The migration of Yoctopuce modules to Type-C connectivity is gathering pace. This week, we're announcing no less than four new modules: Yocto-Volt-C, Yocto-Thermocouple-C, Yocto-PowerRelay-V3-C and Yocto-MaxiBridge-C.
Yocto-Volt-C
The Yocto-Volt-C is a small voltmeter capable of measuring DC or AC voltages between -250 and 250V with a refresh rate of 10Hz. It features Class II protection isolation, which means that not only is the measuring part electrically isolated from the USB part, but you can also use it to measure mains-connected circuits.
The Yocto-Volt-C
When we calculated the price of the Yocto-Volt-C, we were surprised to find that its final price is slightly lower than that of the Micro-B version. We investigated and realized that the Yocto-Volt is based on components that were costing us quite a bit when the Yocto-Volt appeared in 2012. As a reminder, the price in Swiss Francs of a Yoctopuce module is calculated as three times the price of raw materials at the time of launch, and is not changed thereafter, with a few exceptions. As it happens, the price of these rather expensive components has fallen slightly over the last decade. Normally, we'd keep the "historic" price of the Yocto-Volt, but to keep prices somewhat consistent, we've recalculated and updated the price of the Yocto-Volt from CHF 63.70 to 59.50, while the Yocto-Volt-C is at CHF 62.50. The difference comes from the PCBs: as we sell a lot of Yocto-Volt, we order the PCBs in large quantities and they cost us a little less.
Yocto-Thermocouple-C
The Yocto-Thermocouple-C is a small module that measures temperature via two thermocouples. It's a very popular module, much used by coffee roasters because it's directly supported by the free software Artisan. The Yocto-Thermocouple-C works with thermocouples of type K,E,J,N,R,S and T. It is supplied with two one-meter Type-K thermocouple wires.
The Yocto-Thermocouple-C
Yocto-Thermocouple-C is priced slightly higher than the micro-B version: CHF 47.50 vs. CHF 45.00. This is a typical case: the Yocto-Thermocouple price has not changed since 2012, but production costs have risen slightly.
Yocto-PowerRelay-V3-C
Yocto-PowerRelay-V3-C is an SPDT relay module. It is based on the OMRON G6RL-14-ASI relay, which can switch up to 5A at 250VAC. It can be used to switch mains current. On the other hand, in direct current, there is a big power derating from 30V DC, consult the documentation for more details. This relay has the particularity of being fairly resistant to inductive loads, which have the annoying habit of rapidly destroying the contacts of ordinary electromagnetic relays.
The Yocto-PowerRelay-V3-C
Curiously, the Yocto-PowerRelay-V3-C is available at the same price as the Yocto-PowerRelay-V3: CHF 30.
Yocto-MaxiBridge-C
The Yocto-MaxiBridge-C is a module that can measure up to four Wheatstone bridges. The best-known applications for this type of circuit are the load cells used to build scales. The Yocto-MaxiBridge-C allows you to build scales using up to four cells. It is based on the high-end ADS1263 analog converter manufactured by Texas Instrument, which enables you to build rather accurate scales, provided you use quality cells. Please note that the four inputs are not measured in parallel, but in turn.
The Yocto-MaxiBridge-C
If we had stuck to the rule of raw material cost multiplied by three, the Yocto-MaxiBridge would have cost more than CHF 113. But at the time, we didn't want to make an unreasonable margin because of the high price of ADS1263, so we made an exception and set a price lower than the rule would have dictated. For the Yocto-MaxiBridge-C, we made the same exception and priced it at CHF 113.50.
Conclusion
The migration of Yoctopuce products to USB-C connectivity is progressing smoothly. We were expecting USB-C versions to be systematically a little more expensive than micro-B versions, especially for modules that have been on the market for more than ten years. As it turns out, no, not always. Even though the price of common components has generally risen, there are a few exceptions: it's enough for the price of a slightly expensive component to have fallen for an inverse difference to appear.
Finally, as usual, you can influence the order in which Yoctopuce USB-C modules appear by taking part in our ongoing poll.
