Configure an INA219 Power Sensor

Configure an INA219 power sensor to integrate a Texas Instruments INA219 into your machine:

Navigate to the CONFIGURE tab of your machine’s page in the Viam app. Click the + icon next to your machine part in the left-hand menu and select Component. Select the power_sensor type, then select the ina219 model. Enter a name or use the suggested name for your sensor and click Create.

ina219 power sensor configuration panel in the Viam app.

Edit the attributes as applicable to your power sensor, according to the table below.

{
  "i2c_bus": <int>,
  "i2c-addr": <int>,
  "max_current_amps": <float>,
  "shunt_resistance": <float>
}

{
  "i2c_bus": 1
}

{
  "components": [
    {
      "name": "ina1",
      "model": "ina19",
      "type": "power_sensor",
      "namespace": "rdk",
      "attributes": {
        "i2c_bus": <int>,
        "i2c_addr": <int>,
        "max_current_amps": <float>,
        "shunt_resistance": <float>
      },
      "depends_on": []
    }
  ]
}

The following attributes are available for ina219 sensors:

AttributeTypeInclusionDescription
i2c_busintegerRequiredThe index of the I2C bus that the sensor is connected to.
i2c_addrintegerOptionalThe sensor’s unique I2C address.
Default: 0x40
max_current_ampsfloatOptionalDefault: 3.2A. The maximum current that the sensor can measure in amperes (A).
shunt_resistancefloatOptionalDefault: 0.1Ω. The shunt resistance value of the sensor in Ohms (Ω).

Test the power sensor

After you configure your power sensor, navigate to the Control tab and select the dropdown panel dedicated to your power sensor. The panel contains readings for your voltage, current, and power.

An instance of the power sensor component in the control tab with voltage, current, and power readings

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