ADC-11 for Beginners

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MikeM
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Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 12:26 pm

ADC-11 for Beginners

Post by MikeM »

I have just bought an ADC-11 for a project having used other Pico products in the past. I am however a little disappointed by the documentation which I would have thought would have been 'mature' by now.

In my opinion the User's Guide for the ADC-11 is a bit 'thin' on information as to how to connect the device to the real world.

Besides not having any information on the analogue connections on the 25 Way 'D' connector it does not describe, for example, how to connect a battery to an input for simple testing. Whilst obvious to a knowledgable user a beginner could easily 'stumble' and perhaps even damage the device ?

The ADC-11 Terminal Board User Guide does provide more information but again, perplexingly, does not show pin numbers for the analogue connector or even a (useful) complete circuit diagram for the board.

I would suggest that at a minimum a simple pictorial diagram of the typical connection to a signal source should be shown ?

Other Comments

1) The importance of grounding is not stressed particularly with regard to PCs, laptops, mains earthing and ground loops. 'Noise on earth connections' is listed but not described. Safety Grounding hints at the possible problems but with little explanation.

2) Signal filtering is not described in detail. Mention is made of 'try a capacitor' together with a formula for calculating capacitor values but this deserves further practical explanation and perhaps even a circuit diagram or two.

3) Although current sensing and measurement is described in the Terminal Board Guide it is not stressed that the sense resistor must be in the ground leg. A discussion of power dissipation in the current sense resistor could be useful ?

4) It might be a good idea to show how the inputs can be protected from over-voltage by means of simple clamp diodes ?

5) Digital Outputs (D0,D1) - described in User's Guide in software section but little hardware specification. Not specified as to output capability in Terminal Board Guide - just as'low-current'?

6) Reverse polarity, AC signals, aliasing and DC with superimposed AC signals should again perhaps be discussed ?

I just get a general feeling that the software author wrote the manual ?

ziko
Advanced User
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Joined: Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:03 am
Location: St Neots

Post by ziko »

Hi MikeM,

Thank you for your suggestions, I do agree with some of your points and we are discussing it currently.

However we do expect anyone using this equipment has a basic idea of electronics and if they require to do any additional circuitry they should use this knowledge to create it or find out about it.

Whilst it would be great to do these things we simply do not have the time and resources to cover every aspect.

However as I said before there are aspects of your post that may be implemented.

Kind regards
Ziko

Technical Specialist

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