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I have this ADC board: https://www.amazon.com/ACROBOTIC-Digital-Converter-Breakout-Raspberry/dp/B06XY7572V

That has integrated thermistor and photoresistor Board connected to l2c:

Pi SDA -> Module SDA
Pi SCL -> Module SCL
Pi 3V3 -> Module VCC
Pi GND -> Module GND

Using this library to read values from the board: https://github.com/sunfounder/SunFounder_SensorKit_for_RPi2/blob/master/Python/PCF8591.py

All the jumpers are set to read values from integrated sensors:

ADC 0 - LDR

ADC 1 - NTC THERMISTOR

According to the description:

The ADC on the PCF8591 has a resolution of 8-bits, so it can read up to 4 independent signal values between 0V and Vref in increments of Vref/255. Similarly, the 8-bit DAC can generate one signal whose values range between 0V~Vref (reference voltage) in 255 steps

So I was able to read the values from all channels with this code:

for i in range(0,4):
        value = PCF.read(i)*3.3/255
        print('PCF %s = %1.3f',i, value)
        PCF.write(PCF.read(i))

And here is an output:

PCF 0 = 2.989

PCF 1 = 3.3

PCF 2 = 3.222

PCF 3 = 1.643

Thermistor channel returns 3.3 or (255), which means the calculation below will not make sense because of division by zero:

Vr = 3.3 * 255 / 255
Rt = 10000 * Vr / (3.3 - Vr)
temp = 1/(((math.log(Rt / 10000)) / 3950) + (1 / (273.15+25)))
temp = temp - 273.15

So what I'm doing wrong and how can I convert those values into proper temperature?

Also need some help with the LDR too, not sure how to convert that voltage to the value in lux.

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Woof
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  • you have not provided enough information .... what is the temperature when the reading is 0? ..... what is the temperature when the reading is 255? ...... then simply interpolate the temperature from readings in between those two values ..... if the temperature response curve of the sensor is non-linear, then use additional points along the curve to increase the accuracy of the reading – jsotola Feb 28 '19 at 00:38
  • where did you get the equations? ..... it is pointless to calculate the first one – jsotola Feb 28 '19 at 00:43
  • @jsotola that code was from example here: https://www.sunfounder.com/learn/lesson-18-temperature-sensor-sensor-kit-v2-0-for-b.html I was using SundFounder github library to Read PCF values and decided that their code will work also.In their example that equations was like this Vr = 5 * float(analogVal) / 255 according to the input voltage and the result I'm getting from the sensor, it will be similar to 3.3 * 255 / 255, right? – Woof Feb 28 '19 at 00:47
  • couple of things leap out ..... (1) you are using a voltage divider, which means that the output range will start somewhere above 0V and end somewhere below 5V, unless there is a component failure ......... (2) the person that wrote the example program did not really think about all the details ... what is the point of evaluating Rt = 10000 * Vr / (3.3 - Vr) and then using the result thus Rt / 10000? – jsotola Feb 28 '19 at 01:59
  • @jsotola could you please propose some solution to make this thing work with the components I have? Or some good links I can read about it – Woof Feb 28 '19 at 02:19
  • my first comment describes how to calculate the temperature ...... since you won't get a reading of 0 or a reading of 255, calibrate the sensor to physical quantity instead ...... measure boiling water and measure ice water ..... then interpolate the values in between for your other readings – jsotola Feb 28 '19 at 02:38

1 Answers1

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First question: isn't the onboard PTC defective, open or shorted? Have you tried to remove the PTC circuit from the board (if that is possible) and tested it with an external voltage?

Second: If existing, what is internal gain of the AD (that is generally a software thing)? Higher gains generally mean smaller voltage ranges.

Clóvis Fritzen
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  • I think it's a basic math error. The first equation sets Vr to 3.3. The second divides another number by (3.3 - Vr), which is zero, therefore a division by zero error. Breaking it into two equations hides this. There is a rather fun "proof" that one equals two that does the same thing. – NomadMaker Jan 19 '23 at 09:55