note : for discussing any technical issues with your Load Cell Amplifier Shield, please proceed to our forum and create a new topic here.
General Specifications
Over the years, many RobotShop customers have asked us about the easiest way to interface a load cell with an Arduino board so they can
Hi, I would like to make a mat to sleep on and measure breathing using force / strain / pressure. I believe it should be possible to do this will cheap components such as https://www.robotshop.com/en/sfe-piezo-element.html arranged in an array in a mat the person would sleep on. Although the pressure changes are small, they should be quite measureable (~1% change in pressure as the lungs expand / contract). Unfortunately I have no experience in hardware so I’d like to find either an existing kit and purchase it or a detailed tutorial.
Is anyone else interested in a breathing detector like this? Thanks in advance!
Allan
@allan Nice project, but we’re not aware of any kit which addresses that type of application. You’d need to learn about programming, microcontroller, electronics and sensors.
Hi is it possible to hook up a loadcell on one channel of the loadcell shield and also an LVDT displacement transducer on the other channel of the loadcell shield?
@mathews The Load Cell Shield is intended to work with Load Cells (strain gauge devices). We didn’t test it with with displacement transducers so we can’t confirm that it’ll work.
Is it possible to stack two Load Cell Shields onto a single Arduino, allowing the reading of a total of 4 Load Cells? The board looks stackable in this way, but I don’t see how to change the analog input pins that would be used for the second Load Cell Shield.
@Gerald The Strain Gauge / Load Cell / Wheatstone Amplifier Shield amplifier shield uses A0 and A1 analog inputs on the Arduino.
Therefore, you unfortunately can’t stack two shields similioultanesly to read 4 Load Cells as both shields will use the same analog pin (A0 or A1).
A workaround for this is to bend the two pin headers (A0 and A1) on one of the shields and wire them to a different analog input on the Arduino (for example A2 and A3) using M/F Jumper Wires.
The same idea is used in this blog post.
Is there an inherent precision to this system, or is that something that can be adjusted? I’m considering this for an application that would measure the weight of pills, and distinguish between different types of pills, so it would need to have a precision in the +/-10mg range.
Gday Mr Daouas My Employer has given me a project to make a very budget load cell display using four load cells under a tank. Is it possible to just parrallel all four letting them produce their own average and using that analogue input into the shield as I have seen done into other “digitisers/amplifiers”, then stacking a display(yes bending pins and re assigning as per above blog). Thankyou in advance for any consideration.
@Jeremiah The Strain Gauge Shield won’t be appropriate for this type of precise measurements. FYI, the smallest cell weight capacity we offer, which is 100g Micro Load Cell, has a +/-50mg error rating.
@ Paul G You can probably use 4 load cells stacking two Strain Gauge Shields using the workaround mentioned above (bend the two pin headers (A0 and A1) on one of the shields and wire them to a different analog input on the Arduino). Then, you stack the display shield. Please note that this has not been tested. You’ll probably have to appropriately calibrate the 4 load cells in your Arduino code to obtain meaningful readings.
Hi, I’m thinking of using this set up and was wondering how sensitive is the 5kg micro load sensor? I’m working on a uni project in which I need to measure the amount of liquid in a cup, building the sensor into the base. how accurate is it?
Thankyou Sir
Hi, great info, I’m doing a test stand for small propellers and using 4 load cells, seems I’ll need the 0.78kg’s using one for each leg of an 16" X-frame to get the strain, a pair for x-axis & y-axis and all 4 to get total lift or down-thrust and polar balance.
This shield looks perfect so appreciate advice on circuitry, IC’s to process the signals for the goal to automatically balance them by sanding actuators from testing data.
A newbie but ok on easy circuits & soldering & good at code. So far I like the Sparkfun redboard for this, found an rpm sensor using the motor signal, assume a watt-meter ability on the board or controller for a DJI Phntm 2 motor, my prop replaces those so using it, found a schematic.
There are two modes, testing is much higher rpm to limits, fails to a positioning-sand cycle, the output curves used to pair & create quad sets & on all labels along with the final weight.
Final step is the x-frame is mounted on shafts to allow dead-lift testing to flight, energy the metric vs time & 3-axis acceleration.
-tom
Hello, I am using Arduino Mega 2560 board - can i use this shield with it? (I am just stating with Arduino).
@Orlin Yes the Arduino Mega 2560 is compatible with the Strain Gauge / Load Cell / Wheatstone Amplifier Shield
Hello, I have two questions.
1 - I already have my load cell shield and it outputs 3.2 volts for excitation for both the strains, can this output be modified?
2 - I have a load cell which gets 12 volts for excitation from its original equipment. Could I supply this 12 VC volts to the cell and get the signal with your load cell shield?
Many thanks in advance.
@Joaquin: 1) No, the output voltage cannot be changed.
2) This shield already provide its own excitation and adding 12 V DC to it will most likely damage the circuit.
This device is targeted at low nominal voltage load cells.
which amplifier can be used to connect loadcell and the arduino board directly?and alsowhich amplifier can be used to connect solenoid valve and the arduino board directly?
