Erm, ***ROOKIE HERE***.... Really i'm just asking for a bit of help... for my electronics project in sixth form i wanted to make a power output monitor for my poweramps...
Basically i'd have a cheap microcontroller with lcd display etc, all of which i'm ok with, but the main point is how to gather data without affecting the signal.
To work out power, i'll need voltage and current, and i'm unsure of how do gain this in a analogue voltage form to feed into my pic's.
My dad built an old chromatone, which used a transformer on the input i think, but when you cranked up the volume, with a 400w poweramp it distorted the signal... I was thinking something like op amps? i really dont know...
Any help would be greatly recieved.
Cheers
Basically i'd have a cheap microcontroller with lcd display etc, all of which i'm ok with, but the main point is how to gather data without affecting the signal.
To work out power, i'll need voltage and current, and i'm unsure of how do gain this in a analogue voltage form to feed into my pic's.
My dad built an old chromatone, which used a transformer on the input i think, but when you cranked up the volume, with a 400w poweramp it distorted the signal... I was thinking something like op amps? i really dont know...
Any help would be greatly recieved.
Cheers
The best way I can think to do this would be to measure two main voltages from the output of your amp to give you an idea of the curent and voltage out. The output voltage is fairly simple, just measure between the positive and negative speaker terminals (using an RMS meter) to get your value. The output curent is also fairly simple if you amplifier has an output resistor, as you can just measure the voltage accross this and use it's resistance to workout the curent flowing through it (again use an RMS meter and if you have multiple parallel output resistors, make sure to take his into account when you are working out the current output).
If you want some idea of where to start on this I would sujest hainvg a look at the ESP pages, where I think (if memory serves me correctly) there are some RMS measuring circuis which you could easily adapt to use ofr this type of project.
If you want some idea of where to start on this I would sujest hainvg a look at the ESP pages, where I think (if memory serves me correctly) there are some RMS measuring circuis which you could easily adapt to use ofr this type of project.
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