I’m 53 and just started into electronics. I have been a mechanic all my life and have very little understanding of anything beyond voltage amps and resistance. This is fun stuff. Wish I had picked this up along time ago. Thanks
I don't know how to thank you but I now have a much better understanding of how these sensors work and also Transistors as well. I've had problems comprehending these for over 2 years. Thanks very much for clearing the fog in my head SIR!!. Thanks Again.
8 years later I go on youtube to refresh my knowledge on PNP sensors..and guess who it is in the video? Dorian M. I took one of his electronics courses, he's a Great Instructor!
Very helpfull video. I needed to set up a photoelectric sensor to a digital counter that came with very limited instructions. Your in depth video proved to be very usefull in understanding the correct procedure in connecting it all and making it work. Thanks again.
Thanks very much for this clear explanation of a capacitive sensor and its working principles. Sir i an Electrician based in the UAE precisely Sharjah and so i really needed a mentor like you . Let me say a person that i will be directly asking for help and advises when i want to execute a project. Thanks .
Great video! Great explanation! It's rare when I can find a youtube vid that tells me exactly what I need to know without dragging on and on. After watching this I was able to hook up my proxy switches in about 10 min. Thanks!
you mentioned that you were going to make other videos on proximity sensors... I couldn't find it or I'm not looking in the correct spot. This was a great help.
I'm in the process of preparing some videos now for the students in my sensors course this summer. I have another video on "sinking and sourcing" if that topic interests you at PLC Sinking and Sourcing Check back in a few weeks or subscribe and you'll be notified when these go up. Glad you found the video useful. Let me know if you're looking for some specific topics. Thanks again for commenting.
Very useful. Your instructions are very clear - especially the stepped i.e. first the built-in activation indicator and then the light bulb; as well as the alternative configurations of some sensors. You have experience as an instructor - I don't have to look at any other videos to understand the use of the device. Thanks
Exactly what I came here for. Color coding. After I saw him show the sensor up close, I looked at mine, and the color codings are on the sensor itself expressed as BN BK and BU for brown, black, blue, or power, sensor, ground.
I clearly understood with your actual wiring with bulb. The sensor spec sheet is confusing when the put a load symbol. Now it is clear load is the plc input. Thanks for explaing.
There are some A.C. proximity sensors but 24VDC is a widely used voltage to power both PLCs and sensors. It is a safe voltage that allows technicians to work without being exposed to dangerous voltages.
I've had lots of success with the Omron # E3F2-R2C4 photo sensor. RUclips does not allow links to be embedded in comments but I'll tell you that you can get a used one of these sensors for $6 at 'All Electronics Corporation'. Good luck with your project
+Tshepo Shere Sorry but there was no reply option for your comment so I hope this works. You can buy programmable sensors or process the sensor data with a small controller or PLC. What kind of sensing do you want to do? Thanks.
Thanks Dorian nice job. Not trying to be critical, but, the schematic that popped up toward the end of your video looks like it should have had the ground that ties into the body of the sensor tied together with the negative (common) from the lamp, not separate?
Sorry about the confusion. The common connection between the sensor and the load was implied but not obvious as you mentioned. One of the problems with sourcing outputs is that sensor and load must usually share the same power supply since an interaction between two separate voltage sources, particulary with two different voltages, would result otherwise. All power supplies have a 0V or common output so these power supplies can be tied together but only two identical power supplies have the same V+ voltage so tying two separate power supplies together would cause a problem. This is one reason why an output scheme called "Open Collector" was popular for digital logic. Open Collector outputs allowed an sinking output transistor to switch an voltage much higher than the 5 volts required for the digital logic. Thanks for you comment.
Dorian McIntire Nice of you to clear that up for me. I'm just starting to learn about this technology and any "loose ends" can create confusion on my end. Thanks again.
the video was very good . I would like to know how this sensor will work in water tanker and how to calibrate it to show the level for example (1/4,1/2,3/4 and Full) with the help of LED.
There are several options depending on what you are allowed to do with the tank. If penetrations are allowed in the tank you could use side-mounted, float, reed-switch level sensors. These require a penetration for each level that you want to detect. These are simple, inexpensive and reliable www.gemssensors.com/About-Gems-Sensors/Press-Release/LS-7%20Versaplast If penetrations are not allowed you can use one of the following: - A top-mounted ultrasonic level sensor - Side mounted capacitive proximity sensor only if the tank is not metal and not too thick. You would need one sensor per level sensed. There are other options but the cost gets pretty high for other solutions. Proximity sensor will work well with water but not so much with petroleum products. Hope this helps
If I understand what you want to do correctly you want a wired ORing behavior for these sensors. This can be done easily by hooking (8), 3 wire, sinking (NPN) sensors in parallel. Hook the signal wires of these paralleled sensors to one side of your relay and the other side of the relay to V+. The activation of one or more sensors will activate the relay. Be careful because while paralleling sensors will work here it can cause shorts in the wrong application. Good luck with your project.
Hi great video I'm putting a tacho in my car and then found out I needed a pnp sensor didn't even know what it was let alonehow to wire it up after 1/2 an hour I found your video that spoke in plain English not AC-DC ABRIEVIATIONS FOR US SHORT CIRCUT people, I can say with out a doubt black would have been earth to me.I know this is over 3 years old what camera were you using to make the video the close ups are the best I've seen with out selling the kids. :)
I used a Sony handicam DCR-SR68 in those days. I'm now using a Sony Vixia, HD camera. I've always had good luck with Sony cameras. The optical zoom feature helps a lot with those closeups. You can get good HD cameras now for only a few hundred dollars if you shop around. The color coding for sensors is screwed up. I still often find myself trying to hook black to ground.
Dorian McIntire :Using older diagrams which indicate current flow from Batt. + (pos) to load-thru load- to Batt. -- (neg). If I understand correctly--if my Batt. ( + ) is my "source" , then everything else IS "downstream" from that (+) reference during current flow. If I place a sensor with contacts (N.O. to turn on/N.C. to turn off) BETWEEN the (+) and BEFORE my load, that location is termed a "sourcing" sensor ?? or if I locate my contacts (sensor) AFTER the load, downstream BETWEEN load and (--) or ground, that is termed "sinking" ?? is this correct ? In other words older vehicles had ignition points that make/break the Neg side of the Ign. coil. Points were BETWEEN Neg. of coil and engine ground, so using modern terminology, the Ign Points were on the "sinking" side of the coil ??.
Difficult to follow what you said but the following is true: -- If the sensor "contacts" (NPN transistor) are between ground and the output then the sensor is sinking, or switching the output to ground. -- If the sensor "contacts" (PNP transistor) are between V+ and the output then the sensor is sourcing or switching the output to V+. It's a simple concept but the two configurations confuse people because most people expect the output to be just a simple switch which should make it a non-issue.
actually....im working on a small project on proximity sensors....i found this video interesting can you tell me how much it costs for a pnp capacitive sensor which you have used in the video thank you
Frankmali17 I forgot to mention that the repeat-ability of a typical capacitive proximity sensor is around 2% of full scale. So for a 2mm sensor the repeat-ability is around .04mm which should be more than adequate for most situations.
