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[on:]

Hi, First post but not new. Id like to throw this out and see what you guys think is do-able.

I already own a Uno but dont think it will surfice. Im not sure if its possible with Arduino...maybe Raspbery Pi?

The end result will be a touch screen set up with a snazy UI cool icons etc.  What I want to include is....

---------------Monitor--------------
Tyre pressure monitor
Door open monitor
Various engine systems monitoring
Tank level indicators (its a Motorhome "RV")
More items that I cant think of right now.
---------------Control--------------
operate Door locks
operate lights
operate Air Conditioning (rear of vehicle not engine driven AC)
More items to be added but just to give an idea.

Now I know I can go 2 ways either through OBD2 or wire direct to everything. 1st problem is the RV used to be a Royal Mail truck its made in Itialy so the electroncs are dodgy to say the least... Id rather wire up directly (via relays) to each part of the system because it being made by IVECO TRUCKS its not easy to interface with the OBD2 as its based on a truck system and you cant just plug in a ebay reader and expect it to work... IT WONT! it has a 32pin round connector and just the adaptor to standard connector is about £60.

---------------Equipment--------------
Arduino (......?)
TFT LCD Touch screen 7" (plus a way to hook it up)
Relays
Anything else? Im writing this quite late my mind is a little blank!


There are more things I could hook up but one project with in the main project at a time. So what do you think will work? any idea of what system I should use? Coding it will be a learning curve but one i will take with a pinch of patience!

[Reply #1 on:]

Snazzy cool icons, eh?
Monochrome letters not good enough for ya?

Everything except the shiny colourful screen is doable. The screen might be a bit of a challenge, especially considering your last sentence.
However, why don't you list everything you want to hook up and see how much pins it would take. It will get you started.

[Reply #2 on:]

Snazzy cool icons, eh?
Monochrome letters not good enough for ya?

Everything except the shiny colourful screen is doable. The screen might be a bit of a challenge, especially considering your last sentence.
However, why don't you list everything you want to hook up and see how much pins it would take. It will get you started.

Monochrome is a bit 90's haha, Dont worrie about my last sentence Ill get there in the end always do....

To control things I was thinking everything can share a common ground, as I would use a simple relay on or off. most relays work with 200mA.

Windows (left x 1 right x 1)
Door locks(all open/all closed)
Rear AC unit
Heated mirrors
Cab lights
Rear cabin emergency lights

Total of 7 things to switch on/off

To monitor....
Tyres if possible
Engine water tempriture
Engine oil pressure
Fuel filter warning
Diesel tank level
Drinking water tank level
Possibly propain tank level

total of 7 systems to watch with a total of 14 all together. Obviously if some cant be done they cant be done (yet) For the screen Cant I use somthing like raspberry pi thats hooked up to arduino to get the data from then use a UI in the pi to display and send commands back to the Arduino?

[Reply #3 on:]

Some thoughts

Tyres if possible - needs wireless sender units or the implementation of a central inflation system
Engine water temperature - should be easy if you have access to the wire from the sender unit
Engine oil pressure - see Engine water temperature
Fuel filter warning - ?, if you mean it's getting clogged up you'll need pressure sensors on each side I think.
Diesel tank level - see Engine water temperature
Drinking water tank level - there are many ways to di this
Possibly propain tank level - difficult, the only way I can think of is to weight the tank as measuring the high pressure side of any regulator would be frowned upon I think

Door locks(all open/all closed) - you MUST have provision for manual override
Heated mirrors - move somewhere they aren't required.

______
Rob

[Reply #4 on:]

Tyres may be tricky  due to  unknown 3rd party equipment.
The fuel filter has a built in water sensor so should be open/closed circuit
The drivers door has no power lock inside for some reason so im not worried about being locked out at the moment plus I have a alarm which will unlock. I may even bypass the locking CPU and just create my own with the alarm fob as the main lock/unlock.

Heated mirrors will be needed as the north of england is often frozen. I normally remote start the van before I leave the house to warm the engine but if te arduino could sense its below 0c  then it could turn on the morrors for a short while then shut them off.

Maybe im going beyond the scope of an arduino here? But Id definetly want a cool user interface.

[Reply #5 on:]

so im not worried about being locked out

I'm more worried about being locked in

Maybe im going beyond the scope of an arduino here? But Id definetly want a cool user interface.

No the Arduino will do just fine as long as you offload a lot of the "cool user interface" to a module that does the primitive drawing for you, such as the 4D Systems LCD/OLED serial displays.

http://www.4dsystems.com.au/

______
Rob