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Discussion starter · #141 ·
Progress report 'n pic dump... :)

I finished the oil temp sensor that was dunked into JB-weld yesterday.

The PCB is ready for soldering the wires onto it and mounting it inside the enclosure back. That'll be glued into place on the four mounting studs using JB-weld. I put a Bournes 25 turns, 10k ohms trimpot on this one (was 25 turns, 5k ohms on previous builds) to learn whether it provides easier and faster calibration or not. I suspect that it'll calibrate the same though... but if its any faster to get dialed in I intend to use 10k trimpots from now on.

The two harnesses are fitted into the enclosure back. The JB-weld wire knot will be cured enough tomorrow, so that I can cut that temporary ziptie clamp outta there and mount the PCB. The button strip holes are already dremel-ed out on the cover, so once the PCB is mounted I can dremel out the display window and drill the LED indicator light hole. The grey tinted window and buttons frame is completely fabbed up and ready as well. Fingers are crossed... just one more window to cut out and it'll be ready to calibrate in hot oil. It looks fabulous so far!

And... I got the power supply board all built, mounted the 40 amp relay inside the enclosure and began to wire it in. I stopped right there cause I have a question... The first build has those harnesses coming into the box on the side, opposite the 40 amp relay. Since we plan on mounting this box under the winch plate... Do you think we should run those harnesses into the end of that box @wheelsquad? Give us a straight line shot for the harnesses aiming toward the steering head area? It doesn't matter really, but might make for a cleaner looking install?

I gotta make a list and place some orders for parts and materials that I am running out of, and for some parts that I am changing out for the better. So this gizmo won't be finished until next weekend, more'n likely. I'll ship it out to ya soon as I can. We can salvage a few components outta that first build so it won't be a total loss... it's learnin' costs. Prototypes are usually junk an' I shoulda know'd to hold onto that bugger.
 

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This is the clamp bracket I made for this gizmo @wheelsquad. Whadd'ya think? Shall we throw it back, or try it? The bracket might provide us with a Plan B if that clamp don't work... :)
I think that bracket will work great as you have it, just like the first version only better!

Your plate idea should work well for others' general applications. I have used same the mirror mounts @fishfiles mentioned. They're actually what I used to mount my light bar to my handlebars. I like them a lot, but need to think of a low profile way to attach the stud/bolt that threads into them to your plate. Maybe just drill a hole in the flat part after the bend and a short bolt into the bracket? What would be a little more ideal is a bracket that has 2 holes so that the plate can be attached by 2 points and not be prone to pivoting around that a single point would have.

And... I got the power supply board all built, mounted the 40 amp relay inside the enclosure and began to wire it in. I stopped right there cause I have a question... The first build has those harnesses coming into the box on the side, opposite the 40 amp relay. Since we plan on mounting this box under the winch plate... Do you think we should run those harnesses into the end of that box @wheelsquad? Give us a straight line shot for the harnesses aiming toward the steering head area? It doesn't matter really, but might make for a cleaner looking install?

I gotta make a list and place some orders for parts and materials that I am running out of, and for some parts that I am changing out for the better. So this gizmo won't be finished until next weekend, more'n likely. I'll ship it out to ya soon as I can. We can salvage a few components outta that first build so it won't be a total loss... it's learnin' costs. Prototypes are usually junk an' I shoulda know'd to hold onto that bugger.
For those wires coming out the end, I doubt anybody is going to notice the looks of anything under my winch plate, so that's no reason to. Heck if you saw the rest of the DIY stuff done to my Rancher, the more ******* looking it is the more it will fit in. But straighter shot and less sharp bend in the wires is probably enough reason to put them in through the end though, for reliability.

And haha, no worries and I'm sure USPS doesn't mind the business. It was good to know in advance your little fab'd plate clamp is gonna work great.
 
Discussion starter · #143 ·
Ya ok, I guess we'll run with that aluminum bracket and see what happens. I have a pair of those handlebar clamps that @fishfiles posted which I looked at while trying to decide what to do there. If one of those clamps were flipped over, a hole drilled in the bracket and with a lil' filing on the bracket so it fit the clamp shape like a key, I think one short bolt would hold it without any risk of twisting. The filing-fit step could provide an ideal tilted-inward viewing angle from the bar too, I think.

Ideally we'd like that mounting bracket to disappear once its on the bike. Anyway, I mounted the bracket low on the gizmo thinking along those lines.

I'll run the harnesses into the end of that relays box this time to see how it works on your bike. On my bike those wire sheaths could have been routed either way, so I'm guessing the fit on your Rancher will be the same.
 
Discussion starter · #145 ·
That'll probably work fishfiles. These specs for the Bud Industries HH-3641 are from the datasheet:

Enclosure Dimensions:
69.5mm x 50.5mm x 21mm (2.736” x 1.988” x .827”)
I have a junker enclosure that I made a mistake on and ruined. I can send it to ya if ya'd like...? It might help ya come up with a mounting bracket idea that provides a clean, tight, integrated looking install. PM me or shoot an email...

