DIY: CIRCUIT

Humidity Indicator and Controller


    


SANI THEO cent. With this circuit, you can not only
monitor humidity levels between 30
resented here is a simple humid- and 90 per cent RH but also control it.

P ity indicator and controller. In

industries such as textile, the
change in moisture content has a direct
impact on the properties of fabric, such
DV WHQVLOH VWUHQJWK HODVWLFLW\ ÀEUH GL-
ameter and friction. Therefore the pro-
cess is executed within a permissible
humidity environment only. Depend-
ing on the type of fabric and the pro-
cess being undertaken, the requirement
of particular humidity level varies.
Cotton and linen have to be processed
at very high relative humidity (RH)
levels of around 70-80 per cent, since
they are very brittle. Wool requires RH
levels of around 65 per cent. Silk needs
to be processed between 65 and 70 per
Test Points
Test point Details
TP0 0V, GND
TP1 5V
TP2 Low when LED1 glows
Circuit and working
Fig. 2: Humidity sensor module
Fig. 3: Relative humidity (RH) versus output voltage
The circuit diagram of humidity indi-
cator and controller is shown in Fig. 1.
Humidity sensor SY-HS-220 is used for
sensing humidity levels and LM3914
dot/bar display driver to drive the
LEDs (LED1 through LED7) corre-
sponding to sensed humidity levels.
The LEDs indicate the humidity level
from 30 per cent RH to 90 per cent RH,
as shown in the circuit. Transistors T1
and T2 are relay drivers through which
electrical devices can be switched on
or off.
Humidity sen-
sor (SY-HS-220).
Humidity sensors
are gaining popu-
ODULW\LQWKHÀHOGRI
measurement and
control technol-
ogy. The sensors
for measuring water
vapours as RH can
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DISPLAY UNIT CONTROLLER

C1 R1 TP1
S1 100u 680E CON3
ON/OFF 16V TP2
SWITCH LED8 30% 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 90%
N/O
POWER D2
LED1 D1,D2 = 1N4007
1 LED1 LED2 18 30% N/C
Vcc N/O RL2
3 V+ LED3 17 D1
Vo LED2 40% 5V,1C/O
GND 4 RLO LED4 16 RELAY
VR1 N/C
CON2 10K 5 IC1 LED5 15 50% RL1 CON6 CON7
SIG LED3
HS1 5V,1C/O LOAD1 LOAD2
6 RHI LM3914 LED6 14
LED4 60% RELAY
R2 7 REF OUT LED7 13
1.2K L N
CON1 8 REF ADJ LED8 12 LED5 70%
5V
9 MODE LED9 11 80%
LED6 CON5 CON8
R3 2 V− LED10 10 230V AC
3.9K 50Hz
LED7 90% T1 R5
BC557 1K T2
HS1 = HUMIDITY SENSOR (SY−HS−220) CON4 R4 BC557
1K TP0
GND
Fig. 1: Circuit diagram of humidity indicator and controller

WWW.EFYMAG.COM ELECTRONICS FOR YOU | FEBRUARY 2014 125

 DIY: CIRCUIT
Fig. 4: Actual-size, single-side PCB layout for the humidity indicator
and controller circuit
transduction scheme that they use to
convert water vapour concentration
into an electrical signal, viz, capacitive,
resistive (DC resistance or AC imped-
ance) and piezo-resistive.
The SY-HS-220 series humidity
sensor is based on capacitive technol-
ogy. This sensor module converts the
RH directly into equivalent millivolts
analogue output. The driver circuit
is in-built in the sensor assembly (see
Fig. 2). The rated voltage is 5V DC. Its
operating temperature range is 0-60°C
and humidity is 30-90 per cent RH. Its
standard output at 25°C and 60 per
cent RH is 1980mV DC.
Fig. 3 shows the millivolts output
reading corresponding to RH. The
output of humidity sensor HS1 is
connected to analogue input pin 5 of
LM3914 through preset of 10-kilo-ohm
(VR1).
Dot/bar display driver (LM3914).
The LM3914 is an 18-pin DIP package
IC that accepts analogue signals at its
input pin 5 and drives 10 LEDs, pro-
viding a linear analogue display. Pin
9 is the mode-select input control for
bar- or dot-mode operation. LM3914
works in bar mode when pin 9 is con-
nected directly to pin 3 and pulled to
+5V supply.
At any point of time, if all LEDs
(LED1 through LED7) glow, it indi-
cates that the humidity level is 90 per
cent RH and if only LED1 glows, it
indicates that humidity is at 30 per cent
RH. The number of glowing LEDs in-
creases with increase in humidity level
126 FEBRUARY 2014 | ELECTRONICS FOR YOU
Fig. 5: Component layout for the PCB
as shown in Fig. 1. PARTS LIST
Before using this circuit, humidity Semiconductors:
OHYHO LV ÀUVW FDOLEUDWHG XVLQJ SUHVHW IC1 - LM3914 dot/bar display
VR1. You may refer to a standard driver
T1, T2 - BC557 pnp transistors
humidity meter to calibrate it. For ''  1UHFWLÀHUGLRGH
example, if a standard humidity meter HS1 - SY-HS-220 humidity sensor
module
shows 40 per cent RH, LED1 and LED2 LED1-LED8 - 5mm LED
should glow. If not, vary VR1 till LED1 Resistors (all 1/4-watt, ±5% carbon):
and LED2 glow. Once calibration is R1 - 680-ohm
R2 - 1.2-kilo-ohm
done, you should not touch the preset R3 - 3.9-kilo-ohm
again. Thus, if humidity level is 50 per R4, R5 - 1-kilo-ohm
VR1 - 10-kilo-ohm preset
cent, you should see LED1, LED2 and Capacitors:
LED3 glowing. C1 - 100µF, 16V electrolytic
T1 and T2 are pnp transistors for Miscellaneous:
S1 - On/off switch
controlling two electrical devices CON1 - 2-pin Berg Strip connector
through relays RL1 and RL2. You can CON2 - 3-pin Berg Strip connector
CON3 - 7-pin Berg Strip connector
trigger these relays at the desired hu-
CON4, CON5 - Jumper wire
midity level by connecting their bases CON6-CON8 - 2-pin, 5mm terminal
to the corresponding pins of IC1. connector
- 18-pin IC base
All pins are terminated at CON3 for RL1, RL2 - 5V, 1C/O relay
ease of connection. Note that RL2 can
be used to stop the current process When circuit is turned on, vary
when predetermined humidity level VR1 till all the LEDs glow, to check if
is reached. they are working well along with the
driver.
Construction and testing For troubleshooting, you can refer
An actual size, single-side PCB for the test points given in the table. Now,
the humidity indicator and controller calibrate the circuit using a standard
is shown in Fig. 4 and its component humidity meter as explained earlier.
layout in Fig. 5. Assemble the compo- For manual testing, you can blow air
nents on the PCB. Before switching on from your mouth on the humidity
the circuit, check proper connections, sensor (HS1) and observe the LEDs
especially correct polarity of the power glowing. The number of glowing LEDs
supply at CON1. Normally, you will depends on the moisture content in
ÀQGKXPLGLW\VHQVRUPRGXOHZLWKÀYH your breath. z
pins. You need to use only three pins
(Vcc, Vo and GND) of this module, The author is a B.Tech in electronics and com-
which are to be connected at CON2 in munications engineering from Punjab Technical
this circuit. University
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