Selection Guide of Temperature Sensors

Is it difficult for you to choose a temperature sensor from the maker market that is full of different kinds? Therefore, we have prepared a guide of temperature sensors that compatible with Arduino for your reference.

What is a temperature sensor?
The temperature sensor is a sensor can convert temperature to output signal. It is the core of measuring instrument for temperature and comes in a wide variety. It can be classified according to measuring ways as contact one and non-contact one; It can also be classified according to materials and electrical characteristics as a resistance thermometer or a thermocouple. 
A guide of Arduino compatible temperature sensors
*You can open picture in new tab to have a clear view.
 

Caution: Different environments will lead to deviation in the temperature measurement.
In the image, we offer the real data for your reference only.

Product details

Gravity: i2C BMP280 Barometer Sensor SKU: SEN0226

 

The new published BMP280 Barometer sensor supports Arduino and can measure both temperature and atmospheric pressure.

Improvements based on BMP180:

• Made smaller, owns the minimal package of 2.0×2.5×0.95 mm3 in the current industry.
• Higher accuracy, temperature precision is from 0.1°C to 0.01°C.
• Higher accuracy, pressure precision is from 1pa to 0.16pa.
• The pressure is 300hPa~1100hPa in the altitude of 9000m~-500m.
• The pressure sensor supports SPI and IIC communication interfaces.
• 3D navigation can be accomplished by strengthen GPS location technics or coordinate with IMU sensors with barometers.
• Power consumption is as low as 2.7μA.
• Higher resolution and sample frequency.

Based on mature piezoelectric pressure transducer technologies of BOSCH, BMP280 has many advantages, such as high EMC stability, high precision, low power consumption etc. The precision is about ±0.12 hPa, which means the deviation is ±1m. It also supports temperature measurement from 0℃ to 65℃. It adopts Gravity-IIC 4Pin standard interface and communicate with Arduino by I2C interface. Moreover, it can calculate latitude according to temperature data and pressure data.
 

Gravity: Analog LM35 Temperature Sensor For Arduino SKU: DFR0023

LM35 is a popular temperature sensor produced by National Semiconductor. The voltage produced is linear with temperature change. For example, the output voltage is 0V of 0℃ and an increase in the temperature by 1℃ advances the output voltage of 10mV.

• The temperature sensor has many categories and it is relatively easy for semiconductor applications.
• High linearity and sensitivity (sensitivity of sensor chip: 10mV/℃)
• Compared to other medium temperature measure sensors, semiconductor temperature measure sensor applies to temp.100℃~200℃.
• Compared to standard Kelvin linear temperature sensors, there is no need for outside calibration and fine-tuning. In the normal temperature, the accuracy is ±1/4℃.

LM35 module could not just plug into Arduino Sensor expansion board directly with a 3P sensor wire but also connects to different SCM develop boards and robot controllers. These features make LM35 a sensor master environment temperature easily and an ideal sensor for interactive works and intelligent robots.
Caution: Due to output voltage of LM35 is relatively low, once we choose normal Arduino master board to measure, it may leads to deviation and jittery. It also needs greater significant bit of ADC master board. Therefore, we have published an upgraded version: V3 to solve these problems. The version has onboard precise amplification circuit that advances the sensitivity to 30mV/℃, and of better stability and stronger anti-jamming capacity.
 

Waterproof DS18B20 Sensor Kit SKU: KIT0021

 

Waterproof temperature sensor DS18B20 is widely used in many fields, such as soil temperature measurement, hot tank temperature control etc. Additionally, we designed a Pluggable Terminal adapter for DS18B20. However, we must satisfy two conditions: 1. Add a pull-up resistor. 2. Switch to jumper-cap alternatively. Only satisfy these conditions, can we connect DS18B20 to Arduino.

• Digital temperature sensor of DS18B20 is small, cost-effective, precise and of great anti-jamming power.
• The static power consumption is less than 3μA.
• The temperature value bit changes with different resolutions.
• The delay time of temperature changes from 2s down to 0.75s.
• The special single-line interface completely satisfies communication requirements. The advantage of realizing multipoint communication with only one rabbet line has simplify applications of distributed temperature measures.
• The sensors connected in parallel can use an interface in common.
• Supports temperature limited alarm system programing.
• Test results are serial transferred in the way of 9~12 bit digital quantity.
• No need for external hardware and standby power.
• The voltage range is 3.0V~5.5V; Temperature range is -55°C~+125°C and displays as -10°C ~+85°C of high precision as ±0.5°C.
• Supports multipoint network, several DS18B20 can connected to the only three-wire in parallel.

