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Suggestion of Temperature Sensor — Parallax Forums

Suggestion of Temperature Sensor

Chicago MikeChicago Mike Posts: 88
edited 2006-01-01 07:06 in BASIC Stamp
Parallax has a few temperature sensors I've been looking at, and I'm wondering if anyone has a suggestion on which would be best for my project. I'm looking to determine the temperature of a metal plate. The top of the plate will be heated from 50-212F. I want to attach a sensor to the bottom of the plate and get a semi-accurate measurement. Anyone have an idea for which sensor would be best for this application, and how best to attach the sensing lead??? (Type of glue, etc).

Thanks,
Mike.

Comments

  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2005-12-31 02:39
    Mike, the LM34 works within the range of temperatures you want to measure.· We also have a thermocouple kit.

    http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/products/componentshop/sensors.asp

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    Chris Savage
    Parallax Tech Support
    csavage@parallax.com
  • agentileagentile Posts: 101
    edited 2005-12-31 05:13
    Mike,

    An LM335 works in that temperature range.· If you use this with an analog to digital converter, ADC0831, you can get a pretty accurate temperature (within about 1 degree).



    Andrew
  • Tracy AllenTracy Allen Posts: 6,658
    edited 2005-12-31 06:14
    How thick, high, and wide is the plate?

    Use _thin_ wires to the sensor, and run them along next to the plate as they leave the sensor. Heat flow up the wires could otherwise be a big source of error. Also get good thermal contact between the plate and the sensor. You can glue the sensor to the plate with epoxy (e.g. JB weld), or for temporary fix use heat sink compound and a mechnical holder if necessary.

    Any of the small IC sensors could work: LM34, LM50, LM334, AD592, or even one of the digital sensors. If you have a BS2p or 'pe or 'px, you could use one of the "one-wire" digital sensors. Or if the plate is not too small, even the the DS1620 which has lots of example programs here.

    The nice thing about thermocouples is that they can be made with the very smallest thermal mass, 30 or smaller gage wire, great for that kind of contact measurement.

    Another high tech option is IR non-contact sensing:
    http://www.melexis.com/prodmain.asp_Q_family_E_MLX90601

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    Tracy Allen
    www.emesystems.com
  • Robert@HCCRobert@HCC Posts: 80
    edited 2006-01-01 06:03
    Tracy Allen said...
    You can glue the sensor to the plate with epoxy (e.g. JB weld), or for temporary fix use heat sink compound and a mechnical holder if necessary.

    Arctic Silver, a manufacturer of High qual thermal compounds makes an excellent "thermal epoxy" - part epoxy, part thermal compound - that I have used to glue heat sinks to motherboards. Take a look here -
    http://www.arcticsilver.com/products.htm#epoxy

    Might serve your needs. Newegg.com also has carried this product in the past.

    Aloha,
    Robert
  • metron9metron9 Posts: 1,100
    edited 2006-01-01 07:06
    I have used these little discs, they are clamp type and rated to 125C (257F)

    I soldered wires to both sides
    I was testing one for maximum current and melted the solder melted. The disc still functioned fine

    You may be able to solder the disc to a larger piece of metal or make a clamp with 2 pieces and then attach that metal to the surface you are measuring.

    You will need a non conductive material if you cant ground the surface you are measureing


    http://www.epcos.com/inf/50/db/ntc_02/00700071.pdf


    digikey part# 495-2140-ND

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    Think outside the BOX!
    disc.jpg
    1120 x 840 - 528K
    disc.jpg 527.7K
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