Skip to content

wollewald/INA226_WE

Repository files navigation

INA226_WE

An Arduino library for the INA226 current and power sensor module. You can use the common modules with 0.1 ohm shunts as well as modules with different shunts (example: Continuous_With_Resistor_Value.ino).

It allows to set current ranges, number of samples per measurement, conversion ranges. You can chose between continous, triggered and power down mode. Conversion ready and limit alert modes are also implemented.

I attached a list of public functions and a fritzing scheme for the example sketches.

If you work through the examples I recommend to do it in the order of Continous -> Triggered -> Triggered_non_blocking -> PowerDown -> Continous_Alert_Controlled -> Limit_Alert -> Limit_And_Conversion_Alert

You find further details here:

https://wolles-elektronikkiste.de/ina226 (German)

https://wolles-elektronikkiste.de/en/ina226-current-and-power-sensor (English)

New since version 1.3.0: safer enumeration names

When I developed the library I did not choose the best enum names. E.g. "POWER_DOWN" is also used in INA219_WE. I have added a preceding "INA226_" to avoid name collisions. Unfortunately, you will have to update your sketches accordingly.

Quality of small shunt INA226 modules

I have made mixed experience with INA226 modules which have a shunt smaller than 0.1 ohms. I experienced significant deviations from expected values. The reason is that some modules have poor traces and connections which result in an unwanted extra resistance. The most extreme I tested had an R010 shunt (= 0.01 ohms), but showed a resistance of 0.021 ohms. Accordingly, the measured values were more than double compared to the real currents. I short-circuit the shunt (see photo below), so that, theoretically, I should not measure any shunt voltages anymore. But I still measured shunt voltages and currents and these represented exactly the deviations my experiments before I short-cut the shunt.

20220816_114858

But there are also good modules. The one below has a shunt of 0.002 ohms and the results of my measurements were very close to the expected values.

INA226_R002

However, you should not use its small In+ and In- connectors. For reasons I don't understand between these connectors and the shunt, there are 4.7 ohm resistors. These will give you far too high shunt voltages! Here, you find an example circuit: https://github.com/wollewald/INA226_WE/blob/71398a4181f23730260464bc452802549d34b333/INA226_red_module_2mohm_shunt_wiring.png