Hello I hope someone can help me. I am new to the Arduino environment. I have just completed a build of a 3D printer made by SeeMeCNC called Rostock MAX V2.0/ It uses the Auduino environment so I have used the system type a little bit. I am impressed by the Arduino system and support. My needs now are not related to the 3D printer.
I want to make a module to calculate the true power delivered to a heater not the apparent power. The controller utilizes a triac output device so I am not dealing with a sine wave system. I have two outputs from the controller that I have built, one for voltage delivered to the heating element and one that represents the current delivered.
The voltage output is from a 100 to 1 voltage divider since the heater is running on 240vac I should see a signal from 0 to 5V max bipolar. I know that the Arduino has unipolar inputs so I will be putting a level shifting network and capacitively couple the output to be unipolar to the 0 to 5V range. i.e. 2.5 volts would equal 0 volts.
The current output is derived from an toroidal core inductor that has the power lead to the load passing through the core. I get about 3Vac rms for a 30 amp load. Measured using a sine wave source (triac not in system). Again I will couple my AC sense with a capacitor to a level shifting network to satisfy the unipolar inputs and to maintain phase angle for the power calculations.
What I need to do is read these two signals at about 256 times the AC fundamental of 60Hz (16ms/256) produce a product that represents the power, then display this result on a LCD display. I do not know if this platform will handle the speed needed. Is there anyone that knows the platform that could recommend the products needed?
I have ability to program in C if needed. Maybe someone has already done this and I could be pointed in the right direction. I will develop the skills needed if this platform will yield results. I just want to have an idea that this platform will handle the developed results.
