Log Status output

alowe
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Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2006 10:28 pm

Log Status output

Postby alowe » Wed Feb 15, 2006 10:40 pm

I'd like to set up my DL1 to have an external LED to show the logging status, but I'm only measuing a 5mV output when logging. Is it supposed to be this way? It would be kind of nice if I could have about 1,000 times that, since 5mV isn't going to light up much of anything.

Stan
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Re: Log Status output

Postby Stan » Thu Feb 16, 2006 1:08 am

alowe wrote:I'd like to set up my DL1 to have an external LED to show the logging status, but I'm only measuing a 5mV output when logging. Is it supposed to be this way? It would be kind of nice if I could have about 1,000 times that, since 5mV isn't going to light up much of anything.


The DL1 can handle a status LED of up to about 50 ma IIRC. The status pin pulls down...so the LED would separately be fed 12 V to it's + side and the other end goes to the status pin. Don't forget the resistor on the + side of the LED!

In my case I inserted a small relay and added a conventional front panel lamp which is visible from all angles and at 12 noon on a sunny day. It works fine. Most LEDs are not visible at wide angles.

Image

alowe
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Postby alowe » Thu Feb 16, 2006 1:39 am

Thanks. I made the mistake of trying to go from Log Status to Ground. It works a lot better when I hook it up to a +12v or +5v source. :D

jlucas
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Postby jlucas » Sat Feb 18, 2006 2:57 pm

Stan, can you give more specifics an adding that LED? maybe an inside picture?
Jeremy Lucas
Fast Tech Limited - a Race Technology Dealer

Stan
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Postby Stan » Sun Feb 19, 2006 10:10 pm

jlucas wrote:Stan, can you give more specifics an adding that LED? maybe an inside picture?


Sure I'd be happy to post some inside shots. Just wait about a day. I did not use an LED as those I looked at were all narrow angle of view devices. So I used a normal incandescent panel light which draws more current than the DL1 can handle. To solve that issue I simply placed a tiny relay on the case. The pins that would normally go to an LED go to the relay for switching. And the relay then switches the lamp on or off. The light is very bright, is easily seen outdoors. And from any angle. If you can see the front panel, you can see if the lamp is on or not. This is not the case for the stock LED as it is dim and sends it's light out mostly forward from the panel. So to the sides or up/down it's not so hot.

In my case the DL1 goes car hopping frequently. So the DL1 display is extra important and the unit gets mounted all sorts of different ways. If that is not the case for your use, then it's easy to just place a remote LED on your dash somewhere. Or do you need more info on a remote LED install, is that it?

jlucas
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Postby jlucas » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:36 pm

Stan, the lamp mounted on the face plate & the relay is what I'm interested in adding. We frequently swap DL1s around so that would be very helpful.

Also, I think it would be great if RT would consider adding a more visible light as a permenant upgrade to future DL1s
Jeremy Lucas
Fast Tech Limited - a Race Technology Dealer

Turby
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Postby Turby » Mon Feb 20, 2006 12:00 am

I have noticed a lot of light "bleed" between the standard LEDs on the front panel, maybe a generous "blob" of potting compound or similar would sort that out.

Stan
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Postby Stan » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:48 pm

jlucas wrote:Stan, the lamp mounted on the face plate & the relay is what I'm interested in adding. We frequently swap DL1s around so that would be very helpful.
Also, I think it would be great if RT would consider adding a more visible light as a permenant upgrade to future DL1s


Here is what I did. I used some cheap bits from Radio Shack => a green 12V indicator light, and a small 12 relay. I held a drill bit in my hands and drilled through the CF front panel with a small bit and then a final size bit. This is easy to do as CF is not strong in that way. I soldered three wires to the DL1. Power, Ground, and Log Status. The 12V power wire leads to one of the lamp leads and also to the switching side of the relay. The other lamp lead goes to the relay's switched side. The other switching side lead goes to the Log Status pin which pulls to ground. And the other switched side lead goes to ground. Most all LEDs are narrow angle devices hence are hard to see off to the side. This lamp is EZ to see at any time in any lighting from any angle. No effect on the logger, extra power comes from the the car, nothing is being overloaded, the data is not affected. Do this at your own risk though. Oh BTW you use a phillips head tool (cross head) on the corner screws and a plier for the nuts on the serial port and GPS antenna input. Lots of folks forget about the latter.

Image

For the heck of it here is a look at the other side of the DL1's internals. This is a very early DL1 but the wiring is the same for all of them (My circuit board = Version 1.4).

Image
Last edited by Stan on Mon Feb 20, 2006 5:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Stan
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Postby Stan » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:56 pm

Turby wrote:I have noticed a lot of light "bleed" between the standard LEDs on the front panel, maybe a generous "blob" of potting compound or similar would sort that out.


