Universal Industrial Load Cell Transmitter

15 December 2022

Industrial load cells incorporate an internal strain gauge sensor that when provided with an excitation voltage, will output a mV/V signal that is directly proportional to the weight being applied to the load cell.

This mV/V signal is not a type that is commonly used with industrial displays, PLCs or remote I/O modules. Also, the mV/V signal is not conducive to being transmitted over distances longer than 10m, without signal degradation or interference becoming a significant factor.

Therefore, conversion to another standard signal type such as a 4-20mA analogue electrical output is often required.

The Action Instruments G448-0002 universal industrial load cell transmitter allows you to select from a variety of strain gauge input signals. You simply select the input type and required excitation voltage via the built in DIP switches as shown in the diagram below:

Action Instruments G448-002 Input and Excitation Voltage Settings

Selecting the Correct Input Type

Let’s say you have a 3mV/V load cell that has an excitation voltage of 10V. The output range from the load cell’s strain gauge is going to be 0- 30mV.

As you can see from above, the closest DIP setting on the G448-0002 is 0-50mV. However, the G448-0002 load cell transmitter has a built in ‘span’ potentiometer that you can use to adjust the voltage range down to 0-30mV. Ensure that the Excitation Voltage potentiometer is adjusted up to 10V

Output Options

Once you have selected the correct input type, you can set the output signal you require.

The options are:

4-20mA
0-20mA
0-1mA
0-10V
0.5V

The Action Instruments G448-0002 universal load cell transmitter is very versatile and is very simple to use.

It is the ideal choice for many weight and force monitoring applications, taking the output from the load cell’s strain gauge and converting it to the industry standard analogue signals that most PLCs and displays use.

If you would like any further information on the Action Instruments GS448-0002 universal industrial load cell transmitter, then please do not hesitate to contact ADM Instrument Engineering.