LabJack T8

• 8 Fully Isolated, differential Analog Inputs built in
• 1kV channel-to-channel and channel-to-ground isolation
• 24-bit high-speed ADC (up to 40,000 samples per second per channel) (Appendix A-1)
• Simultaneous, independent ADC per channel
• Software Configurable Resolution Settings
• Voltage Ranges: ±11V, ±9.7V, ±4.8V, ±2.4V,±1.2V, ±0.6V, ±0.3V, ±0.15V,±0.075V, ±0.036V, and ±0.018V (Appendix A-3-3)
• All analog input features are software programmable by configuring the Analog Input Registers
• High speed sampling configurable by using Stream Mode. Speeds up to 40kS/s/Ch
• Low Latency Sampling and Control (less than 1ms) is made easy with Command-Response Modbus messages
• Easy integration with sensors like thermocouples, load cells, bridges, and more Explore LabJack's Sensor App-Notes

• 2 analog outputs (16-bit, 0-10V)
• Waveform generation via Stream Out
• Source Impedance/Load Current compensated up to 20mA
• Vout Min -0.0 Vout Max 10.0

The DACs on the T8 use additional power systems to output voltage levels above and below the supply. This allows the T8 to output approximately -0.1 to 10 V as long as the supply voltage is within the valid operating range.

The DACs on the T8 have good load regulation. Very little voltage drop is expected up to 20mA, usually 1-2 mV.

See Appendix A-4 for more information.

• 20 Digital I/O-Use our CB15 Terminal Board for access to all DIO
• Supports SPI, I2C, and more... (Master Only)
• up to 9 PWM Outputs with individual phase control
• up to 9 Pulse Outputs with configurable number, frequency, and width
• up to 9 Frequency Inputs returning both frequency and period
• up to 9 Pulse Width Inputs measuring time spent high and low as well as duty cycle
• up to 3 pairs Line-to-Line Inputs measuring the time between edges on 2 different lines
• up to 8 High-Speed Counters
• up to 16 Software Counters with debounce capabilities
• up to 8 Pairs of Quadrature Inputs

Basics: Individual digital I/O lines can be set to digital input or digital output. DIO is a generic name used for all digital I/O.

Common Uses: For wiring information on open-collector signals, driven signals, controlling relays, and mechanical switches, see the Digital I/O (App Note).

How to read and write DIO: See 3.0 Communication for communication basics. Also, LabJack Kipling's Dashboard tab shows live DIO values.

DIO Extended Features: T-series DIO Extended Features expose more complicated features such as:

• Timers, Counters, PWM, Quadrature Input, and more.

Digital Communication Protocols: T-series DIO lines can also be used to communicate with a large number of sensors that require the use of various digital communication protocols. The T-series devices implement the following protocols:

• I2C - Also reference the I2C Lua Library and Lua I2C Sensor examples.
• SPI
• SBUS
• 1-Wire
• Asynchronous Serial (UART)

Recommended Software

Though LabJack devices can be used with a variety of software options, we recommend the following—unless you already know what software you'd like to use.

If you'd like a graphical application for device configuration or basic data collection, see the available LabJack applications.

If you'd like to write a program for custom behavior, LabJack recommends the following:

T-Series (T4, T7, T7-Pro, T8)

Windows, Linux, and macOS: LJM library (C/C++) or any LJM language wrapper.

For the full list, see the T-series software options.

LJM Library

using LabJack;

    ...

    int handle;
    LJM.OpenS("T7", "USB", "ANY", ref handle);

    // Read the voltage on AIN0
    double voltage;
    LJM.eReadName(handle, "AIN0", ref voltage);

    ...

What is resolution?

Resolution in this context refers to the conversion of an analog voltage to a digital value in a computer (and vice versa). A computer is a digital machine and thus stores a number as a series of ones and zeroes. If you are storing a digital 2-bit number you can store 4 different values: 00, 01, 10, or 11. Now, say you have a device which converts an analog voltage between 0 and 10 volts into a 2-bit digital value for storage in a computer. This device will give digital values as follows:

So in this example, the 2-bit digital value can represent 4 different numbers, and the voltage input range of 0 to 10 volts is divided into 4 pieces giving a voltage resolution of 2.5 volts per bit. A 3-bit digital value can represent 8 (2³) different numbers. A 12-bit digital value can represent 4096 (2¹²) different numbers. A 16-bit digital value can represent 65536 (2¹⁶) different numbers. It might occur to you at this point that a digital input could be thought of as a 1-bit analog to digital converter. Low voltages give a 0 and high voltages give a 1.