Interface of three-wire: Divided to type A and type B.
Type A: Red (VCC), Black (GND), Yellow (DATA)
Type B: Red (VCC), Yellow (GND), Green (DATA)
*Please pay attention to interface of DS18B20.
*Caution: DS18B20 can protect itself from damage of wrong connection of positive and negative poles; the chip will not burnt but stop working. In the multipoint temperature measurement, eight DS18B20 can parallel connected at the most or voltage of power supply is too low to transport signals steadily.
 

Gravity: DS18B20 Temperature Sensor (Arduino Compatible) SKU:DFR0024

 

DS18B20 Temperature Sensor (Arduino Compatible) provides with relatively simple temperature measure system and high precision. Moreover, it is convenient to connect for less interface in need (Only one I/O interface is enough). However, it is not waterproof.
*Caution: Users of V5 please note that its wiring order is compatible with V7 I/O.
Below are the updates of interface layout.
 

Gravity: Analog High Temperature Sensor SKU:SEN0198

 

What sensor will you need for temperature measures? 

Most people will think of a DS18B20 temperature sensor at first, but this sensor can only measure temperatures up to 125°C. In order to measure temperatures more than 100°C, you must need a sensor with wider temperature range and better resistance. This is the sensor that you need! With electric resistance high-temperature PT100 probe that is popular in industrial applications, it broadens temperature range to 30-350 °C. The module supports input voltage: 3.3V-5.5V, so it is compatible with Arduino, STM32 and other microcontrollers.

High-temperature module

• Operating voltage:3.3V-5.5V
• Analog output voltage: 0.2V
• Working temperature range: 30-350 °C
• Relative error: ±2% F.S.
• Waterproof: No

PT100 probe

• Probe working temperature: -20-400 °C
• Sheathing tolerance: up to 200 °C
• Length: 2m
• Precision: 0.5 °C
• Waterproof: Yes

*Caution: You need to know reference voltage of analog interfaces before download programs. If supply voltage of develop board is 3.3V, you should change the code const float voltageRef = 5.000 to const float voltageRef = 3.300. If supply voltage is 5V, change it accordingly. If you want to increase precision, you need to measure voltage value of IOREF and replace value in the code accordingly.
 

Gravity: Non-contact IR Temperature Sensor for Arduino SKU:SEN0206

Temperature measurement is always divide to two types: contact and non-contact. Contact measurement can only measure temperature when the object and the sensor reach thermal equilibrium, which means longer response time and reading inaccuracies offset by ambient temperature. Below is the analysis of non-contact measurement sensors based on contact ones.

• Temperature-sensing elements are not in touch with objects. It confirms temperature data by infrared radiation energy.
• It is useful for objects that are in move, small, and of relatively quick temperature changes. It is also suitable for measuring distribution of temperature fields.
• High temperature resolution, respond fast and stable.

Our latest infrared temperature measurement module is MLX90614. This module measures the surface temperature by detecting infrared radiation energy and wavelength distribution. MLX90614 itself calibrating and has a low noise amplifier integrated into the signal processing chip. The chip is a 17-bit ADC and DSP device, giving accurate and reliable results.

*Caution: Before using the infrared temperature measurement module, it is important to understand the concept of ‘field of view’ (FOV). FOV is determined when a thermopile receives 50% of the radiation signal; it is also relate to the main axis of the sensor. As shown in the figure below, the size of the FOV is indicated on the horizontal axis. This measured temperature is actually the weighted average temperature of the object in the FOV and the measurement accuracy can only be ensured when the testing object totally covers the FOV of the infrared sensor. This means that the distance between the measurement terminal point and the bus bar must be ensured to meet the demands to guarantee the temperature measurement accuracy.

In detail, this module has a FOV of 35°, so tan35° = the radius of the testing object ÷ the distance between the infrared sensor and testing object.

