USB-1616HS-2 User's Guide

Functional Details

Thermocouple input

You can configure up to eight analog inputs in differential mode on the USB-1616HS-2 to accept a thermocouple (TC) input. Built-in cold-junction sensors are provided for each of the screw-terminal connectors, and any TC type can be attached to any of the eight thermocouple channels.

When measuring TCs, the USB-1616HS-2 can operate in an averaging mode, taking multiple readings on each channel, applying digital filtering and cold-junction compensation, and then converting the readings to temperature.

As a result, the USB-1616HS-2 measures channels with TCs attached at a rate from 50 Hz to 10 kHz, depending on how much over-sampling is selected.

Additionally, a rejection frequency can be specified in which over sampling occurs during one cycle of either 50 Hz or 60 Hz, providing a high level of 50 Hz or 60 Hz rejection.

The USB-1616HS-2 does not have open thermocouple detection.

Tips for making accurate temperature measurements

ƒSet the rejection frequency to equal the line frequency.

ƒWarm up the USB-1616HS-2 for 60 minutes—including TC wires—so that it is thermally stabilized. This warm-up time enables the CJC thermistors to more accurately measure the junction at the terminal block.

ƒMake sure the surrounding environment is thermally stabilized and ideally around 20 °C to 30 °C. If the device's ambient temperature is changing due to a local heating or cooling source, then the TC junction temperature may be changing and the CJC thermistor will have a larger error.

ƒUse small-diameter, instrument-gradeTC wire. Small diameter TC wire has less effect on the TC junction at the terminal block because less heat is transferred from the ambient environment to the junction.

ƒUse shielded TC wire (see "Shielding" below) with the shield connected to analog common to reduce noise. The USB-1616HS-2 has several analog commons on the screw terminals.

You can also minimize the effect of noise by averaging readings (see "Averaging" below), or combining both shielding and averaging.

Refer to "Screw terminal pin outs" section starting on page 13 for the locations of these analog common screw terminals.

ƒMake sure the USB-1616HS-2 is mounted on a flat surface.

ƒBe careful to avoid loading down the digital outputs too heavily (>1 mA). Heavy load down causes significant heat generation inside the unit and increase the CJC thermistor error.

Shielding

Use shielded TC wire with the shield connected to analog common to reduce noise.

The USB-1616HS-2 several analog common screw terminals (see "Connecting the board for I/O operations" starting on page 12). You can connect the shield of a shielded thermocouple to one of the analog commons. When this connection is made, leave the shield at the other end of the thermocouple unconnected.

Caution! Connecting the shield to common at both ends results in a ground loop.

Averaging

Certain acquisition programs apply averaging after several samples have been collected. Depending on the nature of the noise, averaging can reduce noise by the square root of the number of averaged samples.

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Measurement Specialties USB-1616HS-2 Thermocouple input, Tips for making accurate temperature measurements, Shielding