Hello,
I am new to forum and planning to make only AC current measurement part using Arduino. I have a new LEM LF 306S current transducer laying in my junk box, Can it be used with some additional circuit to suit Arduino?.
If No, then I will order SCT-013-000, what precaution should I take while ordering. this particular device?.
Can I use SCT-013-020, 20AMP instead of SCT-013-000?. CT's are quite expensive in local market here.
Sorry if I had missed any info while searching.
Thanks in advance.
max
Re: using LF306S current transducer
You could use that. It measures to 500 A (peak?) or nominally 300 A, so if you're only planning to measure 20 A, you'll be working over less than 10% of the maximum range. Plus you need a dual rail 12 V - 15 V power supply. It needs PCB mounting and for safety you must maintain the creepage distances in order to assure isolation between the primary and secondary circuits. Then you've got to figure out how to interface it to your Arduino. You'll need to have your split rail supply floating and bias its 0 V to the midpoint of the Arduino supply, i.e. +2.5 V. So it's becoming neither trivial nor cheap.
It's probably cheaper (and more versatile) to get an SCT-013-000 and choose your burden resistor to give you the required 1.5 V rms at the 20 A you want to measure.
As far as I'm aware, all the SCT-013 range are the same device, the only difference being the "voltage" types have an inbuilt burden resistor whereas the -000 does not, so you choose your own (and hence you can choose your own maximum current up to 100 A).
Re: using LF306S current transducer
Thank you Robert for your valuable input, I will go for SCT-013-000.
regards
max