Hello, I'm using STM32L476 to acquire analog values using ADC, the problem is the ADC returns values of 0.4v even when there's literally no input! How to fix it? and how much would it affect the measurement of the data I'm trying to acquire?

[Amel NASRI]

Hi @Zbena.1​ ,

Are you calling the function allowing to calibrate ADC (HAL_ADCEx_Calibration_Start)?

You can refer to AN2834 to know more about How to get the best ADC accuracy in STM32 microcontrollers.

-Amel

[Zbena.1]

yes , I calibrated the ADC first, here's the full code

/* USER CODE BEGIN Header */
/**
  ******************************************************************************
  * @file           : main.c
  * @brief          : Main program body
  ******************************************************************************
  * @attention
  *
  * <h2><center>&copy; Copyright (c) 2021 STMicroelectronics.
  * All rights reserved.</center></h2>
  *
  * This software component is licensed by ST under BSD 3-Clause license,
  * the "License"; You may not use this file except in compliance with the
  * License. You may obtain a copy of the License at:
  *                        opensource.org/licenses/BSD-3-Clause
  *
  ******************************************************************************
  */
/* USER CODE END Header */
/* Includes ------------------------------------------------------------------*/
#include "main.h"
#include <stdio.h>
#include "string.h"
/* Private includes ----------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN Includes */
 
/* USER CODE END Includes */
 
/* Private typedef -----------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PTD */
 
/* USER CODE END PTD */
 
/* Private define ------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PD */
/* USER CODE END PD */
 
/* Private macro -------------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN PM */
 
/* USER CODE END PM */
 
/* Private variables ---------------------------------------------------------*/
ADC_HandleTypeDef hadc1;
 
UART_HandleTypeDef huart2;
 
/* USER CODE BEGIN PV */
float x1;
float x2;
float x3;
char msg [30];
uint16_t raw;
/* USER CODE END PV */
 
/* Private function prototypes -----------------------------------------------*/
void SystemClock_Config(void);
static void MX_GPIO_Init(void);
static void MX_ADC1_Init(void);
static void MX_USART2_UART_Init(void);
/* USER CODE BEGIN PFP */
 
/* USER CODE END PFP */
 
/* Private user code ---------------------------------------------------------*/
/* USER CODE BEGIN 0 */
 
/* USER CODE END 0 */
 
/**
  * @brief  The application entry point.
  * @retval int
  */
int main(void)
{
  /* USER CODE BEGIN 1 */
 
  /* USER CODE END 1 */
 
  /* MCU Configuration--------------------------------------------------------*/
 
  /* Reset of all peripherals, Initializes the Flash interface and the Systick. */
  HAL_Init();
 
  /* USER CODE BEGIN Init */
 
  /* USER CODE END Init */
 
  /* Configure the system clock */
  SystemClock_Config();
 
  /* USER CODE BEGIN SysInit */
 
  /* USER CODE END SysInit */
 
  /* Initialize all configured peripherals */
  MX_GPIO_Init();
  MX_ADC1_Init();
  MX_USART2_UART_Init();
  /* USER CODE BEGIN 2 */
 
  /* USER CODE END 2 */
 
  /* Infinite loop */
  /* USER CODE BEGIN WHILE */
  while (1)
  {printf("Starting...");
  HAL_GPIO_WritePin(GPIOA, GPIO_PIN_10, GPIO_PIN_SET);
 
  //Get ADC Value
  HAL_ADCEx_Calibration_Start(&hadc1,ADC_SINGLE_ENDED);
  HAL_ADC_Start(&hadc1);
  HAL_ADC_PollForConversion(&hadc1, HAL_MAX_DELAY);
  raw = HAL_ADC_GetValue(&hadc1);
  x1= (raw*3.6)/4095;
  x2=26.0;
  x3=14.7;
 
  //Test: Set GPIO Pin Low
  HAL_GPIO_WritePin(GPIOA, GPIO_PIN_10, GPIO_PIN_RESET);
 
  //Convert to string and print
  sprintf(msg, "%hf;%hf;%hf\r\n ", x1,x2,x3);
 
