Low Voltage Smart Scale Power Reference – Fix It Right!
🔧 The Problem
Smart weighing scales often run on compact battery-powered circuits. When the voltage dips too low—especially below 3V—load cells and ADCs start giving inaccurate readings. This causes unreliable weight measurements or sudden device failures. Most beginners miss this subtle issue, blaming sensors instead.
💡 The Solution
Use a precision voltage reference (like 2.5V or 3V) to stabilize the analog front end of your smart scale. Additionally, a low dropout (LDO) regulator can help maintain consistent power to the HX711 ADC module, even when the battery drains. This ensures consistent sensor output and extends overall scale reliability.
🏠 Practical Example
Say you’re prototyping a kitchen scale using an HX711 and a load cell with a 3.7V Li-ion battery. If the battery voltage drops to 3.2V, your readings fluctuate wildly. Add an MCP1700 LDO with a 3.0V output and feed your HX711 through it. Now, even if battery voltage varies, the ADC sees a clean 3.0V reference.
📐 Sample Calculation
Powering HX711 at 3.0V drawing ~1.5mA:
Power = V × I = 3V × 1.5mA = 4.5mW
Even a small Li-ion battery can run this for days!
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