Congrats on the grades!!
Still watching intently
Still watching intently
Permanent fix (in progress): Fuel/temp gauge spiking (pics, not dialup friendly) (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Spook50
- Start date
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red66toy
Supporting Vendor
Sweet!
- Thread starter
- #103
Time for an update!
I've run about two tankfulls of gas through with one of the prototypes installed in my truck, and it's performed perfectly. It's been amazingly accurate and (as intended when I began designing this) there are no spikes in my fuel or temp gauges. The only caveat is that the gauges are slow to rise to the appropriate level (say when you first turn on the ignition with a full tank of gas) due to the fact that they're getting exactly the voltage that powers them rather than full vehicle voltage, which results in more time needed for the coils to warm up and move the needles.
The prototype didn't fit as ideally as I had wanted. It took some finagling to get it over the posts from the fuel gauge. I'm changing the Gerber files for a new batch that'll hopefully fit better, plus I managed to compress the components a bit better to make for a smaller footprint as well.
I again want to offer a big thanks to those who contributed to my GoFundMe campaign. Without your help I wouldn't be able to keep working on this project.
I've run about two tankfulls of gas through with one of the prototypes installed in my truck, and it's performed perfectly. It's been amazingly accurate and (as intended when I began designing this) there are no spikes in my fuel or temp gauges. The only caveat is that the gauges are slow to rise to the appropriate level (say when you first turn on the ignition with a full tank of gas) due to the fact that they're getting exactly the voltage that powers them rather than full vehicle voltage, which results in more time needed for the coils to warm up and move the needles.
The prototype didn't fit as ideally as I had wanted. It took some finagling to get it over the posts from the fuel gauge. I'm changing the Gerber files for a new batch that'll hopefully fit better, plus I managed to compress the components a bit better to make for a smaller footprint as well.
I again want to offer a big thanks to those who contributed to my GoFundMe campaign. Without your help I wouldn't be able to keep working on this project.
- Thread starter
- #104
It's been a while so I figured I should post an update, especially for those of you who've contributed and want to know where I'm at on this.
I'm sure some of you have seen a couple of the threads I posted in Chat (before they got derailed by the jackoffs of Mud anyway) concerning what's been going on with me. For those of you who haven't, shortly after my last update, I began the process of a very nasty, painful divorce. She's cleaned out our joint checking and savings accounts, given away pets of mine, and accused me in court of abusing her and the kids, and even gone so far as to give herself a fat lip and take a picture as "evidence" of me hitting her. Obviously this has taken up any free time I would otherwise have that could be spent working on this regulator project. I haven't given up on it, but work has slowed to a snail's pace because of all the nastiness I'm having to crawl through. I'm very much hoping to have the through-hole design finalized before the year is over and get a couple out to a few Mudders for testing. As far as regulator using SMD components, those have been put on an indefinite hold, since I have no where to set up a pick n' place machine or a reflow oven. If by the grace of God I get my house back, then I can get stuff set up in my shop to make SMD regulators. In the meantime I'll be able to make and sell through-hole regulators once I know they've tested well.
To those of you who've contributed to my GoFundMe campaign, I've managed to keep that money separate from my joint accounts, so fortunately that has not been lost. It'll be just enough for me to get an initial run of boards and components so I can crank a couple dozen out once I know the design is good.
I sincerely apologize for the long delays with this project, but I am still focusing on making progress here before I start any non-critical projects on my 62.
I'm sure some of you have seen a couple of the threads I posted in Chat (before they got derailed by the jackoffs of Mud anyway) concerning what's been going on with me. For those of you who haven't, shortly after my last update, I began the process of a very nasty, painful divorce. She's cleaned out our joint checking and savings accounts, given away pets of mine, and accused me in court of abusing her and the kids, and even gone so far as to give herself a fat lip and take a picture as "evidence" of me hitting her. Obviously this has taken up any free time I would otherwise have that could be spent working on this regulator project. I haven't given up on it, but work has slowed to a snail's pace because of all the nastiness I'm having to crawl through. I'm very much hoping to have the through-hole design finalized before the year is over and get a couple out to a few Mudders for testing. As far as regulator using SMD components, those have been put on an indefinite hold, since I have no where to set up a pick n' place machine or a reflow oven. If by the grace of God I get my house back, then I can get stuff set up in my shop to make SMD regulators. In the meantime I'll be able to make and sell through-hole regulators once I know they've tested well.
To those of you who've contributed to my GoFundMe campaign, I've managed to keep that money separate from my joint accounts, so fortunately that has not been lost. It'll be just enough for me to get an initial run of boards and components so I can crank a couple dozen out once I know the design is good.
I sincerely apologize for the long delays with this project, but I am still focusing on making progress here before I start any non-critical projects on my 62.
We'll be here when you are. This is very small potatoes compared to what life can throw at you.
