Pressure sensors are precise instruments, and like all instruments, they can sometimes fail. It’s difficult to tell whether a transducer is working well or not. This is because, without specialized equipment, you won’t be able to see or interpret pressure increase in a container in most cases. Do you want to know how to tell if a transducer is bad? All you need is a multimeter!
- What is a multimeter?
In general, it is a well-known measuring instrument among electricians and technicians in the electrical/ electronic industries that can measure multiple electrical properties, such as voltage, current and resistance. Multimeters can be either analog or digital, with digital multimeters (also commonly abbreviated as dmm) becoming more and more popular.
- How to test a sensor with a multimeter?
In order to test a pressure sensor, you need to connect the sensor to the multimeter and use the suitable excitation voltage to excite the transducer.
At zero load, measure the transducer’s voltage output. Record the voltage and compare it to the manufacturer’s datasheet’s no-load voltage specification.
If the measured value does not correlate, the pressure transducer is not working correctly.
If the sensor’s output is current (4-20mA) you can simply connect a resistance (usually 250R) in series and measure the voltage across the resistance in order to determine if the sensor is malfunctioning.
- How to check a pressure sensor before installation?
It is critical to test the pressure transducer prior to installation – it gives you the ability to identify any system flaws. Follow the steps mentioned below and learn how to check a transducer.
- How to test a 2-wire current pressure sensor?
- Connect the V+ terminal of the power supply to the V+ terminal of the transducer.
- Connect the V- (or GND) terminal of the transducer to the V+ lead on the multimeter.
- Connect V- (or GND) lead of the multimeter to the V- (or GND) terminal on the power supply.
- The transducer must deliver a current range from 4 to 20mA in no-load conditions. The manufacturer’s datasheet usually specifies the exact values corresponding to various pressure measurements. Check the datasheet to see if the transducer is working properly.
- How to test a 3-wire current pressure sensor?
- Connect the V+ terminal of the power supply to the V+ terminal of the transducer.
- Connect the V- (or GND) terminal of the transducer to the V- lead of the power supply.
- Connect V- (or GND) lead of the multimeter to the V- (or GND) terminal on the power supply.
- Connect Iout lead of the transducer to the I+ terminal of the multimeter.
- The transducer must deliver a current range from 4 to 20mA in no-load conditions. The manufacturer’s datasheet usually specifies the exact values corresponding to various pressure measurements. Check the datasheet to see if the transducer is working properly.
- How to test a 3-wire voltage pressure sensor?
- Connect the V+ terminal of the power supply to the V+ terminal of the pressure sensor.
- Connect V- (or GND) of the transducer to the V- (or GND) terminal of the power supply.
- Connect V+ leads of the multimeter to the Vout out terminal of the transducer.
- Connect V- (or GND) lead of multimeter to the V- (or GND) terminal of the power supply.
- The transducer must provide a voltage that matches the manufacturer’s datasheet when no load is applied. If the results are identical, the pressure transducer is working properly; if the values aren’t similar, your pressure transducer is most likely malfunctioning.
- How to test a 4-wire voltage pressure pressure sensor?
- Connect V+ of the power supply to the transducer’s V+ terminal.
- Connect V- of the power supply to the transducer’s V- terminal.
- Connect V+ lead of the multimeter to the Vout+ lead of transducer.
- Connect V- lead of the multimeter to the Vout- lead of transducer.
- In no-load condition, the transducer must output a voltage equal to the no-load voltage specified in the datasheet.