Hi Dorian. I am going to make a speedometer for my bicycle an I will be using an inductive proximity sensor for that. I wanted to know how can adjust the sensor to detect a metal piece like a bolt attached to the bicycle spokes and not the spokes. Or if I should use something other then bolts ? Also what are two screws on the sensor . I think the adjustor is at the back of sensor so what is the role of those screws. I want to attach the sensors to a small screen a place some metal every 90 degrees so the sensor measures the time interval between successive signals and calculate the speed which will be shown on the screen .
Sounds like a nice project. I would look into using a Hall Effect sensor and a few small magnets instead of an inductive sensor. This would give the system much more sensitivity and decrease the tolerances of the components. Please keep us posted on how things go.
I have also been looking about hall effect sensor and think they would be good too. It's just that I off-road a lot and I read that hall effect sensor are very sensitive too dirt and dust. Still I am making the speedometer just for fun and think hall sensor will be better in that aspect as hall effect can operate at low voltages and are much easier to operate. Just wondering if you have a video on hall effect sensors too? And I will try to put a video once I get it working . Thankyou
Hi Dorian , this a excellent video , i been wondering why do we have Sinking & Sinking In-Out , I know that NPN is a sinking device and Sinking In and Sinking Out is a signal in a I/O module ,.In other words why do we use the Sinking option?. Some times i believe that is about the dropping voltage of circuitry. Thanks.
gerardolasvegasable This is a good question. The concept of sinking and sourcing allows two devices to send signals with no additional components required. The down side of sinking and sourcing is that one device must be the opposite of the other in order to simplify the interfacing. If you have a sourcing sensor you must have a sinking input on the receiving device and if you have a sinking sensor you must have a sourcing receiving device. If these conditions are met the devices can be connected with no additional components otherwise things can get complicated. Many PLCs have input cards that can handle both sinking and sourcing inputs. See my video about this called PLC interfacing made simple: ruclips.net/video/qwjPtqzy2nY/видео.html The BIG IDEA about sinking and sourcing is that the two devices together complete an electrical circuit that allows the receiving device to “know” the sensor changed state because. The receiving can only know a sensor changed state by sensing a voltage created inside the receiving device when the sensor switch is closed and a circuit is completed. To complete a circuit you must have a SOURCE of power (V+) and a return path to the power source, or SINK (ground or V-). Hope this helps and sorry for the delay
Hi, I do not mean to seem naive and have little to no understanding of electronics. However, i was wondering if it would be possible to create a proximity sensor that could locate a missing object, eg. TV remote. It is possible to attach a very small transmitter or something to the remote and have a device which could tell you how far the object is from you? The benefit being you wouldn't need to spend ages looking down sofas etc as it would guide you to it, either with a 'hotter, colder' buzzer or a device which visually displays the distance. Any response would be appreciated.
There a few ways to do this but some are expensive relative to the cost of the item they would allow you to locate. Passive RFID is inexpensive (basically a printed antenna) and a transmitter/receiver could be built to locate an item with an RFID sticker attached to it. Such a device could be built to locate items within a few feet of the transmitter. When Bluetooth and X-Bee technologies become cheaper manufacturers could embed transmitter/receiver pairs into such devices. Technologies exist to do what your asking its just a matter of keeping the cost down to affordable levels. Hope this was helpful. Dorian
is it the same proccess to wire it to a 24vdc relay? i might be misinterpreting but it looks like i should have two negatives hooked up to it according to the video. which doesnt make sense to me how would that close the relay?
+Tyler Torch The same blue wire used to provide negative power to the sensor is also common for the relay for a sourcing sensor. Most industrial sensors only use three wires to provide positive, signal output and common (-). Look up the term "circuit ground" or "circuit common" if you want to see more about the concept.
For single phase AC systems the Black wire is HOT, the White wire is neutral and the Green wire is Ground. In DC systems the Red wire is positive (+) and the Black wire is negative (-). The color code for DC industrial sensors is Brown for positive, Blue for Negative (AKA common) and Black for NPN (sinking) signal output, and White for PNP (sourcing) signal output. Unfortunately standards for for color codes don't seem to make much sense.
Thank you for the video... I am learning about these for CNC Machine use... How consistent are these type of sensors vs for example micro switches that have the little arm and wheel... ? thank you
Micro switches do a great job for low duty-cycle (events that don't occur very frequently) applications. If the leaf (metal lever) on the microswitch gets bent it will affect calibration. Proximity sensors can be adjusted to give consistent performance by either adjusting the position of the sensor relative to the sensed object or by adjusting the sensitivity setting on the sensor. Also they never wear out since the are non-contact sensors. Thanks for commenting.
An Ultrasonic Sensor would seem more suitable here; being the high signal character, and the large pulsed range of marked-space.. for the CNC i mean. Good luck `Frainkmail17` And nice vid, `Dorian` (Dorian
Major Utah I think Frank is talking about the limit switch used to zero an axis on a CNC machine. Traditionally a small micro switch with a roller arm is used for this but these can suffer from repeatability issues due to mechanical wear and bending of the mechanical arm. Prox sensors usually work very well in such applications sensing small distances with good repeatability. An ultrasonic detector is great choice for distance or level sensing and reporting but they usually don't do so well for these small distances (typically less than a centimeter). Yes, Dorian is a musical mode but also a member of an ancient Greek tribe known as the Dorians. Thanks for the comment and the thumbs up on the video.
I need one of these sensors to hook up to my computer and press the enter button everytime it senses a part passing by. Do you think this is possible and how so?
Hi, I'm a newbie, and a student and I wanted to learn about these things. I have question(s) about these sensors, specifically Capacitive sensor. I haven't tried any of those and I'm required to use this on a water level control project but I have no idea on how to wire a 3-wire Capacitive sensor. I have to use 2 Capacitive sensors. Can you help me? Please. I used the 555 IC for the control. Thanks!
hi question: I'm trying to get the right sensor that would activate a warning light when an object moves away from the sensor [ separation detection ] would that be a NPN normally Closed sensor? thank you great video
Yeah thank you that’s what I thought using a N/O sensor or a momentary N/O proximity switch since I’m not using arduino or a PLC in my project. Just the sensor and a warning light with buzzer connected to a 12 v. Supply. Thank s for the advice.
Thank you for the video it is so much informative. Can you please share the link of this sensor and how we can detect a metal with this sensor using Arduino?
Check out the follow video I created about this very topic using an inductive sensor which is made especially for detecting metal: ruclips.net/video/soJ4czkKpT4/видео.html
You could use the sensor to tell you when the level was low. You could create a threaded hole for the sensor in the oil reservoir at the low level and thread the sensor into place.
