ICP Signal Conditioner question
ICP Signal Conditioner question
(OP)
Hello,
If I had an accelerometer with a sensitivity of 10mV/G, on the ICP Signal Conditioner, when and why would I go to X.1, X1, and X10? Will this change the senstivity of the accelerometer? If I go to X10 will it become more sensitive or less? Is X1 the default setting?
Thanks in advance for your time and thought.
If I had an accelerometer with a sensitivity of 10mV/G, on the ICP Signal Conditioner, when and why would I go to X.1, X1, and X10? Will this change the senstivity of the accelerometer? If I go to X10 will it become more sensitive or less? Is X1 the default setting?
Thanks in advance for your time and thought.
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."





RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
These days with an S/N of 80 dB it is possible to more or less set and forget, for a given test type.
None of them is a default setting, as such. Obviously on x1 you'll know exactly what the output calibration is.
What make of amp is it? The handbook should tell you the output sensitivity, if it isn't written on the faceplate of the amp.
Cheers
Greg Locock
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RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
For X0.1 gain then output is 1 mv/g or less sensitive
For X1.0 gain is 1, so output is 10 mv/g or same as accelerometer
Walt
RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970
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RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
Greg: You brought up another question, if your signal is clipped, how would you resolve this? Would you bring down the signal down by X.1?
All: So what is my goal? To have all of my sensitivities at the same level? If I have an accelerometer at 28.5, 5.6, and .48 mV/g do I set the 28.5 to X.1, 5.6 to X1 and .48 to X10 so that the data recorder will receive 2.58, 5.6, and 4.8 mV/g?
Thanks again for your time and effort!
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
There might also be some consideration for the ability to repeat the test. In the case of the "one time only" test you are probably better off catching the max value and loosing some fidelity.
In an ideal world all of your sensors would have the same sensitivity and you could set everything for the same gain. In the non-perfect work it is imperative that you keep detailed notes for each test run. (which sensor s/n is on which channel, amplification values, detailed sample configuration info, etc.)
ISZ
RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
If it is a one time test be conservative in estimating g levels and set your gain accordingly.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970
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RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
So, if I change the "X" factor, should I be seeing the amplitude of the profile move up and down? For example, if I'm doing a sin sweep, if I change the "X" factor (for the response) to X.1 the amplitude will go down and if I put in X10 the amplitude will go up? Also, if Im signal is clipping, do I switch to X.1 and if the signal is near noise, do go to X10? I guess this will aslo applie to the control.
Thanks!
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
Thanks for bearing with me, Im trying to get this thru my head.
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
Right.
If at the next factor is X10, would that be 10/5=2gs?
Nope, because by applying the X10 your new scale factor to the instrument is 50 mv/g so you would have 10/50 which is still .2 g's (with apologies to the previous poster, I guess that is what you said as well).
All you are doing is taking the transducer output and multipying it by the factor on the amp. The scale factor to your instrument then needs to change appropriatly as well.
Again, typically the headroom in your instrument is fixed. All you are doing is adjusting the signal amplitude to fit in that space without clipping, and without loosing it in the noise.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970
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RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
sms,
I think Im getting it. Another question. How does this work for the control? I have heard stories in the past where people set the wrong X factor for the control and had ten times more Gs then they wanted.
Tobalcane
"If you avoid failure, you also avoid success."
RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
Cheers
Greg Locock
Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: ICP Signal Conditioner question
Generally, an amp works the same way no matter what. If you set a shaker table up with an accel and tweek it to 1 g at 100 Hz with a controler gain setting of 1, and then shift the controller to 10, the accel will produce 10g. If you then shift the controller to 0.1 the accel will now read .1g.
"Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?" Oddball, "Kelly's Heros" 1970
Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of the Eng-Tips Forums.