New-not sure where to start with Harley.....very long!

Projects General Guidance
1

Hello,
I'm incredibly new to this-like a few hours new...so don't kill me.

I have an 02 touring Harley with the fairing and radio. I'd like to put an android tablet into the dash and remove all the gauges. I know there are a few threads on similar subjects, specifically by "TZ", however, his bike is new enough to have an ECM he can tap into. My bike is carburated with no ECM. I need to find a way to put these sensors into a format the tablet can understand. As best as I've been able to find, this is the best way. The plan is to remove the radio and gauges, install the tablet, feed the audio output from the tablet into an amplifier to run the speakers. There should be audio, GPS navigation, and the digital dash if all this works out.

Here's what I'm looking for from the Arduino -

Oil Pressure and Temp- I've seen elsewhere on the net that VDO sensors can be used, and I'm sure Autometer makes some as well.

Voltage-I found a voltage monitor module. As far as I can tell, it goes on a sensor shield that is plug in to an Arduino 2560 or Uno.

Fuel- I have no clue what to do with this, as it is an ohm reading from the in tank sensor.

Speedometer- GPS? not really sure what the best solution is here, but this seems easiest.

Tach- not a have to have, but I'd like to if possible. I've read that people have done it, but I'm not clear how it is done.

Neutral light and turn signals/High Beam- Neutral is an open/close switch, I'm sure there's a way to drop the voltage on the factory sensor, same with the turn signals and high beam indicator, and possibly the passing lamps.

I'd also like to power it from the bike's 12v system and be able to charge the tablet.

Now, will an Arduino be able to handle all of this, and if so, what recommendations do you have for hardware? If I use the sensor shield, can I still use the Android APK shield, and will it make this any easier? I don't want to think about what the code for this is going to look like. I'm hoping I can build it one piece at a time and compile it?

If you actually made it this far, I greatly appreciate any input!!

Shawn

2

Im still on my first project so my advice is worth every cent you pay for it.

It all looks very simple as far as the sensors go.

Speed will probably be pulsed ( unless its by a cable). Count the pulses per minute and divide my a constant to get your speed. But GPS is way cooler and more accurate.

Sensors that increase/decrease in impedance are easier. Put one side to earth and the other to power via a resistor. This will then give you a voltage drop across the sensor. Use the Arduino to read the voltage. ( voltage must be below the AREF voltage. this can be achieved by using a voltage dividing network of resistors).

Battery voltage should be the same. Use a voltage dividing network of resistors. Lets say 10K between battery+ and an analogue pin and 2.5K between battery- and same analogue pin. the voltage seen at the pin will be 2.5/10 ( 1/4) of battery voltage.

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I'll look into the speed/pulse tomorrow. I know all the sensors currently on the motor take a 12v signal, with the exception of the fuel gauge. With the voltage example, I could possibly do the same with oil pressure, and just add an oil temp sensor from Harley and do the same? As long as the high and low values are known, it can be adjusted for in the display?

Thanks!

4

This may be obvious but, here goes. I recommend reading the voltages of all components of the bike that you plan to use with the Arduino before you do any cutting. By that I mean find the fuel tank sender wire, measure the voltage with a full tank and then a low or empty tank. Next, if you have a gear position sensor measure it in the full range of operation. Anything you can think of that you can measure will help you later on when it comes to making it work later.

You should get to know your bikes wiring as best you can as it will help you for this project. One last note if you do cut factory wiring, check the bike frequently to see if it still runs. That way if you cut the wrong wire you can catch it quickly.

5

Presently the entire front end is stripped off the bike. I have the readings for the fuel level and oil pressure at 0 psi and operating, which is 36 - 38 psi but not to the Max range. Voltage is pretty obvious. The other gauge the bike has is an ambient sensor, but I'm thinking of using one of the arduino sensors IF I put it on...its pretty useless on a Harley. I haven't figured out the tach signal or speedometer yet. Another thing I'm going to have to look at this weekend is if the bike will run without the speedometer connected. Some of the non ecm Harley's use it as a "brain" and I found several post on forums where the speedometer had failed and the bike wouldn't run.

Thanks for the input! Any and all advice is greatly appreciated!!!

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@Hooch
Where are you located? If you are in the US, how do you intend to satisfy the requirement that an odometer that can not be tampered with be provided?

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I do live in the US, northeast PA actually. When I purchased the bike it had no fairings or bags. It was a theft recovery and the title shows this. It is also marked as odometer malfunction since they couldn't turn it on at the time to check. It wasn't really a concern of mine since it doesn't have a "clean" title. I've put the bike back together and it has a rebuilt title, but they wouldn't remove the odometer statement. Its ready for paint now, but I've put that on hold until I decide if this is a realistic idea or a waste of time and money. So far, doesn't seem too bad. As long as I can have it complete and paint finished by spring, I'll go for it.

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Anyone have hardware recommendations? Does the Mega and android boards sound like ok start? What about the sensor shield? What is the Max number of add on boards and what is the affect? I'm sure its listed somewhere, but I didn't find it in my searches.

