Cockpit Construction (Part 24)

[JBaymore]

Exploring New Virtual Panel Gauges

March 2006


Well..... starting to find some time to get back to the simpit now.

[JBaymore]

Phidgets LED 64 Module

In order to drive 64 of the annunciators lights, master caution lights, marker lights, and other such indicators I will be using the wonderful Phidget line of interfaces coupled with the freeware FS2Phidget
software by Alan Dyer.

[JBaymore]

OK... started soldering on the ribbon cable to the LED64 tonight.

[JBaymore]

Established between tonight and last night that it takes one hour to plan, cut, strip, tin, and solder the 16 connections for running 8 LEDs off the LED64 board.

So the soldering alone on this screw terminal interface will take a total of about 8 hours!  :o  That's not counting the fabrication of the boards themselves.  Nor doing the connections to the annunciators.

This is why a project like this takes years and years.


best,

.....................john

[JBaymore]

Quick Note on progress here..........

Soldered some more on the LED64.

[JBaymore]

Spent a few minutes this evening setting up the Phidgets software that controls ALL the Phidgets you might want to add ......onto the #3 computer in the pit that also now handles Teamspeak and the Free FD ND and backup insturments. Easy install and debug.

[flyboy 28]

Are you sure those aren't Legos in that second shot..?

Just kidding John, looks great!

[JBaymore]

Digital Fuel Gauge Display

After cutting out the space for the LCD display on a 2" x 7 1/4" blank panel facing, the overhead now has a digital display of the fuel content of the tanks rendered on a Phidgets TextLCD /8/8/8 unit.  It is mounted on the left side of the overhead just above the fuel management panel in easy view from the captains seat.  In the photo below, I have circled the two line, 20 character per line display in red.

These displays are easily configurable to any variable that is availabe in FSUIPC via the freeware "FS2Phidget" interfacing program by Alan Dyer.  The procedure is very simple to do.

The display is set up to show the left main tank, the center tank, and the right main tank percentages on the top line.  The second line shows the left aux tank, the total current fuel flow, and then the right aux tank.




Still havent had time to start on using the  8 analog inputs, the 8 digital inputs, and the 8 digital outputs that are "bundled" into the TextLCD board....... but I will.  


best,

.......................john

[chuckcrc]

Looks great John.
You are obviously a real pro with that soldering iron now!

Those Phidget devices look interesting. I might go and take a look at them and see what they can do.

cheers
chuck

[JBaymore]

Are you sure those aren't Legos in that second shot..?

Just kidding John, looks great!

Yeah... they do look like Legos in the photo don;t they?  


And thanks.

best,

....................john

[JBaymore]

Looks great John.
You are obviously a real pro with that soldering iron now!

Those Phidget devices look interesting. I might go and take a look at them and see what they can do.

cheers
chuck

chuck,

Yeah..... the soldering is getting better and better.