Using Arduino to send 12v pulses

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi all, we are new to the Arduino World and just purchased a starter kit on Amazon.

We are trying to run some electronics test on our race car. Basically we want to test the cluster/speedometer functionality by sending pulses to it. After doing some research, we noticed folks talking about using Arduino to run tests but there wasn't too much info.

Our use case: Send x amount of 12v pulses to our test cluster to simulate speed and make the needle move. This signal is to simulate the differential speed sensor, which sends a 12v signal to the cluster.

What's known: Cluster expects a 12v pulse; every 9 pulses equals 1 wheel revolution.

Some additional info, from research, sending these pulses at 330 hz would simulate 150mph on the cluster. Also read that this can be accomplished with a variable oscillator.

Questions:
Is it possible to send 12v pulses?
How would that be programmed?
Any examples of how I could so something like this?

Thanks for the help!

2

Hi,

I'm pulsing -37v (at around 11mA) into my jukebox to select records.

Pin 8 on the Uno is set for output, normally held low, and I set it high for 50 mS (milli-seconds), then low for 50 mS = one full cycle. For the highest numbered record I send 21 pulses, then a 180mS pause between streams, followed by 8 pulses.

Pin 8 connects to an opto isolator input lead, with the other opto input connection going to Uno ground.

The -37v is connected to the opto output 'emitter' wire and the jukebox 'ground' wire goes on the opto output 'collector'.

You'd connect 12v there in place of my -37v, allowing for change of polarity, ie you may be using +12v.

And adjust your timing for the required frequency.

void PulsesOut()
{
    Number=Pulse1;
    SendPulses();

    delay(180);
 
    if (LongPulse==1)
    {
        digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);   		// turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
        digitalWrite(OutPort, HIGH);         	        // turn on OptoIsolator LED
        delay(100);                      		        // wait for 100 mS
    
        digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);    		// turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
        digitalWrite(OutPort, LOW);                   // turn off OptoIsolator LED
        delay(50);                       			// wait for 50mS
    }

    Number=Pulse2;
    SendPulses();
}

//============

void SendPulses()
{
    for (I = 0; I < Number; I++) 
    {
        digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);  		// turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
        digitalWrite(OutPort, HIGH);                   // turn on OptoIsolator LED
        delay(50);                       			// wait for 50 mS
    
        digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);    		// turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
        digitalWrite(OutPort, LOW);                   // turn off OptoIsolator LED
        delay(50);                       			// wait for 50mS
    }
}

Peter

3

I'd use an optocoupler to simulate the pulses, with fully isolated Arduino from the testbed.

The tone() function can be used to emit a wide range of frequencies. Or see the TimerOne library for such functionality.