The INA4230 has programmable conversion times for both the shunt voltage and bus voltage measurements that are applied across all channels. The conversion times for these measurements can be selected from as fast as 140μs to as long as 8.244ms. The conversion time settings, along with the programmable averaging mode, allow the INA4230 to be configured to optimize the available timing requirements in a given application. The INA4230 can also be configured with a different conversion time setting for the shunt and bus voltage measurements. This type of approach is common in applications where the bus voltage tends to be relatively stable. This situation allows for the time spent measuring the bus voltage to be reduced relative to the shunt voltage measurement.

There are trade-offs associated with the conversion time settings and the averaging mode used. The averaging feature can significantly improve the measurement accuracy by effectively filtering the signal. This approach allows the INA4230 to reduce noise in the measurement that can be caused by noise coupling into the signal. A greater number of averages enables the INA4230 to be more effective in reducing the noise component of the measurement.

The conversion times selected can also have an effect on the measurement accuracy. Figure 6-2 shows multiple conversion times to illustrate the effect of noise on the measurement. To achieve the highest accuracy measurement possible, use a combination of the longest allowable conversion times and highest number of averages, based on the timing requirements of the system.

Figure 6-2 Noise vs. Conversion Time