Thinking of a new gadget...

[Csory_imp]

It is update time - again... There vere many things that kept me from being happy with the previous iteration of my gadget. It didn't look as unobtrusive as I hoped, and the 3-digit display was a bit restrictive in terms of usability. Kept looking for more display options and built three different prototypes with white graphical OLED's but none of them were bright enough for acceptable daylight visibility. Then I found [url=https://www.lcd-module.com/fileadmin/eng/pdf/doma/dogs104e.pdf]this LCD module.

This is a 4x10, or 2x10+1x10 character display, with FSTN positive construction. It is the same arrangement used with the OEM LCD display of the center console - excellent daylight readability, and white backlight for nighttime riding... Also, character height is almost exactly the same as the OEM one - 5mm in 2x mode. It is also super-thin, thanks to the COG manufacturing - chip on glass = electronics are mounted directly onto the glass display layer, no separate circuit boards used, resulting in 2mm (=1/12") total thickness. Backlight adds another 2.6mm, but this is still a very thin module that could be mounted over the Honda-logo, as if it were a sticker...

Now back to the "brain" part. To keep the display unit as thin as possible, designed a separate box for everything else. This goes to the underside of the center console - out of sight. The "big news" is the completely redesigned oil temp sensor. Now it can read the OEM EOT sensor signal, giving true oil temperature. Also got rid of the mounting problems of an additional oil temp sensor element. There is also a second, currently unused signal channel that could be utilized to read coolant temperature (ECT sensor) on liquid-cooled bikes, or the exhaust gas temperature (EGT sensor) if so desired.

All these new features (displaying more than one sensor at a time, allowing user calibration of the backlight, contrast and sensor elements) gave me another headache. How to interact with a complex menu system without having buttons or a touchscreen? Ended up adding a stub cable with a tiny 4-hole connector on the end, and a separate rotary encoder button that can be connected there. The gadget automatically senses when the rotary button is connected, and goes into setup mode. There you can alter whatever setting you want to or input calibration data, disconnect the rotary, tuck back the connector cable and ride away. I like it

Functionally it is still very similar to the original concept: battery voltage and cranking voltage display, ambient temperature, oil and optionally coolant temperature, and a ride timer. Thanks to the larger display it can show 4 or 5 different values at the same time. During "regular driving" we have air temp, oil temp, battery voltage and a ride timer. The only "new" thing is the direct reading of EOT sensor. As long as it is the factory Bosch sensor, we can use high-precision Steinhart-Hart coefficients. If some other kind of sensor is used, either a "beta + R25" value can be input or the unit can self-calibrate itself using two or three temperature measurements. I'm still working on making the menu as self-evident as possible

Will post pictures / video in a follow-up...

[Bazbro_imp]

I'm speechless!!

And in awe!!

[Csory_imp]

Please also check this related post regarding temp sensor details (click on the green arrow):

[max]

The mind keeps wondering and comes up with new idea's, when i wanted to read my o2 sensor i had a green led display voltmeter on the brake master cylinder, it was not usable in sunlight and i had to put a black tunnel over it to make it work.
However it seemed a good place to mount an accessory display, nice flat surface and even possible to replace the cover with another one drilled or glued or silicone sealed for the job and can be very easily removed.

Another option is using the brake light switch for manual input to the display for scrolling purposes, you could program the display so it would respond to a series of quick pulses from the brake lever as opposed to longer brake operation by tapping into the 12 volt switched wire from the brake microswitch nearby, possibly using the 12 volt supply to the switch as well, in a stretch the switched brake light wire could be made to provide the 0volt return supply as it connects to ground through the 21 w brake light which would then double as a "broken brake light lamp" indicator, this would include some cleverness with a capacitor and diode to supply 5v to the unit for the duration of the quick pulse and maybe providing optical feedback through a segment of the display ......

[GoldOxide_imp]

Nice find Csory,

[Csory_imp]

And now a few pictures and videos... First, please be advised that it is still a "Franken-gadget". It has a programming cable that will not be there in the final version, the lower "brain" module is about 2x larger than the final one will be, and the surface quality of the housing is just plain bad (didn't want to fiddle too much until the electronics are ready). Display module is a wee bit misaligned too. However, what it does (in terms of functionality) is pretty much finalized.

The first image shows the gadget spread out, sans the wiring coming from the engine oil temp sensor and the battery. (I have spliced into the EOT sensor cable to utilize the built-in NTC sensor). Center-left the black thingy is the "brain", center-top the display, logner wire connects to battery/EOT sensor, shorter wire contains the air temp sensor and ends in the "keyboard" connector.



As it is seen from the driver's seat:



Brain module, tucked underneath the center console. Flat ribbon cable seemed like a good idea, but in the end might go with a round cable or phone cable instead.



This is the rotary encoder, to be connected to the short "stub" cable. Once connected, the gadget goes into "setup" mode and can be thoroughly adjusted. More on that later.



This is the connector cable of the gadget, fished out from its tucked position, ready to be connected to the encoder.



...videos coming...



Some technical details (most of these are also tagged in the video):

- Fahrenheit and Celsius units are user-selectable.

- Display backlight level and contrast can be adjusted.

- U ECU is the source voltage of the ECU used on NTC sensors (default is 5V), R ECU is the pull-up resistor (default is 470 Ohms). Both can be adjusted.

- There are two channels, one for the oil temp sensor, one for the coolant temp sensor (on liquid-cooled engines). This prototype only uses the oil temp sensor (what else on a CB?!). Should anyone like to use the gadget on a different bike (or - rather a bike with a different sensor type) can select "custom" sensor type for either (or both) of these.

- Custom sensors are calibrated via two-point beta algorithm. (1) let the engine cool down completely, and set "T1" value of the corresponding sensor. This temperature should be pretty much the same as air temperature. (2) Let the engine warm up completely, and set "T2" value of the sensor - for example, by using a non-contact thermometer to get a reading on the sensor housing.

- standard (Bosch) sensors use the factory table to set Steinhart-Hart coefficients. Theoretically it is more precise than custom sensors beta method, but both should be more than adequate.

Every setting is persistent (i.e. saved in non-volatile memory).

Hope you find the video worth watching, and thanks for reading my ramblings!

[GoldOxide_imp]

Csory: Your best exhibition yet. Well done. The rotary "key" interface solves alotta problems ... kinda neat really.

Yes, the ribbon cable needs to be rolled up into a protective sheath or replaced with a standard cable bundle. A freeway stone will take the ribbon out in one shot.

- - -

Question:

Can air temperature be measured to say down to -25C or lower?

[17-CB-002]

Hi Csory,
What is the display/reading of the oil temperature when the engine is fully warmed-up?

[Csory_imp]

Csory: Your best exhibition yet. Well done. The rotary "key" interface solves alotta problems ... kinda neat really.

Yes, the ribbon cable needs to be rolled up into a protective sheath or replaced with a standard cable bundle. A freeway stone will take the ribbon out in one shot.

- - -

Question:

Can air temperature be measured to say down to -25C or lower?

Thanks I like the rotary thingy too... Air temp sensor element is a Dallas DS18b20: Measures Temperatures from -55°C to +125°C (-67°F to +257°F), ±0.5°C Accuracy from -10°C to +85°C.

Hi Csory,
What is the display/reading of the oil temperature when the engine is fully warmed-up?

Don’t know yet - since finalized calibration she’s been locked up in the garage... Still raining...

[Bazbro_imp]

I want one!!