Henry,
Don’t forget the impressive monitoring and datalogging work of PeteS.
BillS,
Thanks for the offer, I’ll be in touch!
Chris
Maybe one dual purpose instrument cluster. Flip a switch and it reads normal or for the gasifier. Gps units are handy for a speedometer.
I think the improved monitoring techniques would be a good show and tell at Argos. Thanks, Henry for the update, and upcoming.
Hi Billy,
Have you looked at a colour touch TFT screen for your display? I have one
they are not expensive >$20. Needs to go on a Arduino Mega but they don’t cost much more than the Uno. Still trying to work out how to code it myself but would allow much more on the screen at a time. You could have a row of touch points across the bottom that change colour when the data is out of range.
I am finally getting the thermocouple board up and running after melting the bottom of my reduction bell. This was due bridging in the hopper above the auger.The plan is to set it up so that if any temperature gets too high first an alarm then generator igniton will be killed if not corrected.
Hey Gary,
I have a 320x240 TFT display and Mega shield, but the touch feature didn’t last a day. I have another one on the way but haven’t spent much time with the code. Hopefully I just got a faulty unit the first time and the next one will be better.
Sorry to hear of your meltdown. Hopefully temperature monitoring will be the key to catching this before future damage occurs.
Hi Billy,
I have had this touch screen for about 6 months, have not used it much have played around with it a few times but so far no issues. By monitoring the temperature at the bottom of the bell, in the restriction and the top of the gasifier I am sure I can catch it before this happens again. A couple more hours work should have it fixed. Are you any warmer over there now?
We are currently a balmy -5C with more snow on the way, but no ice like the southeastern states have been experiencing.
Almost OT,
For Billy and Gary:
Regarding the 320 X 240 TFT displays (shield for Mega):
I just checked the adafruit website and they sell some of these. I have been looking for more character displaying capability than I get with my 20 X 4 LCD. Adafruit says that they have a good library for these that include text production. If they generate 5X7 characters, then, by assigning 6X8 dots per each, I’d get twice as much text, right?
My question to you:
Have either of you used these screens for text?
I am interested in what the text looks like and how easy it is to read.
BTW, one of their current shield models come with an SD card reader.
They do look like quite a bit of work to set up, though. Adafruit shows them simply sitting on the Arduino. but I’d have the separately wire it in.
Pete Stanaitis
Pete,
Here’s a short vid showing the text capabilites of one of the tft screens:
The built-in SD card reader is meant to access stored images to be displayed versus data storage, but it may be able to perform double duty.
Pete,
Here’s another option to consider for more text and simple graphics is a 128x64 pixel lcd. I believe pjrc.com has an arduino library for it.
Thanks guys. They both look good enough for adding a lot more info to my display.
Fortunately,(by mistake, I might add) I started out with the Arduino AtMega2560, so I still have plenty of pins (and memory) left. So, once I finally figure out WHAT to TELL my gasifier to do I will be able to run a bunch of servos, relays, etc…
I would counsel anyone thinking of getting into Arduino to go that way. It’s an extra expenditure of $20 or so (unless you buy a clone), but it sure makes backyard design a lot simpler.
Thanks again,
Pete Stanaitis
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If you have not already look here
http://wiki.gekgasifier.com/w/page/6123727/Gasifier-Control-Unit
This is a very extensive gasifier controller including governor and mixture control.
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Here’s a nice little PWM that is 3 wire, and ought to work for our rigs. Except it WON’T WORK.
Look at the schematic and you’ll see they are controlling the - side. + side hooks up direct. On our 12 negative common ground trucks, we have to control the positive side.
hey carl
the PWM will work on the negative side , its a lot easier on the motor . my son plays with all that stuff, he built me one and I hooked it to the ground wire on the tank it works perfect. something about a constant 12 volt to the pump will not let the motor heat up.
Hello all,
99% of the time the gauges I am using are working OK for me and my driving habits . However there are driving conditions where one shouldn’t concentrate on the gauges but keep his eyes on the road.
I would like to have some lights in addition to the gasifier exit temperature gauge . Green being below normal operating range , yellow normal and red above normal. These colors could be in my peripheral vision without needing to look.
I was hoping this link below was a pyrometer with changing light colors with temp change but I see it has seven different colors but it is up to me to change them.
You’re right Jim, I just don’t see any easy way to get to the - wire of the fuel pump. I used the wire that is in the fuse box and readily available. Plus it bothers me to have 12VDC at the fuel pump all the time where any “accidental” ground will cause it to run, as in a wreck, etc.But then again if you use the + from the fuse box of course it is turned off when the motor is stopped for safety too
Wayne: These colors could be in my peripheral vision without needing to look. The average person has about 90% color blindness in their peripheral vision so this might not work as well as one would hope… 
Thanks Brian,
I wasn’t aware that most was color blind on the peripheral vision and may have been a poor choice of words . Maybe more like a traffic signal where we may not have all our attention on it but know when to stop and go from a very quick glance .
On the lighter side . The next time one of those guys pull up beside me with those blue lights on and later ask why I didn’t stop sooner , I will tell him I didn’t know they were blue until I looked them head on.
Yes the eyes are strange things . Many years ago as a SWAT team member and dog handler going to a night scene I would patch or hold one eye closed untill I hit the woods . I would at least have night vision in one eye from the beginning . I tried to run with no lights if there were
any moon at all. .
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Hi Carl
the positive side of the pump is the normal wiring . all I did was unplug the wiring plug from the pump on top of the tank and cut the ground wire then connected a wire and run it to the pwm. the ground wire for the fuel pump is the one connected to the drivers side fender in the corner beside the hinge for the hood. the only problem hooking it up there is the ground for the tail and brake lights are tide in on the same wire . turn the pump off turns the brake and tail lights off.
Just a quick update on the Gasifier Gauges project: Based on the great feedback received, I’ve added a scrolling feature to the ‘user set’ menu, as well as changed some of the default thermocouple channel descriptions. Video here:
Things I forgot to mention in the video: the scrolling feature can be disabled by setting the scroll speed to zero. Also, the relays will also be triggered by timers if desired, instead of waiting for process conditions to get out of their happy zone.
Wayne,
I have some Red/Yellow/Green light displays left over from a past project, see pic below. These could be used instead of or in addition to a thermocouple display, with adjustable temperature setpoints for each color. We could even overlap ranges, such as: Red is way too hot (likely causing damage), Red and Yellow is too hot but not doing any damage, Yellow is just right, Yellow and Green is too cool but not making tar, Green is too cold to run the engine on. We could even flash different lights for further warnings (green flashing: you’re making tar!!! or red flashing: reactor meltdown!!!). Just brainstorming…
If space for all three lights is a problem, I have some tri-color leds (to the left of the Red/Yellow/Green displays in the pic) that could serve the same purpose and save space. For color blind users, maybe the individual lights would be better so light position would mean more than color. Also have some weatherproof RGB strips shown in the pic, maybe these could be used for outdoor units.
Speaking of outdoor units, I’ve been toying with a weatherproof Gasifier Monitor with a 2-line by 16-character display and membrane keypad, pictured below. Still working on the programming for it. Snowed in this weekend so should have some time to work on it!
More soon,
Billy
