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Digitise an older engine - ESP32
#1
Hi all,

I've recently started to play with SensESP on an ESP32 to try and get some data out of my older MD2030. The idea being that I don't butcher any of the sensors and wiring currently on the engine for reliability and for future sale reasons. So far I've managed to get RPM, coolant temp, exhaust temp, runtime and engine room temp.



I'm planning on expanding this out to include predicted fuel consumption and to install a bilge monitor. I've just used the examples on Github and started to build from there, V2 of this is really good and combined with SignalK you have an excellent platform! Next week will be a video about the circuits to go with this.
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#2
Saw the video on youtube the other day (subscribed) and I just happen to be on the same process (except with far more limited knowlegde Big Grin).
Hoping to see how you did the wiring for the alternator RPM!
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#3
Thanks for subscribing. Yeah circuits video this weekend will cover all that. Its working well.
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#4
WOW great video!
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#5
Also big thumbs up from me, a great series of youtube videos. I'm about to watch your second video of yours on this subject. Will you be feeding your data from the ESP into your OpenPlotter setup?

I'm planning on a similar setup eventually but my first project on the ESP32 list (after OpenPlotter 3 ) is a boat tracker to monitor the boat when unattended (the pi is too power hungry for this)
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#6
Great video! I also subscribed.

I am going to order the same board, as this is a project I want to complete. My 1-wire sensors go all the way back to my Pi! About 30ft of cable away!

I am just putting together an Openplotter video for my channel and will be doing one on my new 15.6” screen at the helm as well.

https://youtube.com/user/techstyleuk

I was trying to pin point your accent, but getting rusty as a Mancunian living by Lake Michigan
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#7
(2022-03-23, 08:47 PM)Boatingbaileys Wrote: Hi all,
>
>

 Next week will be a video about the circuits to go with this.

Just watched the second one  Cool
I had a circuit for engine RPM made just with copy & paste code but it looked maybe OK. Never really got near an alternator to check if it worked so was very interested to see how you did it.

It's my circuit!!   Big Grin Big Grin

That' so cool someone is using it - did it work OK? 

Best I got to test was a few weeks ago just with an alternator on a bench with an electric drill spinning it. Seem to put out something useful..sorry, rubbish pics.

In>
[Image: mOGevi0.jpg]

out>
[Image: yqm1gmK.jpg]
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#8
(2022-03-26, 03:22 PM)Paul M Wrote: Also big thumbs up from me, a great series of youtube videos. I'm about to watch your second video of yours on this subject. Will you be feeding your data from the ESP into your OpenPlotter setup?

I'm planning on a similar setup eventually but my first project on the ESP32 list (after OpenPlotter 3 ) is a boat tracker to monitor the boat when unattended (the pi is too power hungry for this)

Hi, thanks for your comments. Yes, I have recorded the connection process (although the manual does cover this now) so I'll create a video to show how that's done. The ESP will search for WiFi when it starts up, if you connect to it first and then configure the WiFi manager using your browser when it next boots it will connect to the Pi. Just remember that the ESP32 is in the 2.4 wifi band rather than 5. Once that's done approve the connection in SignalK and the data is ready to do what you want with.

Also looking forward to OP3.

(2022-03-26, 04:56 PM)Techstyle Wrote: Great video!  I also subscribed.

I am going to order the same board, as this is a project I want to complete. My 1-wire sensors go all the way back to my Pi! About 30ft of cable away!

I am just putting together an Openplotter video for my channel and will be doing one on my new 15.6” screen at the helm as well.

https://youtube.com/user/techstyleuk

I was trying to pin point your accent, but getting rusty as a Mancunian living by Lake Michigan

Thanks - We've subscribed to your channel too! Smile

Does make things easier when you just need power instead of running long cables. I've got some other ideas for ours.

I've not moved quite as far as you - I'm from North Staffordshire but I went over the border to Cheshire.

(2022-03-26, 09:21 PM)PaddyB Wrote:
(2022-03-23, 08:47 PM)Boatingbaileys Wrote: Hi all,
>
>

 Next week will be a video about the circuits to go with this.

Just watched the second one  Cool
I had a circuit for engine RPM made just with copy & paste code but it looked maybe OK. Never really got near an alternator to check if it worked so was very interested to see how you did it.

It's my circuit!!   Big Grin Big Grin

That' so cool someone is using it - did it work OK? 

Best I got to test was a few weeks ago just with an alternator on a bench with an electric drill spinning it. Seem to put out something useful..sorry, rubbish pics.

In>
[Image: mOGevi0.jpg]

out>
[Image: yqm1gmK.jpg]

I know I responded on the video, but it works great, we see a 9v pulse I think out of the alternator and it's as accurate as the VP gauge so I'm really pleased with that. The other plus for me was that both work at the same time and I didn't have to try and stick magnets to a spinning part of the engine. - Thanks again
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#9
(2022-03-28, 09:18 AM)Boatingbaileys Wrote: I know I responded on the video, but it works great, we see a 9v pulse I think out of the alternator and it's as accurate as the VP gauge so I'm really pleased with that. The other plus for me was that both work at the same time and I didn't have to try and stick magnets to a spinning part of the engine. - Thanks again

Ta, can't remember where I copied the design from but glad it works   Smile

Hoping RPM in signalk will give a little hint of how clean the hull/prop is - do you save everything to influxdb? 
Plotting data is pure gold dust at seeing hidden patterns invisible if just looking at some numbers.   Cool
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#10
(2022-03-28, 11:30 AM)PaddyB Wrote:
(2022-03-28, 09:18 AM)Boatingbaileys Wrote: I know I responded on the video, but it works great, we see a 9v pulse I think out of the alternator and it's as accurate as the VP gauge so I'm really pleased with that. The other plus for me was that both work at the same time and I didn't have to try and stick magnets to a spinning part of the engine. - Thanks again

Ta, can't remember where I copied the design from but glad it works   Smile

Hoping RPM in signalk will give a little hint of how clean the hull/prop is - do you save everything to influxdb? 
Plotting data is pure gold dust at seeing hidden patterns invisible if just looking at some numbers.   Cool

I do save a lot of it, I've switched to whitelisting now rather than sending the lot over. Not sure if it reduces read/writes but some of the static data I just don't need. It's then graphed in Grafana.

Agree with the last point.
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