Voltage drifting

[E2005]

I have a strain gauge connected to a metallic rod hinged at one end. The system detects the bending of the beam(when I press it with my hand, as seen by increase in output voltage) but even before touching the rod, as I bring my hand close to the rod the output starts increasing (offsetting from zero point) and decreases to normal when I move away from it. The change in output voltage due to this offset is greater than that caused by bending. It seems almost as if the grounding of the system changes. I tried insulating and shielding the circuit, wires and beam(with aluminum foils, tapes etc) but still the systems offsets as soon as my hand or body comes close to the rod. I am trying to understand the reason for it and if there’s a way to solve this problem.

 

[IRstuff]

Please do not double post

TTFN

 

[MikeHalloran]

Please do not triple post.


Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[E2005]

IRstuff and MikeHalloran, sorry for multiple posting of the same question. I did not know which stream of engineers could answer my question specifically so I posted in different groups and also thought members(electrical, mechanical etc) only checked their respective engineering branches.