Samsung tablet instrument cluster
 

Although this project was done on one of my EV conversions, it also improves instrumentation for a gasoline powered car. I have a lot of gauges that I like to look at, so I just got rid of my factory instrument cluster and went with a Samsung tablet.

Here is the basic layout:

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This is a view of the backside. The tablet holder pivots on the piano hinge, and then stays in place with the magnet on top. When I want to remove the tablet, I just push on the bottom of the tablet and it pivots so that I can pull the tablet out. The two big round things on the side are for my turn signal LEDs, and the two things on the bottom left are license plate bulb holders that now have single LED bulbs, to light up my high beam indicator and park brake indicator.

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This is the front view. The two round things on the bottom right are windows that have my original high beam indicator and park brake lenses glued in from the back. You can see the two LED holes on each side of the tablet, those are for the turn signal LEDs. I did not go with the factory arrow lenses for these, since it is self evident which one is blinking based on its location.

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This is a thin plexiglass sheet for covering all the LEDs, and to give it that simple look when it is done. The blue color on this is just a protective film so that I don't leave any scratches on it during fabrication. When that film is pulled off, it is clear. The aluminum structure will be painted black, and then the plexiglass tinted so that you can't see the LEDs. Just black plexiglass to match the tablet, and the LEDs will shine through and be seen only when they are lit.

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Here it is in place.

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and here it is flipped forward for removal. There is a finger cutout on the tablet backing plate to make it easy to pull the tablet out with your thumb and index finger.

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/...ejpg1-2399.jpg

These are my EV gauges, and all of the custom gauges were entered manually into the Torque Pro app. All of my custom gauges just dump into the file that has all of the gasoline related PIDs, which is kind of nice when I want to use the same tablet in my gasoline powered Metros. This is my driving screen, which is pretty cool, considering that the motor and controller data is coming from one source, the battery data is coming from another source, and the GPS data comes from the tablet itself.

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Here is my charging screen

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This is my charging screen. All of those small icons are each of my 36 batteries, and the larger icons on the bottom are charging related gauges. This screen is nice to look at when my car is out in the garage charging, but I am inside on the couch.

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Here is a view of the interior of my electric Metro

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/...age.jpg1_7.jpg

Beautiful!

I have a Scangauge 2, but I think that the newer technology that we have now has really made it obsolete. The Torque Pro app (and probably a bunch of others) has a lot more information than the old skool stuff, and the layout is a lot easier to read. I use this same set up in my gasoline Metro with all the different gauges for driving efficiently on gasoline, so my Scangauge is just gathering dust.

Here is what the Torque Pro app looks like when I run it on a gasoline engine, just in case Torque is not well known here. (I am guessing that on a forum like this, it is probably well known). These are some of the gauges I like to watch in my old gasoline powered Metros.

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/...age.jpg1_8.jpg

Nice mod. Especially like how one of the most stealable items in your car is easily removed. If it isn't there, it can't get stolen.

That was one of my big considerations in doing this mod. It is also nice to be able to take it in a restaurant or in the house at night if I want to do other work with the tablet. I am surfing ecomodder with it tonight...

Was meaning to ask what software that was in the other thread... thanks for this one!

Does Torque have the option of custom gauges or dials? I'd much rather be looking at sweep gauges for rpm and speed when going down the road.

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Also, that charging screen is absolutely wild. All EVs should have screens that detailed!

Yes, there are all kinds of gauges to choose from. One of my driving views is just an old fashion looking speedometer and tach that are traditional round gauges with analog looking needles. You can pick from many gauge styles, many backgrounds, and many gauge backgrounds.

Here is a screenshot of my gauge setup in another one of my builds. This one has the screenshot icon that you can touch to get that instant saved into the photo gallery in the tablet.

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/...g?t=1381450755

This was my first tablet dock and it is in another one of my conversions.

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Here it is in a traffic jamb. Sometimes when I get stuck in traffic, I switch over to my local tv station so I can watch our local weather girl. I don't pay attention to the weather report, but she has a big pair of you know whats.

http://i1242.photobucket.com/albums/...ejpg1-1147.jpg

I have to admit, that is pretty cool.

Good job man.