NateA2
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2012
- Location
- Ann Arbor MI.
I have been contemplating building a set of electronic differential levels. For the past few months I have been reading up on how they (supposedly) work and thinking about how difficult it might be to make a set.
The best information I have found on how they work is in this 8 page PDF.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...QD3Ntbi79PkcRdFzw&sig2=3Bh8MBabXKlU5i3lwgQt6g
Looking into how my electronic indicators (knowing they may prove to be used as the sensing portion of a home-brew electronic level system) I took one apart (30.00 on ebay and was worth every penny) I learned that its really just a simple LVDT Linear variable differential transformer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia of sorts.
for testing purposes I attached a 6" rod to the indicator and put a weight at the end. the indicator thus became part of a pendulum that used the indicators lever pivot (as the pivot of course) and allowed me to set it up as a crude and uncalibrated level for testing. I was able to easily see very minute changes in deviation from horizontal, and thus I concluded that as a POC, this test was a success.
Since electronic indicators appear to be nothing more than a conveniently laid out LVDT of sorts with a mounting portion and a lever, I began looking into LVDT's. they are readily available- at relatively high cost. They additionally lack the needed form format for use in an electronic level. For an electronic level I need a completely non-contact LVDT. Well...turns out they are actually simple and cheap to make in a wide variety of forms.
See here for how easy they are to make. LVDTs
Now, electronic indicator DC readouts range from cheap to outrageous second hand on ebay, that said, they appear to be build-able with some available components like the phillips NE5521. These aparently contain most of whats needed to drive a LVDT and have it coupled to a DC meter. IF this IS the case, then making a display with two DC meters and the appropriate nulling ability (not to mention output that can be input into a PC) should be quite do-able.
So...if the LVDT's are cheap and simple to make, the NE5521's are available at ~30 USD ea (I bought 3 from china for testing) DC meters are ~15.00 each, I should be able to make a set of levels for under a few hundred dollars (if I don't include my time)
Building a LVDT that has a non contact core riding on 2 reeds and weighted as a pendulum should be fairly simple.
Am I crazy, or does this look as possible as I think it is?
The best information I have found on how they work is in this 8 page PDF.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...QD3Ntbi79PkcRdFzw&sig2=3Bh8MBabXKlU5i3lwgQt6g
Looking into how my electronic indicators (knowing they may prove to be used as the sensing portion of a home-brew electronic level system) I took one apart (30.00 on ebay and was worth every penny) I learned that its really just a simple LVDT Linear variable differential transformer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia of sorts.
for testing purposes I attached a 6" rod to the indicator and put a weight at the end. the indicator thus became part of a pendulum that used the indicators lever pivot (as the pivot of course) and allowed me to set it up as a crude and uncalibrated level for testing. I was able to easily see very minute changes in deviation from horizontal, and thus I concluded that as a POC, this test was a success.
Since electronic indicators appear to be nothing more than a conveniently laid out LVDT of sorts with a mounting portion and a lever, I began looking into LVDT's. they are readily available- at relatively high cost. They additionally lack the needed form format for use in an electronic level. For an electronic level I need a completely non-contact LVDT. Well...turns out they are actually simple and cheap to make in a wide variety of forms.
See here for how easy they are to make. LVDTs
Now, electronic indicator DC readouts range from cheap to outrageous second hand on ebay, that said, they appear to be build-able with some available components like the phillips NE5521. These aparently contain most of whats needed to drive a LVDT and have it coupled to a DC meter. IF this IS the case, then making a display with two DC meters and the appropriate nulling ability (not to mention output that can be input into a PC) should be quite do-able.
So...if the LVDT's are cheap and simple to make, the NE5521's are available at ~30 USD ea (I bought 3 from china for testing) DC meters are ~15.00 each, I should be able to make a set of levels for under a few hundred dollars (if I don't include my time)
Building a LVDT that has a non contact core riding on 2 reeds and weighted as a pendulum should be fairly simple.
Am I crazy, or does this look as possible as I think it is?