Reading Load Cell Voltage

I am trying to read the voltage from a load cell. It looks like HX711 is a great way to go (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XRRNCOO), but it communicates over IIC. I have been looking around the internet for how to communicate from the industruino IND.I/O over I2C, but I don't see anything. Several questions have been asked on the fora, but the answer mostly is, "don't do that". It looks like the 14-pin IDC connector shares an I2C network with the onboard digital and analog I/O isolated parts on the lower board. Can I still use it to interact with my load sensor reader?

Aaron
Aaron
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Asked on 6/14/21, 8:40 PM
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Hi Aaron,

Yes you can use the I2C port on the IDC connector for I2C devices, but as far as i understand, the HX711 does not use standard I2C. You can use an Arduino HX711 library with any GPIO pins, e.g. D4 and D6 on the IDC connector, they are not used if you don't have a communication module (ETH/GSM) connected.

But a more robust way to communicate with a load cell would be over the RS485 port, that also allows some distance between the INDIO and the load cell. I have just posted on our blog about that.

Tom
Tom
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Answered on 6/15/21, 5:59 AM
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Thank you for your answer! I agree that a modbus-capable device would be better especially as I'm already using modbus in my project! I have a load cell already. Do you know of a modbus-capable instrumentation amplifier I can use? I searched for a while but didn't come up with anything. By the way, excellent write up in that blog post!

Aaron
on 6/15/21, 11:56 AM

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Asked: 6/14/21, 8:40 PM
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Last updated: 6/15/21, 5:59 AM