Professional Documents
Culture Documents
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuide
CONTRIBUTORS:
FAVORITE
SARAHALMUTLAQ,
ALEXTHEGIANT
GettingStarted
TheHX711loadcellamplifierisusedtogetmeasurabledataoutfromaloadcellandstraingauge.ThisHookupGuidewillshowyouhowtogetstartedwiththisamplifier
usingsomeofthevariousloadcellswecarryatSparkFun.
WhatYouWillNeed:
ForthissimplehookupguidewewilljustbehookingupaloadcellwiththeHX711amplifier,andshowinghowyouwouldhookupfourloadsensorswithacombinator
boardandtheHX711amplifier.Tofollowalong,youllneed:
SparkFunLoadCellAmplifierHX711
AnyStrainGaugeBasedLoadCell:
LoadCell200kg,Disc(TAS606)
LoadCell50kg,Disc(TAS606)
SEN13332
SEN13331
$56.96
2
$56.96
LoadCell10kg,StraightBar(TAL220)
LoadCell10kg,WideBar(TAL201)
SEN13329
SEN13330
$6.96
3
$11.95
Ifyouareplanningonusingloadsensors1youwillneedtoobtainorpurchasefourunits.WerecommendourCombinatorBoardtomakeiteasytoturnthefourstrain
gaugesintoawheatstonebridgetypeloadcell.(Singlestraingaugeloadcellsonlyhavethreewiresinsteadoffour.)
SuggestedReading
Ifyouarentfamiliarwiththefollowingconcepts,werecommendreviewingthembeforebeginningtoworkwiththeHX711LoadCellAmplifierBoard.
LoadCellBasics
GettingStartedwithLoadCells
InstallingtheArduinoIDE
HowtoPowerYourProject
BatteryTechnologies
HowtoSolder
1.[Straingaugesaretwowiredorganizedmetalfoilorwiresthataresetupinsuchawaythattheresistancechangeswhenitiscompressedorstretched.Whenastraingaugeisplacedonsomething(usuallymetallicinnature)its
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/loadcellamplifierhx711breakouthookupguide
1/9
11/2/2016
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
1.[Straingaugesaretwowiredorganizedmetalfoilorwiresthataresetupinsuchawaythattheresistancechangeswhenitiscompressedorstretched.Whenastraingaugeisplacedonsomething(usuallymetallicinnature)its
resistancechangesbasedonthestressexperiencedbythatsomething.Whenasinglestraingaugeishookeduptoametalliccell,wearecallingthataloadsensors,whichhavethreeoutputwires.Loadcellsusuallyhasfourstrain
gaugeshookedupinawheatstonebridgeformation,whichhavefouroutputwires.Formoreinformationonloadcells,straingauges,andwheatstonebridgesseeourtutorial.]
LoadCellSetUp
Aselectionofdifferentloadcells
Dependingonthetypeofloadcellyouareusing,theconfigurationofhowitshouldbehookeduptoplatesorsurfaceswillchange.Belowareafewdifferenttypesof
setups.
Barloadcellbetweenatwoplateconfiguration
Sloadcellconfiguration
Possiblefourdiscloadcellconfigurationinsomethinglikeabathroomscale
Barstraingaugebasedloadcells
Usuallywithlarger,nonpushbuttonbarloadcellsyouwillwanttohookuptheloadcellbetweentwoplatesinaZshape,withfittingscrewsandspacerssothatthe
straincanbecorrectlymeasuredasshownbelow:
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/loadcellamplifierhx711breakouthookupguide
2/9
11/2/2016
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
Notethatonlyonesideoftheloadcellisscrewedintoeachboard.Thisprovidesamomentofforce,ortorque,onthestraingaugeratherthanjustcompressionforce,
whichiseasiertomeasureandmuchmoreaccurate.
Forsmaller,pushbuttonordiscloadcells,youwillwanttomakesuretoscrewinthedisctoabottomplate(orsurfaceyouaremeasuringforceagainst),andcenterthe
beam,plate,orwhateverelseyouarewishingtomeasuretheforceofontothebuttononthetop.Usuallyanotherplatewithaholeisusedtomakesurewhateveryou
aremeasuringishittingthesamespotontheloadcelleachtime,butitisnotnecessary.
Makesuretoreadthedatasheetfortheloadcellyouareusingandgetthecorrectscrewstofitintoit.
