Alchemy Power Inc. Pi-16ADC. 16 Channel, 16 bit Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) for Raspberry Pi

I bought this to learn more about ADCs and had no specific application in mind when I bought it. This one is a 16-year-old. The resolution is a little higher than the majority of other options. It's also capable of performing both single- and multi-tasking tasks. Although I only tested single-ended and differential input, ended. All channels can sample at a maximum rate of 17 samples per second. 1 is the suggested rate. Per channel, there are two samples taken every second. As a result, this is an excellent ADC for weather stations and other IoT projects. br>br>However, the reason you should get this ADC is for the support; I ran into some issues during setup and testing, and Alchemy Power went above and beyond to make sure everything was working properly. br>br>The documentation is adequate, but could be improved. For example, it says you can turn off the board's bright red LED to save power (and your eyesight), but it doesn't say how. In the corner, it turns out, there's a tiny jumper. Simply pull the jumper over your head. Based on my feedback, I expect Alchemy Power to update the docs. br>br>The documentation for the actual sensor (LTC2497) is extensive but difficult to decipher. It's also something you must read. It also helps that Alchemy Power provides a sample Python program to get you started, and you can see the documentation and helpful comments implemented in the program. br>br>For me, one stumbling block was ensuring that the Python app's reference voltage was set to 5. I chose 3 as the number. It should be set to 5, not 3, because that was the voltage I was sourcing for the inputs. br>br>As soon as I got everything set up properly. I put some voltage dividing resistors to the test. Two voltage-dependent devices, for example sourcing 100K resistors and dividing them 3. The output from 3V should be 1. The ADC will be supplied with 65 volts. And, sure enough, the ADC responds with the following information: 1. 64V. The values of 100K and 10K should both be 0. 30V. And, sure enough, the ADC returns a perfect 0 as a result. 30V. The results are precise and accurate, with multiple readings yielding the same result over time.

Jerry Hodge

| Jun 14, 2021

I bought two of these ADCs and am extremely pleased with them. Even though I am not a Python expert, the provided Python code was simple to set up and modify to meet my project's needs. I had a few questions about the ADC wiring for differential voltage setup, and I got answers the same day, even on a weekend. One of the main reasons I chose this ADC over the MCP3008, which only has 8 inputs, was because of its 8/16 input. It's also lightweight and pre-assembled. I did not use the breadboard portion of the card, but it is there if needed. I soldered with screw terminals, making it very easy to wire. I don't have any negative comments about this ADC other than the fact that I wish it was available through Amazon Prime!.

Leona Jennings

| Nov 17, 2021

Great documentation; Alchemy Power wants you to be able to use it as soon as possible after purchasing it. If you want to read all 16 channels in a loop, it takes 3 seconds, so it's not suitable for real-time use. On all channels, there is a time analog input.

Logan Liu

| Nov 20, 2021