  HAL_UART_Transmit(&huart2, (uint8_t*)msg, strlen(msg), HAL_MAX_DELAY);
  HAL_Delay(100);
    /* USER CODE END WHILE */
 
    /* USER CODE BEGIN 3 */
  }
  /* USER CODE END 3 */
}
 
/**
  * @brief System Clock Configuration
  * @retval None
  */
void SystemClock_Config(void)
{
  RCC_OscInitTypeDef RCC_OscInitStruct = {0};
  RCC_ClkInitTypeDef RCC_ClkInitStruct = {0};
 
  /** Configure the main internal regulator output voltage
  */
  if (HAL_PWREx_ControlVoltageScaling(PWR_REGULATOR_VOLTAGE_SCALE1) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
  /** Initializes the RCC Oscillators according to the specified parameters
  * in the RCC_OscInitTypeDef structure.
  */
  RCC_OscInitStruct.OscillatorType = RCC_OSCILLATORTYPE_MSI;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.MSIState = RCC_MSI_ON;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.MSICalibrationValue = 0;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.MSIClockRange = RCC_MSIRANGE_6;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLState = RCC_PLL_ON;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLSource = RCC_PLLSOURCE_MSI;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLM = 1;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLN = 40;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLP = RCC_PLLP_DIV7;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLQ = RCC_PLLQ_DIV2;
  RCC_OscInitStruct.PLL.PLLR = RCC_PLLR_DIV2;
  if (HAL_RCC_OscConfig(&RCC_OscInitStruct) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
  /** Initializes the CPU, AHB and APB buses clocks
  */
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.ClockType = RCC_CLOCKTYPE_HCLK|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_SYSCLK
                              |RCC_CLOCKTYPE_PCLK1|RCC_CLOCKTYPE_PCLK2;
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.SYSCLKSource = RCC_SYSCLKSOURCE_PLLCLK;
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.AHBCLKDivider = RCC_SYSCLK_DIV1;
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.APB1CLKDivider = RCC_HCLK_DIV1;
  RCC_ClkInitStruct.APB2CLKDivider = RCC_HCLK_DIV1;
 
  if (HAL_RCC_ClockConfig(&RCC_ClkInitStruct, FLASH_LATENCY_4) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
}
 
/**
  * @brief ADC1 Initialization Function
  * @param None
  * @retval None
  */
static void MX_ADC1_Init(void)
{
 
  /* USER CODE BEGIN ADC1_Init 0 */
 
  /* USER CODE END ADC1_Init 0 */
 
  ADC_MultiModeTypeDef multimode = {0};
  ADC_ChannelConfTypeDef sConfig = {0};
 
  /* USER CODE BEGIN ADC1_Init 1 */
 
  /* USER CODE END ADC1_Init 1 */
  /** Common config
  */
  hadc1.Instance = ADC1;
  hadc1.Init.ClockPrescaler = ADC_CLOCK_ASYNC_DIV1;
  hadc1.Init.Resolution = ADC_RESOLUTION_12B;
  hadc1.Init.DataAlign = ADC_DATAALIGN_RIGHT;
  hadc1.Init.ScanConvMode = ADC_SCAN_DISABLE;
  hadc1.Init.EOCSelection = ADC_EOC_SINGLE_CONV;
  hadc1.Init.LowPowerAutoWait = DISABLE;
  hadc1.Init.ContinuousConvMode = DISABLE;
  hadc1.Init.NbrOfConversion = 1;
  hadc1.Init.DiscontinuousConvMode = DISABLE;
  hadc1.Init.ExternalTrigConv = ADC_SOFTWARE_START;
  hadc1.Init.ExternalTrigConvEdge = ADC_EXTERNALTRIGCONVEDGE_NONE;
  hadc1.Init.DMAContinuousRequests = DISABLE;
  hadc1.Init.Overrun = ADC_OVR_DATA_PRESERVED;
  hadc1.Init.OversamplingMode = DISABLE;
  if (HAL_ADC_Init(&hadc1) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
  /** Configure the ADC multi-mode
  */
  multimode.Mode = ADC_MODE_INDEPENDENT;
  if (HAL_ADCEx_MultiModeConfigChannel(&hadc1, &multimode) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
  /** Configure Regular Channel
  */
  sConfig.Channel = ADC_CHANNEL_5;
  sConfig.Rank = ADC_REGULAR_RANK_1;
  sConfig.SamplingTime = ADC_SAMPLETIME_2CYCLES_5;
  sConfig.SingleDiff = ADC_SINGLE_ENDED;
  sConfig.OffsetNumber = ADC_OFFSET_NONE;
  sConfig.Offset = 0;
  if (HAL_ADC_ConfigChannel(&hadc1, &sConfig) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
  /* USER CODE BEGIN ADC1_Init 2 */
 