In the case of the LabJack U12, a single-ended analog input has a voltage range of -10 volts to +10 volts (20 volt total span) and returns a 12-bit value. This gives a voltage resolution of 20/4096 or 0.00488 volts per bit (4.88 mV/bit).

Many of our products have been tested for CE marking, which reflects FCC compliance, EMC (electromagnetic compatibility), EMI (electromagnetic interference), RF emissions, RF immunity, and the ability to survive ESD (electrostatic discharge).  Part of the CE mark is a Declaration of Conformity where we describe the standards LabJack devices are tested to meet. Our Declarations of Conformity can be found below.

All LabJack-branded products are CE, REACH, RoHS2, and CFM (Conflict-Free Minerals) compliant.

CE - Declarations of Conformity

• CE - DOC: T4
• CE - DoC: T7 (-Pro)
• CE - DoC: T8
• CE - DoC: U3 (-HV/-LV)
• CE - DoC: U6 (-Pro)
• CE - DoC: UE9 (-Pro)
• CE - DoC: U12
• CE - DoC: Tick - Current Shunt
• CE - DoC: Tick - DAC
• CE - DoC: Tick - DigitalOut5V
• CE - DoC: Tick - Divider
• CE - DoC: Tick - InAmp
• CE - DoC: Tick - InBuff
• CE - DoC: Tick - LVDigitalIO
• CE - DoC: Tick - OutBuff
• CE - DoC: Tick - Proto
• CE - DoC: Tick - RelayDriver
• CE - DoC: Tick - Resistance
• CE - DoC: Tick - VRef
• CE - DoC: PS12DC
• CE - DoC: CB15
• CE - DoC: CB25
• CE - DoC: CB37
• CE - DoC: RB12
• CE - DoC: RB16
• CE - DoC: EI-1040
• CE - DoC: DIGIT

Conflict Free Minerals

The LabJack Conflict Minerals (CM) policy can be found at this Link.
The LabJack Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (CMRT) spreadsheet can be found at this Link.

The LabJack Extended Conflict Minerals Reporting Template (EMRT) spreadsheet can be found at this Link.

RoHS and REACH

The LabJack device RoHS and REACH compliance policy is here.

Toxic Substance Control Act

The LabJack device compliance policy with the Toxic Substance Control Act (Code 40, Part 751) can be found here.

US California Proposition 65 Act

The LabJack device compliance letter for the United States California Proposition 65 Act can be accessed here.

PFAS, PFOS, & PFOA Compliance

The LabJack device PFAS, PFOS & PFOA compliance statement can be found here.

Counterfeit Parts Prevention (CPP) Policy

The LabJack device Counterfeit Parts Prevention (CPP) policy can be found here.

Letter of Volatility (LoV)

Letters of volatility describe the various memory within a device, what is volatile and what is non-volatile, how information can be stored in memory, and how memory can be cleared.  Links to the letters of volatility are listed below, and if your device is not listed contact us and we can add it.

•  LoV - T4
  
• LoV - T7
• LoV - T8
• LoV - U3C
• LoV - U6
• LoV - U12
• LoV - UE9
• LoV - No Memory Products

Certificate of Conformance

Also called a Certificate of Conformity, Certificate of Compliance, or CoC. This is a simple industry standard document stating that our products comply with our standards for quality, specifications and workmanship.  A blanket CoC is can be found here.  If you need a different variation please contact us.

UL, CSA, or similar electrical safety standards

All LabJack products are low voltage, therefore these electrical safety standards do not apply.  In the case of the RB12 and RB16, modules provided by other manufacturers might have a UL listing or similar.

