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ww4nc · 02-08-2018, 07:10 PM

Hope all goes well
You are in our prayers
Hang in there

WayneG · 02-09-2018, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ww4nc

Hope all goes well
You are in our prayers
Hang in there

Thanks
Working on this project is a good way to keep the mind off of problems I cant conquer.
(Maybe owning a motorhome should be a prescription written by a doctor)

Speaking of Doc's I am back to Boston again, different treatment this time. While I cant sleep at 4AM in this hotel, I am working of the fluid sensor circuits

Keyair · 02-09-2018, 07:12 PM

If owning/working on Airstreams is a Dr's Prescription, I think I'm addicted!
Maybe we can get a prescription for Alumadone!

As one who sometimes sleep badly, and can go in the garage and beat on metal, research is my cure/distraction, so dont feel odd!

WayneG · 02-16-2018, 02:56 PM

Another one bites the dust, another week that is, but some progress

The Osh Park PCB boards came in yesterday and I am building the first one and testing it.

This is the back side of the new board with LED's for tuning the trip points and the chime module on the right for lights on, door open and steps not retracted

This is the front of the board with the components.

This is a sloppy workbench where I am doing initial testing of the latest design.

I am going to test this board on the bench until the arctic glacier recedes from my MH.
After that I will open my dash and cut out my fluid module, add a connector for the new one and do some live testing.
When all seems good, I will be ready to let others do testing on their rigs

Keyair · 02-16-2018, 03:01 PM

Sloppy workbench?
You jest, of course!!

Good work!!!

WayneG · 02-16-2018, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keyair

Sloppy workbench?
You jest, of course!!

Good work!!!

I zoomed in on the section of interest, if I did a panoramic photo of my basement, you would not be able to even find this workbench

Keyair · 02-16-2018, 03:25 PM

Oh, I get it!
A basement!
Goodness, you are lucky!

There is a good reason I post "Tightly framed" pics of what I try to do in my 2 garage, and my signature is spot on!

WayneG · 02-18-2018, 12:59 PM

This is the list of folks who want one or more of these modules:

Quote:

Keyair 1
bkahler 2
Waipio Rim 1
cole3444 1
ww4nc 2
me 1

My original estimate was just under $50.
In true government fashion the cost has doubled to about $100!

The good news is that there is no increase in labor cost, just parts.
Labor costs are still ZERO, at least until I wear out my eyes and fingers to make these suckers.

Part costs have gone up to cover the pro-made circuit board, the warning beeper and supporting components.
The parts cost is what I am paying to buy them.

To save a few bucks, if anyone does not need the new circuit that handles the step, door and lights on warning, the cost will be $15 less.
Shipping is about $7 for anyone who can be reached by USPS Flat rate boxes from NY.

There is more work to do.
I am content with the first benchtop test and next will be a live test in my MH.
I still need to install my electric steps and their wiring before I can fully test the new module, but I can get the basic circuit tested.

Once I am happy with the live test, then I will ship 2 units to brave souls who want to test out my work ASAP.

I need to see how many more boards need to be made. I have the first 3 and I will place an order that is in multiple of 3's
Right now 2 orders will cover the orders.

This will be a lot of work for old eyes and fumbling fingers, so after the first 9, I will be adding labor onto the cost of any future modules.

I guess I need to check with Airstream Forums to see if I need to continue business in the classifieds section?

Keyair · 02-18-2018, 06:28 PM

Cant buy em cheaper anywhere else Wayne, so I guess we are stuck with you and your pricing.... Grin!
I am already in the hole $20 to you... just tell me when you are ready to get rich!

bkahler · 02-19-2018, 05:49 AM

Wayne, I'm still in for two

I know a good deal when I see one and I think these are good deal!

Brad

cole3444 · 02-19-2018, 07:12 AM

I am in, hopefully this will take care of some of my issues that you all have addressed in this thread. Thanks again for making these modules. Jim

WayneG · 02-19-2018, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keyair

Cant buy em cheaper anywhere else Wayne, so I guess we are stuck with you and your pricing.... Grin!
I am already in the hole $20 to you... just tell me when you are ready to get rich!

Since you donated your module for reverse engineering, to get this project started, You will get yours free.

I also had a 2nd request from Waipio Rim to up his order to 2 modules, so as long as everyone is still in, that completes the free labor batch of 9.

When I find out how much of a pain it is to make these, I will set the new price for new requests.

