Arduino Temperature Sensor: How to use Temperature Sensing chips for Easy Temperature Measurement from standard room temperature to 1000's of Degrees Centigrade.

Arduino temperature sensors:

There are many types of temperature sensors:

• Some are integrated with built in digital logic e.g. DS18B20 - (network expandable).
  
  
• Some output a linearised voltage e.g. LM35 - (easy to use).
  
  
• Some are resistance based e.g. thermistor - (not so easy to use, but low cost).
  
  
• Some use the Seebeck effect for extreme temperature e.g. thermocouple.
  

Choosing a sensor depends on the range you want to measure and the accuracy you need (and the cost requirement).

Measuring temperature is quite easy on an Arduino, you will either:

• Use the ADC to read the voltage output of an analogue sensor,
• Use a digital interface such as 1-wire to read multiple sensors,
• Use a thermocouple with a digital interfacing chip.
  

Follow the links to find out how to use the most popular types:

Arduino Temperature Sensors with serial interface

DS18B20

The DS18B20 is a digital chip that has a unique ID laser engraved into it and it uses a 1-wire protocol that allows you to attach it to a single pin of a microcontroller.

So if you have used up all the ADC this one lets you use a digital pin to read temperature. The other advantage that this device has is that you can use a single wire and add multiple DSo18BB0s t that wire. You can read temperature from each device using the 1-wire protocol.

It means you can have lots of sensors wired into a large area and all you need is a single wire pair to use them!

Click here to go to the "DS18B20" page.

Arduino Temperature Sensors for extreme temperatures

MAX6675

The MAX6675 is a type K thermocouple interface chip that allows you to measure from 0ºC to 1024ºC. It provides the cold compensation required to make more accurate readings, so all you do is connect it up and use the digital interface to get the temperature from it.

It works using the Seebeck effect that shows when two dissimilar metals are in contact a current flows, and this current also changes with temperature.

The MAX6675 is limited to 1024ºC since a 12bit ADC is employed inside the chip. If you rolled your own you could get the type-K thermocouple to give you readings from -200ºC to 1350°C but the chip is far easier to use!

Click here to go to the "MAX6675" page.

Arduino Temperature Sensors with analogue output

Search:

Recent Articles

• 

1. SSD1306: Easily use this amazing display in any of your projects.

   
   For the SSD1306; What library should you use? Immediately Find out which libraries are best for Speed, Memory or Ease of Use. [Full comparison].

   Read more

2. How to use the MCP4922, a versatile 2 channel analogue output device

   
   The MCP4922 chip is an SPI interfaced 12 bit DAC but how fast can it go? Find out here.

   Read more

3. MCP3008: Find out if this ADC is as good as it claims

   
   MCP3008: Do you need a 10 bit, 8 channel ADC with a high sample rate? This could be the right one. Find out its real sample rate here.

   Read more

4. TP4056: Your Essential guide to the LiPo Battery Charger IC

   
   Learn how to use the TP4056 properly. There's a right way, and a wrong way for safe charging of Lithium Ion batteries with this chip.

   Read more

5. Arduino Reference: Your Essential Guide to Arduino Functions

   Arduino reference: Arduino functions don't always work the way you think they do! Easily improve your code by learning all about these functions and avoid common problems.

   Read more

6. Arduino String to int - standard function and code.

   Arduino String to int: How to convert a string into an integer. Find out the standard function for this operation and learn how to code it yourself.

   Read more