I'm trying to build a multi indicator that will show
1: Outboards trim
2: angle of attack of the boat-boat trim
3: combining these two will show the true trim of the prop. The Outboards trim is referenced to the boat while the prop angle to the water is actually the needed item.
3 digital values in degrees. Negative to positive including the large but mostly useless trailer position.
Since dash space is at a premium and looks are important the size and looks of the thing are just as important as function. If I bought the componants its not only super expensive but totaly ugly and way too big. The display doesn't have to be mounted on the circuit board.
I did buy an OOpic which didn't get me anywhere. For such a simple thing it turned out to be way to complex to program. Trying to learn the programming put me to sleep.
I have an optical incremental encoder with index- an inclinometer and did try just a simple output to an LED display and that got me stumped. I was bread boarding it, it didn't work and have stopped for so long forgotten where I was.
This method is still possible but would lose the 3rd function- true angle of the prop. I could live with that as long as I could get the other 2 to work. I might not be using all the right componants-modules or chips? I had to guess what was needed.
Finding this site got me back onto the track of some kind of pic.
The things that are jamming me is what I need to do for the encoder to ouptut to a display. I'm not sure of the terminology so don't know if counting or what is needed. The information is out there as long as you know what they are called! I might not have gotten all the componants or the right ones for the breadboarding project.
Should I use a pic or just use circuitry?
If a pic what books or other newbie stuff should I start with? I did research this site and have read the FAQ on pics. Its a big start. Will go into it deeper if this is the suggested route.
I know absolutely no programming at all. The So called OOPic system probably is great if you can speak programming but was totally useless for someone without a clue, like me. I did try learning it but it uses terms that apparently are already known. At least that was my learning perspective trying to learn basic to do something that didn't say how to do it.
I can assemble blocks but can't make the blocks themselves. Whether its a circuit or a pic program. In other words I can follow a circuit but I can't produce it.
The idea was to put an inclinometer on the boat for boat attitude, possibly one on the engine cowl for engine trim this is easier, or this would be a gear driven encoder, which is much more complex from a cobbling point.
An inclinometer has the problem, for high acceleration, that it won't be reading trim. One of those compromise situations better if it could be eliminated but livable.
Encoders chosen mostly because pots have been used for trim angle in the past and don't really work well, although they haven't been built well either. They now have a bad rep so the encoders.
Presently trim with no real value (0-10) is done mechanicaly. No indication of degrees just a pointer on a number. No negative value for negative trim and no indication of zero trim. It provides nothing but a repeatable number, not a value. It doesn't read trailer postion at all since the gizmo disconnects at this large trim angle.
Also the company I bought the encoder from now produces a fairly cheap magnetic absolute encoder which I suppose would be better than the incremental since it would always show the tilt value without going to an index. This encoder can be bought as an analog ouput instead of the quadrature stuff. I could cobble it into an inclinometer or possibly buy it this way. It isn't sold as one now.
Thanks for putting up with my insane ingnorance.
1: Outboards trim
2: angle of attack of the boat-boat trim
3: combining these two will show the true trim of the prop. The Outboards trim is referenced to the boat while the prop angle to the water is actually the needed item.
3 digital values in degrees. Negative to positive including the large but mostly useless trailer position.
Since dash space is at a premium and looks are important the size and looks of the thing are just as important as function. If I bought the componants its not only super expensive but totaly ugly and way too big. The display doesn't have to be mounted on the circuit board.
I did buy an OOpic which didn't get me anywhere. For such a simple thing it turned out to be way to complex to program. Trying to learn the programming put me to sleep.
I have an optical incremental encoder with index- an inclinometer and did try just a simple output to an LED display and that got me stumped. I was bread boarding it, it didn't work and have stopped for so long forgotten where I was.
This method is still possible but would lose the 3rd function- true angle of the prop. I could live with that as long as I could get the other 2 to work. I might not be using all the right componants-modules or chips? I had to guess what was needed.
Finding this site got me back onto the track of some kind of pic.
The things that are jamming me is what I need to do for the encoder to ouptut to a display. I'm not sure of the terminology so don't know if counting or what is needed. The information is out there as long as you know what they are called! I might not have gotten all the componants or the right ones for the breadboarding project.
Should I use a pic or just use circuitry?
If a pic what books or other newbie stuff should I start with? I did research this site and have read the FAQ on pics. Its a big start. Will go into it deeper if this is the suggested route.
I know absolutely no programming at all. The So called OOPic system probably is great if you can speak programming but was totally useless for someone without a clue, like me. I did try learning it but it uses terms that apparently are already known. At least that was my learning perspective trying to learn basic to do something that didn't say how to do it.
I can assemble blocks but can't make the blocks themselves. Whether its a circuit or a pic program. In other words I can follow a circuit but I can't produce it.
The idea was to put an inclinometer on the boat for boat attitude, possibly one on the engine cowl for engine trim this is easier, or this would be a gear driven encoder, which is much more complex from a cobbling point.
An inclinometer has the problem, for high acceleration, that it won't be reading trim. One of those compromise situations better if it could be eliminated but livable.
Encoders chosen mostly because pots have been used for trim angle in the past and don't really work well, although they haven't been built well either. They now have a bad rep so the encoders.
Presently trim with no real value (0-10) is done mechanicaly. No indication of degrees just a pointer on a number. No negative value for negative trim and no indication of zero trim. It provides nothing but a repeatable number, not a value. It doesn't read trailer postion at all since the gizmo disconnects at this large trim angle.
Also the company I bought the encoder from now produces a fairly cheap magnetic absolute encoder which I suppose would be better than the incremental since it would always show the tilt value without going to an index. This encoder can be bought as an analog ouput instead of the quadrature stuff. I could cobble it into an inclinometer or possibly buy it this way. It isn't sold as one now.
Thanks for putting up with my insane ingnorance.
