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LM339 comparator woes
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hylaster



Joined: Apr 11, 2007
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:21 pm    Post subject: LM339 comparator woes Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hello all. I'm working on a FSR touch CV controller. I am hoping to have trigger outs from a couple of the touch pads as well so I am using an LM339 in a basic comparator circuit.

According to the data sheet, this should be pretty straightforward. The reference voltage looks good - in this case around 3v, and the input voltage from the FSR looks right too. But I'm getting full voltage at the output without applying any pressure., Applying pressure past the reference voltage has no affect. Does anyone have any experience using th LM339 in this application?
Thanks!
chuck


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State Machine
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Well, if the REF is +3V (V-) and the Vin is grounded (V+), and the output is pulled up to Vcc via a resistor and you are still getting Vcc at the output, then the comparator is probably bad assuking Vcc and ground are properly connected.

That output should be saturated and pull the putput pin to 0V ideally. Do all sections of the comparator do this? Also, don't leave any other inputs on the other comparator sections floating and bypass the Vcc pin to ground with a 0.1 uF capacitor.

BTW: Can you show the entire circuit schematically for us?

Bill
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hylaster



Joined: Apr 11, 2007
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Location: Oakland

PostPosted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Same thing happens on all four comparators. FWIW - I have tried 3 different chips and 2 breadboards, so this must be user error.

I am using a 9v battery for power. See the attached, poorly-drawn schematic. In this version REF is more like 4.5v, after a voltage divider between the +9v and REF input.

All unused input pins are tied to ground. I am not sure what you mean by grounding Vin as there is only an FSR (two pins) between it and +9v.

Thanks for the help!


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blue hell
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

hylaster wrote:
as there is only an FSR (two pins) between it and +9v.


And that's exactly the problem Very Happy

The FSR will not lower the voltage on the +input as the +input has a very high impedance. You'll need an extra resistor from the +input to the ground to make the FSR and that resistor act as a voltage divider. The value of that restor would depend on the value range of the FSR. When you don't know that just experiment a bit with the value, you can't do any harm there.

_________________
Jan
also .. could someone please turn down the thermostat a bit.
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 11:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I second that Jan Wink

Bill
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hylaster



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PostPosted: Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

That was it! Thanks so much.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hylaster, welcome to electro-music BTW !!!

Bill
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