Sorry for the delay. RUclips keeps holding comments in limbo until I approve them. I bought a bunch of these off Ebay for about $10 a piece. Cap. Prox. sensors can cost over $50 if you buy them from an industrial supplier. Automation Direct has Cap. Prox. sensors and they ship quickly.
Hi Dorian, thank you for your video - it helped me a great deal. I wonder if you could suggest how to trouble shoot the following scenario: I have been using a LJC18A3-B-Z/BX 1-10mm Capacitance Proximity Sensor Switch (NPN NO DC 6-36V 300mA) as the auto leveling sensor in a Tevo Tarantula 3D printer. The printer is controlled by an MKS Base V1.4 Arduino ATMEGA 2560 M/B using Merlin firmware. The proximity sensor is wired to the MB in the following way: Sensor Brown (+ve) >>>>cable>>>> Power Supply (+ve) Sensor Blue (-ve) >>>>cable>>>> Power Supply (-ve) >>>>cable>>>> M/B Z- Switch Port (GND) Sensor Black (sig) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>cable>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> M/B Z- Switch Port (D18 +ve) The proximity sensor is aligned with the printer nozzle, and as the printer nozzle approaches the printer bed, the sensor triggers, thus determining the zero position for the Z axis. It does this at several positions on the printer bed, allowing the software to make corrections to the height of the nozzle if the printer bed is not level. This set up has worked really well on dozens of prints since 2018. But recently, a few seconds after turning the power on the cable connecting the Power Supply (-ve) to the M/B Z- Switch Port (GND) melted and burned generating lots of smoke . The sensor was several cm above the bed - that is: not activated. This is the only cable that was affected in this way The cable is easily replaced, but I can't figure out what might have gone wrong, and I don't want to just replace the cable until I know what may have caused the problem and that it can't happen again. I am concerned that it may be the sensor or the main board, but I don't know how to check either of those things and if it is one of those things I can't explain why only that particular cable and no others were affected. Can you help me again by suggesting what I should be checking?
Difficult to say but if the sensor was inactivated at the time the only type of failure I can imagine is an internal short between V+ and ground inside the sensor. May just be one of those random events that may never happen again. If the sensor was activated at the time I would have guessed an NPN driver transistor short due to a low resistance load driven by the transistor. Might also want to check if the power supply sent a voltage spike to the sensor that exceeded 36 volts. Good Luck
@@DorianMcIntire Thank you very much - It actually reassures me that you think it may be a random event - The main thing that puzzled me is that the other wires were not affected, not even the wire coming out of the sensor that is connected to the one that melted or the adjacent wire that is actually bonded as a pair (I wish I could post a picture). It occurred to me that the cable may have shorted to ground on something. Cable management has been difficult and there are twists and turns within a tight space. I'll try some tests with a multi-meter to see that everything is working as expected and if it is I'll try rewiring the old sensor. If it happens again I'll replace the sensor and if it fails again then there is something wrong with main board... ($$$) - I'll keep you posted, if interested.
Great Video! I have a couple of 2 wire (AC) photoelectric sensors with transmitter and receiver combined in one unit. Any idea how these might operate?
Yes, 2-wire AC sensors require the load, typically a relay or a light 120 volt load, to be connected in series with the sensor and power. The sensor closes an internal contact or Triac switch to turn the load on and off. See the following data sheet for details: www.cmafh.com/images/Master%20PDFs/Balluff/Tubular/AC-DC%202W%20Wiring%20Diagram.JPG Hope this helps.
Dorian McIntire Thank you. Now it all (or at least some) makes sense. I just ordered an AC contactor ( and a fire extinguisher) so I can do some experiments. Thanks again for your help. Your tutorials are by far the best! Simple, straight forward and informative. Looking forward to watching more of your videos this weekend!
Hi! What is the difference between PNP and NPN sensors? By accident I bought 3 NPN instead of PNP. I was trying to send output signal with this one, but it doesn't work. I already ordered the PNP one and I am just waiting to it get to my place. One of them I think isn't working because I tried to connect the leads as you say in this video and also the diagram on it is saying the colour code like yours, and still the LED light doesn't turn on, this one I think is faulty.
PNP sensors are Sourcing sensors NPN sensors are sinking Sensors. I have a video on the difference between sinking and sourcing you can view here: PLC Sinking and Sourcing Also if you are trying to drive an LED you must use a current-limiting resistor to avoid burning out the LED and the sensor. You must also ensure the polarity of the LED is correct. The transistor in either an NPN or PNP sensor is only a polarity-sensitive switch and does not provide an output voltage by itself. The transistor is used to complete a circuit between power, the load and ground. Hope this helps.
Dorian McIntire Thanks a lot for you answer! Actually what I'm trying to do is activate a solenoid (DC 12V 0.5N 6mm Pull Type Open Frame Electric Magnet Solenoid Electromagnet) it works with a 9V battery I thought that I could use the same principle as you show in this video to make it works like the LED, but nothing happens. the funny thing is when I check the voltage it shows 9V, but the solenoid doesn't work I think it's due a voltage drop because the resistance created through the sensor, then I tried 18 volts doesn't work as well. I am waiting for another solenoid a better one (12V 5Kg Electrified Rate Pull Force Tubular Frame Solenoid Electromagnet), for the LED I used a resistor it did work. However it does heat, which resistor should I use for a 5 MM LED I got those 100Ω Resistors 1 kΩ Resistors 4.7 kΩ Resistors 10 kΩ Resistors 47 kΩ Resistors X 100 kΩ Resistors I just started to learn about those things which one is better and which one is the strongest. I read some thing about the colour coding, but I am still not 100% sure, what would you suggest? Thanks you..
Dear sir I would like to put together a system that will help me detect when an object taken out of the building doors. When it leaves either doors(two doors) I would like to be alerted with vibration from a handheld receiver and directed with a specific colored light from the same handheld receiver to know which door the object taken. For instance if the east door is green the west side would be red. Could you help please
This would be difficult using industrial sensors since the range of these devices is very limited. A reflective photoelectric sensor systems would be able to detect when a person or large object crossed the beam and that would be the simplest solution but it would not be able to detect the objects themselves. Anti-theft devices, using RFID technology, obviously work but each object would require a tag and the system is expensive. Wish there was a simple solution for you.
So, after all the main function of this sensor just to detect? cannot differentiate? i already have capacitive prox sensor but i cant figure out how to differentiate between each materials because the value that i get from this sensor just 1 and 0
Great educative video, thank you. One thing is unclear to me, the output is analog or digital? For example anything between 0 and 12V (so you can measure small distance) or digital =only 0 or 12V (working only as a switch)?
The output for these particular sensors is a transistor switch that is either on or off. The output is NOT a voltage since this would limit the versatility of the device.
