34 replies to this topic

[fitz]

On getting enough interest amongst some Excel owners to get this prototyped for me to test, I'm looking to gauge interest for a group buy on a module that will create a 'steady' signal for the fuel gauge which will prevent it dancing around under cornering, bumps, even going in a straight line mine does it.

It would be a small module that should be able to easily be wired in between the gauge and the loom, In the excel there is a enough room to 'stow' behind dash or cable tie to the relay bank, i'm guessing this is similar on the esprits.

I'll test the module to confirm it works before anyone else would part with cash, current price estimate is around the £20 mark. We've got enough interest to get it made but as these are also on the esprit's more can only help keep the cost down!

so post up and let me know if you might be interested - the guy has an online shop, so rather than me forking out for a whole load, i'm putting up some development cost up front, and going to see if there for example a code you can put in to obtain the special price / meet the tally so I get some of my money back

1. (7) Excel owners

[Bibs]

1. (7) Excel owners
8. Bibs

[cjtpb13]

1. (7) Excel owners
8. Bibs
9. Christopher

[fsrowsell]

1. (7) Excel owners
8. Bibs
9. Christopher
10. fsrowsell

[Rich H]

I like the idea but how is it being achieved - what is the theory of operation of the unit?

[Bibs]

Bloody engineers! I'd imagine it's a smoothing circuit utilising a single op amp and MOSFET or similar.

[fitz]

Actually bibs the chap explained that those circuits are very basic and don't provide a very linear output for the gauge, this circuit is more complex so should provide a higher quality output. just trying to think up a mounting solution for my phone so i can do a before and after video!

[Bibs]

Cool. It's an inline ZX81 then

[Rich H]

Just interested as I looked at adding a simple capacitor across the circuit but was put off by putting large capacitances in circuit with electrics in a fuel tank!

[fitz]

Rich H - the chaps website + other stuff can be seen here, might find what you are after there?

https://www.spiyda.c...lectronics.html

It was originally suggested that the design would involve the the anti-slosh circuit from the led fuel gauge to be inserted into the fuel wizard device. However the estimated price of this was about £40 and some felt that it was unecessarily complicated and expensive as a result. I don't believe there are any capacitors in the design as you would need a very large one to dissapate the energy from the sender over a sensible period for the anti slosh to be effective (this is from my reading I am not an electronics professor!).

[Rich H]

OK thanks, I've found a circuit that wil work and I have the bits to DIY one.
You are correct about the cap - it would need to be huge...

Rich

[shaf007]

1. (7) Excel owners
8. Bibs
9. Christopher
10. fsrowsel
11.shaf

[GKP]

What do the later Esprits use (98my onwards) as they don't suffer from the flickering fuel gauge?

[fitz]

I'm guessing that as ecu cars there is code within the ecu to average out the readings from the sender and hence give a steady reading?

[Bibs]

That's certainly not the case on the EFI 4 pot cars...!

[mr.oogieboogie]

Interested as the standard one is pap

[Günter]

the later cars (V8 for sure) ..use the compact aluminium 'tube-type' VDO sender. This is an standart part over here in continental Europe, also known as the *VW-tube sender*. Available in some different dimensions, but allways works with a floater & sliding contact on a stiff wire in the middle of the tube. The 'fuel-reserve' note is given via an contact bridge on the ground of the arrangement.
example-


What makes it slightly slower on suffering from fuel-level changes wile cornering is the additional tube section the sender is placed into. This is welded into the lower sheet of steel that forms the tank, and does have only an small hole on the lowest possible position in this outer tube. So even the V8/late cars see this fuel-level changes, just not as hard as on the more classic systems, known as 'lever & floater' (like for example on the Elise fuel-tank)

Edited by GKP, 29 March 2011 - 01:22 PM.
Embed picture.

[Neill1607]

1. (7) Excel owners
8. Bibs
9. Christopher
10. fsrowsel
11.shaf
12. Neill

[ramjet]

What'll it cost to send one over to Oz?

[fitz]

Michael - whatever the postage is! - plan is for those in the uk to purchase via his website with a 'code' etc to allow the bulk order type price, For those abroad i'll buy them and post out charging you the price + the shipping cost