OK lets think out side the box.

How can we build a complete engine monitor that will monitor
a dozen engine parameters with alarms and will be usable in bright

sunlight

and will take little room on the instrument panel of a tandem
seat airplane? Also it must cost less than $100 to build.

Paul Lamar

Assuming that you are trying to stay with a video display, I think your
sunlight readable display is going to blow your budget.  There's a local
RV-4 builder here in the Portland area that has built a few iterations of
engine monitors (for Lycs) like you describe.  Rob's latest uses a new
Sharp (I think) display that is comparable with the
iPAQ.  http://advanced-control-systems.com/

(Wow, I just looked at that link, he's really improved the thing since I
last saw it, along with the price.  8-o  )

One could certainly build your own thermocouple probes a lot cheaper than
you can buy them.  Brass/aluminum/stainless plugs, epoxy and thermocouple
hookup wire.  the TC wire end MUST be welded so you need a torch along with
a drill for the plugs.

What's left, a board with controller, memory, video output, and I/O
structure?  Doesn't one of the "stamp" units do all this?

I think you are going to need a $500 budget to get this to a real
user/pilot friendly level with adjustable/programmable alarm points and
indication ranges.  Maybe I'm still stuck inside the box thinking of off
the shelf components?

Mike

Mike McGee, RV-4 N996RV, O320-E2G, Aurora, OR
13B in gestation mode

Hint: Cost not counting the sensors. You need those with whatever.

Paul Lamar

Paul,
Your recent posting for the DC-toDC converter included an ad from
Nuts-N-Volts.  Also listed in the ad was a 6" Sanyo 640 x 480 LCD for
$15.00.  Would this work for a low cost display?

Another possible source for cheap lcd displays may be old cell phones.  I
think we all have at least one of those things in the junk
drawer.  Obviously, I know very little about how to get these things to
work!  {:-)

Mark Steitle

Still not what I had in mind. Broaden your thinking :-)>

Paul Lamar
 
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