Load cell 20kg + HX711_ADC

elpiloto · December 15, 2023, 4:12pm

Hi There,

So, to start with this is my first post as I am completely new to Arduino... so be gentile..!!

Second, I am trying (??) to build a loadcell using the HX711 board.

All is connected as it should
I installed the HX711_ADC library and did the calibration using the following code:


#include <HX711_ADC.h>
#if defined(ESP8266)|| defined(ESP32) || defined(AVR)
#include <EEPROM.h>
#endif

//pins:
const int HX711_dout = 4; //mcu > HX711 dout pin
const int HX711_sck = 5; //mcu > HX711 sck pin

//HX711 constructor:
HX711_ADC LoadCell(HX711_dout, HX711_sck);

const int calVal_eepromAdress = 0;
unsigned long t = 0;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(57600); delay(10);
  Serial.println();
  Serial.println("Starting...");

  LoadCell.begin();
  //LoadCell.setReverseOutput(); //uncomment to turn a negative output value to positive
  unsigned long stabilizingtime = 2000; // preciscion right after power-up can be improved by adding a few seconds of stabilizing time
  boolean _tare = true; //set this to false if you don't want tare to be performed in the next step
  LoadCell.start(stabilizingtime, _tare);
  if (LoadCell.getTareTimeoutFlag() || LoadCell.getSignalTimeoutFlag()) {
    Serial.println("Timeout, check MCU>HX711 wiring and pin designations");
    while (1);
  }
  else {
    LoadCell.setCalFactor(1.0); // user set calibration value (float), initial value 1.0 may be used for this sketch
    Serial.println("Startup is complete");
  }
  while (!LoadCell.update());
  calibrate(); //start calibration procedure
}

void loop() {
  static boolean newDataReady = 0;
  const int serialPrintInterval = 0; //increase value to slow down serial print activity

  // check for new data/start next conversion:
  if (LoadCell.update()) newDataReady = true;

  // get smoothed value from the dataset:
  if (newDataReady) {
    if (millis() > t + serialPrintInterval) {
      float i = LoadCell.getData();
      Serial.print("Load_cell output val: ");
      Serial.println(i);
      newDataReady = 0;
      t = millis();
    }
  }

  // receive command from serial terminal
  if (Serial.available() > 0) {
    char inByte = Serial.read();
    if (inByte == 't') LoadCell.tareNoDelay(); //tare
    else if (inByte == 'r') calibrate(); //calibrate
    else if (inByte == 'c') changeSavedCalFactor(); //edit calibration value manually
  }

  // check if last tare operation is complete
  if (LoadCell.getTareStatus() == true) {
    Serial.println("Tare complete");
  }

}

void calibrate() {
  Serial.println("***");
  Serial.println("Start calibration:");
  Serial.println("Place the load cell an a level stable surface.");
  Serial.println("Remove any load applied to the load cell.");
  Serial.println("Send 't' from serial monitor to set the tare offset.");

  boolean _resume = false;
  while (_resume == false) {
    LoadCell.update();
    if (Serial.available() > 0) {
      if (Serial.available() > 0) {
        char inByte = Serial.read();
        if (inByte == 't') LoadCell.tareNoDelay();
      }
    }
    if (LoadCell.getTareStatus() == true) {
      Serial.println("Tare complete");
      _resume = true;
    }
  }

  Serial.println("Now, place your known mass on the loadcell.");
  Serial.println("Then send the weight of this mass (i.e. 100.0) from serial monitor.");

  float known_mass = 0;
  _resume = false;
  while (_resume == false) {
    LoadCell.update();
    if (Serial.available() > 0) {
      known_mass = Serial.parseFloat();
      if (known_mass != 0) {
        Serial.print("Known mass is: ");
        Serial.println(known_mass);
        _resume = true;
      }
    }
  }

  LoadCell.refreshDataSet(); //refresh the dataset to be sure that the known mass is measured correct
  float newCalibrationValue = LoadCell.getNewCalibration(known_mass); //get the new calibration value

  Serial.print("New calibration value has been set to: ");
  Serial.print(newCalibrationValue);
  Serial.println(", use this as calibration value (calFactor) in your project sketch.");
  Serial.print("Save this value to EEPROM adress ");
  Serial.print(calVal_eepromAdress);
  Serial.println("? y/n");

