Kwinn would it be more energy efficant if I connected the 12volt fan directly to the battery bank?
The fan I am referring to is a 10inch fan that runs off the 110 volt (generator powered) AC to D.C. Radio shack 110volt black box power supply.
The generator starts up there is 110volts to the black box......fan runs.
It is a hot rod electric cooling fan. It only runs with a direct D.C. voltage source.
If the answer is 'yes' ..... then I could in theory wire in anouther relay attached to the "battery" switch that activates with the EAZY. I think there might be enough amps to make it switch on.
I will test it an let you know. The code will be fine the way it is. I will find a way either to keep the energy hog black box with red and black knobs or to wire it direct.
Kwinn would it be more energy efficant if I connected the 12volt fan directly to the battery bank?
The fan I am referring to is a 10inch fan that runs off the 110 volt (generator powered) AC to D.C. Radio shack 110volt black box power supply.
I would think that it would be more efficient to run anything that is 12V directly from the batteries. Each conversion results in some loss of efficiency. If this is the fan that only runs when the generator is running then it would be most efficient to use a 110V fan and run it directly from the generator.
Here is the BS2 program for activating the relays to start the generator when the voltage drops below 12.3 volts. Only set up for one INA board at the moment. Will add second board when mine arrives and I can test it. In the meantime you can check it out on a single battery pack.
3 main constants in the code control the operation:
VMIN CON 12300 ' Voltage in millivolts to start generator
RUNON CON 9000 ' Run time period in seconds for the generator
RUNOFF CON 300 ' Generator off time in seconds before it will attempt to restart
I had a brain storm about the fan...............Yes I can remove the Radio Shack black box(15 amp 110 volt load) with red and black knobs!
I can put a small outlet adapter that has a female 12 volt jack. Then the positive and negative from the male 12 volt plug goes to terminals 85 and 86 (the coil) on an 40amp automotive relay. Then I take the 12 to 15 volts from a fuse that connects to the positive terminal on the battery bank connect it to terminal 30. I take the blue wire from the fan motor connect it to terminal 87. When the outlet from the generator is powered on the relay turns on the fan!
I tested it. This is a 14.5 amp load reduction. All that more saved energy to bring me back from the dark side of the moon.
I started thinking that the black wire coming from input voltage ground should be connected to the ground circuit instead of the (Vss-) on the current sensor
I plugged the unit in and it back fed voltage through the current sensor to the board. I unplugged the 13.8 volts sensor "M" plug right away.Then I cut the negative wire from the battery to the "M" jack so only the positive lead goes into the box.
I reset it and the LED's blink nicely.
I put in so many batteries. Family doesn't want me testing it late at night. Something about "waking neighbors with
loud generator".
I waited a few hours. It never got to the threshold value because the experiment was interrupted to early.
I will just have to try it in the daytime.
I feel like the engineer from Apollo 13............."and now we can bring our boys home"
LOL, always a good feeling when you get a project working for the first time.
Here is the updated version that should check both INA's and use the lower reading to determine if the generator should be started. Had to make a few extra changes to work around the BS2 limitations. Also attached a PDF with some info so you can change the settings to speed up testing.
Kwinn, It doesn't work. I downloaded the code to the unit and the batteries were at 12.3 volts or less and it did not turn on the relays to start the generator.
Kwinn, It doesn't work. I downloaded the code to the unit and the batteries were at 12.3 volts or less and it did not turn on the relays to start the generator.
Worked fine for me.
Started with the leds on pin 1 and 2 off until the voltage dropped below 12.3V
Rapidly blinked the two leds on pins 3 and 4, so your bicolor led should be twinkling.
Turned the green led on pin 14 on and off every few seconds all the time.
Here is a screen shot of the startup and first 25 or so measurements. Note the "Gen" column starts in the OFF condition and changes to ON in the second line (14) of the second block when the voltage drops from 14 to 8 volts. The leds on P0 and P1 reflect this, on when ON is being output, OFF during off output.
It would be something if the wireless remote was out of range to turn the generator on.
This is truly not the case because the digital displays never light up.
RY1 and RY2 just don't output when there is 12.3volts.
How is the 219 supposed to see ground from the battery bank to get a voltage reading????
The unit only has ground from the BS2 white Radio shack 12 volt selected 2.5 amp AC/DC wall plug.
The AC circuit in the rv has copper wire ground that attached to the chassis. The battery bank has thick welding size cable bolted to the chassis. How do the sensors see ground to make the determination?????
" 15 0000 OFF 32.57" Are you sure I only need 1 wire coming from the batterys to give the 219 sensor a voltage reading?
