Pypilot Sensor mast wire and screen support

[andy kopac]

I will be mounting a Davis wind instrument up my mast to replace the current Signet wind instruments.  The current signet wires are not twisted pairs.  I noticed the Davis wires are RJ11 which is pretty much twisted pair phone wires.  I’m pretty sure the Signet instruments worked off the same principles as the Davis do.  A potentiometer, and a read switch for direction and speed.
Anybody had any problems with untwisted pair wires with Davis instruments?
Also is it possible to swap out the screen for a little larger screen? I was thinking of taking one of the old signet instrument displays and gutting it and installing a larger Pypilot Sensor screen

[seandepagnier]

I do not think it is an issue, and the wires don't need to be twisted as far as I know it makes little difference in this application.

[andy kopac]

Thanks Sean. Appreciated.
I haven’t seen the screen to the sensor module, but if I want o go a little larger and mod that signet display is it doable with minimal pain?

[seandepagnier]

I do not know how the signet works so I cannot say. If it uses analog voltage and pulse then it is the same but even then the davis has an arbitrary 13 degree deadband. I suggest wiring to a cheaper potentiometer first to ensure the wiring is right because if you wire it wrong you can burn out the potentiometer in the sensor.. although it may actually be impossible in this case I would not want to risk it.

[andy kopac]

seandepagnier pid='20422' dateline='1630127824'][attachment=1556][attachment=1556]I do not know how the signet works so I cannot say.   If it uses analog voltage and pulse then it is the same but even then the davis has an arbitrary 13 degree deadband.     I suggest wiring to a cheaper potentiometer first to ensure the wiring is right because if you wire it wrong you can burn out the potentiometer in the sensor.. although it may actually be impossible in this case I would not want to risk it.

What I was actually thinking is to cut the entire screen out of the signet display, then put a new screen in with a painted acrylic frame around it in the old signet instrument display surround. Like attached.
But what I’m wondering is if the display included with the sensor board is too small if it is easy to upgrade it to a larger display.

[seandepagnier]

I do not know what dimensions you are after, but a small screen will obviously fit in this space. As for larger screens you would have to find one and write a driver for it, but otherwise the source code is free.

[andy kopac]

I do not know what dimensions you are after, but a small screen will obviously fit in this space.   As for larger screens you would have to find one and write a driver for it, but otherwise the source code is free.

Thanks Sean.
Looking at your GitHub documentation I think the Signet wind instrument would have worked fine, however the pot is bad on mine and they want $225 for their custom pot or $675 for the masthead unit.The cost of some of these units is what you commented before about.  I’m thinking that for that a wind instrument won’t last for forever, but should be durable, reasonably serviceable, and interphase-able to modern electronics.  What you have created is all of these and it’s all an open ecosystem.  For years I have used just a plain visual windex because when I replaced the signet pot for the big bucks and it failed in a couple years, and the bearing would freeze up.  I’m think this is a huge step forward.  I’m going to use the screen you included, and experiment with both drivers and the kindle readers mentioned in other threads as wells .