Note:IfyouarehookingtogetherfouroftheSparkFunLoadSensorsusingtheCombinatorboard,youshouldpositionthefourloadsensorsequidistantfromeach
other,justlikethebathroomscalesshowninthistutorial.
Loadcellmeasurementscanbeoffby+/5%duetoarangeofthingsincludingtemperature,creep,vibration,drift,andotherelectricalandmechanicalinterferences.
Beforeyouinstallyourscale,takeamomentanddesignyoursystemtoallowforeasycalibrationorbeabletoadjustthecodeparameterstoaccountforthesevariations.
HardwareHookup
TheHX711LoadCellAmplifieracceptsfivewiresfromtheloadcell.ThesepinsarelabeledwithcolorsRED,BLK,WHT,GRN,andYLW.Thesecolorscorrespondtothe
conventionalcolorcodingofloadcells,wherered,black,greenandwhitewirescomefromthestraingaugeontheloadcellandyellowisanoptionalgroundwirethatis
nothookeduptothestraingaugebutistheretogroundanysmalloutsideEMI(electromagneticinterference).Sometimesinsteadofayellowwirethereisalargerblack
wire,foil,orloosewirestoshieldthesignalwirestolessenEMI.
Fourstraingauges(SG1through4)hookedupinawheatstonebridgeformation
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/loadcellamplifierhx711breakouthookupguide
3/9
11/2/2016
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
Herewehavealargeblackwire,someloosewires,andfoilandloosewiresrespectivelyasEMIbuffers
InGeneral,eachloadcellhasfourstraingaugesthatarehookedupinawheatstonebridgeformationasshownabove.
Thefourwirescomingoutfromthewheatstonebridgeontheloadcellareusually:
Excitation+(E+)orVCCisred
Excitation(E)orgroundisblack.
Output+(O+),Signal+(S+)+orAmplifier+(A+)iswhite
O,S,orAisgreenorblue
Someloadcellsmighthaveslightvariationsincolorcodingsuchasblueinsteadofgreenoryellowinsteadofblackorwhiteifthereareonlyfourwires(meaningnowire
usedasanEMIbuffer).Youmighthavetoinferalittlefromthecolorsthatyouhave,butingeneralyouwillusuallyseethesecolors.
IfthereadingsfromtheHX711areoppositeofwhatyouareexpect(forexamplethevaluesdecreaseasyouincreaseweight)simplyreversetheO+/Owires.
Oncetheloadcellisishookeduptotheamplifier,youcanhookupVDD,VCC,DAT,CLK,andGNDtoamicrocontrollersuchasaRedBoardorArduinoboard.
NoteVCCistheanalogvoltagetopowertheloadcell.VDDisthedigitalsupplyvoltageusedtosetthelogiclevel.
PROTIP:Inmanycases,youcanjustshortVCCandVDDtogether.Ifyourmicrocontrolleruses3.3Vlogichowever,you'llwanttoconnectVCCto5VandVDDto
3.3V.
LoadcellwireshookeduptotheHX711Amplifierboard
TheexamplecodehasDATandCLKhookeduptopin3and2respectively,butthisiseasilychangedinthecode.AnyGPIOpinwillworkforeither.ThenVCCandVDD
justneedtobehookedupto2.75VandGNDtogroundonyourmicrocontroller.
FritzingdiagramofHX711amplifierconnectedtoaRedBoard
Now,ifyouwouldliketosetupfoursingleloadsensorswithourcombinatorboardandamplifier,connectthefivepinslabeledRED,BLK,WHT,GRN,YLWtothematching
pinsontheHX711.Next,connecteachofthefourloadsensorstothefollowingpins:
Red+
Black
WhiteC
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/loadcellamplifierhx711breakouthookupguide
4/9
11/2/2016
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
Thecombinatorboardalsohasroomforan8pinRJ45socket,whichcanbeusedtoconnectyourprojectviaEthernetcablesforlongdistanceapplications.
Anothernicethingaboutourcombinatorboardisthatmosthomescalesusefoursinglestraingaugeloadsensors,sothisisahandyboardforhackingyourownscalesat
home!
Hackedhomescalesfourloadsensorshookeduptoourcombinatorboard
Exampleofasinglestraingauge,orloadsensor.HereREDisthecentertap
Forloadsensors,thereisntasetcolorcodedstandard.Comparingthescalepicturedabovewiththeloadsensorschematic,whiletheblackwiresmatched,theredand
whitewireswereswapped.Also,onlytwoofthefoursensorsusedawhitewireforthecentertapoftheloadsensor,theothertwousedgreen.Iconnectedtheblack
wiresto,theredto+,andthewhiteandgreenwirestoC.
