Small problem I am having with a project. I have a vintage aluminum traffic light that I have rewired to a relay board, esp32 and buck converter. My code makes it Alexa controlled and touch sense. The code is not the issue but when I attach the lead from the touch pin to the casing of the chassis, The esp is picking up a constant value of one, whereas when disconnected it is 50. when touched while not connected to chassis it reads about 20.

My question, what would be causing the chassis to read as a touch? How can I fix it, I need to be able to sense touch from the outside casing of the light.

Thank you for any help in advance!

 

Probably too much surface area. Might try connecting a resistor in series with the lead to the esp input.

 

Probably too much surface area. Might try connecting a resistor in series with the lead to the esp input.

I tried a 10k and a 1m resister and still get the same values. I am starting to think that the aluminum large body just has too much capacitance of its own.

 

Try adding a capacitor in series with the lead

 

Try adding a capacitor in series with the lead

A ceramic, electrolytic? Any particular value range?

 

A ceramic, electrolytic? Any particular value range?

Ceramic disc capacitors. Start at the lowest value on hand.