So I am working on this project for a class in my mechatronics class. We've been using an Arduino Duemilanove throughout the semester but haven't really learned much. For my final project I'm trying to use the analog input of a strain gage to tell whether or not a cup is on a beam. As of right now I am connecting the red strain gage lead to 5V the black lead to ground and the white lead to the A0 input. I'm getting zeros as the value that is being read from the input pin.
Can anybody offer any advice on how to connect a strain gage or something im doing wrong with the code?
int sensorPin = A0; // select the input pin for the potentiometer
int ledPin = 13; // select the pin for the LED
int sensorValue = 0; // variable to store the value coming from the sensor
void setup() {
// declare the ledPin as an OUTPUT:
pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop() {
// read the value from the sensor:
sensorValue = analogRead(sensorPin);
// turn the ledPin on
if (sensorValue >130){
digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);
}
Serial.print(sensorValue);
Serial.println() ;
delay(500);
}
As CrOsh said we need a link to the strain gage datasheet. Be aware most bare strain gages just output millivolts so you generally need amplification to be readable by an Arduino. You do have the option of utilizing the bandgap reference for the analog inputs, giving you a approx 0-1.1vdc = 0-1023 counts. But again without the datasheet we can't be certain of what range you require.
Is this a strain gage or a load cell? A strain gage is a purely passive device and needs a lot of conditioning (Wheatstone bridge, instrumentation amplifier, etc.) to get a usable signal. You can't just hook it up to an analog input.
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The Quick Shield: breakout all 28 pins to quick-connect terminals