Open Source Flipper Zero, Thread, Matter, and Zigbee on ESP32, Arduino go Zephyr, and more!

0:00:00 / -

Watch now on YouTube Watch now

Auto Calibrate Hx711 Scale With Known Weight

Made by talofer99 / Communication / Fitness / IoT

About the project

Scale smart solution

Project info

Difficulty: Easy

Platforms: Arduino

Estimated time: 1 hour

License: GNU General Public License, version 3 or later (GPL3+)

Items used in this project

Hardware components

	nRF24 Module (Generic)	x 1
	DFRobot I2C 16x2 Arduino LCD Display Module	x 1
	SparkFun Load Cell Amplifier - HX711	x 1
	50kg load cell	x 4
	Arduino UNO	x 1

Story

I got a 4point load cell scale to sort out, and I thought it’s a good time to create a code that will allow me to calibrate it once and store that date in the eeprom. In the video I go over the process in the code and demonstrate the end result.

In order to explain the calibration process we need to go over some basic things. The received data from the hx711 is a 24bit resolution analog to digital read. In order to know what’s that in pounds or in kilo, we need to have a ratio factor.

So If we read the data from the hx711 then place 3Kg on the scale and read the data again, the delta divided by 3 will give us that ratio factor we need.

Now one interesting fix I had to do, and it’s to do with the way the abs function works, is that at times I would get -0.00 on the scale, and that is because the abs only worked on 2 digits after the decimal point, so this was my way to prevent it.

Schematics, diagrams and documents

2_biwZbw6u9l.jpg

Code

Untitled file

#include "HX711.h"
#include <Wire.h>
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
#include <nRF24L01.h>
#include "printf.h"
#include <RF24.h>
#include <RF24_config.h>
#include <math.h>
#include <EEPROM.h>


#define LB2KG  0.45352
#define CALWEIGHT 3.00
#define DEFAULT_CALIFACTOR -7050


#define id 1
#define number_of_digits 1

#define DOUT  2
#define CLK 3
#define button A0

HX711 scale;
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 16, 2);
RF24 radio (4, 5);
const byte addresses[][6] = {"00001", "00002"};
long currentOffset;
float calibration_factor;


void setup() {
  //serial
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Serial.println("System started");
  printf_begin();

  // lcd
  lcd.begin();
  lcd.backlight();
  lcd.clear();
  //EEPROM.write(0x00,0xFF);
  // button pin
  pinMode(button, INPUT_PULLUP);
  
  
  
  // eeprom
  if (EEPROM.read(0x00) != 0x01) 
  {
    Serial.println("NOT INIT !!!!");
    currentOffset = 0;
    calibration_factor = DEFAULT_CALIFACTOR;     
    // show instructions
    lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
    lcd.print("MUST CALIBIRATE");
    lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
    lcd.print("Press Button");
    //wait for button press
    while (digitalRead(button));
    lcd.clear();
  }
  else
  {
    EEPROM.get(0x01,currentOffset);
    EEPROM.get(0x01+sizeof(long),calibration_factor);   
    Serial.println("currentOffset = " + String(currentOffset));
    Serial.println("calibration_factor = " + String(calibration_factor));
  }
  

  //scale
  scale.begin(DOUT, CLK);
  delay(100);
  Serial.println("calibration_factor = " + String(calibration_factor));
  scale.set_scale(calibration_factor / LB2KG);

  // if button is pressed (LOW) start calibiration
  if (!digitalRead(button))
  {
    // show instructions
    lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
    lcd.print("Clear Scale");
    // wait till person leaves the button
    while (!digitalRead(button));
    //short delay
    delay(200);
    
    // set tare and save value
    scale.tare();
    currentOffset = scale.get_offset();
    Serial.println(currentOffset);

    // show on lcd
    lcd.clear();
    lcd.print("Place 3Kg");
    lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
    lcd.print("Press Button");
    
    //wait for button press
    while (digitalRead(button));
    lcd.clear();
    lcd.print("Please wait ");
    Serial.println("calibirte");
    // calibiation
    boolean done = false;
    uint8_t flipDirCount = 0;
    int8_t direction = 1;
    uint8_t dirScale = 100;
    double data = abs(scale.get_units());
    double prevData = data;
    char runningSign[] = {'-','\\','|','/'};
    uint8_t runningSignIdx = 0;
    while (!done)
    {
      // get data
      data = abs(scale.get_units());
      Serial.println("data = " + String(data, 2));
      Serial.println("abs = " + String(abs(data - CALWEIGHT), 4));
      Serial.println("calibration_factor = " + String(calibration_factor));
      // if not match
      if (abs(data - CALWEIGHT) >= 0.01)
      {
        if (abs(data - CALWEIGHT) < abs(prevData - CALWEIGHT) && direction != 1 && data < CALWEIGHT)
        {
          direction = 1;
          flipDirCount++;
        }
        else if (abs(data - CALWEIGHT) >= abs(prevData - CALWEIGHT) && direction != -1 && data > CALWEIGHT)
        {
          direction = -1;
          flipDirCount++;
        }

        if (flipDirCount > 2)
        {
          if (dirScale != 1)
          {
            dirScale = dirScale / 10;
            flipDirCount = 0;
            Serial.println("dirScale = " + String(dirScale));
          }
        }
        // set new factor 
        calibration_factor += direction * dirScale;
        scale.set_scale(calibration_factor / LB2KG);
        // show still running 
        lcd.setCursor(15, 1);
        lcd.print(runningSign[runningSignIdx]);
        runningSignIdx = (runningSignIdx+1)%4;
        //short delay
        delay(5);
        // keep old data 
        prevData = data;
      }
      // if match
      else
      {
        Serial.println("NEW currentOffset = " + String(currentOffset));
        Serial.println("NEW calibration_factor = " + String(calibration_factor));
        EEPROM.put(0x00,0x01); // set init
        EEPROM.put(0x01,currentOffset);
        EEPROM.put(0x01+sizeof(long),calibration_factor);  
        done = true;
        lcd.clear();
      }

    } // end while
  } //end if button pressed

  scale.set_offset(currentOffset);

  lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
  lcd.print("Scaleit");
  lcd.setCursor(13, 1);
  lcd.print("KG");


  // radio
  radio.begin();
  radio.openWritingPipe(addresses[1]); // 00002
  radio.openReadingPipe(1, addresses[0]); // 00001
  radio.setPALevel(RF24_PA_MIN);
  radio.setDataRate(RF24_250KBPS);
  radio.setChannel(100);
  radio.stopListening();
  radio.printDetails();

  
  Serial.println("setup done ...");

}

void loop() {
  // get data
  double data = abs(scale.get_units());
  // issue with abs missing at the 4th digit after the dot (bug!!)
  if (0.0000 - data > 0.0001) 
    data = 0.00; //reset to zero
    
  
  // serial
  Serial.print(data, number_of_digits);
  Serial.println(" Kg");

  // lcd
  lcd.setCursor(8, 1);
  lcd.print(data, number_of_digits);



  // nrf
  double data2[2] = {id, data};
  radio.write(&data2, sizeof(data2));

  // short delay
  delay(1000);

}

Credits

talofer99

Maker @ heart

Shop

Project Hub

Video

Blog

Shop home

3D printing

Single Board Computers

Development kits

Sensors

Internet of things

Robotics

Accessories

Product of the Week

Electromaker Educator

The Electromaker Show

The Electromaker Podcast

Auto Calibrate Hx711 Scale With Known Weight

About the project

Project info