  /* USER CODE END ADC1_Init 2 */
 
}
 
/**
  * @brief USART2 Initialization Function
  * @param None
  * @retval None
  */
static void MX_USART2_UART_Init(void)
{
 
  /* USER CODE BEGIN USART2_Init 0 */
 
  /* USER CODE END USART2_Init 0 */
 
  /* USER CODE BEGIN USART2_Init 1 */
 
  /* USER CODE END USART2_Init 1 */
  huart2.Instance = USART2;
  huart2.Init.BaudRate = 115200;
  huart2.Init.WordLength = UART_WORDLENGTH_8B;
  huart2.Init.StopBits = UART_STOPBITS_1;
  huart2.Init.Parity = UART_PARITY_NONE;
  huart2.Init.Mode = UART_MODE_TX_RX;
  huart2.Init.HwFlowCtl = UART_HWCONTROL_NONE;
  huart2.Init.OverSampling = UART_OVERSAMPLING_16;
  huart2.Init.OneBitSampling = UART_ONE_BIT_SAMPLE_DISABLE;
  huart2.AdvancedInit.AdvFeatureInit = UART_ADVFEATURE_NO_INIT;
  if (HAL_UART_Init(&huart2) != HAL_OK)
  {
    Error_Handler();
  }
  /* USER CODE BEGIN USART2_Init 2 */
 
  /* USER CODE END USART2_Init 2 */
 
}
 
/**
  * @brief GPIO Initialization Function
  * @param None
  * @retval None
  */
static void MX_GPIO_Init(void)
{
 
  /* GPIO Ports Clock Enable */
  __HAL_RCC_GPIOA_CLK_ENABLE();
 
}
 
/* USER CODE BEGIN 4 */
 
/* USER CODE END 4 */
 
/**
  * @brief  This function is executed in case of error occurrence.
  * @retval None
  */
void Error_Handler(void)
{
  /* USER CODE BEGIN Error_Handler_Debug */
  /* User can add his own implementation to report the HAL error return state */
  __disable_irq();
  while (1)
  {
  }
  /* USER CODE END Error_Handler_Debug */
}
 
#ifdef  USE_FULL_ASSERT
/**
  * @brief  Reports the name of the source file and the source line number
  *         where the assert_param error has occurred.
  * @param  file: pointer to the source file name
  * @param  line: assert_param error line source number
  * @retval None
  */
void assert_failed(uint8_t *file, uint32_t line)
{
  /* USER CODE BEGIN 6 */
  /* User can add his own implementation to report the file name and line number,
     ex: printf("Wrong parameters value: file %s on line %d\r\n", file, line) */
  /* USER CODE END 6 */
}
#endif /* USE_FULL_ASSERT */
 
/************************ (C) COPYRIGHT STMicroelectronics *****END OF FILE****/

[waclawek.jan]

What is "literally no input"? Floating pin? Then there's no guaranteed ADC result. Connect the input to proper low-impedance signal source, e.g. to analog ground.

JW

[Zbena.1]

Here's what happened, I was reading the output voltage of an analog sensor and in fact, I disconnected the data pin to verify whether the given voltage of the ADC matches the one measured by a multimeter and it was when I noticed that the ADC still gives value even if I disconnect the data pin, and it also happened when I even disconnect the whole sensor (the power supply and the gnd) so I thought that it was weird.

Ps: my multimeter turns out to be broken so I couldn't check using it

[waclawek.jan · Accepted solution]

Unconnected/floating pin may read any value. If there's enough capacitance in the input circuitry (significantly more than the cca 6pF sampling capacitance), it can retain the previous voltage for a significant time.

JW

[Zbena.1]

I see! thank you for answering