fake lm35dz temperature sensors
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:08 pm
Well, as usual, the 5pcs for a dollar lm35dz
https://www.ti.com/product/LM35
from the usual AliExpress/eBay pirate bay are too good to be true, and so they are not true
I got a bunch of fakes, pretty much lm35dz listed at around a dollar for 5, that's pretty expensive for a fake.
The sensor readings from stm32 PA0 ADC1
Every 10th millivolt is the temperature, sample rate is every 1/2 seconds, so it goes from 13 deg C to 41 deg C in under 8 secs.
My wall thermometer did not change a single centigrade/Fahrenheit all that time
Initially, the readings are even more variable than this, so I added 2 more lines (libmaple core f4)
480 ADC clocks sample time, that is the longest possible in the register.
It is disappointing, I'd likely get back to the vendor about it, at least to inform them about the fakes.
Then I searched Farnell (element14.com) catalogue. I found better sensors, they are more accurate 0.4 deg C and cost less than the LM35DZ list price there.
https://www.ti.com/product/LMT86
https://www.ti.com/product/LMT87
and best of all, they run off low voltages which can be powered from the 3.3v VDD on most stm32 'pill boards'.
For high precision, high accuracy parts, it is still way safer to get them from the 'regular' sources, digikey, mouser, farnell (element14), octoparts etc.
The premium is no doubt high, but one can be assured of original parts. Adafruit, Sparkfun counts among them as well and it's possible to get nice modules all built and ready to go than just the chips alone.
https://www.ti.com/product/LM35
from the usual AliExpress/eBay pirate bay are too good to be true, and so they are not true

I got a bunch of fakes, pretty much lm35dz listed at around a dollar for 5, that's pretty expensive for a fake.
The sensor readings from stm32 PA0 ADC1
Code: Select all
pa0:129,0.10
pa0:161,0.13
pa0:252,0.20
pa0:288,0.23
pa0:326,0.26
pa0:350,0.28
pa0:378,0.30
pa0:398,0.32
pa0:388,0.31
pa0:458,0.37
pa0:455,0.37
pa0:463,0.37
pa0:484,0.39
pa0:501,0.40
pa0:510,0.41
pa0:502,0.40
pa0:508,0.41
pa0:508,0.41
My wall thermometer did not change a single centigrade/Fahrenheit all that time

Initially, the readings are even more variable than this, so I added 2 more lines (libmaple core f4)
Code: Select all
void setup() {
//adc clk max 36mhz, using 84/4 ~ 21mhz
adc_set_prescaler(ADC_PRE_PCLK2_DIV_4);
adc_set_sampling_time(ADC1, adc_smp_rate::ADC_SMPR_480);
...
}
It is disappointing, I'd likely get back to the vendor about it, at least to inform them about the fakes.
Then I searched Farnell (element14.com) catalogue. I found better sensors, they are more accurate 0.4 deg C and cost less than the LM35DZ list price there.
https://www.ti.com/product/LMT86
https://www.ti.com/product/LMT87
and best of all, they run off low voltages which can be powered from the 3.3v VDD on most stm32 'pill boards'.
For high precision, high accuracy parts, it is still way safer to get them from the 'regular' sources, digikey, mouser, farnell (element14), octoparts etc.
The premium is no doubt high, but one can be assured of original parts. Adafruit, Sparkfun counts among them as well and it's possible to get nice modules all built and ready to go than just the chips alone.