E.g. the radius of the testing object is 5cm, so the measuring distance is 7cm (that means the measurement result is most accurate within this scope). The FOV graph of this sensor is below:

The points of measurement all need to be in the field of view

Infrared Thermometer Module SKU:SEN0093

The high-quality non-contact infrared thermometer module is a TN9 module of high sensitivity and high accuracy.

• It adopts MEMS thermopile detector and high accurate ambient temperature compensation technologies.
• If the operating voltage is 3.0V, the operating current is 4mA~6mA and quiescent current is 2μA~3μA；

If the operating voltage is 4.5V, the operating current is 6mA~9mA and quiescent current is 3μA~4.5μA.

• Infrared system on chip consists of unique integrated circuits. Creative SoC technique makes TN9 modules of high integration density and great price value.
• Perform excellent in keeping precision under wide range temperature changes. In detail, deviation of traditional thermopile detector is 1.6°C and need 30 minutes to stabilize. For TN9 products, deviation is as low as 0.7°C and only need 7 minutes to stabilize.
• Distance : Diameter of the object = 1:1
• FOV is 26.6×2 = 53.2°
• *Caution: If no input data, data pin is in the high voltage, interval>2ms.
• If Tobj = 15°C ~35°C, Tamb = 25°C, precision is ±0.5°C, general precision is ±2°C

Gravity:SHT1x Humidity and Temperature Sensor SKU: DFR0066

 

Sensirion in Switzerland introduced SHT1x single chip digital sensors, which integrates humidity and temperature measurements. CMOSens technology makes it of advantages such as low power consumption, fast response, strong anti-jamming capacity, good stability.

• Calibrating in strict constant temperature and humidity, calibrate parameter is wrote to OTP solid-state memory of chip. During the temperature measure process, outputs are adjusted with these calibrate parameter.
• 2 digital interfaces and inner power management makes it easy to use.
• Perform excellent in satisfying high-precision requirements of environmental temperature and humidity measurements, reliable and stable. It is easy to realize interaction of temperature and humidity when combine it with expansion boards(compatible with Arduino)

*Caution: temperature and humidity sensor is not a normal electronic component; it cannot exposed to high concentration chemical vapors; nor overheating environment, for temperature influence humidity, so we should keep the sensor of same temperature and humidity during humidity measurement. We also need to keep both testing sensor and referencing sensor under same temperature. 
 

Gravity: DHT11 Temperature Humidity Sensor for Arduino SKU: DFR0067

This DHT11 Temperature and Humidity Sensor features a calibrated digital signal output with the temperature and humidity sensor complex. Deviation of humidity and temperature is ±5%RH and ±2℃. The humidity range is 20-90%RH and temperature range is 0~50℃.

• As a temperature and humidity sensor with built in calibrated digital signal output,

it’s exclusive digital module collection, temperature and humidity sense technologies contribute high reliability and excellent long-term stability.

• A high-performance 8-bit microcontroller is connected. This sensor includes a resistive element and a sense of wet NTC temperature measuring devices.
• It has excellent quality, fast response, anti-interference ability and high cost performance advantages.
• The single-wire serial interface system is integrated to become quick and easy.
• Small size, low power, super-long signals transmission distance up to 20 meters.
• No need for extra hardware, packaged with 4 pins, convenient to connect.

*Caution: Please avoid exposing to sunshine or intense radiation.
 

DHT22 Temperature and Humidity Sensor SKU: SEN0137

Similar to DHT11, DHT22 capacitive humidity sensing digital temperature and humidity module also has single line serial interface, small and low power consumption, and super-long signals transmission distance up to 20 meters. The biggest difference between them is that DHT11 is made up of resistance moisture-sensitive components, but DHT22 is made up of capacitive moisture-sensitive components.

*Caution: DHT22 digital temperature and humidity sensor is designed for analog sensor interfaces. The analog port will be used as the digital, which will not occupy the original digital port of the Arduino. The lines of the sensor, which can transform the analog function to digital that can be used on digital port.

These are types of basic temperature sensors and we have designed remarks in the DFRobot boards to help you distinguish temperature sensors and temperature and humidity sensors:

• D near the interface indicates this is a digital sensor.
• A near the interface indicates this is an analog sensor.
• A drip and thermograph indicates this is a temperature and humidity sensor.
• A thermograph indicates this is a temperature sensor.