Todeterminehowtohookupyoursinglestraingaugeloadcellstothecombinator,measuretheresistancebetweenthethreewires.Youshouldfindalargerresistance
(closetodouble)betweenapair.Inourexampletheresistancebetweenredandblackwas1.6k,andtheresistancebetweenwhite/greenandredwas800.
Therefore,thecentertaptothestraingaugeisthewhite/greenwire.ThecentertaporcenterpinofyourstraingaugeconnectstotheCpinonthecombinator.The
largerresistancewires(redandblackinthisexample)connecttothe+andpinsonthecombinator.
Thecombinatorboardhooksupthefourloadsensorsinsuchawaythattworesistorsinthewheatstonebridgeconfigurationareconstantvaluesandtheothertwoare
variableinthisway:
TohookupthecombinatorboardtotheHX711matchtheRED,BLK,WHT,andGRNpins
Onceyouhavethecombinatorboardsuccessfullysolderedtothetwelvewires,youcannowconnectittotheHX711amplifierboardviathe4standardloadcellwires.You
canuseshortjumperwiresorifyourelectronicsarealongdistanceawayfromyourscaleconsiderusinganRJ45connectorandanethernetcabletoconnectthe
combinatortotheHX711amplifier.
ArduinoCode
Nowthatyouhaveyourloadcell,amplifier,andmicrocontrollerhookedup,youcanaddyourcodeandstartcalibratingyoursetup.
Youcandownloadthemostuptodatecodeandlibrariesfromthelinkbelow.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/loadcellamplifierhx711breakouthookupguide
5/9
11/2/2016
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
GITHUBREPOSITORY
Note:ThisexampleassumesyouareusingthelatestversionoftheArduinoIDEonyourdesktop.IfthisisyourfirsttimeusingArduino,pleasereviewoututorialon
installingtheArduinoIDE.IfyouhavenotpreviouslyinstalledanArduinolibrary,pleasecheckoutourinstallationguide.
Thefirstthingyouwillwanttoworkwithisthecalibrationcode:SparkFun_HX711_Calibration:
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/loadcellamplifierhx711breakouthookupguide
6/9
11/2/2016
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
/*
ExampleusingtheSparkFunHX711breakoutboardwithascale
By:NathanSeidle
SparkFunElectronics
Date:November19th,2014
License:Thiscodeispublicdomainbutyoubuymeabeerifyouusethisandwemeetsomeday(Beerwarelicense).
Thisisthecalibrationsketch.Useittodeterminethecalibration_factorthatthemainexampleuses.Italso
outputsthezero_factorusefulforprojectsthathaveapermanentmassonthescaleinbetweenpowercycles.
SetupyourscaleandstartthesketchWITHOUTaweightonthescale
Oncereadingsaredisplayedplacetheweightonthescale
Press+/ora/ztoadjustthecalibration_factoruntiltheoutputreadingsmatchtheknownweight
Usethiscalibration_factorontheexamplesketch
Thisexampleassumespounds(lbs).Ifyoupreferkilograms,changetheSerial.print("lbs");linetokg.The
calibrationfactorwillbesignificantlydifferentbutitwillbelinearlyrelatedtolbs(1lbs=0.453592kg).
Yourcalibrationfactormaybeverypositiveorverynegative.Italldependsonthesetupofyourscalesystem
andthedirectionthesensorsdeflectfromzerostate
Thisexamplecodeusesbogde'sexcellentlibrary:https://github.com/bogde/HX711
bogde'slibraryisreleasedunderaGNUGENERALPUBLICLICENSE
Arduinopin2>HX711CLK
3>DOUT
5V>VCC
GND>GND
MostanypinontheArduinoUnowillbecompatiblewithDOUT/CLK.
TheHX711boardcanbepoweredfrom2.7Vto5VsotheArduino5Vpowershouldbefine.