Use the money to buy the kids something.
Use the money to buy the kids something.
- Thread starter
- #107
I think it is. I haven't taken it down at least, and I think GoFundMe leaves them up indefinitely as long as they're not taken down by the member.
- Thread starter
- #109
Huh, so it is. Yeah I'm going to reactivate it in case anyone new might want to contribute. Be great if I can jump right into building a pick n' place machine in my shop if I get my house back.
Edit: Now she's active again!
Edit: Now she's active again!
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #110
Interesting development today. When I got in my truck this morning to go have my day with the kiddos, the temp gauge worked fine but the fuel gauge stayed bottomed out until the inside area of the dash got good and warm. It was about 25* outside. I honestly doubt this is a problem with the regulator itself since it was just one gauge and not both, but I'm going to take out the dash first chance I get, spurt some Fluid Film into the pivot point for the fuel gauge's needle and see if that keeps it from happening. I'm also going to get some of the next set of PCBs ordered so I can get a couple out to testers to see how well they perform in extreme cold and make absolutely sure this isn't a regulator issue.
My instructions will include details on how to lubricate the gauges themselves, as insurance against old sticky gauges.
My instructions will include details on how to lubricate the gauges themselves, as insurance against old sticky gauges.
maat
yeah nah maybe
wheres my 24v one
- Thread starter
- #112
You're going to be the guinea pig for that one. The 12V one should work just the same on a 24V vehicle, as long as the gauges themselves operate off of the same output voltage (came to 7.6V IIRC on mine) and the posts on the back of the quad gauge match the 12V one too. When I get the next batch of prototypes I'll send you one to test and see if it works.
2016 bump for 24V
Was this already posted ? (sorry, too lazy to go back through six pages) ....
How can we support you in this endevour? Did you have a gofundme page or something?
- Thread starter
- #117
Hey guys, been a busy last few days so I haven't had a chance to respond until now. The video that Spike linked I think I had posted earlier in this thread, showing one of my hand made prototypes which used a linear regulator (hence the heat sink).
Unfortunately my divorce is still going on and I have no access to my house or shop, and I moved with my sister and brother in law into a much smaller house than what they were previously renting, so I've got no spot to even work on any projects (I've gotta go to a friend's house to even change my oil). I'm still at the point of needing to order the next set of prototype boards, unfortunately I don't have anywhere to set up my soldering station to assemble them where I'm at right now. The next set of boards should fit better over the studs than the first set I had ordered, and are shrunk down a bit to make the overall package a bit smaller. Once I have some new boards ang assemble a few, I'll send out test units and a "guinea pig" for trying in a 24V truck.
It's all thru-hole at this point, since I'm still in the process of fighting for my house and don't know yet if I'll even get a place to set up a pick n' place and a reflow oven to allow myself to do SMT. There's no difference in performance or reliability between the two. SMT just looks fancier and would be a little smaller.
I do have a GoFundMe set up, but for now I've let it go into "hibernation" since there's no point in accepting more contributions until I can make progress on this. I still have money set aside from GoFundMe that I was careful to hide from my ex wife so she wouldn't take it from me (WA State has already let her take my military disability and my GI Bill funds, which forced me to withdraw from the Bachelor program at ITT). Once my life gets back on track and I can break free of this divorce (and hopefully get my house back!) I should be in a much better position to continue on this project. It certainly ain't dead, just......dormant right now.
Unfortunately my divorce is still going on and I have no access to my house or shop, and I moved with my sister and brother in law into a much smaller house than what they were previously renting, so I've got no spot to even work on any projects (I've gotta go to a friend's house to even change my oil). I'm still at the point of needing to order the next set of prototype boards, unfortunately I don't have anywhere to set up my soldering station to assemble them where I'm at right now. The next set of boards should fit better over the studs than the first set I had ordered, and are shrunk down a bit to make the overall package a bit smaller. Once I have some new boards ang assemble a few, I'll send out test units and a "guinea pig" for trying in a 24V truck.
It's all thru-hole at this point, since I'm still in the process of fighting for my house and don't know yet if I'll even get a place to set up a pick n' place and a reflow oven to allow myself to do SMT. There's no difference in performance or reliability between the two. SMT just looks fancier and would be a little smaller.
I do have a GoFundMe set up, but for now I've let it go into "hibernation" since there's no point in accepting more contributions until I can make progress on this. I still have money set aside from GoFundMe that I was careful to hide from my ex wife so she wouldn't take it from me (WA State has already let her take my military disability and my GI Bill funds, which forced me to withdraw from the Bachelor program at ITT). Once my life gets back on track and I can break free of this divorce (and hopefully get my house back!) I should be in a much better position to continue on this project. It certainly ain't dead, just......dormant right now.
- Joined
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I made this Temp Sending Unit? "upgrade" and it solved my problem...