You can use it to detect whether a door is open or closed but there are better ways do that using magnetic reed switches or hall effect sensors and magnets.
Check out the following diagram for details www.circuitlab.com/circuit/2743kq6uzqx4/2-wire-sensor/ Make sure the sensor can handle the current requirements for the solenoid valve before connecting.
A PNP sensor will directly interface to the PLC, without additional components, if the input to the PLC is sinking. A NPN sensor will directly interface to the PLC, without additional components, if the input to the PLC is sourcing. Most modern PLC input cards will accomodate both sinking and sourcing sensors. www.automationdirect.com/static/specs/sinksource.pdf
This particular sensor has a sensing distance between 1 and 25 mm. It has an adjustment screw on the back of the sensor to adjust the sensitivity. Thanks for commenting.
Dorian McIntire how big is the size of head diameter ( the orange part proximity on your video) and also do you know the smallest of head diameter this sensor? thanks
Angga Mauludy The sensor measurement is 28mm diameter x 75mm length. I've seen diameters as small as 10mm. It seems to me that the sensing distance would diminish with decreasing head diameter so a sensor with too small a head diameter may not be that useful. Hope this helps
Hopefully you read this. I am setting up a capacitive sensor on my 3D printer for auto bed-leveling and I am trying to determine the output voltage of the sensor when it senses the bed. Well I just did a test using my 12V bench power supply and a multimeter to measure the voltage coming out of the signal wire when the sensor is activated and with a 12V input I was reading like 18V output??? Is that correct? Is there some sort of step up in the sensor? If that is the case I need to figure out what resistors I need to make a voltage divider to knock it down to about 5V since that is what my control board uses
Chris Griffin Some possibilities to think about: 1. Is your bench power supply regulated? If not it could possibly read 18 volts when unloaded. Measure your power supply voltage with your meter and let me know what you read. 2. Remember that most industrial proximity sensors only sink or source and only act as switches. If you have a sourcing sensor and hook your meter between the output and ground you will measure either no voltage or full voltage but nothing in-between. Since the PNP in a sourcing sensor may leak a little you might measure a voltage whether the sensor transistor is on or not. To alleviate this problem make sure you use a load resistor (1K ohm will work) between the output and ground and measure across this resistor. What type of sensor are you using? Let me know, thanks for commenting and please consider subscribing.
Dorian McIntire Thaks for the reply!! Sorry I just sent you a message with more information :) This is the sensor I am using www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00542U3M4?ref_=redir_mobile_desktop&ref_=yo_ii_img
Dorian McIntire The 12V reads 12V on my meter. This is what I am using to get the 12V from. It has a voltage output that is adjustable www.amazon.com/YiHUA-853D-Soldering-Rework-Station-Fire/dp/B00O400X36/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1437241911&sr=1-1&keywords=yihua+853D
+Co Chrigui 2-wire sensors hook up very differently than 3-wire. Your sensor is an A.C. two wire and not a D.C. sensor. Look at the bottom of page J-12 of the following link for details. www.instrumart.com/assets/autonics_pr_series_proximity_sensors_datasheet.pdf
A photoelectric would actually be the best sensor for the job. Capacitive proximity sensors are not very good at providing signals for thin objects since they rely on dielectric properties of materials and thin objects are difficult to detect.
Hi, I am working on a project where one relay needs to be controlled by any one of 8 different sensors. I see 2 and 3 wire sensors available on ebay. Which would work the best for an application such as this? Thanks for the vid.
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I’m 53 and just started into electronics. I have been a mechanic all my life and have very little understanding of anything beyond voltage amps and resistance. This is fun stuff. Wish I had picked this up along time ago. Thanks
I don't know how to thank you but I now have a much better understanding of how these sensors work and also Transistors as well. I've had problems comprehending these for over 2 years. Thanks very much for clearing the fog in my head SIR!!.
Thanks Again.
8 years later I go on youtube to refresh my knowledge on PNP sensors..and guess who it is in the video? Dorian M. I took one of his electronics courses, he's a Great Instructor!
Very helpfull video. I needed to set up a photoelectric sensor to a digital counter that came with very limited instructions. Your in depth video proved to be very usefull in understanding the correct procedure in connecting it all and making it work. Thanks again.
you ar one the the best lecturer in this field , great job , bravo ..
Thanks very much for this clear explanation of a capacitive sensor and its working principles.
Sir i an Electrician based in the UAE precisely Sharjah and so i really needed a mentor like you .
Let me say a person that i will be directly asking for help and advises when i want to execute a project.
Thanks .
PHENOMENAL. I tried all other videos and this one worked. Thank you!!!
The simple demonstration and explanation made his concept very easy to understand.
Subscribed!
Thank you.
Same here! this guy is wonderful!
Excellent. Direct to the point . Probably the best explanation of function I have ever seen.
Great video! Great explanation! It's rare when I can find a youtube vid that tells me exactly what I need to know without dragging on and on. After watching this I was able to hook up my proxy switches in about 10 min. Thanks!
you mentioned that you were going to make other videos on proximity sensors... I couldn't find it or I'm not looking in the correct spot. This was a great help.
I'm in the process of preparing some videos now for the students in my sensors course this summer. I have another video on "sinking and sourcing" if that topic interests you at PLC Sinking and Sourcing
Check back in a few weeks or subscribe and you'll be notified when these go up.
Glad you found the video useful. Let me know if you're looking for some specific topics.
Thanks again for commenting.
Very useful. Your instructions are very clear - especially the stepped i.e. first the built-in activation indicator and then the light bulb; as well as the alternative configurations of some sensors. You have experience as an instructor - I don't have to look at any other videos to understand the use of the device. Thanks
Thanks for your very flattering comment.
Your teaching is good enough and thank you so much.
I Appreciate this tutorial professor, by all means
this seems better route than limit switch I was leaning towards,
thanks again.
Glad it was helpful!
Exactly what I came here for. Color coding. After I saw him show the sensor up close, I looked at mine, and the color codings are on the sensor itself expressed as BN BK and BU for brown, black, blue, or power, sensor, ground.
I clearly understood with your actual wiring with bulb. The sensor spec sheet is confusing when the put a load symbol. Now it is clear load is the plc input. Thanks for explaing.
Glad it helped
best vid i have seen in explaining pnp and npn. thank u so much.
Thank you.
Thank you Dorian, Very good explanation and your voice is clear....
You're welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Thank you for taking the time to do this video. It was very informative.
Thanks a million for this video. Had wiring all wrong on my 3d printer but working great now.
You're welcome. Glad you found the video useful.
Good explanation of proximity sensors.
Thank You
Rayram555 Thanks for your inspiring comment. :-)
Thanks very much for this video any tutor, you're a problem solver. God bless you and I'll need ore of your videos
You're welcome Victor! Thanks for the wonderful comment.
Thanks you for share video. Its very useful and easy to understand for everyone
You're very welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Hello, I think the color coding of the wires is IEC or VDE / EN Standard. I think.
7:46 It does matter for broken wire detection at the sensor.
Very good explanation. Thanks a lot!
Very useful! I’m completely new at all this
Excellent Tutorial. Well explained. Subscribed.
this is great sir continue up grading the world more so kenya
Thanks. I will keep making these appreciated videos.
woooow nice tutorial!
Excellent explanation ,Please is all proximity sensor use DC current only? If yes why is it so.
There are some A.C. proximity sensors but 24VDC is a widely used voltage to power both PLCs and sensors. It is a safe voltage that allows technicians to work without being exposed to dangerous voltages.
Thanks for making this clear good Sir.
You're very welcome. Thanks for the sub.
I've had lots of success with the Omron # E3F2-R2C4 photo sensor.
RUclips does not allow links to be embedded in comments but I'll tell you that you can get a used one of these sensors for $6 at 'All Electronics Corporation'.
Good luck with your project
Awesome video Dorian, much appreciated.
Thanks, I really appreciate your comment and I'm glad you found it useful..
+Tshepo Shere Sorry but there was no reply option for your comment so I hope this works. You can buy programmable sensors or process the sensor data with a small controller or PLC. What kind of sensing do you want to do? Thanks.
Good lecture thanks. Can you do one on sensor hooked to digital counter
Thanks Dorian nice job. Not trying to be critical, but, the schematic that popped up toward the end of your video looks like it should have had the ground that ties into the body of the sensor tied together with the negative (common) from the lamp, not separate?
Sorry about the confusion. The common connection between the sensor and the load was implied but not obvious as you mentioned.
One of the problems with sourcing outputs is that sensor and load must usually share the same power supply since an interaction between two separate voltage sources, particulary with two different voltages, would result otherwise.
All power supplies have a 0V or common output so these power supplies can be tied together but only two identical power supplies have the same V+ voltage so tying two separate power supplies together would cause a problem.
This is one reason why an output scheme called "Open Collector" was popular for digital logic. Open Collector outputs allowed an sinking output transistor to switch an voltage much higher than the 5 volts required for the digital logic.
Thanks for you comment.
Dorian McIntire
Nice of you to clear that up for me. I'm just starting to learn about this technology and any "loose ends" can create confusion on my end. Thanks again.
the video was very good . I would like to know how this sensor will work in water tanker and how to calibrate it to show the level for example (1/4,1/2,3/4 and Full) with the help of LED.
There are several options depending on what you are allowed to do with the tank.
If penetrations are allowed in the tank you could use side-mounted, float, reed-switch level sensors. These require a penetration for each level that you want to detect. These are simple, inexpensive and reliable
www.gemssensors.com/About-Gems-Sensors/Press-Release/LS-7%20Versaplast
If penetrations are not allowed you can use one of the following:
- A top-mounted ultrasonic level sensor
- Side mounted capacitive proximity sensor only if the tank is not metal and not too thick. You would need one sensor per level sensed.
There are other options but the cost gets pretty high for other solutions.
Proximity sensor will work well with water but not so much with petroleum products.
Hope this helps
If I understand what you want to do correctly you want a wired ORing behavior for these sensors.
This can be done easily by hooking (8), 3 wire, sinking (NPN) sensors in parallel. Hook the signal wires of these paralleled sensors to one side of your relay and the other side of the relay to V+. The activation of one or more sensors will activate the relay.
Be careful because while paralleling sensors will work here it can cause shorts in the wrong application.
Good luck with your project.
Thanks so much for this video! Very helpful!
Great tutorial. Thank you for your time. it was great
Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for commenting I really appreciate viewer input.
Thank you for explaing about sensors...
Hi great video I'm putting a tacho in my car and then found out I needed a pnp sensor didn't even know what it was let alonehow to wire it up after 1/2 an hour I found your video that spoke in plain English not AC-DC ABRIEVIATIONS FOR US SHORT CIRCUT people, I can say with out a doubt black would have been earth to me.I know this is over 3 years old what camera were you using to make the video the close ups are the best I've seen with out selling the kids. :)
I used a Sony handicam DCR-SR68 in those days. I'm now using a Sony Vixia, HD camera. I've always had good luck with Sony cameras. The optical zoom feature helps a lot with those closeups. You can get good HD cameras now for only a few hundred dollars if you shop around.
The color coding for sensors is screwed up. I still often find myself trying to hook black to ground.
Dorian McIntire :Using older diagrams which indicate current flow from Batt. + (pos) to load-thru load- to Batt. -- (neg). If I understand correctly--if my Batt. ( + ) is my "source" , then everything else IS "downstream" from that (+) reference during current flow. If I place a sensor with contacts (N.O. to turn on/N.C. to turn off) BETWEEN the (+) and BEFORE my load, that location is termed a "sourcing" sensor ?? or if I locate my contacts (sensor) AFTER the load, downstream BETWEEN load and (--) or ground, that is termed "sinking" ?? is this correct ? In other words older vehicles had ignition points that make/break the Neg side of the Ign. coil. Points were BETWEEN Neg. of coil and engine ground, so using modern terminology, the Ign Points were on the "sinking" side of the coil ??.
Difficult to follow what you said but the following is true:
-- If the sensor "contacts" (NPN transistor) are between ground and the output then the sensor is sinking, or switching the output to ground.
-- If the sensor "contacts" (PNP transistor) are between V+ and the output then the sensor is sourcing or switching the output to V+.
It's a simple concept but the two configurations confuse people because most people expect the output to be just a simple switch which should make it a non-issue.
Excellent tutorial thank you.
Thank you so much man, this really helped me a lot.
Very informative 👍
actually....im working on a small project on proximity sensors....i found this video interesting
can you tell me how much it costs for a pnp capacitive sensor which you have used in the video
thank you
Frankmali17 I forgot to mention that the repeat-ability of a typical capacitive proximity sensor is around 2% of full scale. So for a 2mm sensor the repeat-ability is around .04mm which should be more than adequate for most situations.
+Dorian McIntire I use a Cannon HD camera with a cheap, lapel plug in mic. Nothing really special
Hi Dorian. I am going to make a speedometer for my bicycle an I will be using an inductive proximity sensor for that. I wanted to know how can adjust the sensor to detect a metal piece like a bolt attached to the bicycle spokes and not the spokes. Or if I should use something other then bolts ? Also what are two screws on the sensor . I think the adjustor is at the back of sensor so what is the role of those screws. I want to attach the sensors to a small screen a place some metal every 90 degrees so the sensor measures the time interval between successive signals and calculate the speed which will be shown on the screen .
Sounds like a nice project. I would look into using a Hall Effect sensor and a few small magnets instead of an inductive sensor. This would give the system much more sensitivity and decrease the tolerances of the components.
Please keep us posted on how things go.
I have also been looking about hall effect sensor and think they would be good too. It's just that I off-road a lot and I read that hall effect sensor are very sensitive too dirt and dust. Still I am making the speedometer just for fun and think hall sensor will be better in that aspect as hall effect can operate at low voltages and are much easier to operate.
Just wondering if you have a video on hall effect sensors too? And I will try to put a video once I get it working . Thankyou
very useful thanks for sharing this knowledge
What about the adjustment screw on top that u said you were going to talk about? Did I miss that part?
I enjoyed your video. It was very helpful. Thank you!
Thanks for your encouraging comment.
Thank you for the informative video.
+Jupiter198276 Thanks for watching and commenting.
Great video. Very well explained. Are you in the automation industry or are you an educator?
+Molex99 Thanks for your comment. I was once in the automation industry but now am an educator.
Hi Dorian , this a excellent video , i been wondering why do we have Sinking & Sinking In-Out , I know that NPN is a sinking device and Sinking In and Sinking Out is a signal in a I/O module ,.In other words why do we use the Sinking option?.
Some times i believe that is about the dropping voltage of circuitry.
Thanks.
gerardolasvegasable
This is a good question.
The concept of sinking and sourcing allows two devices to send signals with no additional components required. The down side of sinking and sourcing is that one device must be the opposite of the other in order to simplify the interfacing. If you have a sourcing sensor you must have a sinking input on the receiving device and if you have a sinking sensor you must have a
sourcing receiving device. If these conditions are met the devices can be connected with no additional components otherwise things can get complicated. Many PLCs have input cards that can handle both sinking and sourcing inputs. See my video about this called PLC interfacing made simple:
ruclips.net/video/qwjPtqzy2nY/видео.html
The BIG IDEA about sinking and sourcing is that the two devices together complete an electrical circuit that allows the receiving device to “know” the sensor changed state because. The receiving can only know a sensor changed state by sensing a voltage created inside the receiving device when the sensor switch is closed and a circuit is completed. To complete a circuit you
must have a SOURCE of power (V+) and a return path to the power source, or SINK (ground or V-).
Hope this helps and sorry for the delay
thanks for the video,just one question the output signal is digital right ?
Do you work in radio? You sure have the pipes for it! Thanks for the great video.
I don't work in radio but I appreciate the comment :-) Glad you enjoyed the video.
Hi, I do not mean to seem naive and have little to no understanding of electronics. However, i was wondering if it would be possible to create a proximity sensor that could locate a missing object, eg. TV remote. It is possible to attach a very small transmitter or something to the remote and have a device which could tell you how far the object is from you? The benefit being you wouldn't need to spend ages looking down sofas etc as it would guide you to it, either with a 'hotter, colder' buzzer or a device which visually displays the distance. Any response would be appreciated.
There a few ways to do this but some are expensive relative to the cost of the item they would allow you to locate.
Passive RFID is inexpensive (basically a printed antenna) and a transmitter/receiver could be built to locate an item with an RFID sticker attached to it. Such a device could be built to locate items within a few feet of the transmitter.
When Bluetooth and X-Bee technologies become cheaper manufacturers could embed transmitter/receiver pairs into such devices.
Technologies exist to do what your asking its just a matter of keeping the cost down to affordable levels.
Hope this was helpful.
Dorian
is it the same proccess to wire it to a 24vdc relay? i might be misinterpreting but it looks like i should have two negatives hooked up to it according to the video. which doesnt make sense to me how would that close the relay?
+Tyler Torch The same blue wire used to provide negative power to the sensor is also common for the relay for a sourcing sensor. Most industrial sensors only use three wires to provide positive, signal output and common (-). Look up the term "circuit ground" or "circuit common" if you want to see more about the concept.
So thats where my problem is then.. ive been trying to use the black signal on 2 and a positive (8 pin relay)
I have always associated the black wire as the hot wire as in the positive (+)
For single phase AC systems the Black wire is HOT, the White wire is neutral and the Green wire is Ground. In DC systems the Red wire is positive (+) and the Black wire is negative (-). The color code for DC industrial sensors is Brown for positive, Blue for Negative (AKA common) and Black for NPN (sinking) signal output, and White for PNP (sourcing) signal output. Unfortunately standards for for color codes don't seem to make much sense.
Thank you for the video...
I am learning about these for CNC Machine use...
How consistent are these type of sensors vs for example micro switches that have the little arm and wheel... ?
thank you
Micro switches do a great job for low duty-cycle (events that don't occur very frequently) applications. If the leaf (metal lever) on the microswitch gets bent it will affect calibration.
Proximity sensors can be adjusted to give consistent performance by either adjusting the position of the sensor relative to the sensed object or by adjusting the sensitivity setting on the sensor. Also they never wear out since the are non-contact sensors.
Thanks for commenting.
An Ultrasonic Sensor would seem more suitable here; being the high signal character, and the large pulsed range of marked-space.. for the CNC i mean.
Good luck `Frainkmail17`
And nice vid, `Dorian` (Dorian
Major Utah I think Frank is talking about the limit switch used to zero an axis on a CNC machine. Traditionally a small micro switch with a roller arm is used for this but these can suffer from repeatability issues due to mechanical wear and bending of the mechanical arm. Prox sensors usually work very well in such applications sensing small distances with good repeatability.
An ultrasonic detector is great choice for distance or level sensing and reporting but they usually don't do so well for these small distances (typically less than a centimeter).
Yes, Dorian is a musical mode but also a member of an ancient Greek tribe known as the Dorians.
Thanks for the comment and the thumbs up on the video.
I need one of these sensors to hook up to my computer and press the enter button everytime it senses a part passing by. Do you think this is possible and how so?
In an excel sheet
If you use a higher voltage is the sensor more accurate and increase repeatability accuracy
No, you must stay within the proper voltage specifications or risk destroying the sensor.
Dorian McIntire sorry I mean within the 6-36V operating voltage
Sorry but the range of the sensor does not change with voltage. The sensor contains it's own internal regulator to ensure consistent performance.
Hi, I'm a newbie, and a student and I wanted to learn about these things. I have question(s) about these sensors, specifically Capacitive sensor. I haven't tried any of those and I'm required to use this on a water level control project but I have no idea on how to wire a 3-wire Capacitive sensor. I have to use 2 Capacitive sensors. Can you help me? Please. I used the 555 IC for the control. Thanks!
Please watch my video about interfacing proximity sensors to the Arduino. The video demonstrates how such sensors are connected to other devices.
hi question: I'm trying to get the right sensor that would activate a warning light when an object moves away from the sensor [ separation detection ] would that be a NPN normally Closed sensor? thank you great video
You can either use a Normally-Closed sensor or you can program your controller (Arduino, PLC, Etc) to respond in the way you want it to respond.
Yeah thank you that’s what I thought using a N/O sensor or a momentary N/O proximity switch since I’m not using arduino or a PLC in my project. Just the sensor and a warning light with buzzer connected to a 12 v. Supply. Thank s for the advice.
Off-topic: what kind of camera and mic do you use? Thanks for the great vids!
John Goodman? jk, Great tutorial! I learned a lot. Thanks for posting.
You're very welcome. Thanks for the positive feedback.
The proximity sensor can it work with a magnet as magnet switch or a hall effect sensor would be better solution for magnetic switch ?
A Hall effect switch is best for a magnetic switch.
Dorian McIntire ok, thanks!
Thank you for the video it is so much informative. Can you please share the link of this sensor and how we can detect a metal with this sensor using Arduino?
Check out the follow video I created about this very topic using an inductive sensor which is made especially for detecting metal: ruclips.net/video/soJ4czkKpT4/видео.html
Useful video...thanks!
What !!! The voice is so cool
Thanks. Glad you like it.
Is there any hyraulic oil level sensor? So that when there is no presence of hyraulic oil. My sensor can detect
You could use the sensor to tell you when the level was low. You could create a threaded hole for the sensor in the oil reservoir at the low level and thread the sensor into place.
for Information the wire colours are not unconventional, they are the EU harmonised colours. same as those used in mains wiring.
Sorry for the delay. RUclips keeps holding comments in limbo until I approve them.
I bought a bunch of these off Ebay for about $10 a piece.
Cap. Prox. sensors can cost over $50 if you buy them from an industrial supplier. Automation Direct has Cap. Prox. sensors and they ship quickly.
Hi Dorian,
thank you for your video - it helped me a great deal. I wonder if you could suggest how to trouble shoot the
following scenario:
I have been using a LJC18A3-B-Z/BX 1-10mm Capacitance Proximity Sensor Switch (NPN NO DC 6-36V 300mA)
as the auto leveling sensor in a Tevo Tarantula 3D printer. The printer is controlled by an MKS Base V1.4 Arduino ATMEGA 2560
M/B using Merlin firmware.
The proximity sensor is wired to the MB in the following way:
Sensor Brown (+ve) >>>>cable>>>> Power Supply (+ve)
Sensor Blue (-ve) >>>>cable>>>> Power Supply (-ve) >>>>cable>>>> M/B Z- Switch Port (GND)
Sensor Black (sig) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>cable>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> M/B Z- Switch Port (D18 +ve)
The proximity sensor is aligned with the printer nozzle, and as the printer nozzle approaches the printer bed, the
sensor triggers, thus determining the zero position for the Z axis. It does this at several positions on the printer
bed, allowing the software to make corrections to the height of the nozzle if the printer bed is not level.
This set up has worked really well on dozens of prints since 2018. But recently, a few seconds after turning the power on
the cable connecting the Power Supply (-ve) to the M/B Z- Switch Port (GND) melted and burned generating lots of smoke
.
The sensor was several cm above the bed - that is: not activated.
This is the only cable that was affected in this way
The cable is easily replaced, but I can't figure out what might have gone wrong, and I don't want to just replace the cable
until I know what may have caused the problem and that it can't happen again. I am concerned that it may be the sensor or
the main board, but I don't know how to check either of those things and if it is one of those things I can't explain why only
that particular cable and no others were affected.
Can you help me again by suggesting what I should be checking?
Difficult to say but if the sensor was inactivated at the time the only type of failure I can imagine is an internal short between V+ and ground inside the sensor. May just be one of those random events that may never happen again. If the sensor was activated at the time I would have guessed an NPN driver transistor short due to a low resistance load driven by the transistor. Might also want to check if the power supply sent a voltage spike to the sensor that exceeded 36 volts.
Good Luck
@@DorianMcIntire Thank you very much - It actually reassures me that you think it may be a random event - The main thing that puzzled me is that the other wires were not affected, not even the wire coming out of the sensor that is connected to the one that melted or the adjacent wire that is actually bonded as a pair (I wish I could post a picture).
It occurred to me that the cable may have shorted to ground on something. Cable management has been difficult and there are twists and turns within a tight space. I'll try some tests with a multi-meter to see that everything is working as expected and if it is I'll try rewiring the old sensor. If it happens again I'll replace the sensor and if it fails again then there is something wrong with main board... ($$$) - I'll keep you posted, if interested.
Great Video! I have a couple of 2 wire (AC) photoelectric sensors with transmitter and receiver combined in one unit. Any idea how these might operate?
Yes, 2-wire AC sensors require the load, typically a relay or a light 120 volt load, to be connected in series with the sensor and power. The sensor closes an internal contact or Triac switch to turn the load on and off.
See the following data sheet for details:
www.cmafh.com/images/Master%20PDFs/Balluff/Tubular/AC-DC%202W%20Wiring%20Diagram.JPG
Hope this helps.
Dorian McIntire Thank you. Now it all (or at least some) makes sense. I just ordered an AC contactor ( and a fire extinguisher) so I can do some experiments. Thanks again for your help. Your tutorials are by far the best! Simple, straight forward and informative. Looking forward to watching more of your videos this weekend!
LegacyMicro Thanks. I really appreciate your comment.
Hi!
What is the difference between PNP and NPN sensors?
By accident I bought 3 NPN instead of PNP. I was trying to send output signal with this one, but it doesn't work. I already ordered the PNP one and I am just waiting to it get to my place. One of them I think isn't working because I tried to connect the leads as you say in this video and also the diagram on it is saying the colour code like yours, and still the LED light doesn't turn on, this one I think is faulty.
PNP sensors are Sourcing sensors NPN sensors are sinking Sensors. I have a video on the difference between sinking and sourcing you can view here:
PLC Sinking and Sourcing
Also if you are trying to drive an LED you must use a current-limiting resistor to avoid burning out the LED and the sensor. You must also ensure the polarity of the LED is correct.
The transistor in either an NPN or PNP sensor is only a polarity-sensitive switch and does not provide an output voltage by itself. The transistor is used to complete a circuit between power, the load and ground.
Hope this helps.
Dorian McIntire Thanks a lot for you answer!
Actually what I'm trying to do is activate a solenoid (DC 12V 0.5N 6mm Pull Type Open Frame Electric Magnet Solenoid Electromagnet) it works with a 9V battery I thought that I could use the same principle as you show in this video to make it works like the LED, but nothing happens. the funny thing is when I check the voltage it shows 9V, but the solenoid doesn't work I think it's due a voltage drop because the resistance created through the sensor, then I tried 18 volts doesn't work as well. I am waiting for another solenoid a better one (12V 5Kg Electrified Rate Pull Force Tubular Frame Solenoid Electromagnet), for the LED I used a resistor it did work. However it does heat, which resistor should I use for a 5 MM LED I got those
100Ω Resistors
1 kΩ Resistors
4.7 kΩ Resistors
10 kΩ Resistors
47 kΩ Resistors
X 100 kΩ Resistors
I just started to learn about those things which one is better and which one is the strongest. I read some thing about the colour coding, but I am still not 100% sure, what would you suggest?
Thanks you..
Good explanation re source and sync. Thanks.
sink not sync....
Dear sir I would like to put together a system that will help me detect when an object taken out of the building doors. When it leaves either doors(two doors) I would like to be alerted with vibration from a handheld receiver and directed with a specific colored light from the same handheld receiver to know which door the object taken. For instance if the east door is green the west side would be red. Could you help please
This would be difficult using industrial sensors since the range of these devices is very limited. A reflective photoelectric sensor systems would be able to detect when a person or large object crossed the beam and that would be the simplest solution but it would not be able to detect the objects themselves. Anti-theft devices, using RFID technology, obviously work but each object would require a tag and the system is expensive. Wish there was a simple solution for you.
So, after all the main function of this sensor just to detect? cannot differentiate? i already have capacitive prox sensor but i cant figure out how to differentiate between each materials because the value that i get from this sensor just 1 and 0
This is all they can do, but it's still very useful, and why they are relatively inexpensive.
Great educative video, thank you.
One thing is unclear to me, the output is analog or digital? For example anything between 0 and 12V (so you can measure small distance) or digital =only 0 or 12V (working only as a switch)?
The output for these particular sensors is a transistor switch that is either on or off. The output is NOT a voltage since this would limit the versatility of the device.
Can proximity sensors be use as detector for security alarms? Please i really need the answer thank you!!!
You can use it to detect whether a door is open or closed but there are better ways do that using magnetic reed switches or hall effect sensors and magnets.
That will work do you know the link so that I can purchase one? Also, what kind of reflective material exactly?
Thank you
Hi Dorian what if i have only two wires coming from the sensor
Blue and brown how can i activate an air solenoid?
Check out the following diagram for details www.circuitlab.com/circuit/2743kq6uzqx4/2-wire-sensor/
Make sure the sensor can handle the current requirements for the solenoid valve before connecting.
Thanks, I will send you a sensor power requirement for a solenoid match
If you don't mind?
Thank you
If the plc has a sinking input what type of sensor does it need to be npn or pnp?
A PNP sensor will directly interface to the PLC, without additional components, if the input to the PLC is sinking.
A NPN sensor will directly interface to the PLC, without additional components, if the input to the PLC is sourcing.
Most modern PLC input cards will accomodate both sinking and sourcing sensors.
www.automationdirect.com/static/specs/sinksource.pdf
this sensor has a big diameter. do you know the smallest diameter of sensing area for this sensor? thank you
This particular sensor has a sensing distance between 1 and 25 mm. It has an adjustment screw on the back of the sensor to adjust the sensitivity.
Thanks for commenting.
Dorian McIntire how big is the size of head diameter ( the orange part proximity on your video) and also do you know the smallest of head diameter this sensor? thanks
Angga Mauludy The sensor measurement is 28mm diameter x 75mm length. I've seen diameters as small as 10mm.
It seems to me that the sensing distance would diminish with decreasing head diameter so a sensor with too small a head diameter may not be that useful.
Hope this helps
Hopefully you read this. I am setting up a capacitive sensor on my 3D printer for auto bed-leveling and I am trying to determine the output voltage of the sensor when it senses the bed. Well I just did a test using my 12V bench power supply and a multimeter to measure the voltage coming out of the signal wire when the sensor is activated and with a 12V input I was reading like 18V output??? Is that correct? Is there some sort of step up in the sensor? If that is the case I need to figure out what resistors I need to make a voltage divider to knock it down to about 5V since that is what my control board uses
Chris Griffin Some possibilities to think about:
1. Is your bench power supply regulated? If not it could possibly read 18 volts when unloaded. Measure your power supply voltage with your meter and let me know what you read.
2. Remember that most industrial proximity sensors only sink or source and only act as switches. If you have a sourcing sensor and hook your meter between the output and ground you will measure either no voltage or full voltage but nothing in-between. Since the PNP in a sourcing sensor may leak a little you might measure a voltage whether the sensor transistor is on or not. To alleviate this problem make sure you use a load resistor (1K ohm will work) between the output and ground and measure across this resistor.
What type of sensor are you using?
Let me know, thanks for commenting and please consider subscribing.
Dorian McIntire Thaks for the reply!! Sorry I just sent you a message with more information :) This is the sensor I am using www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00542U3M4?ref_=redir_mobile_desktop&ref_=yo_ii_img
Dorian McIntire The 12V reads 12V on my meter. This is what I am using to get the 12V from. It has a voltage output that is adjustable www.amazon.com/YiHUA-853D-Soldering-Rework-Station-Fire/dp/B00O400X36/ref=sr_1_1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1437241911&sr=1-1&keywords=yihua+853D
Dorian McIntire I just subscribed also, your videos are going to be very helpful!
Thank you
i have a autonics PR30-10A0 for the 3d printer but it comes only with 2 wires (blue/Brown) any ideas on this ?
thanks
+Co Chrigui 2-wire sensors hook up very differently than 3-wire. Your sensor is an A.C. two wire and not a D.C. sensor. Look at the bottom of page J-12 of the following link for details.
www.instrumart.com/assets/autonics_pr_series_proximity_sensors_datasheet.pdf
Thanks Buddy, I have ordered A hall sensor . May need your hell and advise later, if that is ok with you ?. Thanks again.
great video! i leraned!
Glad you found the video useful. Thanks for watching.
Which sensor use for counting paper on the conver and digital counter
A photoelectric would actually be the best sensor for the job. Capacitive proximity sensors are not very good at providing signals for thin objects since they rely on dielectric properties of materials and thin objects are difficult to detect.
Thank you for the help I appreciate it.
Nice tutorial,, thanks alot
Very lucid! :)
Thanks. I was having a good day when I made the video, or was I dreaming I was having a good day?
Hi, I am working on a project where one relay needs to be controlled by any one of 8 different sensors. I see 2 and 3 wire sensors available on ebay. Which would work the best for an application such as this? Thanks for the vid.
This is a cool sensor, but 25mm isn’t enough room.. would be good if it could sense an object up to 3 feet away
Thank you for a great video my friend, I would appreciated if you could show us how to wire this up to a micrologix 1000 allenbradley plc.
So if this was a NPN NO sensor you would connect the to the positive side instead of ground? @6:42
No, the same connections apply you just process the signal in your program to compensate.
hi ,just wanted to ask . I wanted a sensor that can detect an object within a range of 3ft . what kind of sensor would that be ?
Thank You !
+Red Monville Many photo sensors have ranges over 5 ft.
Hello I am interested in a sensor that can reach a range of 24 ft and that can only detect aluminum. Thank you for any help.