MPGuino release one workspace

[MetroMPG]

dcb, you're famous:

http://www.hackaday.com/2008/05/29/m...fuel-montoring

They got the project name wrong though.

[dcb]

Originally Posted by larrydag

I'll give that a check tonight with my multimeter. I have a feeling we might need to condition the power anyway because I imagine different car manufacturers will vary on power.

So was there power going to the guino?

Actually, the previous night I cooked an atmega168 trying to set up a test fixture. The only way I knew it was the chip was to pop in a known good chip. I also tried to reset the chip by putting together a parallel ICSP and reloading the bootloader (old parallel cable, some resistors, and a bit of hard drive connector). Had to try several computers before finding one it worked with, and it did work with the good chip, but I couldn't get the bad chip to respond.





I have more chips en-route, now I don't need to get them pre-loaded with the bootloader anyway

[larrydag]

I did my mutlimeter test on 7805 chip. The voltage was way down. I wasn't even getting 1V. I tried popping in a 78M05A chip that I had lying around. That got the same results so I don't know what is wrong with it. If I hit the reset button the 13 pin LED flashes once otherwise no other response. I tried both USB and DC power and both give the same results. I think I figured out what I did wrong though. Apparently some of the leads on the bottom side of the board were too long. One lead was touching the 7805 chip underneath. I think it shorted.

Fortunately I still have the serial freeduino that I can test with. I might pop out the ATmega chip but I'm not sure I want to run the risk.

[awillard69]

Originally Posted by larrydag

... Apparently some of the leads on the bottom side of the board were too long. One lead was touching the 7805 chip underneath. I think it shorted....

That's why I put mine in an enclosure, with duct or electrical tape covering the bottom of the boards. Minimize the chance for shorting out your board. It could be worse if you damage your auto!

You might have cooked the 7805, but everything else is suspect as well.

This is the caveat when prototyping in this fashion, you have to take precautions. The "stick and mud" approach works well for early work, but it needs to be stable for long term use, so think about that as you build.

[awillard69]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

dcb, you're famous:

http://www.hackaday.com/2008/05/29/m...fuel-montoring

Too cool!

[silverknight]

Hello,

I found you guys from the hackaday blog and am excited to join in building one of these babies for my '96 Acura. I have searched the net for something like this so I am glad to finally find a project like this to get into.

I am majoring in EE but only in my undergrad right now. Any advice before I plunge into replicating what you guys have done so far?

Thanks,

[AndrewJ]

Originally Posted by larrydag

For those Honda owners out there. What have you rigged up in the past do get constant power from the battery? Is there an easy hookup?

I have my MPGuino hooked up from the cigarette lighter power and ground, I just soldered right into the wires going into the back of the lighter socket. The cig lighter power is switched to the ignition, so it'll only be powered up in the "ON" and "RUN" positions (it also has power at "START")

As for an easy constant (non-switched) power source, your radio should have one. There's always a constant power wire on your radio to preserve the settings and run the clock. It's usually the red (smaller) power wire. There's typically a yellow switched wire that's larger.

[larrydag]

My current hookup with the ECU might work. I was thinking that the MPGuino needs to be on all the time. But it can turn off in the KEY OFF position, correct? Right now I have power in the ON position.

I think we are going to need to think through the EOC or EOI instances. (EOI is Engine Off Idle - is that a current acronym?)

[larrydag]

Originally Posted by silverknight

Hello,

I am majoring in EE but only in my undergrad right now. Any advice before I plunge into replicating what you guys have done so far?

Thanks,

Welcome aboard silverknight. dcb is leading the efforts. Read through the forums from the start. Look at this thread for build instructions (MPGuino release one workspace). For history of the project you can look through the "Any interest in developing an open source..." thread

As far as skills needed for the project:
1. Basic soldering
2. Installing software to Windows or Linux (for arduino)
3. Some car electronics knowledge to hookup power, VSS signal, Injector signal. Google should be your friend there. It was for me.

[dcb]

Hi Silvernight!! You might actually be our first EE!

re: power, constant power please. It will eventually need it.

re: hackaday, no shortage of opinions over there LOL

re: fuses, use them as desired. I have ecu sized wires going to guino so the existing circuit protection should suffice (yes I've already blown one fuse). If coming straight from the battery or unfused circuit then it would be a good idea.

re: '05 Subaru Impreza, cmags can you google around and see if you can locate a pinout picture of your ECU plugs?

re: andrew, how do the instant readings look?

re: larry, you back in action?

re: yoshi, I will pay better attention to the interrupt state, thx

re: mosier, any updates?

re: metroMPG, any news? Do you even have a gas car to put on in? I'll be happy to send you the small form factor one if you have a home for it.

re: aWillard, Any luck with the signal generator?

re: Mr Cheap, I assume you are in good shape?


Anybody else have a status, or want to stand up and be counted? Treb? Svo? Daox? Coyote? zrog, is this looking like an option fo you? Lostcause-s2man, you still here? metroschultz, got any figures on how much of the world we are saving? dieselJohn, got anything with an electronic injector on it?

So I've messed around long enough now with some ancilliary tasks, I'm going to get back to coding. It is just really impressive to see such a large group of folks putting such effort into this, it can only make it better. If I haven't said so already, thanks!