Date: Mon, 8 Nov 1999 23:05:10 -0500
Reply-To: Frank Miller <fmiller01@SPRYNET.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Miller <fmiller01@SPRYNET.COM>
Subject: Re: Need Sender Advice (Step 1)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Back in the good old days of microprocessors, when the only person using a
home computer was some form of techno-geek hobbyist, there was no end of
information on how to interface systems to the real world. Just try finding
anything like that on the bookshelves today. There are still a few holdouts
on the magazine rack - Midnight Engineering, Nuts & Volts, and Circuit
Cellar come to mind. You don't need a lot of expensive computer equipment
to just do data gathering because the signals don't change all that fast.
My calculator is smarter and faster these days than the stuff I worked with
supporting Skylab. Signal processing is the key to what you want to do.
Know the type and range of measurements you want to make, characterize the
sensors and compensate for the range of input to your logging system. My
vision was a few strategically placed inexpensive Basic Stamp processors
with digital & analog I/O gathering data and sending it on to my laptop via
serial network for logging and analysis. The automotive environment is an
incredibly noisy (electically) environment with wild temperature swings so
connect everything with shielded twisted pair cabling and use mil-spec
rated components because that's the only stuff rated to work at the
temperature ranges a typical vehicle sees. If you check with the SAE
(Society of Automotive Engineers)and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and
Electronic Engineers), you will probably find tons of helpful information
from them. B&B Electronics (www.bb-elec.com) is a good source of low cost
serial data acquisition modules (if you don't want to roll your own), books
and software for PC datalogging. Hope some of this babbling helps.
At 08:37 PM 11/8/99 EST, KENWILFY@AOL.COM wrote:
>This is the first step in my quest for a computer diagnostic setup for my
>van. Before I invest in expensive computer equipment, etc. I need to get the
>senders that I will need to send the information to my analog gauges first
>and then the computer system later. So what I need to know is:
>1. Do I need VDO senders or is some other brand as good/cheaper or
>better/same price or more expensive?
>2. Does anyone know of a electrical manifold pressure gauge and sender setup
>(All I can find is mechanical).
>3. Has anyone ever used the "Fuel to Air Ratio" gauges that use your oxygen
>sender as the sender for the gauge? How do you like it?
>Finally what list of gauges would you recommend? Here is what I want so far:
>Oil pressure
>Oil Temperature
>Manifold pressure
>Head Temperature
>Voltage
>Amperage
>Water Temperature
>Coolant system pressure (Still debating this one)
>Air-to-fuel ratio
>
>Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>
>Ken Wilford
>http://www.vanagain.com
>John 3:16
>Office (856)-765-1583
>Shop (856)-327-0027
>Fax (856)-327-2242
>
Frank Miller
Alternative Business Systems
4216 Indianola Avenue
Columbus, OH 43214-2826
Tel: (614) 447-0060
Fax: (614) 263-9086
URL: www.altbussys.com
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