Cheap DataLogger March 17, 2019 09:07AM
Does anyone out there have an option for a cheap data logger? I am on a tight budget with a low budget hot farm but would like something simple and cheap to help with tuning.

Maybe ext pressure, ext temp, intake pressure, intake temp, rpm, ??

Tons of cheap electronic parts on eBay, didn’t know if anyone had a bargain set up they were using. I know you get what you pay for.
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 17, 2019 02:34PM
Start with a small setup from rpm. My full kit was 4500 with dash so I’m sure you can find a cheaper package. He also allows you to trade old parts innfor new when you go bigger. You can also just continue to add on with separate boxes.
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 17, 2019 03:16PM
Like has been said start small and work your way up
Start with a recording dash and a few sensors, can be had for less than 2 grand.
Takes awhile to get onto digesting info and then you have record when you go back to same track.
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 17, 2019 11:41PM
Do you have skills and understanding in this area? If so, you can pick up the old model of the Edelbrock Quickdata on eBay, build your own harness, and use ebay industrial sensors. The entire Edelbrock system is good, but you can save $’s with industrial sensors if you are willing to source the connectors and build the harness. Exhaust Gas Technologies makes a thermocouple signal converter you can use. This is not a plug and play project, you need to be a builder that can figure out mV vs 0-5v vs 0-10v vs 4-20 mA signals.
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 18, 2019 12:05AM
I use an aircraft style EGT logger that has up to 12 channels. I bought the thermocouples off ebay for like 8 bucks a piece. It won't log a full run but it will log max egt for each cylinder which has helped me diagnose injector and pump problems. Here's a link to the logger:

[thesensorconnection.com]
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 23, 2019 12:18AM
Great thread!. I was always leery of an el cheapo thermocouple failing and ending up in the turbine wheel. Do you happen to have the brand or link to the ebay thermocouples that have worked well for you? Thanks!
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 18, 2019 11:32AM
Try a red alert ??
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 18, 2019 12:50PM
Go pro pointing at Manual gauges in your dash always works to! Lol
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 18, 2019 01:16PM
Quote
8030acpuller
Go pro pointing at Manual gauges in your dash always works to! Lol
X2
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 19, 2019 01:12AM
Here's the one I use: [www.picotech.com]
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 19, 2019 11:32PM
Can you record RPM’s with that?
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 20, 2019 12:30AM
A very affordable "open source" solution is to use a Micro Squirt system. Basically a 300$ motorcycle ECU.
It has CAN BUS options (kinda like USB for vehicles) and you can more or less hook an unlimited amount of sensors to that and log them with open source software (if you fancy - through blue tooth onto your mobile phone).
It would also be able to control various solenoids given on defined input values.

For example:
You could use like [www.diyautotune.com] this interface to transfer the output of 8 EGT probes to the CAN wire - feed that into the Micro Squirt (https://www.diyautotune.com/?s=micro+squirt)

Then use
[www.tunerstudio.com] on your computer
or
[www.tunerstudio.com] on a tablet (which you could also use as a dashboard)

This all is a little DIY - but if you can read manuals and crimp wires, you are basically good to go.


Floating Finish - the German Tractor Pulling Web Show and EU Live Streams: [www.youtube.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/2019 11:43AM by Sascha.
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 20, 2019 01:17AM
Hmmmm.... controlling solenoids opens up lots of possibilities. You could have the lights come on at a certain RPM, you could turn the water on and off depending on Boost, you could hold the brakes until a certain RPM/Boost, you could start or turn off a fan depending on temp.
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 20, 2019 02:56AM
Save yourself a lot of grief. Get a basic RPM system, around $1500, you can add as you need to, and it has resale value if some day you want to get a $5000 fancy system. What resale value does a do it yourself system have? none. You will do it twice with a DIY system.
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 20, 2019 10:56AM
The money in these systems is in the sensors.
The DIY part here is... hooking the senors and CAN boards (if you want to use more inputs). The ECU comes as a ready-made box (you can also buy the parts and solder it yourself for 197 $).

The Micro is actually capable of operating the fuel and ignition on a turbocharged V8 and the only reason I have recommended it, was to get a piece of hardware to connect to a CAN bus system = INDUSTRIAL STANDARD - (= add and log as many sensors as you want through can bus adaptors) and let you utilize what sits in every car these days.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAN_bus

Not "I put some different plugs on the stuff that sits in every car, call it "pace rack" add some zeros to the price, spend a ton on advertising and sell it to people who don't know computers".

Those EFI systems have to read all the data of your engine and then USE it in real time to actually operate an engine.
The thing that makes you also log that data ( so you can then do later what a 150 $ tablet will do "live" (change tunes to parameters) or the system on its own once the tune is done) is... well.. software and storage. A tablet, your home computer or even your mobile phone can do that.

Here is that 315 $ Micro ECU operating a turbocharged engine:
https://youtu.be/SoWkg52-mKw

Feel free to contact me at saschmecking@me.com ... I'll run the "big brother" of the micro on my modified tractor and have been working with this kind of stuff for the last 10 years together with Pro Mod guys.


Floating Finish - the German Tractor Pulling Web Show and EU Live Streams: [www.youtube.com]



Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 03/20/2019 11:49AM by Sascha.
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 20, 2019 11:10AM
that system actually was made to control the fuel amounts and spark timing for a running engine...
I know that is not allowed in most of US pulling, but you could probably make "everything but the fuel" computer controlled. As you said... water injection, boost control,...
Piece of cake...


Floating Finish - the German Tractor Pulling Web Show and EU Live Streams: [www.youtube.com]
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 20, 2019 12:11PM
Sascha, thanks for the interesting information. I was originally looking at an open source processor to build a platform myself but I may dig into this a little bit and make some comparisons.

It is good to see some solid genuine tech advice back on this page.
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Re: Cheap DataLogger March 21, 2019 01:16AM
Yes, Sascha, thanks for sharing that. Looks like a lot of fun. Certainly, there is a lot of opportunity of electronic logging and controls going forward.
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