Any Arduino users out there?
Do any of you use an Arduino-based microprocessor to gather data and drive your process?
I am brand new to this group. (I just composed a message, clicked review, and it totally dissapeared!!)
So this is my second try. I still can’t find a “submit” button.
Here’s what I am up to:
http://www.spaco.org/JXQ10A.htm
I know it’s a stationary application, but this group seems to be talking about instrumentation, so It thought I’d ask here.
Pete Stanaitis
Hi Pete, welcome to the site! I moved your post to a new topic.
We do like instrumentation. Temperature and vacuum levels in particular need to be accurately displayed to the driver. These tasks are too simple to need a microprocessor - a simple gauge will do the trick.
I’ve used an Arduino for various purposes but not to automate a gasifier. I did originally intend to build a feedback air/fuel mix controller for my truck, using an O2 sensor and a servo-controlled air mixer. That fizzled out pretty quick in the real world. I quickly found out that automation is not necessary or desirable, at least for vehicle use. A super-sophisticated vehicle control unit is already in place (we call him the driver). Trying to take away his job is not going to be easy or cheap, and the benefits are few.
There’s a big difference in automation and instrumentation. Again, if there’s a way to gather and present more information to the operator in a useful way, I’m all for it. Anything in that direction will make running woodgas easier and more accurate.
Here’s a fully automated woodgas vehicle. It scares me to think of the amount of stuff that can and will break.