STRAIN-GAGE/RECORDER INTERFACE

A SIMPLE CIRCUIT IS PRESENTED THAT, IN MANY CASES, PROVIDES ADEQUATE COUPLING BETWEEN STRAIN-GAGE OUTPUT AND A MILLIVOLT RECORDER OR X-Y PLOTTER. ADJUSTMENT OF A POTENTIOMETER CANCELS RESIDUAL BRIDGE UNBALANCE. FULL RANGE OF RECORDER AMPLIFICATION IS THUS APPLIED TO SIGNALS CAUSED BY STRAINS. ALSO, WITH AN INITIALLY BALANCED BRIDGE, RECORDER SPAN CAN BE CHANGED WITHOUT ADJUSTING RECORDER ZERO. WHEN SWITCHED ACROSS ONE BRIDGE ARM, A CALIBRATION RESISTOR SIMULATES A STRAIN FOR ADJUSTING RECORDER SENSITIVITY. A SWITCH REVERSES BATTERY CONNECTIONS, REVERSING POLARITY OF THE RECORDED SIGNAL. A GOOD 10-TURN POTENTIOMETER SHOULD BE USED WHEN WORKING IN LOW-MILLIVOLT RANGES. WIRING IS NOT CRITICAL, BUT THE CIRCUIT SHOULD BE ENCLOSED AND GROUNDED. THE INPUT AND OUTPUT WIRES OF THE CIRCUIT SHOULD BE SHIELDED.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 14, No 11, P 68, 1 FIG
• Authors:
  • Hendrick, J G
• Publication Date: 1967-11

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Instrumentation Technology
  • Publisher: Instrument Society of America

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Electric circuits; Potentiometers; Recording instruments; Resistors; Strain gages
• Uncontrolled Terms: Shielding
• Old TRIS Terms: Circuits; Recorders; Wheatstone bridges
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00216236
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 17 1994 12:00AM