cattledog:
Yes, it should be possible to measure the voltage seen on the pin A prong of the tachometer connection.
Tested this morning with my Fluke but no result, only rise to 100 mV or something like that. Red probe on pin A (Vcc) which sticks out the sensor box connector and black probe on ground (pin C).
EDIT:
Meanwhile my Arduino is in
Beside that I doubt if the datasheet I posted before is the right sensor I have. SuperFlow (the engine dyno manufacturer) doesn't provide me with information about the products they also purchase form other manufactures.
The only thing is written on the sensor cable is 1200A-0836 (calbe number) and Magnetic Tach Pickup. So I think it is an inductive sensor instead of a Hall effect (apparently mounted on another model).
I opened the sensor to learn something more about the pin lay-out. I think the black wire is ground, yellow one is plus voltage and the grey one is the signal wire (see picutres below).
Does anybody know more about this? I already read that a magnetic pickup has an sine wave output instead of block wave output. Unfortunately I don't dispose of the scope this week so I could not determine the output signal..
You need to know the voltage of the square wave signal that is being produced.
To be safe you can connect it up to a zener diode, this will make sure that the voltage never exceeds the voltage of the zener breakdown voltage. I use 5.1V Zener diodes. I have attached an example circuit that you could use.
The first diode should be a fast switching diode like a 1N4148 to stop any negative voltages. The Zener can be a 5.1V Zener diode of the correct power rating. You might also need a 100nF capacitor to filter out any noise that the engine on the dyno may produce.
Connect the output of your sensor to the 10k resistor, connect the other end to an analog input of the arduino, you can then use the serial plotter to confirm that you are seeing a square wave signal. If you are then you can connect it to an interrupt pin and go from there.
rickerman:
Connect the output of your sensor to the 10k resistor, connect the other end to an analog input of the arduino, you can then use the serial plotter to confirm that you are seeing a square wave signal. If you are then you can connect it to an interrupt pin and go from there.
That would be a very good idea to use the serial plotter, so I could identify the output signal I have. I doesn't know Arduino IDE has this tool inside.
It isn't necessary to connect it to a 10k resistor when I use the 5V power of the Arduino for my sensor for now, am I right?
Only thing I need to be sure about is that black = ground, yellow = power and grey is the signal output wire.
I have interfaced a crank shaft sensor to an Arduino and a square wave. The VR sensor produces a sine wave as you say, but this generally only has 2 wires connected to it and not 3. You can use the sine wave also, but will probably want to add a schmitt trigger.
You need to know how much current the sensor needs before connecting it directly to the Arduino as you can only provide so much current before damaging the Arduino. If that is not the correct datasheet can you even be sure that the sensor will run off 5V?
Is this sensor not in use by the dyno? The 10k resistor is to make sure that the arduino does not interfere too much with the signal so that the dyno can still dyno can still get a decent signal from the sensor.
I'm not sure how you can confirm which wire is which.
rickerman:
I have interfaced a crank shaft sensor to an Arduino and a square wave. The VR sensor produces a sine wave as you say, but this generally only has 2 wires connected to it and not 3. You can use the sine wave also, but will probably want to add a schmitt trigger.
You need to know how much current the sensor needs before connecting it directly to the Arduino as you can only provide so much current before damaging the Arduino. If that is not the correct datasheet can you even be sure that the sensor will run off 5V?
At the moment I am not sure if it is of the inductive type or hall effect. As I said the only thing described in manuals is that it is a magnetic pickup sensor on a 60 tooth gear wheel. I tought magnetic pick up is the same as an inductive proximity sensor and is different than the hall effect..
The datasheet I posted previous is from an electrical diagram I received by mail last week from SuperFlow. However, in the manual deliverd by the dyno this one is not mentioned.
Really shit I am not sure which sensor it is.. Also stuck what I have to do now..
rickerman:
Is this sensor not in use by the dyno? The 10k resistor is to make sure that the arduino does not interfere too much with the signal so that the dyno can still dyno can still get a decent signal from the sensor.
No this is a spare one. Exactly the same if the one which is mounted on the dyno
No this is a spare one. Exactly the same if the one which is mounted on the dyno
A three wire sensor typically will have a digital output irregardless of the internal device.
Now that you have the Arduino, here's what I recommend.
There is are example programs with the ide. Go to
File>examples<>02Digital>DigitalInputPullup.
Power the sensor with 5v/gnd from the Arduino. Connect the third signal wire to pin D2 of the Arduino. Run the program and bring a chunk of steel to and away from the sensor. Can you see the led go on an off or the serial output switch from 1 and 0?
If you don't see a response, the sensor may not be working at 5v. What voltage did you find on the A prong which powers the sensor?
If it was me, I would just mount another hall effect geartooth sensor on your 60 tooth wheel. This way you will not interfere with the signal going to your dyno and you know what kind of sensor you are dealing with.
I am sure if you work in a race shop it would be no problem to fabricate a simple bracket to mount the sensor.
Google Cherry Gear Tooth sensor. They are around $30, depending on who you buy them from.
I just had a thought after I wrote this. You state that you are running a SuperFlow dyno.
I have no experience with a Superflow , mainly Land&Sea and Depac , but any decent dyno controller that I have ever used had axillary outputs that could be programmed in software to do about anything you could want.
I you could tell us what you want this to do when you hit 6 grand it might be a little easier to help.
By the way. Before I retired I had about 20 years of building race engines and running dyno's
Shop around for gear tooth counters, Allegro models were selling for less than $10 years ago.
