JohnLincoln:
We need more information on your 'DC Amplifier', such as make and model number, or a link to it's datashee,t. to give you the correct answer.Grounding out- may be detrimental, if it is not meant to be grounded.
The DC amplifier I'm planning to use is this one.
https://www.omega.com/pptst/OMNI-AMPIIA.html
ted:
Just google - wheatstone bridge arduino
I agree and did google. Most of the tips and suggestions told people they needed to amplify their signal because they used the wheatstone bridge configuration for strain gauge measurements. I am also using it to measure strain on a strain gauge.
avr_fred:
It’s not so simple because a bridge can have a positive or negative output. This depends on the direction of deflection and the orientation of the connections. The larger issue is that an Arduino cannot handle a negative input voltage which will occur in 50% of your use cases.The simplest solution is to use the HX711 strain gauge amplifier as its output is digital, not analog. This chip is the most common way to interface a strain gauge with an Arduino. A quick google search will lead you to suppliers (vast and cheap) and the required Arduino libraries.
Great point. I didn't think about the arduino receiving negative voltages.
I tried using the HX711 strain gauge amplifier with a 10kg load cell but had a lot of trouble finding the calibration factor. In the end I wasn't able to find the calibration factor and tested each component and the problem was I didn't know how to interface the HX711. This project of mine is for school and I don't have too much time so I wanted to just use the DC amplifier to send voltage to the arduino so the arduino could record the voltage.
Thank you all for your replies.