Also a heads up... I am looking into the feasibility of adding a 4th button onto the control unit that allows switching back 'n forth between two different oil temp sensors on the fly.

The default would be the sensor in use in the bottom of the sump. The alternate sensor could be monitoring from the oil hose exit from the motor... or more'n likely the other end of that oil hose entry into the oil cooler will be a more practical location. One of those alternate sensor locations should provide motor oil temp while it is at its hottest state.

The thermistors that I have been building sensors with are interchangeable... that means every sensor is designed to be switched in-circuit without having to recalibrate the measuring circuit.

https://www.littelfuse.com/products...hermistors/standard-precision-ps/ps103j2.aspx

They boast precision accuracy to be maintained within +/- 0.1 degree C through 70 C, between off-the-shelf individual sensors of this part number. They even provide the measured curve-matched resistance/temp (R/T) table on their website. They are indeed very high precision thermies... so we may as well take advantage, ehh?

I'm thinking your 450 might learn us a lot... so I'd like to make a clamp-on copper sensor for the oil supply hose fitting and switch sensors using that 4th button to operate a latching relay.

This feature will be optional if I can pull it off though.... I ain't gonna insist on it. Its your call.
 
@retro, I forgot to tell you about one rule I have in life, once something gets to be over 3 buttons....it has to be replaced with a touchscreen. Time to start project over. :devil
 
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Discussion starter · #147 ·
Hahaha... a 1080P display...? Or shall we go all in with a 4K HD? :icon_ rasta:

I got the display window cut out and the LED hole drilled without screwing up the enclosure today and the buttons & tinted window are sealed an' curing. This one looks fabulous so far!

I'll finish the harnesses and power supply/relay hookup wiring as soon as my next shipment of 18 gauge wire spools arrives. This gizmo is ready to calibrate and assemble now, so it should be completed about two days after that wire arrives. I'll dump pics as it progresses. :)

I been thinking a bit more on that 2nd sensor idea... while it might be useful, I'm beginning to get cold feet. We'd need a two-color LED to indicate which sensor is active, a tactile switch would have to be fabbed in and wired up, extra electronics added to the relays box... and a lot more wire pulled from the spools.

Will all of that extra work and expense add enough practical value to our simple lil' gizmo, to justify those efforts? I doubt it really... it is doing everything we asked for already and then some... and it is doing those jobs very well. Lets keep it simple... lets call it a day and run it, me thinks. :)

Besides, I only have one touchscreen left in stock. And it's the only backup that I have for my phone. :)
 
Discussion starter · #149 ·
I kinda doubt it... don't you? Corporate engineering departments are inhibit-ively structured and compartmentalized to serve defined company roadmaps which are laid out over long terms. Objectives are already known, years in advance... and they all tend to primarily serve the financial health of the company. As a result much of the R&D budget goes into small (but expensive) exploratory projects that are centered around developing clever, complex integrations that more efficiently entrap/enslave the consumer... control of product lifetimes/lifecycles, both at the systems levels and the individual component levels are very important to them. Larger projects (a new motor for instance) are developed from those past & present explorations and experiences over terms spanning several years. So environmental pressures in large corporate engineering departments tend to be predatory in nature... focusing on reducing manufacturing costs and creating predictable revenue streams for the company and its support networks (distributors, dealers, etc.) after the sale. I can't see how enthusiast forums could be of any interest to the manufacturer. There is nothing here that is not already known and nothing here that they could take advantage of. Are there?

Assuming that I won't let the smoke out, I expect to calibrate this gizmo on the stovetop today and seal the enclosures up. Pic dump later on... :)
 
Discussion starter · #150 ·
Thread derail alert...!!! I've been sleeping on a'nudder-nutter-in-the-woods DIY project for a few months now. I'm pretty confident that I've got the major design and components choices down pat and I'm getting anxious to get some aluminum chips flying. This idea came from you folks... I think it began with a suggestion from @SamUK and then later on more reinforcements came from @fishfiles. I feel like I have a good, strong design all figured out now... for a pair of portals to fit on the front ends of the older Hondas. I'm thinking about a 4 inch left/right set for the first build, assembled either with, or without a GR. They'd be relatively cheap to make and use common, already available parts if I can pull it off. Gotta talk to my buddy about using his Bridgeport vertical mill first though. :)
 
Discussion starter · #151 ·
This one calibrated very well and quite easily. I spent about 1 1/2 hours on the stovetop with it in total, beginning with an initial setup at 22 degrees C, before turning the fire on. I brought the oil temp up slowly stopping often to tweak on the trimpot. Once near the top I let the temp fall back while tweaking on it some more. Then up again to test the high temp alarm and allow the oil temp to fall back down where tenths were being displayed again. The calibration range was primarily from the 60s up to 110+ tweaking on the trimpot during rising, stable and falling oil temps... did that for about 5 or six cycles.... mostly cause my phone kept ringing this afternoon interrupting the process.

