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APPLICATION BULLETIN
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SINGLE SUPPLY 4-20mA CURRENT LOOP RECEIVER

By R. Mark Stitt and David Kunst (602) 746-7445

Many industrial current-loop data acquisition systems oper-
ate on a 24V or 28V single supply. You can make a single-
supply current loop receiver with the RCV420 by using its
10V reference as a pseudo ground. The RCV420 will con-
vert a 4-20mA loop current into a 0 to 5V output voltage
with no external components required. The current loop can
be sourcing or sinking and can be referenced to either the
power-supply V+ or ground.
The complete circuit for a single-supply current loop re-
ceiver is shown in Figure 1. In this application, a 4-20mA
current source referenced to power-supply ground drives the
receiver. The V– terminal and the Ref Com terminal of the
RCV420 are both tied to power supply ground. The 10V
reference output (Ref Out) becomes a pseudo ground where
the current loop receiver common pin (Rcv Com) is tied. The
current loop receiver output is now referenced to the 10V
pseudo ground.
In normal operation, the 4-20mA current loop signal would
produce a 0-5V output with the RCV420 offset pin (Ref In)
connected to the +10V reference. The 10V reference pro-
vides a –1.25V offset so 4mA input current will produce 0V
out. In this application, the Ref In pin is connected to power
supply ground which acts as a –10V reference—producing
a +1.25V offset. Now with the inputs connected for an
inverted output signal, the RCV420 output will be 0 to –5V
referenced to the pseudo ground. Since the pseudo ground is
at 10V, the actual output will be 10V to 5V—a signal which
can drive most floating ground meters.
For a current loop receiver with a 4-20mA current sink
referenced to the power-supply V+, use the connection
shown in Figure 2.
The circuit can operate on a single supply ranging from
+15V to +36V (+44V absolute max). The pseudo ground
(Ref Out) can source or sink up to 5mA.
For an isolated single-supply 4-20mA current loop receiver,
you can connect the circuit to an isolation amplifier as
shown in Figure 3. In this circuit the ISO122 is operated
single-supply using the 10.0V pseudo ground. Note that the
output side of the isolation amplifier still requires dual
supplies.
Output from the ISO122 will be 0 to –5V. You could
interchange the input connections to the ISO122 to get a 0
to 5V output, but power-supply rejection would degrade
performance.
The ISO122 is a low-cost iso amp in a standard plastic DIP.
For a hermetic isolation amplifier, use the ISO120. Hook-up
details are shown in Application Bulletin AB-009.

4-20mA +28V
Input from (15V to 36V)
Current Loop
V+ 16
RCV420
300kΩ 99kΩ 92kΩ Ref 10.0V to
1 In
5.0V
–In 12
11.5kΩ Rcv
FB
75Ω 15 LO
Ref
2 Out 0 to 5V
CT 14 Meter
Ref HI
75Ω 1.01kΩ FB
(1)
10
NC 300kΩ 100kΩ
3 10.0V
10.0V
+In Ref Ref Pseudo
Out
Ground
11

V– 4 Rcv 13 Ref 5
Com Com

NOTE: (1) NC = No Connection.

FIGURE 1.

©
1992 Burr-Brown Corporation AB-041 Printed in U.S.A. June, 1992

SBOA023
 +28V
(15V to 36V)

V+ 16
RCV420
(1) 300kΩ 99kΩ 92kΩ Ref 10.0V to
NC 1 In
5.0V
–In 12
11.5kΩ Rcv
FB
75Ω 15 LO
Ref
2 Out 0 to 5V
CT 14 Meter
Ref HI
75Ω 1.01kΩ FB
10
300kΩ 100kΩ
3 10.0V
10.0V
+In Ref Ref Pseudo
Out
Ground
11

V– 4 Rcv 13 Ref 5
Com Com
4-20mA
Input from
Current Loop
NOTE: (1) NC = No Connection.

FIGURE 2.

+28V
4-20mA (15V to 36V)
Input from
Current Loop
V+ 16
RCV420
300kΩ 99kΩ 92kΩ Ref
1 In
–In 12
+VS2
11.5kΩ Rcv
FB 15 1 (+15V)
In
75Ω 15
Ref 9
2 Out ISO 7
CT 14 122
8 VO = 0 to –5V
Ref 10
75Ω 1.01kΩ FB 16 Gnd
Com 2
10 2
NC
(1) 300kΩ 100kΩ –VS1 –VS2
3 10.0V (–15V)
+In Ref Ref
Out
11

V– 4 Rcv 13 Ref 5
Com Com

NOTE: (1) NC = No Connection.

FIGURE 3.

The information provided herein is believed to be reliable; however, BURR-BROWN assumes no responsibility for inaccuracies or omissions. BURR-BROWN
assumes no responsibility for the use of this information, and all use of such information shall be entirely at the user’s own risk. Prices and specifications are subject
to change without notice. No patent rights or licenses to any of the circuits described herein are implied or granted to any third party. BURR-BROWN does not
authorize or warrant any BURR-BROWN product for use in life support devices and/or systems.

2
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