Quantum E3A User Manual

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E3A EVALUATION BOARD USER'S GUIDE
The E3A board works with Quantum's
QT300 16-bit Capacitance to Digital
Converter (CDC) sensor IC. The device
can be inserted into the 8-pin DIP socket
at the front of the board.
QT300 - serial communications interface
(16 bit data).
For detailed information about this IC
please refer to the QT300 datasheet.
See Figure 2, page 4 for component and
connector identification.
Note: references on the PCB to the
QT301 should be ignored. It is not
available because it is not RoHS compliant.
To begin using the board:
1. Make sure the power switch is 'off'. Insert a 9V alkaline battery into the holder.
2. Ensure that the DEVICE jumper (bottom right corner of board) is set to the QT300.
3. Make sure the MODE jumper is set to ACTIVE.
4. Turn on the power switch.
5. Calibrate the E3A to your finger as a simple test. While not touching any other part
of the E3A:
a. Keeping your hand away from the Sensor pad, press the LOWER button using a
plastic pen or pencil.
b. Put a finger lightly on the middle of the Sensor pad and press the UPPER button
using a plastic pen or pencil.
6. Slide your finger from the lower left corner of the board towards the middle of the
Sensor pad area; you will observe the change in signal strength on the LCD. Refer
to the 'LCD Display' section, page 3 for more information.
Because of Kirchoff's Current Law ("all currents must return to their origin", which
also applies to capacitive fields), the sensor is less sensitive if you are not holding it
or if the board's ground is not electrically coupled to something else. Thus, placing
the board on your desk will result in less sensitivity than if you hold it by the batteries
or connect the board's ground to something larger (or to earth ground).
Touching the cal buttons with your finger while pressing them, while on battery
power, will cause an undesirable offset to the calibration. If the E3A is externally
powered, this effect will not occur.
for use with QT300 QProx™ sensor IC
Page 1 E3A/R1.02/0606