  _resume = false;
  while (_resume == false) {
    if (Serial.available() > 0) {
      char inByte = Serial.read();
      if (inByte == 'y') {
#if defined(ESP8266)|| defined(ESP32)
        EEPROM.begin(512);
#endif
        EEPROM.put(calVal_eepromAdress, newCalibrationValue);
#if defined(ESP8266)|| defined(ESP32)
        EEPROM.commit();
#endif
        EEPROM.get(calVal_eepromAdress, newCalibrationValue);
        Serial.print("Value ");
        Serial.print(newCalibrationValue);
        Serial.print(" saved to EEPROM address: ");
        Serial.println(calVal_eepromAdress);
        _resume = true;

      }
      else if (inByte == 'n') {
        Serial.println("Value not saved to EEPROM");
        _resume = true;
      }
    }
  }

  Serial.println("End calibration");
  Serial.println("***");
  Serial.println("To re-calibrate, send 'r' from serial monitor.");
  Serial.println("For manual edit of the calibration value, send 'c' from serial monitor.");
  Serial.println("***");
}

void changeSavedCalFactor() {
  float oldCalibrationValue = LoadCell.getCalFactor();
  boolean _resume = false;
  Serial.println("***");
  Serial.print("Current value is: ");
  Serial.println(oldCalibrationValue);
  Serial.println("Now, send the new value from serial monitor, i.e. 696.0");
  float newCalibrationValue;
  while (_resume == false) {
    if (Serial.available() > 0) {
      newCalibrationValue = Serial.parseFloat();
      if (newCalibrationValue != 0) {
        Serial.print("New calibration value is: ");
        Serial.println(newCalibrationValue);
        LoadCell.setCalFactor(newCalibrationValue);
        _resume = true;
      }
    }
  }
  _resume = false;
  Serial.print("Save this value to EEPROM adress ");
  Serial.print(calVal_eepromAdress);
  Serial.println("? y/n");
  while (_resume == false) {
    if (Serial.available() > 0) {
      char inByte = Serial.read();
      if (inByte == 'y') {
#if defined(ESP8266)|| defined(ESP32)
        EEPROM.begin(512);
#endif
        EEPROM.put(calVal_eepromAdress, newCalibrationValue);
#if defined(ESP8266)|| defined(ESP32)
        EEPROM.commit();
#endif
        EEPROM.get(calVal_eepromAdress, newCalibrationValue);
        Serial.print("Value ");
        Serial.print(newCalibrationValue);
        Serial.print(" saved to EEPROM address: ");
        Serial.println(calVal_eepromAdress);
        _resume = true;
      }
      else if (inByte == 'n') {
        Serial.println("Value not saved to EEPROM");
        _resume = true;
      }
    }
  }
  Serial.println("End change calibration value");
  Serial.println("***");
}

so, the calibration asks to type "t" then to put a weight on the loadcell and to enter the value:

all is well until this point.
Then, they explaine to use the "read load cell 1x" code:


#include <HX711_ADC.h>
#if defined(ESP8266)|| defined(ESP32) || defined(AVR)
#include <EEPROM.h>
#endif

//pins:
const int HX711_dout = 4; //mcu > HX711 dout pin
const int HX711_sck = 5; //mcu > HX711 sck pin

//HX711 constructor:
HX711_ADC LoadCell(HX711_dout, HX711_sck);

const int calVal_eepromAdress = 0;
unsigned long t = 0;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(57600); delay(10);
  Serial.println();
  Serial.println("Starting...");

  LoadCell.begin();
  //LoadCell.setReverseOutput(); //uncomment to turn a negative output value to positive
  float calibrationValue; // calibration value (see example file "Calibration.ino")
  calibrationValue = 696.0; // uncomment this if you want to set the calibration value in the sketch
#if defined(ESP8266)|| defined(ESP32)
  //EEPROM.begin(512); // uncomment this if you use ESP8266/ESP32 and want to fetch the calibration value from eeprom
#endif
  //EEPROM.get(calVal_eepromAdress, calibrationValue); // uncomment this if you want to fetch the calibration value from eeprom

