Ben Nelson's Electro-Metro Build thread

[Patrick]

Great job, Ben!

[bennelson]

Just a quick update!

I just installed the tablet computer on my dashboard.

See the photos at:
MobileMe Gallery

[Christ]

Hm... looks neat.

[dave koller]

Cool Ben! .......

[mrbigh]

Cool !! , I liked the stylish tablet support.

[MPaulHolmes]

What the heck, your gas gauge is almost full?!

[bennelson]

Originally Posted by MPaulHolmes

What the heck, your gas gauge is almost full?!

Yes, and my engine is overheating as well.

For whatever reason, with no input, both those gauges max out. I looked into seeing what I would have to do to make them into a volt and amp meter, but they need some sort of weird input of a real specific between such and such.

For anyone else building an EV, see if it's possible to repurpose your existing gauges!

[vpoppv]

Originally Posted by bennelson

Yes, and my engine is overheating as well.

For whatever reason, with no input, both those gauges max out. I looked into seeing what I would have to do to make them into a volt and amp meter, but they need some sort of weird input of a real specific between such and such.

For anyone else building an EV, see if it's possible to repurpose your existing gauges!

Actually Ben, I've thought about that one as well. I'm not sure why yours are all maxed, mine are all zero. But I was contemplating simply connecting the temp sensor directly to the motor in a key area so that I can get an idea of its temperature. Another possibility is placing it somewhere on the controller. The main problem I see with that is that those sensors were made to detect liquid temp, so I'm not sure how accurate they would be with surface temp; but then again, it doesn't have to be super accurate, just give a general idea. I forget what you did with your Geo engine, but for what it's worth the sensor is that brass piece bolted to the top of the intake manifold right under the throttle body.....
Oh, and by the way, VERY jealous of the cool tablet computer....

[Christ]

I can say from experience that those sensors don't do well in open air situations. I've blown an engine because of it. (different story, different day.)

However, if you were to put it inside the controller, or somewhere where the air isn't flowing, it would give a largely basic idea of ambient temps.

There are other types of thermal sensors that should also work with that gauge, really.

Ben - Had you ever tried to disassemble the gauge panel? What would have been wrong with finding another gauge with a similar sweep and just mounting the guts of it behind your gauge face, using the OE needle? There's plenty of plastic in there to make mounting points with, I don't see why it wouldn't work?

[bennelson]

Christ, I have taken the instrument cluster apart.

I reset the odometer a while back, to keep track of miles since EV conversion.

The space behind the two gauges on either side of the speedometer is very thin. A standard voltmeter, ammeter, etc would NOT fit in there.

I believe the clear plastic cover for the instrument cluster is permanently attached, and that one would almost have to destroy it to get it off to add any kind of gauges inside on the front side of the display.

It would still be fun to hook up a signal to the fuel gauge. The connector for that is right by the back seat. I don't remember what type of a signal it would need though.