RTD help?

You should do the math here. The matching needs to be _stable_ if you're using a bridge, but _accuracy_ of matching is only important in reducing errors from large lead wire resistances (assuming zero/span are trimmed or calibrated). You shouldn't have large lead wire resistances, particularly with the 3-wire configuration, since they are not guaranteed to be tightly matched to begin with. Use higher RTD resistance, fatter wire, shorter runs or Kelvin connection.. whatever it takes. It would be an act of faith to assume wires in a bundle are matched to even 1%.

Of course, but it will be quite expensive, you certainly don't need it to meet your spec. All you need to get 0.05% matching is tightly matched resistors, low offset op-amps and a pass device that uses only leakage control current (MOSFET or JFET). Even high beta BJTs are almost good enough if they're sorted into beta bins, use a Darlington and they're fine. A resistor pair matched to 0.05% is about $5 one-off, 0.01% individual parts (0.02% matching) will run you about four times that. The semis are cheap.

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany
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But, assuming calibration at 20°C, at -80°C or +100°C ambient you'd have almost 3/4 degree F of error!

Reply to
Spehro Pefhany

I like...

Vref------R1---------+ | | RTD | | | gnd

Measure the voltage across R1 and across the RTD, Kelvin-mode if appropriate. Do the math.

All you need is a diff-input delta-sigma ADC and one good thinfilm resistor, a 30 cent 0.05% Susumu maybe. Open Vref and measure the RTD voltage if you suspect any thermocouple errors anywhere. This can be multiplexed, with a little care. 3-wire is easy, too.

0.1 and 0.05% resistors, 10 to 25 PPM, used to be expensive and exotic. Digikey is full of them now.

John

Reply to
John Larkin

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Don't recall; I got it from Mouser or Digikey. I made sure it was a copper center conductor when I ordered it, and checked it with an ohmmeter.

I don't do dumb things for stuff like this.

Weasel.

John

Reply to
John Larkin

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My cable run is more like 1.6 ohms round-trip.

It's shocking how bad most thermometers are. That includes cruddy drug-store dial things, all the way up to DVMs that have thermocouple inputs. A 6 or 8 degree F spread is common in consumer stuff.

I did ice point checks on my outdoor sensor (it was conveniently about

30F when I did it) and was off about 0.5C, which I tweaked out in the software.

The whole project was to let me read the cabin temp remotely, and turn the heat on before we leave home, so my wife won't be cold when we get there. Evaluated on that goal, the system is 100% successful.

John

Reply to
John Larkin

Sorry, the equipment in question is ~ 5 years old.. It uses ADC converters and I don't know the res off hand. Employs Ethernet, RS232 or RS485 as an option to link to a PC. Has a slot for a GPIB card but not installed and I/0 to operate devices on the chamber.

It's part of an environmental chamber where a PC running is monitoring and controlling the environment conditions. This is done with software that claims to need W2k minimum to operate..

I had to replace the chopper op-amp due to miss use from the lab boys..

So you tell me?

Jamie

Reply to
Jamie

Never heard of 3,4 wire RTD's?

Reply to
Jamie

Who hasn't? Physicists tend to call four-wire "a Kelvin connection".

John Larkin chose not to go to that much trouble.

What he has put together is good enough to serve his purpose.

-- Bill Sloman, Nijmegen

Reply to
Bill Sloman

I liked that app note; balanced current sources for upper arms of the bridge, RTD+lead R one side, equal value R+lead R other side. Balanced IFFI current sources matched to 0.05% or better and added R matched to RTD at given temperature to 0.05% or better. Nice thing is that if you match for a temperature of (say) 25C, a gain of about 2.5 will give linear voltage numerically equal to temperature minus that 25C - value better than 0.1C from 20C to 50C. Same trick can be used for any reasonably narrow temperature range. ..at least that is what SPICE sez.

Reply to
Robert Baer

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