Flammability

• LabJack's red enclosures:  UL 94 HB, Sabic Polycarbonate Lexan 143R, E75735.
• LabJack's PCBs:  UL 94V-0, E304660 (M1 or N2).
• Screw Terminals:  UL 94V-0, Thermoplastic, E245249.
• Snaptrack:  UL 94V-0, PVC, E58648.
• RB12/UE9 Power Jack:  UL 94V-0, PBT 4815, E59481.
• USB Connector:  E59481, PBT UL 94V Rated
• Pin Headers:  E53664, 30% Glass Fiber PBT

LabJack Device & Accessories Flammability statement. 

Country of Origin

Per export definitions, the official Country of Origin for most LabJack-branded products is USA.  The only exceptions are the 2034DZ and 2034CAZ temperature probes, which are China.

All software written by LabJack also has the Country of Origin of USA.

We do not claim the phrase "Made in the USA". This special designation requires that all raw materials are mined in the USA, and that all chips and components are manufactured in the USA. That is not feasible for any electronic devices.

Export

Export codes are assigned to everything we sell.  For example, the schedule B code for the T7 is 8471.60.1050 and applies to the entire package including the T7 itself, power supply, USB cable, Ethernet cable, screwdriver, packaging, firmware and software.  Firmware and software are part of our hardware.  We do not sell any firmware and software so these do not have their own export codes.

Schedule B / HS / HTS

Main Devices (U3, T7, etc.):  8471.60.1050
Accessories designed for use with LJ main devices:  8473.30.0002
Sensors & Probes (LM34, EI-1022, EI-1034, EI-1050, 2034DZ, 2034CAZ):  9031.49.8000
3rd Party:  Codes provided by manufacturer

ECCN

4A994.a
Which means license is NLR (no license required) as long as we don't export to the prohibited countries.

Prohibited Countries

Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria

ITAR

Does not apply to our products

Production Status, End of Life (EoL)

• U12 (2001): NRND (Not Recommended for New Designs). No plans to discontinue. This is our oldest device, and we have newer devices that are recommended for new users. As of this writing there is no indication that any major sub-components will become unavailable.
• UE9 (2004): NLA (No Longer Available as of March 2022).  Many parts required to build the UE9 have been discontinued by their manufacturers. Production of the UE9 has become increasingly difficult and expensive, if not impossible. The T7 is a newer (not drop-in) replacement that is superior in every way including cost.
• U3 (2006): Active. All variations of U3-HV and U3-LV. Estimated time horizon of 2030, due to production ending for the main microcontroller. See Section 2.13 of the U3 Datasheet for information about older hardware variations.
• U6 (2009): Active. All variations. Estimated time horizon of 2030, due to production ending for the main microcontroller.
• T8 (2022): Active. All variations. No plans to discontinue.
• T7 (2013): Active. All variations. No plans to discontinue.
• T4 (2017): Active. All variations. No plans to discontinue.
• LJTick-InAmp Rev 2 (2005): EoL, NRND (Not Recommended for New Designs). A newer, simpler, InAmp is available. Rev 2 has been replaced by Rev 3.

Production status of other non-Active devices made or sold by LabJack

End of Life (EoL) Notice, EI-1040

The EI-1040 dual instrumentation amplifier, manufactured by Electronic Innovations Corporation and sold by LabJack, has been discontinued.

End Of Life (EoL) Notice, EI-1050

NLA (No Longer Available):  The EI-1050, manufactured by Electronic Innovations Corporation and sold by LabJack, has been discontinued. The Sensirion sensor it uses is no longer available.  The EI-1050 Datasheet has information about alternate devices.

End of Life (EoL) Notice, EB37

NLA (No Longer Available): The LabJack EB37 evaluation board has been discontinued as of May 2022.

Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF)

LabJack has not done official MTBF analysis or testing for any devices. LabJack devices are made of normal semiconductor components, and do not use any components with a rating in terms of limited lifetime.  It is rare for our devices to fail on their own.  Overwhelmingly, the failed devices we see have damage that can be attributed to an out-of-spec voltage or current that has been introduced to the device from some external source. This is the nature of data acquisition devices with user controlled connections spanning from communications, power, ground, and I/O.

The following link mentions a DoD document that could be used to generate an MTBF number based on statistical models:

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/105781/MTBF

Below is a quote from someone at a major university who needed to assign an MTBF to our products:

"Typically, for an electronic device such as yours, with off the shelf components, and with an approximate number of parts-by-count of roughly 50, I should expect an MTBF of 30K~75k hours. I'll probably utilize some figure within that range."