I don't think the 10k ohms trimpot swap improved or sped up the calibration at all. So from now on I'll use whichever size trimpot I have on hand or have the most of in my bins. I tried to improve my luck by using one my solid silver spoons (1847 was a good year wasn't it?) to stir the oil with, but universe wasn't fooled or entertained much by that stunt. :)

The final calibration result is most excellent though! I feel like it dialed in within 1 or 2 tenths of a degree C. No matter whether the oil temp was rising or falling, both displays were incrementing up or down at almost the same moments. It rocks! :)
 

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Discussion starter · #152 ·
The relays box and the control unit enclosures are both sealed permanently now. The control unit is inside the UV light oven curing the LOCA display bond to the tinted window as we speak. I'll let it go for a while in there... my tube of LOCA is past its expiration date, so although it still cures well, I'm gonna give it some extra time under the light and be sure. This 3rd build looks fabulous and I'm very pleased with it! Oh, have I mentioned that it ROCKS yet?!?! :)

Here's the last of the calibration pics dump.... the 3rd pic below is displaying HHH (high-temp alarm) but my camera didn't capture that. Just one more dump remains after the final step, more'n likely on Saturday. Then it'll ship. :)
 

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I must have missed this
high temp alarm
what type of alarm ? Visual, (blinking led/color change) or audio ? Take as much time to explain, i thougly enjoy this thread!, and where it's going .A touch screen ?? Don't put it past him.
 
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Discussion starter · #154 ·
The high oil temp alarm is visual only. The display shows HHH (and the fan motor continues to run) if the oil ever reaches the high-temp threshhold set by the user in the parameter menus. In this case I left it set at 110 degrees C, so was just verifying that it works. There is also a visual alarm for the oil temp sensor... the display shows LLL if the sensor gets disconnected, a wire breaks, etc.

The gizmo can be put into heating mode in the menu as well, to control a furnace or a heater or whatever. We'll use it for cooling though, its good at doing that.
 
Discussion starter · #155 ·
Other features found in the menus... the user can set both upper and lower limits (-50 C to +110 C) that can be set on the fly, to prevent someone accidentally changing your trigger points and causing the fan to stay off or run fulltime. Such as a kid playing with it when ya aren't looking... :)

There is also a relay delay timer that can be set up ranging from 0 to 10 minutes. We won't need that feature... but if you were controlling a freezer or an air conditioner that timer might be useful... by allowing the compressor motor to cool off and/or allow freon pressures to equalize so the compressor wasn't starting up under a heavy load. You've probably read about the others...? Calibration offsets in +/- 7 degrees C in tenths degrees increments, hysteresis adjustments from +/- 15 degrees C in tenths increments, non-volatile memory, etc.
 
Discussion starter · #156 ·
Alright, updated docs are printed, final testing is done, there's a purdy shine on all of it, celebratory tops are popped (it's 5 o-clock somewhere, ehh?), an' its stuffed inside a box for a Monday ship date to a neighboring corp-state! :)

Gonna take some time out for rehab before starting on the next one... last call pic dump! :)
 

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Alright, updated docs are printed, final testing is done, there's a purdy shine on all of it, celebratory tops are popped (it's 5 o-clock somewhere, ehh?), an' its stuffed inside a box for a Monday ship date to a neighboring corp-state! :)

Gonna take some time out for rehab before starting on the next one... last call pic dump! :)
Cheers!! Well Done. Yes, the mind of a genius needs a rest from time to time. :)
 
Alright, updated docs are printed, final testing is done, there's a purdy shine on all of it, celebratory tops are popped (it's 5 o-clock somewhere, ehh?), an' its stuffed inside a box for a Monday ship date to a neighboring corp-state! :)

Gonna take some time out for rehab before starting on the next one... last call pic dump! :)
PM me about these retro, I’ll have one off you if/when you make more. Very happy with the trim pot I have fitted to mine but being able to view the temp is spot on!

Great job, well done! :)

What’s this about portals? Id planned on using Argo cat dual chains, I never worked out what reduction (if any) was achievable. I know there were various sized dual chain wheels fitted to Argo’s but it’s been a few years since I had one.
My thinking for Argo parts was, ease of use and ease of replacement, unfortunately I never got time to dig deeper and get any firm facts in place.

Looking forward to hearing what you have in mind.

If it helps in any way, I can source good quality chain very cheaply here in the UK, all depends on shipping and costs nearer to yourself though. Just throwing it out there :).
 
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I wonder if Honda engineers read this forum , maybe they could learn a few things -----
I bet senior Honda engineers would learn a thing or two from here! We all have our own specialties which makes this forum very unique.
 
Retro , the Gizmo container arrived today ----- very nice , smaller than I thought ---- I think this pic is where the Gizmo should go ----- because the box screws together from the back side , I couldn't put screws thru the box into the dash and then assemble the box ---- I think I would have to screw a plate to the rear of the box , that would stick out a bit on each side and put screws thru that plate to the dash , wire could come out either side , out the back would hide the wiring , but would be harder to pull off easily
 

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