Thanks,
Shawn

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Here is a screw terminal shield that would be handy during your first few attempts to develop your project. ProtoScrewShield - DEV-09729 - SparkFun Electronics

Are you wanting to communicate with Android? Is the display going to be a tablet or would a GLCD be enough? What is going to be the source of your music...Ipod, Android, SD card?

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I would like to use the tablet for display. Ideally, the gauges will be displayed across the bottom and I would like to run winamp or a similar music program from the tablet, and be able to use GPS in the middle of the screen if needed.

I want to be able to feed data to a program in android to display the data so I can have an analog type gauge displayed on screen, which is why I was looking at the android shield.

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I have the impression that even older hd's have some sort of digital network buss. Look for a post where somebody has a nokia tablet hooked up as a display. Search these forums and hack-a-day for my motorcycle control panel - there were a couple of hd posters there.

If you have to roll your own look at the scooter-puter(not sure of spelling).

I recommend a wheel sensor for speed-sensing.

Good luck and keep posting.

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That's actually what led me here...he's riding an 07. Late 02 started the fuel injection on HD's and the bus systems started in 04, anything '10 to current is can-bus, as far as I've been able to tell. I attempted to contact TZ about his set up, as he is also a member here, but as far as I can tell on the forums he's a member of he's turned off im, hidden his email to make it difficult to contact him. His blog is set up the same way, so I took it to mean he didn't want to be bothered.
Also, since I don't have an Ecm, not 100% sure how much data would be the same. There's quite a bit of software and custom cables available for bikes with ecm's, but of course I had to do things the hard way...(ok, so I didn't have the idea when I bought it and rebuilt it from the frame up..)

I will look at the other item mentioned.

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, definitely learning a lot here!

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I would like to use the tablet for display. Ideally, the gauges will be displayed across the bottom and I would like to run winamp or a similar music program from the tablet, and be able to use GPS in the middle of the screen if needed.

I want to be able to feed data to a program in android to display the data so I can have an analog type gauge displayed on screen, which is why I was looking at the android shield.

This seems like it might be really hard. I guess the arduino would really only have to do the sensor interfaces though - right? The music player and gps stuff would be natve android apps in separate windows?

Maybe it would be worthwhile to start with the android tablet as the hub, get the music and GPS working on it with the simplest speedo feed from an arduino sensing wheel passes. You could almost certainly succeed at that and, if you can't, just move on. You wouldn't have to interface with the bike's electrics and it would give you something to build on (and it could be as pretty as you wanted). I'm interested in where you end up, so keep posting please.

The scooter-puter is all about the displays but it's doing the driving iteself, no android.

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I have a tablet running Google maps and I have several music programs running in it. It is currently with my audio guy trying to get the output wattage high enough to run the amps...2 400w Rockford Fosgates, and then its going out to my fiberglass guy so a custom dash can be built, but it does successfully run mapping and audio.
I'm aware I'll need it back soon to make all this work. If I absolutely have to, I can get my speed from the tablet GPS. I've done it pretty successfully with my cell phone, but I'd rather use the sensors on the bike, if for no other reason than to say I did it...

I had planned on keeping the USB connection to the arduino to charge the tablet with, but today I located a 12v charger for the tablet, so am I better off with a Bluetooth connection?

Lastly, will the arduino Mega handle all the sensor connections I'm trying to make AND do it quickly enough? I think the tach and speedo need to be pretty responsive, but voltage and oil pressure wouldn't necessarily need to be instantaneous...with a Harley my experience has been you realize pretty quick by engine response and sound I'd oil pressure drops.

Thanks!
Shawn

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From what you listed so far, I think an Uno would be plenty. The plus side is that it is smaller. But a mega will be serveral times more than you need so it won't hurt if you get it.

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Hooch:
I had planned on keeping the USB connection to the arduino to charge the tablet with, but today I located a 12v charger for the tablet, so am I better off with a Bluetooth connection?

Lastly, will the arduino Mega handle all the sensor connections I'm trying to make AND do it quickly enough? I think the tach and speedo need to be pretty responsive, but voltage and oil pressure wouldn't necessarily need to be instantaneous...with a Harley my experience has been you realize pretty quick by engine response and sound If oil pressure drops.

I agree with cyclegadget - my experience is that the arduino is more than fast enough to keep up your sensors. For the tach I allowed an interrupt for every ignition pulse and never had any trouble so thats well over 100/second.

I just don't know enough about android to have an opinion about how to connect.If there's an official android-arduino connection that would certainly be the place to start!

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Ordered a Mega and Android shield along with a sensor shield last night. Hopefully I can get this done soon! Getting really anxious to see it do something! Question, should I get a display so that I can see what the unit is putting out before moving to android ...kinda one step at a time?

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From simplest to most complex, you could output to a laptop, LCD, or GLCD.

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Laptop it is then!

Thanks everyone!

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Late 02 started the fuel injection on HD's

Nope. My '97 Road King was injected, and my '01 Ultra is injected.