*/
#include"HX711.h"
#defineDOUT3
#defineCLK2
HX711scale(DOUT,CLK);
floatcalibration_factor=7050;//7050workedformy440lbmaxscalesetup
voidsetup(){
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.println("HX711calibrationsketch");
Serial.println("Removeallweightfromscale");
Serial.println("Afterreadingsbegin,placeknownweightonscale");
Serial.println("Press+oratoincreasecalibrationfactor");
Serial.println("Pressorztodecreasecalibrationfactor");
scale.set_scale();
scale.tare();//Resetthescaleto0
longzero_factor=scale.read_average();//Getabaselinereading
Serial.print("Zerofactor:");//Thiscanbeusedtoremovetheneedtotarethescale.Usefulinpermanentscaleprojects.
Serial.println(zero_factor);
}
voidloop(){
scale.set_scale(calibration_factor);//Adjusttothiscalibrationfactor
Serial.print("Reading:");
Serial.print(scale.get_units(),1);
Serial.print("lbs");//ChangethistokgandreadjustthecalibrationfactorifyoufollowSIunitslikeasaneperson
Serial.print("calibration_factor:");
Serial.print(calibration_factor);
Serial.println();
if(Serial.available())
{
chartemp=Serial.read();
if(temp=='+'||temp=='a')
calibration_factor+=10;
elseif(temp==''||temp=='z')
calibration_factor=10;
}
}
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/loadcellamplifierhx711breakouthookupguide
7/9
11/2/2016
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
Onceyouhavecalculatedyourcalibrationfactorofyourloadcellsetup,youcanmoveontoothercode,suchasthesimplescaleoutputexamplecode,
SparkFun_HX711_Example:
/*
ExampleusingtheSparkFunHX711breakoutboardwithascale
By:NathanSeidle
SparkFunElectronics
Date:November19th,2014
License:Thiscodeispublicdomainbutyoubuymeabeerifyouusethisandwemeetsomeday(Beerwarelicense).
Thisexampledemonstratesbasicscaleoutput.Seethecalibrationsketchtogetthecalibration_factorforyour
specificloadcellsetup.
Thisexamplecodeusesbogde'sexcellentlibrary:https://github.com/bogde/HX711
bogde'slibraryisreleasedunderaGNUGENERALPUBLICLICENSE
TheHX711doesonethingwell:readloadcells.Thebreakoutboardiscompatiblewithanywheatstonebridge
basedloadcellwhichshouldallowausertomeasureeverythingfromafewgramstotensoftons.
Arduinopin2>HX711CLK
3>DAT
5V>VCC
GND>GND
TheHX711boardcanbepoweredfrom2.7Vto5VsotheArduino5Vpowershouldbefine.
*/
#include"HX711.h"
#definecalibration_factor7050.0//ThisvalueisobtainedusingtheSparkFun_HX711_Calibrationsketch
#defineDOUT3
#defineCLK2
HX711scale(DOUT,CLK);
voidsetup(){
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.println("HX711scaledemo");
scale.set_scale(calibration_factor);//ThisvalueisobtainedbyusingtheSparkFun_HX711_Calibrationsketch
scale.tare();//Assumingthereisnoweightonthescaleatstartup,resetthescaleto0
Serial.println("Readings:");
}
voidloop(){
Serial.print("Reading:");
Serial.print(scale.get_units(),1);//scale.get_units()returnsafloat
Serial.print("lbs");//Youcanchangethistokgbutyou'llneedtorefactorthecalibration_factor
Serial.println();
}
CheckouttheotherexamplecodeintheGithubrepoforpoweringdowntheHX711(github)andknownzerostartup(github).
ResourcesandGoingFurther
Wanttoknowmore?Checkoutthistutorialifyouhaventalready:
GettingStartedwithLoadCells
JUNE11,2015
Atutorialdefiningwhataloadcellisandhowtouseone.
YoumayalsobeinterestedinlearningabouttheOpenScale.
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/loadcellamplifierhx711breakouthookupguide
8/9
11/2/2016
LoadCellAmplifierHX711BreakoutHookupGuidelearn.sparkfun.com
OpenScaleApplicationsandHookupGuide
JULY22,2016
OpenScaleallowsyoutohaveapermanentscaleforindustrialandbiological
applications.LearnhowtousetheOpenScaleboardtoreadandconfigure
loadcells.
Needevenmore?Checkoutthisawesomearticlewheatstonebridgesandloadcelltypes.
Forsomeinspiration,checkouttheSparkFunIoTBeehive:
TheInternetofBees:AddingSensorstoMonitorHiveHealth
AndstayuptodatewiththeOpenScalebyfollowingitonGitHub:
InternetofBeesGitHubRepository
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/loadcellamplifierhx711breakouthookupguide
9/9