  unsigned long stabilizingtime = 2000; // preciscion right after power-up can be improved by adding a few seconds of stabilizing time
  boolean _tare = true; //set this to false if you don't want tare to be performed in the next step
  LoadCell.start(stabilizingtime, _tare);
  if (LoadCell.getTareTimeoutFlag()) {
    Serial.println("Timeout, check MCU>HX711 wiring and pin designations");
    while (1);
  }
  else {
    LoadCell.setCalFactor(calibrationValue); // set calibration value (float)
    Serial.println("Startup is complete");
  }
}

void loop() {
  static boolean newDataReady = 0;
  const int serialPrintInterval = 0; //increase value to slow down serial print activity

  // check for new data/start next conversion:
  if (LoadCell.update()) newDataReady = true;

  // get smoothed value from the dataset:
  if (newDataReady) {
    if (millis() > t + serialPrintInterval) {
      float i = LoadCell.getData();
      Serial.print("Load_cell output val: ");
      Serial.println(i);
      newDataReady = 0;
      t = millis();
    }
  }

  // receive command from serial terminal, send 't' to initiate tare operation:
  if (Serial.available() > 0) {
    char inByte = Serial.read();
    if (inByte == 't') LoadCell.tareNoDelay();
  }

  // check if last tare operation is complete:
  if (LoadCell.getTareStatus() == true) {
    Serial.println("Tare complete");
  }

}

and it's then that things go wrong....
the value of the loadcell just stays 0:

now in some off the instruction video's they uncomment the calibration value so it fetches the value from the EEPROM:

but I still cannot get a value out off my cell and keep on getting 0 or when I uncomment the calibration value I get numbers that count upwards or downwards.

So, can anybody help me out because I am getting desperate....
I have tried to be as inclusive with the information as possible but if you have any other questions, please do ask... I would like to get this solved!!

THX

kolaha · December 15, 2023, 4:29pm

#include <GyverHX711.h>
GyverHX711 sensor(2, 3);//data,clk

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
}

void loop() {
  if (sensor.available()) {
    Serial.println(sensor.read());
  }
}

elpiloto · December 15, 2023, 4:34pm

sorry for asking, but what are you saying?

kolaha · December 15, 2023, 4:37pm

download this library and test my sketch

elpiloto · December 15, 2023, 4:46pm

I just get this

kolaha · December 15, 2023, 6:41pm

congrats, your load cell is broken.

elpiloto · December 15, 2023, 7:19pm

really???? damn, it's a new one!!
what should have been the reading??

DaveX · December 15, 2023, 7:25pm

It could just be the connections that are broken.

elpiloto · December 15, 2023, 7:36pm

I'll have a look tomorrow!!

kolaha · December 16, 2023, 2:45am

make photos

DaveEvans · December 16, 2023, 7:27am

Why all the decimal places for an integer variable?

kolaha · December 16, 2023, 7:31am

you are double right

DaveEvans · December 16, 2023, 7:33am

Or maybe .read() is returning a number less than 1145. Could happen if there is little load on the cell; depends on how that library works.

kolaha · December 16, 2023, 7:38am

but TO used example sketch from Lib without any divider and get 0.

DaveEvans · December 16, 2023, 7:45am

Maybe wrong (too high) calibration factor. Should just print raw values for checking. As in your now modified sketch, without the -1145 divisor

Wawa · December 16, 2023, 7:58am

Or you have a HX711 with a missing ground plane.
Leo..

elpiloto · December 16, 2023, 12:17pm

EUREKA!! it was a bad connection of the white A- wire on the HX711 board... it's working now!!

Second problem now is to figure out how to get these readings onto a OLED display!!
any tips??

system · June 13, 2024, 12:17pm

This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.

Topic		Replies	Views
Calibration code in Hx711_ACD issue Project Guidance	3	836	May 14, 2023
Weight measurement using load cell adn HX711 module Project Guidance	26	1148	April 13, 2024
Error - Arduino Board interfacing with load cell and HX711 module Programming Questions	4	605	April 1, 2024
How to make a coding using 3 load cells to weight 3 different load? Programming Questions	8	671	May 17, 2022
HX711_ADC.h Sensors	2	2270	May 6, 2021

Load cell 20kg + HX711_ADC

Related Topics