ADC voltage fluctuating with 4-20mA pressure sensor

  • Hi

    I wonder if someone has some ideas to help?

    I have a simple circuit with a Shelly Uni to measure depth of a water tank using a 2 wire 4-20mA pressure sensor.

    I cannot get the ADC reading stable although the ADC is stable when measuring other things (VCC itself or a battery source).

    The pressure sensor has stable current (to 0.1mA) when measured with a multimeter.

    The pressure sensor shows a stable voltage (to 0.01V) across R1 with a multimeter.

    The Problem: Voltages measured by the ADC are in the 4-5V range but are bouncing around by 0.5 to 1V. No two readings are the same.

    I am using a 12V DC 2A power supply and it remains stable when measured with a multimeter.

    My thoughts:

    - ground loop? (I can't find it)

    - damaged ADC on the Shelly Uni (it is new and has not had any other use).

    Does the ADC have any special requirements such as pull-up resistor?

    Thanks for your help.

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  • Welcome to the forum!

    Generally, 4-20mA sensors need a 24V supply voltage. The shunt resistor should have 500Ω as well to use the full working range of the sensor. But this does not explain the fluctuations…

    Diagram looks fine - no other remarks except the given two complaints. I’m sorry!

    Addendum: Possibly the sensor is in a hiccup mode due to incorrect supply?

    „Habt Geduld. Alle Dinge sind schwierig, bevor sie einfach werden!“ (aus Frankreich)

    „Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.“ (Marie Curie, 1867-1934)

    „Es reicht nicht“, rief Schiller, „Gedankenfreiheit zu fordern, man muß auch denken können, sonst fordert man Gedankenlosigkeitsfreiheit und die ist die Freiheit zur Dummheit, welche wiederum die schlimmste Unfreiheit überhaupt ist!“
    (Aus „Besuch aus Weimar“ von Gert Heidenreich, Schriftsteller, *1944 in Eberswalde)

  • Thanks for your reply thgoebel.

    I don't have a 24V supply but I did just try a 19.5V DC supply with 2A output and the result is the same.

    The sensor I have is this one ....

    Water Level Sensor, 4-20mA Throw in Type Water Level Sensors, Anti Bending 0 5m Range Depth Input Liquid Level Transmitter, 6m/19.7ft, 316 Stainless Steel, with Waterproof Cable: Automotive: Amazon.com.au

    Some of the description says 24V, some 36V but also "9-36V Wide Voltage Power Supply".

    I may yet try it with the 36V battery from my e-bike.

    I reconfirmed that at the same time that the ADC of the Shelly UNI is fluctuating the multimeter is quite stable.

    I wonder if I need to add a low pass filter (resistor with cap to ground) on the input?

    I will look into that further and report back if I have any luck.

  • Still using the 19.5V PSU, I tried the filter. It made zero difference - volts read by ADC are still fluctuating wildly. Filter was a 1k ohm resistor in the line between the pressure sensor minus and a 47nF monolithic capacitor between ADC and Sensor GND.

  • Did you disable ECO mode yet? Would you please try this?

    „Habt Geduld. Alle Dinge sind schwierig, bevor sie einfach werden!“ (aus Frankreich)

    „Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood.“ (Marie Curie, 1867-1934)

    „Es reicht nicht“, rief Schiller, „Gedankenfreiheit zu fordern, man muß auch denken können, sonst fordert man Gedankenlosigkeitsfreiheit und die ist die Freiheit zur Dummheit, welche wiederum die schlimmste Unfreiheit überhaupt ist!“
    (Aus „Besuch aus Weimar“ von Gert Heidenreich, Schriftsteller, *1944 in Eberswalde)

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