Non-invasive AC current sensor

[gazza48h]

Hi all i bought a Non invasive AC current sensor max 30A which  has a 3.5 male end jack connect to it. I want to know how to connect this sensor to my arduino runing on labview. Any help greatly appreciated cant find information im looking for anywhere.

[NIquist]

The info you need must be in the manual that came with your current probe.  You need to find out what type of interface and then decode the data into a usable form.  Your sensor can't have a male jack connection, jack = female connector.  Read your manual and learn how to interface to the product.  If you need help then post the model of the current sensor.  You shouldn't even need the Arduino but I think there is a LabVIEW toolkit for working with them.

[RTSLVU]

Without the sensor specifications I can only guess. So based on my experience with current sensors I an guessing yours has an scaling factor of a certain mV/Amp. For instance 10mV/Amp means that a reading of 100mVAC=10Amps.

Using this with an arduino is not going to be as simple as plugging it in. Arduino's analog input is 0-5VDC or 0-3.3VDC depending on the Arduino. This means that you can not read the ACmV output of your current probe directly with the Arduino. You are going to need some external circuitry to provide a DC offset. That Arduino has an analog reference that could could use for this, by summing the reference with the ACmV, measuring the summed voltages with the Arduino analog pin, then in software subtract the reference voltage and you will have a numerical representation of your ACmV that you can scale to read current.

I don't know how much of this can be done using the LabView Arduino library but I know the Arduino can do it all in its native (Wire) language.

[gazza48h]

The link below is the sensor i have and i am using an arduino mega. is their any example circuit i can follow to connect my sensor to  my arduino and get my readings onto labview. I am pretty lost at how to under go this. Help is greatly appreciated:)

http://store.arduino.cc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6_22&products_id=257#.UwTV0GJ_s_o

[Dennis_Knutson]

Pay attention to the datasheet and look at the voltage output. You are just reading voltage so connect it and read. Scale it in your c code or after sending the raw data to the pc.

[gazza48h]

How do i connect my sensor to my arduino. It doesnt specify an input voltage. Theres two wires do i just connect one to 5v and the other an analog input?

[Dennis_Knutson]

What are you talking about? You have an inductive pickup for the current input. That's the only input. You connect the output to the arduino ADC.

Since this is not LabVIEW related and not even NI hardware related, you should check with the vendor if the data sheet is confusing to you.

[NIquist]

Hmmm.  You're right, I don't see anywhere in the datasheet that defines the output connector.  You'll have to find more info about that product or do some experiments.  I would guess that the 3.5mm connector is TIP = Vout+, RING = Vout- and SLEEVE = Shield.  So just clamp the sensor on a wire with some current flowing through and read the connector with a voltmeter.  You DO NOT connect the sensor to +5V on your Arduino.  The Vout+ goes to an analog in and the Vout- goes to Arduino analog GROUND.

As far as reading the sensor with the Arduino and sending its data to LabVIEW that's up to you.  I like Raspberry Pi! 

[RTSLVU]

Have you looked at this?

http://roysoala.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/energy-monitoring-using-pachube-and-arduino-1-0/

It uses the same current sensor you have and even has Arduino code you can copy.

Remember with Arduino you are never the first person to think of something, specially when you purchace the sensor from the Arduino store.

[gazza48h]

i tried that circuit and sevsral simular circuits but cannot get a reading off my multi meter. I cannot understand it?? Any ideas?