Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
Community Bench Meter
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Ferroto:
heh most of these posts are well above my head.

I'd recommend physically intergrading the uCurrent adapter in the project.
badSCR:
If someone does not have a PICkit to program the microcontrollers,  They could just order the PIC  with the code already programmed into it.  I have a pickit2 so its not a problem for me.

"Looking for a low-cost programming solution? Let Microchip do the programming in a fast, cost-effective, secure and proven method."
Ferroto:

--- Quote from: badSCR on January 30, 2010, 10:23:55 pm ---If someone does not have a PICkit to program the microcontrollers,  They could just order the PIC  with the code already programmed into it.  I have a pickit2 so its not a problem for me.

"Looking for a low-cost programming solution? Let Microchip do the programming in a fast, cost-effective, secure and proven method."

--- End quote ---

I think digikey offers that option as well.
dmlandrum:
I concur with Dave on this one. Using an Arduino for this project (and for the record, I'd like a bench meter) would get the attention of Make Magazine and you'd have a large DIY contingent descend upon this place like Martin Sargent at a Megan Fox convention. That can be both a good and bad thing. ;) Arduinos also have the advantage of being relatively cheap and fairly easy to program. A shield could be designed with the extra components needed for true RMS and so on.

But I'm not the expert here, so I'll leave it to you guys.
EEVblog:
My train of thought on this one...

Stick with bench mounted instead of handheld, because handheld has too many variables that will muddy the requirements.

So, a bench meter. Well, it's gotta be more than a bench meter of course, and with the suggestions so far it's actually becoming more of a general purpose "bench instrument/lab system".

So what would the average punter want from such a system?
Well, all the usual multimeter stuff and data logging that's been talked about, simple very low end oscilloscope functionality, maybe a simple logic analyser / serial protocol system, some form of simple functional generator, and a lab power supply. Bingo, you have a complete mini lab in one unit.

But I wouldn't try and make it all the one unit, I'd have them as separate modules. One as the bench meter/data logger/oscilloscope, one as the bench power supply (that could also power the other modules), one as a PC/Ethernet/WiFi comms module etc.

Such a system would need some thought into any required comms between systems, or they could just be made separate and stackable.

I'm actually working on a very low cost bench power supply at the moment, and was actually considering those stackable bench enclosures (http://www.polycase.com/category/zn-series.html). This is a spin off my almost already developed uSupply project which is another very low cost but quite capable power supply (the uSupply has made a cameo blog appearance, but everyone almost certainly missed it)

Food for thought.

Dave.
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