Tomorrow it will be in the 60's so I will try and pull my dash to install the first one and document the procedure.

ww4nc · 02-19-2018, 05:17 PM

Wayne
Yes I am still in for 2
Dick

cole3444 · 02-19-2018, 05:29 PM

Wayne,
Take a few pics and identify any problem areas on your dash removal. I started taking mine out to change bulbs to LED and it looks like a fun job, especially all the loose hanging wires and the missing screws that are suppose to hold the dash in place. Jim

WayneG · 02-20-2018, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cole3444

Wayne,
Take a few pics and identify any problem areas on your dash removal. I started taking mine out to change bulbs to LED and it looks like a fun job, especially all the loose hanging wires and the missing screws that are suppose to hold the dash in place. Jim

The Factory Dash mounting was a cob job with no connectors to make removal easy. The mounting screws were not heavy enough and to few for the size & weight of the dash.
I have added my own connectors to make removal a bit easier.
I will document what I can, I have some info here about my dash rebuild:

http://theouterlimits.ws/projects/ai...d_Rebuild.html

WayneG · 02-21-2018, 04:10 AM

I am starting to document things as I pulled the dash yesterday.
I was going to try and install the new module by just tilting the dash out.
I probably could have done it but to document it properly and have minimal blood loss, I pulled the dash. (Only lost a few drops of blood)

I am starting a new web page for dash removal and I am just starting to fill it in.
In pulling the dash I found the plastic bracket that holds the heater control broke (Again) They are just too flimsy. I will see if I can find another NOS plate.

This photo shows the river running under my MH as the snow & ice melt.

It is a bit of a pain to get in and out with the steps removed, the water & mud are not helping either!

To pull the dash the shifter needs to be in Drive and parking brake on.
I think my wheels are chocked well enough so I dont move anywhere

WayneG · 03-02-2018, 11:02 AM

It has been a week or so, I figured I would give you an update.
The good news is even with the new tariff on steel and our favorite metal aluminum, the price of the module has not increased

The bad news is that Mutha Nature just endowed us with 9 more inches of wet snow!
That puts the dash reinstall with the new module on hold.
While I wait for the melt, I am testing the dash with the module in my basement workshop and it seems to be fine.

I do have one problem leaving me scratching my head,
I used a aftermarket fuel gauge to test the modules and for whatever reason it does not duplicate the same trip point for the low fuel sensor as the GM gauge.
I assume internal resistances are different so the circuit does not respond the same.
Not a big deal, I just need to fudge the trip point setting.

My timeline remains the same:
Test in the first board in my MH
If all is good send for another 3 boards with small revisions.
Ship 2 units to willing customers to test in their machines.
If everyone is happy, start production for everyone.

Another wander to Boston on Sunday-Monday, and hopefully I am only down for a few days after this treatment. Back on task after that

PS: I am working on web pages for dash removal and installation for the new module.

mehes · 03-02-2018, 03:37 PM

Wayne, excellent work. Your documentation and postings are greatly appreciated by all on the forum. Hope all goes well in Boston and you are back at it in short order.

WayneG · 03-11-2018, 06:49 AM

Another weekly update, I survived my last Boston visit, 2 weeks till the next one.

I found the problem with the Low Fuel trip level. For my tester box I used a aftermarket 0-90 ohm fuel gauge to test the modules.
The OEM modules trips at about 1/2 tank on the tester box gauge, but the OEM fuel gauge in the dash trips at about 1/8th tank.

The module low fuel circuit trips on a specific voltage it reads from the fuel gauge input, not the resistance of the fuel level sender.
I found the OEM fuel gauge provides a higher voltage ratio than the aftermarket fuel gauge, so I just need to account for that in my calibration using my tester.
I am precalibrating the trip point to between 1/8th and 1/4 tank because that is about where the generator pickup tube sucks air.
One concern I have is: If you do not have a OEM fuel gauge, you may need to re-calibrate the Low Fuel warning after the module is installed.
These are the OEM style gauges, unfortunately they discontinued the fuel gauge.

http://www.custominstrumentpanels.com/newpage2.htm

WayneG · 03-18-2018, 07:02 AM

Another weekly update, I would have more done if Spring would get here and my health would improve, but we plug along!

I ordered 3 more boards with minor revisions. The revisions are mostly for the optional circuitry for door step and lights on alarm.
The first 3 boards I made will be used for people who do not want the optional features.
If the weather and my innards would cooperate I would be testing the modules in my dash in the MH now. The temps are below freezing all this week and working with stiff wires sucks!

Looking through one of the MH electrical manuals for these vehicles I found a drawing that does not match the way my module is wired.

It shows plugs between the modules and the wiring harness. Mine is wired direct. Any of you have plugs?

Sidetracking a bit, if I even finish this project I was wondering if there is interest in digitizing the Main Motorhome Control Panel?

At minimum, it would be great to get the light bulbs replaced with LED's.
Maxed out it would be cool to design some circuitry to sample all the levels and display them simultaneously. Even better if there was some sort of alarm for full/empty tanks.

Right now I barely have the energy to get the thought here in writing. designing and building it is way down the road, but I am curious if there is interest?