Author Topic: Arduino powered carb sync gauge (Read 6862 times)

aperry · « **on:** October 16, 2012, 04:09:58 AM »

Stumbled across this last night:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-Throttle-Body-Syncronization-Shield/#step1

Does it save money? Not really. Is it more accurate? Probably negligible. Any easier to sync the carbs? Doubt it. But for those of us who enjoy the occasional geeky Arduino project it sure does look fun. Add Bluetooth and batteries and you have a wireless self-contained monitor that talks to your laptop over the air.

Next up: how about the servo-controlled idle screw adjuster with a little dial controller mounted to the front? Never again burn your fingers at a stop light trying to lower your idle

Aaron

Blasbo · « **Reply #1 on:** October 16, 2012, 04:44:37 AM »

That is cool. I've been looking for an Arduino project.

brewsky · « **Reply #2 on:** October 16, 2012, 05:19:03 AM »

Far out!

Looks like he got to within 1kp or roughly 1/3 inch HG

cabrala · « **Reply #3 on:** October 16, 2012, 05:30:06 AM »

Man I'm liking this! I was just looking through my Arduino kit yesterday thinking about what to do...

anders288 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 16, 2012, 07:09:54 PM »

Group buy on some PC boards ? Any one able to do the PC software?

CycleRanger · « **Reply #5 on:** October 16, 2012, 07:33:56 PM »

Fascinating!

kslrr · « **Reply #6 on:** October 16, 2012, 07:34:41 PM »

Cool, nice compact device. More compact than the old BMS system that I am thinking of using.

cabrala · « **Reply #7 on:** October 16, 2012, 08:00:48 PM »

Quote from: anders288 on October 16, 2012, 07:09:54 PM

Group buy on some PC boards ? Any one able to do the PC software?

I've got a lot to learn, but I'd be up for a group buy. I'll also check to see what I have in my pile as there might be a few boards gathering dust.

-Alex

aperry · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2012, 08:56:58 PM »

I'd also be in on a group buy, but I'm more of a tinkerer when it comes to Arduino. I don't think I could take the lead on the design. (Alternately I suppose we could contact that guy for his Eagle file).

When the bike is back indoors for the winter and I get bored enough, then I'll probably pull the trigger on those vacuum sensors and start playing around using a prototype board. Would be fun to have one of these ready for a spring tune up.

Aaron

Cabilao · « **Reply #9 on:** October 17, 2012, 02:52:52 AM »

Nice idea but i stick with my gauges,im no electrician,no Sir.

aperry · « **Reply #10 on:** October 17, 2012, 09:05:01 AM »

Quote from: rotortiller on October 17, 2012, 08:43:27 AM

I tried very expensive electronic manometers intended for industry and the analog gages adjusted easier. My electronic units are far superior to what is on the link. Four carbs hooked to a rack with pistons sucking them off is not a micrometer like precision task. You'll only get them so good and anything further is basically chasing your tail-but hey I'm one of those guys that likes to catch his tail fairly quickly rather than muck with it all night

I think that's a fair point. In my opinion this would be more for the "gadgeteer" or tinkerer, than it is for solving a real problem. But a lot of people find enjoyment in spending time building things that can be easily found in stores. In fact, I'd wager this to be an overwhelming characteristic of members around here!!

crazypj · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2012, 09:13:50 AM »

Call me a Luddite, but, it seems rather pointless to me?
I no longer have a cell phone, let alone a 'smart' phone

stereosilence · « **Reply #12 on:** October 17, 2012, 09:15:59 AM »

The software shouldn't be too difficult. The main thing would probably be dealing with hysteresis. I don't think you need to make your own PCB. You could just use a more generic PCB and a bit more soldering. I have several Arduinos laying around, the problem to me is that those vacuum sensors are $13 a pop.

anders288 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 17, 2012, 09:19:16 AM »

It's all about the software man

aperry · « **Reply #14 on:** October 17, 2012, 10:36:52 AM »

Quote from: stereosilence on October 17, 2012, 09:15:59 AM

The software shouldn't be too difficult. The main thing would probably be dealing with hysteresis. I don't think you need to make your own PCB. You could just use a more generic PCB and a bit more soldering. I have several Arduinos laying around, the problem to me is that those vacuum sensors are $13 a pop.

Yeah, that's the killer. Even if you already have an Arduino and proto board laying around, $56 for the sensors is a bit on the steep side if you're not really committed to the project. I searched around for cheaper substitutes, but came up empty.

