Topic

minmax, how fortuitous a horologist on here.
I'm currently following/commenting on another forum where someone has fitted a turbo boost gauge but it measures water pressure to give earlier warning of of engine overheating problems, this is allied with a digital engine temp from the OBD port as the std MG temp gauge is slow to react due to damping.

I like the idea but would put the boost gauge where the clock is, it would not then match the other clocks and I know I could trick up a new face closely matching the MG ones on my PC but who could print it on a suitable material any ideas? it would of course also need to say water pressure not turbo boost.

I also like the idea of a quick reacting digital temp gauge but where to put it as once again it would look out of place, now I'm thinking small LCD screen bottom of the tacho to balance the odometer on the speedo. Absolutely no idea how to achieve this as my electronic knowledge is minimal. Could I piggy back it off the current temp gauge or would I need to add another temp sensor? what type of LCD screen do I need? and I presume the LCD would need some sort of driver/controller HELP

minimax wrote:

I mend clocks and watches

Me too!

I must go to work so a brief answer for now. Numbers are a distraction. A go/ no go lamp works fine. I plan to put the pressure alarm in the instrument panel and make the oil temp alarm lamp flash. Use what is already there. The electronics I can publish as they are fairly simple

The electronics take a signal from a pressure transducer. Mine arrived today and I need to find a nut to fit it into the header tank. the engine temperature sensor voltage is measured repeatedly by an Arduino and if the temperature does not rise fast enough, there is no coolant and the coolant sensor has failed too! The alternative is a thermostat stuck open. The alarm will illuminate. Once the temperature is at thermostat temperature, the pressure is measured. If that is correct for the temperature, then the system measures temperature and pressure repeatedly. A large drop in pressure signifies a leak and the alarm is illuminated. This is contrived by using the oil temperature warning light which is standard on the VVC and probably not wired in on the MPi models but still present in the binnacle. This lamp is pulled low to illuminate so a pair of diodes with their cathodes joined and connected to the lamp will allow the oil temperature warning to work as normal as one anode is connected to the oil temperature warning. but in the event of a pressure/temperature fault condition, is flashed three times a second by the Arduino circuit connected to the second diode's anode.. Test by releasing the pressure cap slowly (while wearing gloves for safety,) which ought to trigger the warning flash. A return to normal conditions will cancel the alarm.