Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2003 14:10:20 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <j_rodgers@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Custom Gauge Installation Options?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
I do a lot of work with electric kilns and temperature indicators and
electronic controllers are a big deal. They are expensive, like in the
neighborhood of $600 and up if a controller is included. However, I have
been investigating a do-it-yourself scheme whereby an indicator could be
built from off the shelf electronics parts from your local FLES
(Friendly local electronics store ...yeah, yeah, yeah!) I'm not an
electronics whiz but it seems a reasonable approach. I have found stuff
on the net whereby such things are done, and LED's are used to provide
digital readouts. I think it would be cool to get a fairly accurate and
rapid readout on temperature to compare to the official temperature guage.
To any listmember with knowledge on the subject - would you please step
forward on this?? I'll bet there are many who would like to know more.
Thanks,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
David Brodbeck wrote:
>On Sun, 27 Apr 2003, Ri wrote:
>
>
>
>>We were thinking that a new water temp and oil pressure were a must.
>>
>>
>
>I like having a seperate, aftermarket water temp gauge. That way I have a
>cross check -- if one of the gauges does something funny, I can compare it
>to the other to figure out if I have an engine problem or a gauge problem.
>This will save you from having a heart attack the first time your stock
>water temp gauges shorts out and pins on the hot side. ;)
>
>Try to find an electric water temp gauge where the scale isn't too
>compressed on the right side, though. I made the mistake of buying a
>cheap one and there's only about 3/8" of needle travel between 210 and 280
>degrees, which makes the calibration marks almost totally useless on my
>diesel -- the thermostat doesn't even *start* to open until 190 degrees F
>on that engine. I saw a nice VDO water temp gauge once that I think had
>come out of an old VW Rabbit that would have worked better. Also, I
>recommend running a seperate ground wire for aftermarket water temp
>gauges. I didn't and my gauge indication is affected by other electrical
>loads.
>
>
>David Brodbeck, N8SRE
>'82 Diesel Westfalia
>'94 Honda Civic Si
>
>
>
| 