Btw, here's a thread where he talks about some of the challenges related to the sample rate and dealing with variations in pressure:
http://www.fjrforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=144773

stereosilence · « **Reply #15 on:** October 17, 2012, 12:42:53 PM »

Sample rate shouldn't be a problem (depending on the capacitors). The capacitors should be from the sensor output to ground to from a crappy low pass filter. You could make the filter cut-off like 3 hz and then sample at 10 hz just to safe and you are off to the races. I don't have much experience with the arduino ADCs, but 10 hz would be SUPER slow for any ADC made since 1965. It would be better to use a low pass filter than to do the averaging in software anyway.

I think I would just write the output to a little dot-matrix screen rather than doing windows software.

mono · « **Reply #16 on:** October 17, 2012, 01:10:21 PM »

that's some good stuff right there! if i hadn't abandoned my Commodore 64 for a skateboard when i was a kid, i'd be doing stuff like this

WarwickE36 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 17, 2012, 02:33:08 PM »

THIS IS SUPER NEAT. Could care less about the functionality... might become a rainy day project regardless of cost.

percolate · « **Reply #18 on:** October 17, 2012, 11:48:14 PM »

Super cool! Thanks for the link.

I want to try to build one of these! We (the extra geeky folks in the shop, not necessarily me) use Arduinos at work pretty often (interactive museum exhibits). I've gotten my feet wet a little bit but it's these types of home projects where I'm more willing to dive in over my head and muddle my way out and learn a bunch along the way.

Also, for a cheaper Arduino alternative, Adafruit sells a Boarduino - an Arduino clone if you will - for about half the price. You have to solder most of the parts onto the PCB but that's easy enough. And the prototypy PCB shields for the manometer may have to be laid out a bit differently to jive with the Boarduino chassis.

http://www.adafruit.com/products/91

Also, Processing is a pretty neat application based on the Arduino platform. Same C++ish programming and you can easily make a "dot matrix" output screen for the computer.

Looks like fun.

And maybe I could make more than one...

davis96 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 23, 2012, 06:44:46 AM »

Damn, realistically I'm not electronically inclined enough to do this, but this image really makes me want to try:

lucky · « **Reply #20 on:** October 23, 2012, 06:54:44 AM »

Heath kits came and went too just like this will.
You will see grocery carts full of them at the good will stores unfinished and incomplete of course and no one will know what to do with it except recycle it for the metal.

I only knew of one guy that ever completed a heath kit color TV.

aperry · « **Reply #21 on:** October 23, 2012, 07:25:48 AM »

Quote from: lucky on October 23, 2012, 06:54:44 AM

Heath kits came and went too just like this will.
You will see grocery carts full of them at the good will stores unfinished and incomplete of course and no one will know what to do with it except recycle it for the metal.

I only knew of one guy that ever completed a heath kit color TV.

This isn't even a kit, so I don't think it would "come and go". Before anyone even starts a project like this, they'd be required to source (and understand) the parts individually and have a basic understanding of how the Arduino platform works. This is for the tinkerer or gadgeteer, not so much for practicality. But the beauty of Arduino is that it's fun and easy to learn and it's modular so the same board can be easily re-purposed for lots of different projects. You can do amazing things with it, including using it as a prototyping platform for a product that you may like to sell one day. My first real Arduino project was a Sous Vide cooking machine, where the Arduino uses a relay and a temp sensor to keep a water bath at a very specific temperature. It sent data to a small Linux computer, which plotted the temp/time chart to a web page. I use it all the time and it's the best way to cook a pork tenderloin in my opinion!

I've continued to think about this project, and I'm tempted. The following Kickstarter project also caught my eye (it's more about interfacing sensors with the iPhone/iPad):
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/108684420/node-a-modular-handheld-powerhouse-of-sensors

This got me thinking about how you could make the whole project wireless and display it on a mobile phone/tablet. You can buy a bluetooth 4.0 module for the Arduino for $35, which IMO would be the perfect way to make this project come alive. The Arduino/sensor component monitors the vacuum, and the iPad/iPhone displays the graphs. Of course, it's $150 in hardware (not counting the tablet!) and several hours of time, so it's not for everyone. But IMO there's something fun about bringing 2012 technology to a vintage motorcycle.

I've also enjoyed reading about the RFID ignition switch. So many fun projects, so little time (and money).

Aaron

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Author Topic: Arduino powered carb sync gauge (Read 6862 times)