Trying to make a capacitive sensor with aluminum foil & board - not sure how to arrange the circuit. Ideas?

 

You may get some good information from our Capacitive Sensor manual at: http://www.almegcontrols.com/operating_manual.htm

Thanks Bob Hogg

 

Your trying to make lots of work for yourself, making a capaictor is not a trival task, especially if your working with Al foil. the plat size and the dielectric of the isolataor are very important. You should try to keep the insolator as thin as possible. The two plates of the capacitor need to be measured accurately to determine the capacitance.

Don't know exactly what you want, but even a twisted piece of wire might work. Twist the wire and than cut the top off.

There are capacitive sensors available.

 

I found another one which includes some homework, I would like everyone to complete this assignment by the 20th of this month!

try this site for fun stuff you can do at home! A real blast and you may actually learn something!

http://scitoys.com/

here is one that requires a little more effort

http://www.monmouth.com/~grimcorona/richard2.htm

have fun Mr. Science Guy!!

MJH

 

One of the possibilities to arrange an interfacing circuit for capacitance sensor is to use a Capacitance-to-Frequency conversion and then to count pulses by microcontroller. Some times a capacitance sensor can be directly connected to microcontroller. Much more information are available at sensors web portal: http://www.sensorsportal.com
(see Sensors -> Other section)