Campbell Scientific CR6 CR6 Measurement and Control System - Page 314

Electronic Noise, Measurement Accuracy

Page 314 highlights

Section 8. Operation potential of earth ground is 1 mV greater at the sensor than at the point where the CR6 is grounded, the measured voltage will be 1 mV greater than the true thermocouple output, or report a temperature that is approximately 25 °C too high. A common problem with ground-potential difference occurs in applications wherein external, signal-conditioning circuitry is powered by the same source as the CR6, such as an ac mains power receptacle. Despite being tied to the same ground, differences in current drain and lead resistance may result in a different ground potential between the two instruments. So, as a precaution, a differential measurement should be made on the analog output from an external signal conditioner; differential measurements MUST be used when the low input is known to be different from ground. Electronic Noise Electronic "noise" can cause significant error in a voltage measurement, especially when measuring voltages less than 200 mV. So long as input limitations are observed, the PGIA ignores voltages, including noise, that are common to each side of a differential-input pair. This is the common-mode voltage. Ignoring (rejecting or canceling) the common-mode voltage is an essential feature of the differential input configuration that improves voltage measurements. Figure PGIA with Input-Signal Decomposition (p. 312), illustrates the commonmode component (Vcm) and the differential-mode component (Vdm) of a voltage signal. Vcm is the average of the voltages on the V+ and V- inputs. So, Vcm = (V+ + V-)/2 or the voltage remaining on the inputs when Vdm = 0. The total voltage on the V+ and V- inputs is given as V+ = Vcm + Vdm/2, and VL = Vcm - Vdm/2, respectively. Measurement Accuracy Read More For an in-depth treatment of accuracy estimates, see the technical paper Measurement Error Analysis available at www.campbellsci.com http://www.campbellsci.com. Accuracy describes the difference between a measurement and the true value. Many factors affect accuracy. This section discusses the affect percent-orreading, offset, and resolution have on the accuracy of the measurement of an analog-voltage sensor signal. Accuracy is defined as follows: accuracy = percent-of-reading + offset where percents-of-reading are tabulated in the table Analog-Voltage Measurement Accuracy (p. 314), and offsets are tabulated in the table Analog-Voltage Measurement Offsets (p. 315). Note Error discussed in this section and error-related specifications of the CR6 do not include error introduced by the sensor or by the transmission of the sensor signal to the CR6. 314

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Section 8.
Operation
potential of earth ground is 1 mV greater at the sensor than at the point where the
CR6 is grounded, the measured voltage will be 1 mV greater than the true
thermocouple output, or report a temperature that is approximately 25 °C too
high.
A common problem with ground-potential difference occurs in applications
wherein external, signal-conditioning circuitry is powered by the same source as
the CR6, such as an ac mains power receptacle.
Despite being tied to the same
ground, differences in current drain and lead resistance may result in a different
ground potential between the two instruments.
So, as a precaution, a differential
measurement should be made on the analog output from an external signal
conditioner; differential measurements MUST be used when the low inp
ut is
known to be different from ground.
Electronic Noise
Electronic "noise" can cause significant error in a voltage measurement,
especially when measuring voltages less than 200 mV.
So long as input
limitations are observed, the PGIA ignores voltages, including noise, that are
common to each side of a differential-input pair.
This is the common-mode
voltage.
Ignoring (rejecting or canceling) the common-mode voltage is an
essential feature of the differential input configuration that improves voltage
measurements.
Figure
PGIA with Input-Signal Decomposition
(p. 312),
illustrates the common-
mode component (V
cm
) and the differential-mode component (V
dm
) of a voltage
signal.
V
cm
is the average of the voltages on the V+ and V– inputs.
So, V
cm
= (V+
+ V–)/2 or the voltage remaining on the inputs when V
dm
= 0.
The total voltage
on the V+ and V– inputs is given as V+ = V
cm
+ V
dm
/2, and V
L
= V
cm
– V
dm
/2,
respectively.
Measurement Accuracy
Read More
For an in-depth treatment of accuracy estimates, see the technical
paper
Measurement Error Analysis
available at
www.campbellsci.com
Accuracy describes the difference between a measurement and the true value.
Many factors affect accuracy.
This section discusses the affect percent-or-
reading, offset, and resolution have on the accuracy of the measurement of an
analog-voltage sensor signal.
Accuracy is defined as follows:
accuracy = percent-of-reading + offset
where percents-of-reading are tabulated in the table
Analog-Voltage Measurement
Accuracy
(p. 314),
and offsets are tabulated in the table
Analog-Voltage
Measurement Offsets
(p. 315).
Note
Error discussed in this section and error-related specifications of the CR6
do not include error introduced by the sensor or by the transmission of the sensor
signal to the CR6.
314