How they work is make a magnetic field with a coil that has a linear Hall sensor in front of it. Gear tooth bends the field as it goes by and that gets detected.
A linear Hall sensor runs about 30 cents and a button magnet costs little, you might roll your own sensor and code for that to save on a bunch of circuitry in the pro model. AVRs have a voltage comparator for instance.
GoForSmoke:
Would a cheap work-alike substitute make any sense?
That could be an idea but we would not prefer this, because in a engine dyno room are already such a lot of sensors and wires connected. When I could use an already existed one, they will be happier.
detown:
I just had a thought after I wrote this. You state that you are running a SuperFlow dyno.
I have no experience with a Superflow , mainly Land&Sea and Depac , but any decent dyno controller that I have ever used had axillary outputs that could be programmed in software to do about anything you could want.
I you could tell us what you want this to do when you hit 6 grand it might be a little easier to help.
On the sensor box I mentioned before are indeed additional control outputs. I was also thinking about this, but also here the information is missing. In the SuperFlow manuals are no pinout diagrams and is also nothing described about these control ouputs for additional purposes as far as I know.
When the engine reached 6000 rpm I would like to carry out an engine cut off. This is on the track carried out before shifting next gear with WOT. The engine will stop injecting fuel and advance igntion for a certain moment. This could I obtain to set a voltage on the pin that come's from the upshaft paddle on the steering wheel.
I don't know yet what voltage this is, I have to measure it first. But have not got the change opportunity for it before.
cattledog:
Power the sensor with 5v/gnd from the Arduino. Connect the third signal wire to pin D2 of the Arduino. Run the program and bring a chunk of steel to and away from the sensor. Can you see the led go on an off or the serial output switch from 1 and 0?
I carried out the example, but no change in LED blinking when I passed a screw driver more times for the sensor.
I beeped all the wires with my multimeter, so it is connected. Altough I am not 100% sure about the wiring, I think yellow has to be 5V, black to ground and grey to signal. Should I try to change the 5V and signal wires or could this damage the sensor.
Beside this I tried the example with a press button and that worked fine.
cattledog:
If you don't see a response, the sensor may not be working at 5v. What voltage did you find on the A prong which powers the sensor?
As I said in a previous post, I did'nt measure any change but am not 100% sure where I have to place the second probe from the multimeter? Normally you measure voltage parallel to a wire, but I only have one pin which is sticking out of a connector outside the dyno sensor box.
As I said in a previous post, I did'nt measure any change but am not 100% sure where I have to place the second probe from the multimeter? Normally you measure voltage parallel to a wire, but I only have one pin which is sticking out of a connector outside the dyno sensor box.
One of these wires will be connected to ground. If you think the black wire is ground work out which pin will connect to the ground wire then put the -ve probe against that and the +ve probe against the other 2 (One at a time). One of these pins should show the supply voltage.
RaceEngineer:
Xensor also sent me the pinout of the sensor:
Black = - signal
Clear = + signal
Yellow = ground
When I have to translate this to the Arduino, I have to make the following connections I think:
Black to digital input
Clear to +5V
Yellow to ground
Could anyone confirm this? About the black one (- signal) I am not really sure I could connect this to a digital input.
Who from Xensor sent you that woeful pinout list?
Definitely not an engineer.
You need to know
Pin Gnd
Pin Signal
Pin Supply
[soapbox]
If you talk to a "sales engineer" ask to talk to a real engineer, who has had hands on usage.
In my experience a "sales injuneer" is a very good storeman, he knows his product and how to get it to you.
An Engineer knows how it works and talks in the proper language.
[/soapbox]
Tom....
(Sorry to all "sales injuneers' out there but thats my experience.)
TomGeorge:
Who from Xensor sent you that woeful pinout list?
Definitely not an engineer.
You need to know
Pin Gnd
Pin Signal
Pin Supply
[soapbox]
If you talk to a "sales engineer" ask to talk to a real engineer, who has had hands on usage.
In my experience a "sales injuneer" is a very good storeman, he knows his product and how to get it to you.
An Engineer knows how it works and talks in the proper language.
[/soapbox]
Tom....
(Sorry to all "sales injuneers' out there but thats my experience.)
For me nothing wrong with the support overthere. It was indeed an sale staff member I think. However, I had to measure the resistances over the wires and he said he had to consult the technical engineer before he could give me a response about this pinout.
This diagram shows me connections to Vcc (power in), ground, and a signal line that is ALWAYS > 0V.
You have a salesman protecting your dependence on him by keeping between you and what you need to know.
You might want to impress on the Jerk that if you can't get real docs for the part you have, it will be time to find a supplier who can. Look some up, when he "calls your bluff" you can deflate that balloon by pulling out a list of > 1 competitor/supplier.
But if you're happy with it taking How Long to get simple information, if you think that's okay then smile and be nice, maybe you'll get dinner and flowers or at least a movie out of it.
Instead of going through all the misery of dealing with the sensor company,why don't you get in touch with SuperFlow support and find out how to use the programmable outputs on there controller.
That is why your employer spent the big bucks on this dyno, the controller and the software to run it.
Also I am a little confused. This started out as a project on a dyno and evolved into race cars paddle shifters and shift cut.
It sounds like what you are trying to develop is a system to momentarily cut the engine power to unload the drivetrain and allow shifting without a clutch. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I don't know what kind of ECU you are using, aftermarket or stock. but most decent aftermarket ECU's have this feature. It is commonly called flatshift.
If I recall this is the project that poster rickerman was working on.
Not trying to be snarky, but are you an engineer or is this your title on the race team.
