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instrumentationtoolbox.com/2012/03/basics-of-4-20ma-current-loop.html
The 4-20mA current loop is a very robust and popular sensor signalling standard. Current loops are ideal for data transmission because of their
inherent insensitivity to electrical noise. In a 4-20mA current loop, all the signalling current flows through all devices. All the devices in the loop
drop voltage due to the signal current flowing through them. The signalling current is not affected by these voltage drops as long as the power
supply voltage is greater than the sum of the voltage drops around the loop at the maximum signal current of 20mA.
As shown in the diagram above, current supplied from the power supply flows
through the loop wires with resistance, RW, to the transmitter and the 4 – 20mA
transmitter regulates the current flow within the loop. The current allowed by the
transmitter is called the loop current and it is proportional to the parameter that is
being measured. The loop current flows back to the controller through the wire,
and then flow through resistor, R, to ground and returns to the power supply. The
current flowing through R produces a voltage that is easily measured by the
analog input of a controller. For a 250 ohm resistor, the voltage will be 1VDC at
4mA and 5VDC at 20mA.
As the diagram above shows, there are four basic components in the 4-20mA
current loop namely:
(a) The power supply
(b) The 2-Wire Transmitter
(c) A receiver resistor, R that converts the loop current into a voltage
(d) The loop wires that interconnects all devices or components in the loop.
The voltage specification for most transmitters comes in a range. For example if the voltage of a 2 – wire transmitter is specified as 15 to
24VDC, the lower voltage is the minimum voltage necessary to guarantee proper transmitter operation. The higher voltage is the maximum
voltage the transmitter can withstand and operate to its stated specifications without damage or adverse consequences.
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