If you look at the second picture above showing the DL1 internals you can see that the LEDs themselves actually reside on the PC board. At 90 degrees to the front panel. Light pipes or guides bring their output to the front panel FWIW. I haven't tried it but some tape might help separate any spill over light.
Last edited by Stan on Mon Feb 20, 2006 5:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Turby
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Postby Turby » Mon Feb 20, 2006 4:59 pm

Stan wrote:
Turby wrote:I have noticed a lot of light "bleed" between the standard LEDs on the front panel, maybe a generous "blob" of potting compound or similar would sort that out.


If you look at the second picture above showing the DL1 internals you can see that the LEDs themselves actually reside flat on the PC board. At 90 degrees to the front panel. Light pipes or guides bring the output to the front panel FWIW


Yeah, just seen that - I think a bit of insulation tape around the light guides would help matters, Cheers :)

fiatracer
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Postby fiatracer » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:11 pm

I think this modification (12V lamp) is fantastic!

I just wondered if Tech Support or someone from RT would like to comment before I go ahead and make the same mod to my own DL1. I'd hate to invalidate the warranty (i just bought my DL1 this month).

I understand that if I muck something up doing this, it's my own fault and my own cost. But if I do it right, then something else (unrelated) goes wrong in 6 mths time, will RT still honour the warranty even though the unit has been modified?
I'm in New Zealand so getting RT to do the mod themselves is not an option.

I also agree that this should be a must-have for the next hardware release. The start/stop button is nice and big, red and simple: why not make the start/stop indicator light the same?

Stan
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Postby Stan » Mon Feb 20, 2006 10:55 pm

fiatracer wrote:I think this modification (12V lamp) is fantastic! I just wondered if Tech Support or someone from RT would like to comment before I go ahead and make the same mod to my own DL1. I'd hate to invalidate the warranty (i just bought my DL1 this month). I understand that if I muck something up doing this, it's my own fault and my own cost. But if I do it right, then something else (unrelated) goes wrong in 6 mths time, will RT still honour the warranty even though the unit has been modified? I'm in New Zealand so getting RT to do the mod themselves is not an option. I also agree that this should be a must-have for the next hardware release. The start/stop button is nice and big, red and simple: why not make the start/stop indicator light the same?


Thanks.

Well you cannot modify a waranteed item and expect warranty coverage per se. I can tell you that I progressed through AP22 => DL90 and now DL1 over the years. All the devices work well and did not fail. If your DL1 has not failed due to infant mortality inthe first time or two I think you'd likely be just fine. As you can see from my quickie install, my workmanship does not hold up to Race Technologies!

Some folks who have experienced problems with their DL1 had something simple like a wire fray or pinch on the GPS cable or a setup issue or unfamiliarity with the item. The device and software is very flexible so this can be daunting to many.

If you MUST be 100 % warranteed then just do the thing external to the box by accessing the same three connections. Or just add a remote LED to your car, in that case only one momentary switched wire need be sent to the DL1 as you can place the LED, it's resistor elsewhere while pulling 12 V near whereever you place the LED. Just keep the drain under 50 ma.

fiatracer
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Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:24 am

Postby fiatracer » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:03 pm

Thanks Stan,

That all makes good sense.

As I want to move the logger from vehicle to vehicle, the remote status light won't work for me.

I think what I'll do is build the light and relay into a separate unit, which I can attach to the top or bottom of the logger. Then I can just run the wires to the terminal block at the back of the unit, and return it to it's "virgin" state whenever I need to.

Thanks again for the idea and photos too - will make it quick and easy for me.

Cheers.

Stan
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Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2005 6:40 am

Postby Stan » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:30 pm

fiatracer wrote:Thanks Stan, That all makes good sense. As I want to move the logger from vehicle to vehicle, the remote status light won't work for me. I think what I'll do is build the light and relay into a separate unit, which I can attach to the top or bottom of the logger. Then I can just run the wires to the terminal block at the back of the unit, and return it to it's "virgin" state whenever I need to. Thanks again for the idea and photos too - will make it quick and easy for me. Cheers.


I thought of doing that but felt it would be too awkward. Not very elegant. You *could* do the whole thing internally with no soldering BTW. Then for the cost of a front and rear plate (the drilled holes) you are at 100% stock again. Just run the wires out the back and into the terminals... After thinking about the matter for awhile I realized that racing itself is not the world's safest activity anyway, what difference does a warranty really make and would what I am doing raise wear and tear (no) so then why not try to make it look and work neatly... The mod has been working well for a long time now without issue.

Attn R-T...for those whose DL1 hops from car to car, we need a brighter, wider angle indicator light to indicate log status. In some cars you wind up placing the unit in spots from which it is hard to see the log status (or other) LEDs. If you do something here, make sure it is sunlight viewable and over a wide angle. Thanks.

fiatracer
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Postby fiatracer » Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:43 pm

Yeah you're right.... When I think about all the other gear on the car that I routinely cut, weld, solder, drill and generally bastardise, I can't think why I'm worried about it all of a sudden... It's just that I'm very comfortable with mechanicals and a lot less comfortable with electronics, especially when I just spent over $1300 on them.

I think I'll still do the quick-fix outside the unit, and then in six months time when RT release the next DL1 with the big bright light on it (and you earn handsome royalties), they will let me trade the unit up for free!


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