Replacing the Entire dash idea...

[RugerP97DC]

OK this is an idea I had a while back, but I actually want to build a protoype, as I have the time now.

The idea is to use mechanical, electrical or digital sensors to take the information (Oil Press, Oil Temp, EGT, Speedo, Tach, ect) and fed this info to a small PC that is dedicated to the dash.

It will have instead of steam gauges, or the normal analog types, or even LED digital types, the output would be output to standard LCD or touch screen panels. This would allow for nearly instant customization, not only gauge position, ut also allow for personal sinks and integrating GPS moving maps, and even audio controls, and a more "Flight Deck" like environment.

Why should airplanes have all the "Glass Cockpit" fun?

Aside from the LCD's, a PC running XP, and a good video card, I need the sensors, and a way to get teh data to the PC. I am thinking standard shielded Cat 5, and run it as a network. I don't think that wireless would be a great idea, as the amount of interference in a car or truck could prove to be too overpowering for the 801 standard.

Who here can help with the engineering? Jon, you want to help out here? Electrical wizardry seems to be a forte of yours!

I want to approach this from a standpoint of a Large Car. Then it wont be any problem to scale down for general vehicles.

Gauges needed:
Speedo
Tach
Ammeter
Voltmeter (1 per battery)
Oil Temp
Oil Pressure
Oil Interval
Oil Level
Oil Filter
Coolant Temp
Coolant Pressure
Coolant Interval
Coolant Level
Fuel Level @3 (Left Right Total)
Fuel Temp
Fuel Filter
Air Cleaner interval
Air Flow
Ether Level
CHT (1 for each head)
Turbo Pressure (Intake side and exhaust side)
EGT
Primary and Secondary Air
Air Dryer (Basically a humidity gauge)
Tractor Tire Pressure (10 of these)
Trailer Tire Pressure (8)
Air Suspension Pressure
Brake Pressure
Brake Temp (18 Total)
Trans Temp
Trans Pressure
Trans Filter Interval
Rear diff level (2)
Weight (Scales built in)

Indicators
Turn/Hazard signals
High Beam
Gear indicator (or selector for auto and ultrashift trans)

Switches (for touchscreen only)
Headlights
Air Suspension Dump
5th Wheel lock/unlock
Running/position light interrupt
Tractor/Trailer air valve controls
Audio/Video system interface
CB interface
GPS interface
QualComm QTRACS or any other tacking system integration

I know I missed something really obvious. Someone fill it in and help out.

[interceptor1985]

hmm...The Japanese have been using this idea for a while now in race cars....I have seen a few before next time I run across one I'll think of you and post it up.

[GoodSamaritan]

It's doable. I used to work with automated industrial controls. You can scale inputs for just about anything. I am not sure of the cost since it has been a good 5 years or more since I messed with it, but I am sure they have come down in price by now.

[interceptor1985]

or up...lol

[P72Ford]

Thats alot of gauge/ indicators/ switches. I hope the interface is user friendly. I'd hate to scroll through 50 functions to find the tire pressure on my inside right front trailer tire...

[85crownHPP]

Sounds like a lot of crap to get a lot of gauges into one interface... money/time better spent building this hotrod panther you're always talking about... and wtf is an oil filter gauge?

[interceptor1985]

and why would one need an oil filter gauge?

And you missed one big one.....an HOURS gauge that way you know when it get to overhaul time.

[p71towny]

I don't feel so retarded for wanting to hotrod tractors now.

[interceptor1985]

I don't feel so retarded for wanting to hotrod tractors now.

Why would you ever feel that way? Some Tractor's are already even shaped like a "hot rod" I could imagine a hotrod Massey cruising down the hiway....lol

[85crownHPP]

dont get me wrong, such a universal display/interface would be cool as hell, and is probably the direction everything will go... but to make one yourself??? HUGE project!!! but if you'd rather do that than build a panther...
The chick Im dating drives a Toyota Priius that has an animated/interactive/touchscreen computer... it shows all kinds of stuff including an animated diagram of real time energy flow in and out of the battery, electric motor, gas motor, and the wheels...

[interceptor1985]

Nissan has been doing it for a long time now...they had something like that in the 2000Skyline GT-R

[gadget73]

marine diesels have gauges on the fuel seperators to indicate when replacement is needed. Basically its a vacuum gauge, as the filter becomes more restrictive, the pump sucks harder, causing the gauge to read. It would also work in a carb application, or on something with a pull-through filter but not ours. For a pressurized filter, you'd need a differential pressure gauge to measure drop across the filter.

[interceptor1985]

marine diesels have gauges on the fuel seperators to indicate when replacement is needed. Basically its a vacuum gauge, as the filter becomes more restrictive, the pump sucks harder, causing the gauge to read. It would also work in a carb application, or on something with a pull-through filter but not ours. For a pressurized filter, you'd need a differential pressure gauge to measure drop across the filter.

Thank you

[RugerP97DC]

Thanks for having my back there gadget!