50k hours is about 6 years of continuous use, which we can say from experience is too low.  We would estimate that operating 100 devices continuously for 10 years would result in 10 failures not due to external forces, and thus our estimate for statistical MTBF would be 500k hours or 57 years.

• T4 Quickstart Tutorial
• T7 Quickstart Tutorial
• T8 Quickstart Tutorial
• U3 Quickstart Tutorial
• U6 Quickstart Tutorial
• U12 Quickstart Tutorial
• Digit Quickstart Tutorial (Discontinued)
• UE9 Quickstart Tutorial (EOL)

Return Policy

Everything LabJack sells has a 60-day money-back guarantee and 5-year warranty.  Put LabJack to the test. Evaluate our hardware, software, documentation, customer service and support.  You can request a full refund if you are not satisfied with a product for any reason. Refund requests are initiated from the Return Material Authorization (RMA) Page

*Please Note

LabJack does not resell any returned products. Don't worry, we also don't discard used LabJacks. Returns are earmarked for donations to STEM students, educators and student led engineering teams. 

Exchanges

Product exchanges are treated as returns and a new purchase.  Return your unwanted device for a refund, and place a new order for the device or devices that better suit your needs. 

• Can comfortably operate within the industrial temperature range (-40°C to 85C)
• Are capable of being mounted via DIN Rail/Snap track
• Integrate with Voltage Dividers for 24+ Volt signals
• NEMA 3 (or greater) enclosures recommended for any outdoor or indoor applications with dust, debris or in condensing humidity environments
• All LabJack products are covered by our industry leading 5 year warranty
• Have OEM Versions available for custom and embedded applications. 
• Drawings and CAD Models Provided 
• LabJack products are very robust, but subject to the influence of user connections.
• LabJack is not liable for any losses, expenses or damages beyond the LabJack device itself.  See our Limitation of Liability for more details.

Read the output of sensors which measure voltage, current, power, temperature, humidity, wind speed, force, pressure, strain, acceleration, RPM, light intensity, sound intensity, gas concentration, position, and many more. A LabJack brings this data into a PC where it can be stored and processed as desired.

Control things like motors, lights, solenoids, relays, valves, and more.

Legendary Support

• Email responses that actually answer your question.
• Free lifetime support includes (some) engineering design help.
• The engineers who made the product also respond to your questions.
• Should your LabJack misbehave, we offer free RMA diagnostics & repairs.

Flexibility

• Software integrates easily. We don't force you into a certain software, programming environment or operating system.
  • LabVIEW, C++, MATLAB, Python, Java, .NET, Delphi, Visual Basic, VB6, VBA, and more examples
  • Linux, macOS, Windows
• Add new kinds of sensors on-the-fly. We provide inexpensive signal conditioning modules.
• Control valves, motors, lights, pumps, etc - using one of many digital I/O control options.
• Incorporate LabJack DAQ hardware using our OEM options.

Solutions over Show

• Our engineers speak directly.
• Just the information you need to make an informed choice.
• No marketing fluff, no empty promises
• Fair prices, nothing hidden, no extended warranties, no salesmen, no haggling, no pressure.
• We are an independent small business in Colorado who only answers to YOU our customer 

AI or AIN = Analog Input
ADC = Analog to Digital Converter

An analog input converts a voltage level into a digital value that can be stored and processed in a computer. Why would you want to measure voltages? There are a multitude of sensors available which convert things like temperature, pressure, etc. into voltages.  The voltages can then be easily measured by various kinds of hardware, such as a LabJack U3-HV, and then read into a computer.  The computer can then convert the voltage value into it's original type (temperature, pressure, etc) and the value can then be stored in a file, emailed to someone, or used to control something else outside of the computer.

Example:

Get temperature from a sensor using an analog input.

1. Wire the output of the analog temperature sensor to a U3-HV as shown.
2. Read the voltage on the computer to know the current temperature. 
3. This particular sensor outputs 0.01 volts per °F, so 0.76V corresponds with 76°F.

Explore LabJack's Analog Input App Note