Loadcell = heating element? — Parallax Forums

LTC1298 + Loadcell = heating element?

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2003-03-26 19:30 in General Discussion
Does anyone know of any good reading, dealing with any ADC
attached to the bs2sx, which will let me read a differential voltage
instead of two seperate channels?<p>

I don't know 1/4 of what you guys do, but I want to have
some fun too, and led's just don't cut it anymore.<p>

My loadcell is a Tedea 1040-41. 2mv/V out.<p>

I "roasted" a ltc1298, and know where I screwed up. Should I
keep trying them, or is there something better/cheaper that I should
try to get to work?<p>

Any help would be really appreciated!!<p>

Thanks,<br>
Dana

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-03-25 23:19
    At 09:44 PM 3/25/03 +0000, dana_basic_stamp wrote:

    >My loadcell is a Tedea 1040-41. 2mv/V out.
    >
    >I "roasted" a ltc1298, and know where I screwed up. Should I
    >keep trying them, or is there something better/cheaper that I should
    >try to get to work?

    The LTC1298 is one of the nicer parts in this application. Here's why: the
    mux in the '1298 allows you to reverse the inputs while in differential mode.

    The reason for this is to allow you to remove the offset error of the
    differential amp that you use to amplify the signal from the strain gauge
    (idea from a Motorola app note). We use 74hc4052 muxes between the load
    cells and the diff amp. Each load cell uses 2 inputs on the mux: one way
    connects the load cell straight to the diff amp, the other input does the
    same thing but reversed. The output of the diff amp feeds the '1298 directly.

    You read the strain gauge with the input mux one way, then reverse the
    input mux and read it again. Add the 2 readings together to get a 13 bit
    result. Note that any amplifier offset has now been cancelled out.

    The diff amp is just a dual op-amp. Strain gauge feeds both (+) inputs,
    gain set resistor between both (-) inputs, feedback resistors between each
    amp's output and and its (-) pin. Note that you don't need the typical 3rd
    op-amp of an instrumentation amp because the '1298 has differential
    inputs. Both feedback resistors are equal value and gain is the sum of
    both feedback resistors divided by the gain set resistor.

    Note that in the projects that I've done using this technique, I set the
    input mux one way, then read the '1298 both ways. Then reverse the input
    mux and read the '1298 both ways again. 2 of the readings will be zero,
    the other 2 readings are the ones that you want to use. Its been several
    years since I last looked at that code but I *think* that all I did was add
    all 4 readings together.

    Bottom line: using the '1298 allowed me to use a much less expensive diff
    amp and *really* reduced the overall project time and cost.

    dwayne

    --
    Dwayne Reid <dwayner@p...>
    Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA
    (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax

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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2003-03-26 19:30
    Accurate measurement of low level analog signals is more than simply wiring
    the transducer to the instrumentaion amp and then to A/D.
    I think it is better to use devices designed specially for load cell like:

    * AD7730: CMOS, 24-Bit Sigma-Delta, Bridge Transducer ADC for load cell
    * CS55XX: 16/20-Bit Bridge Transducer A/D Converters.


    >From: "dana_basic_stamp" <dana_basic_stamp@y...>
    >Reply-To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    >To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    >Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] LTC1298 + Loadcell = heating element?
    >Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2003 21:44:26 -0000
    >
    >Does anyone know of any good reading, dealing with any ADC
    >attached to the bs2sx, which will let me read a differential voltage
    >instead of two seperate channels?<p>
    >
    >I don't know 1/4 of what you guys do, but I want to have
    >some fun too, and led's just don't cut it anymore.<p>
    >
    >My loadcell is a Tedea 1040-41. 2mv/V out.<p>
    >
    >I "roasted" a ltc1298, and know where I screwed up. Should I
    >keep trying them, or is there something better/cheaper that I should
    >try to get to work?<p>
    >
    >Any help would be really appreciated!!<p>
    >
    >Thanks,<br>
    >Dana
    >
    >
    >
    >
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