You need 2 wires. The battery+ to Vin+ and the battery- to a ground. The battery-, Basic Stamp ground, and INA219 ground all need to be connected together at some point as close as possible to the Basic Stamp.
Wait I just tried the second written code that you gave me.
It works without the input wire from the battery bank.
So this must mean the condition is way less than 12.3 volts.
Thats why it turns on right away.
I will go unplug and make a cycle test.
I think this will work.
Thankyou Kwinn and Tom
You are getting a voltage reading of 32.57, but that is high, probably because I forgot to remove a line of code I was using for debugging. Instead of digging out a 12V supply to hook up I used the 5V and multiplied it by 3 so I ended up with about 14.5 and 8.0 volts. Delete or comment out the line marked "FOR DEBUGGING ONLY".
Vavg:
reps = 8
VbusM = 0
DO WHILE (reps > 0)
TOGGLE BICLED1
TOGGLE BICLED2
GOSUB INA219ReadBus 'get voltage from selected INA
VbusM = VbusM + (i2cData >> 3)
reps = reps -1
LOOP
VbusM = VbusM * 3 'FOR DEBUGGING ONLY
RETURN
After commenting out that line it should work and give you the correct output voltage.
At this point the voltage reading will read about 10.86V or so and the relays should turn on when the second status line is printed.
When you make the change and test it again can you take a screen shot of the first 25 or so lines similar to the one I posted earlier and post it for me.
PS - busy weekend ahead so you may not hear from me until Sunday evening.
Comments
I removed the gas tank and installed a 600cfm 10 inch 12 volt fan in its place.
I removed the wheels and installed 1977 Ford LTD fullsize rubber raidiator core supports under the frame.
I put small block Ford intake valve springs around the quarter size round rubber mounts with studs.
I cut out the bottom floor of the Onan generator bay...............................then
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/dei-050502
I took the muffler off and replaced it with one from ebay for $20.
Then I wired from the back of the front generator control panel. The switches are connected to the Onan switches inside the Rv now.
Fire stop in the pass through holes that fed those wires{Onan start /stop/ battery/ fan.}
I put a heavy guage wire from the generator chassis to the RV frame.
No batteries in there anymore (too small) an its all mettle enclosure is D.O.T. approved for small gas tank.
I bonded neutral on it.
Then I got out a large bucket of lard butter an shoe horned the cow into the enclosure. lol
The fan I am referring to is a 10inch fan that runs off the 110 volt (generator powered) AC to D.C. Radio shack 110volt black box power supply.
It is a hot rod electric cooling fan. It only runs with a direct D.C. voltage source.
If the answer is 'yes' ..... then I could in theory wire in anouther relay attached to the "battery" switch that activates with the EAZY. I think there might be enough amps to make it switch on.
I would think that it would be more efficient to run anything that is 12V directly from the batteries. Each conversion results in some loss of efficiency. If this is the fan that only runs when the generator is running then it would be most efficient to use a 110V fan and run it directly from the generator.
Here is the BS2 program for activating the relays to start the generator when the voltage drops below 12.3 volts. Only set up for one INA board at the moment. Will add second board when mine arrives and I can test it. In the meantime you can check it out on a single battery pack.
3 main constants in the code control the operation:
VMIN CON 12300 ' Voltage in millivolts to start generator
RUNON CON 9000 ' Run time period in seconds for the generator
RUNOFF CON 300 ' Generator off time in seconds before it will attempt to restart
I had a brain storm about the fan...............Yes I can remove the Radio Shack black box(15 amp 110 volt load) with red and black knobs!
I can put a small outlet adapter that has a female 12 volt jack. Then the positive and negative from the male 12 volt plug goes to terminals 85 and 86 (the coil) on an 40amp automotive relay. Then I take the 12 to 15 volts from a fuse that connects to the positive terminal on the battery bank connect it to terminal 30. I take the blue wire from the fan motor connect it to terminal 87. When the outlet from the generator is powered on the relay turns on the fan!
I tested it. This is a 14.5 amp load reduction. All that more saved energy to bring me back from the dark side of the moon.
I plugged the unit in and it back fed voltage through the current sensor to the board. I unplugged the 13.8 volts sensor "M" plug right away.Then I cut the negative wire from the battery to the "M" jack so only the positive lead goes into the box.
I reset it and the LED's blink nicely.
I put in so many batteries. Family doesn't want me testing it late at night. Something about "waking neighbors with
loud generator".
I waited a few hours. It never got to the threshold value because the experiment was interrupted to early.
I will just have to try it in the daytime.
LOL, always a good feeling when you get a project working for the first time.
Here is the updated version that should check both INA's and use the lower reading to determine if the generator should be started. Had to make a few extra changes to work around the BS2 limitations. