Assembly DS18B20 digital temperature sensors + waterpoof trick
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 11:43 am
In UTCOMP-3 and UTCOMP-PRO kit there are few (2 or 4) digital temperature sensors called DS18b20:
These sensors have wide temperature range (-40...+125C), high accuracy (+/- 0,5C) and quick response so it is good choice for many purposes, such as: inside/outside temperature, intercooler in/out and sometimes engine cooling system (water), oil temperature etc.
This tutorial describes how to assembly and solder these sensors to make them waterproof or how to assembly them in engine block to measure e.g. engine/oil temperatures.
1. Sensor assembly - soldering and making it waterproof
In order to measure inside/outside temperature (and other, e.g. intercooler in/out) the easiest way is to solder wires directly to the sensor. You should use heat shrinks to make sensor wateproof. Here is short video tutorial:
In this solution big advantage is fast response for temperature changes.
You can also buy waterproof variant of these sensor where sensor is inside stainless steel tube:
Advantage is fast and easy assembling. Such sensors are also very reliable.
Disadvantage is not so fast response for temperature changing.
2. Assembly sensor in engine block (e.g. for cooling or oil temperature)
In order to assembly DS18B20 as engine oil or cooling system temperature sensor, you will need sensor with thread.
Not so easy to find on the market, but there is quite smart and easy way to accomplish this. Please take a look at this tutorial described by one of UTCOMP's users.
You will need:
Drill hole inside the sensor (do not drill throught)...
.. and use thermal adhesive to assembly the sensor:
3. Other solutions for temperature measurement
UTCOMP supports also analog temperature sensors (NTC type). These type of sensors are very commonly used in vehicles as stock sensors for oil/water temperature. All analog sensors require calibration (please take a look calibration tutorial) and have worse accuracy than digital sensors. You can find these sensor with higher temperature range, e.g. up to 150C or even up to 180C.
These sensors have wide temperature range (-40...+125C), high accuracy (+/- 0,5C) and quick response so it is good choice for many purposes, such as: inside/outside temperature, intercooler in/out and sometimes engine cooling system (water), oil temperature etc.
This tutorial describes how to assembly and solder these sensors to make them waterproof or how to assembly them in engine block to measure e.g. engine/oil temperatures.
1. Sensor assembly - soldering and making it waterproof
In order to measure inside/outside temperature (and other, e.g. intercooler in/out) the easiest way is to solder wires directly to the sensor. You should use heat shrinks to make sensor wateproof. Here is short video tutorial:
In this solution big advantage is fast response for temperature changes.
You can also buy waterproof variant of these sensor where sensor is inside stainless steel tube:
Advantage is fast and easy assembling. Such sensors are also very reliable.
Disadvantage is not so fast response for temperature changing.
2. Assembly sensor in engine block (e.g. for cooling or oil temperature)
In order to assembly DS18B20 as engine oil or cooling system temperature sensor, you will need sensor with thread.
Not so easy to find on the market, but there is quite smart and easy way to accomplish this. Please take a look at this tutorial described by one of UTCOMP's users.
You will need:
- DS18B20 sensor
- any other sensor with thread
- thermal glue
Drill hole inside the sensor (do not drill throught)...
.. and use thermal adhesive to assembly the sensor:
3. Other solutions for temperature measurement
UTCOMP supports also analog temperature sensors (NTC type). These type of sensors are very commonly used in vehicles as stock sensors for oil/water temperature. All analog sensors require calibration (please take a look calibration tutorial) and have worse accuracy than digital sensors. You can find these sensor with higher temperature range, e.g. up to 150C or even up to 180C.