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Thread: 4 or 8 Additional Analog Inputs

  1. #1
    Tuner in Training
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    4 or 8 Additional Analog Inputs

    What would be the best way to capture 4 or 8 additional analog inputs into Track Addict Pro?

    I am looking to capture brake temperatures with these type K thermocouples.
    http://thesensorconnection.com/brake...ocouple-sensor

    I am also looking to capture suspension travel with these 0-5v shock travel sensors.
    https://lowdoller-motorsports.com/co...ucts/lowdoller

    This would be in addition to using a KIWI 3 OBD2 and a XGPS160 on a iPhone 8.
    The car is a Honda S2000.

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Tuner in Training
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    Look at my NBP protocl post this is what i am doing at the moment lookting at adding some sensors.

  3. #3
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    I have done some research and this is what I found so far.

    To connect an Arduino to a K type thermocouple it takes a MAX6675 module. (1 each per sensor)
    https://www.sainsmart.com/products/m...24-for-arduino

    To connect four of those it will take an Arduino like the Mega 2560. I assume there are other variants that would work.
    https://www.sainsmart.com/products/m...ino-compatible

    There is even a tutorial on Instructables.com with some details on mating them.
    https://www.instructables.com/Arduin...ple-K-MAX6675/

    I could not find a Mega 2560 with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth built in so that would be an additional shield to connect.

    I have not tried to figure out the 5v analog inputs, I assume the Mega 2560 might support it because it too runs on 5v.

    After my research I am a little discouraged. I don't want to have to pick up an electronics hobby on top of what I am doing with my car.

  4. #4
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    Hi My aim is to use the ESP32 with built in Wifi and Blue tooth with its dedicated PCB and 4 inputs that will take up to 15V in put for power with filter protection.
    at the moment im getting around 60 readings a second with 2 inputs which is faster enough at the moment for the brake and accelartoe logging im doing on track testing.

    the issue im havin at the moment is the App is dropping connection after around 3 minutes and im waiting for a reply from Weston ( please) to try to work out what is happenig.
    Im using a samsung xcover 4 and have not experiensed any delay's, with either Bluetooth ot Wifi.

    Re Temperrature Sensing, i would use a 8 or 16 channel multiplexer and one thermo couple amplifier for all the K type thermocouples and just sample each one in turn as the temperature change does not happen that fast.

    Im looging at some sensing for lift and down force at the moment and hope to post some results on this too.. my car is ment to give me 85kg down force at 150KPh so will be interesting to see if it does..

    re 5V 12V with 3.3v input you can just use a voltage divide .. google it.

    Why use an esp32? well the A to D converters are 10/12 bit and the processor is Daul core and just it has a bit more horse power that the 8 bit versions plus it has built in Blue tooth and Wifi and they are fairly cheap from the big chinise super market.

  5. #5
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    I decided I was going to try this on my own, and I have reached a milestone.

    In the last 2 weeks I got an Arduino Mega 2560 starter kit. I also got a MAX6675 thermocouple module and an ESP8266 Wi-Fi board.

    I have the ESP8266 wired through the Serial ports of the Arduino. I have code that reads the temperature from the MAX6675 and broadcasts it out to the ESP8266 in NBP format using "AT" commands.

    I can connect to the Wi-Fi network, configure the URL in Track Addict and can see the values in the application. Success!

    The downside is that I have no idea what I am doing. I have years of software experience but I have never written software to run directly on processors and I only had passing knowledge of C. Because I am communicating with the ESP8266 through AT commands it is somewhat unreliable. I can send out a packet around every 0.4 seconds and it only errors out about every 20 packets. It recovers on the next packet without issue.

    I need to learn more about how to write Arduino code and how to better communicate between the MEGA 2560 and the ESP8266. I really want to get the communication rate down to around 10 packets per second.

  6. #6
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    Hi i gave up with the 8266, and the mega was a bit to slow, save yourself some time get a esp32, then you have the choice of bluetooth or wifi.. pluse my code in my post already works on bluetooth, and i almost have a reliable wifi version which ill post soon.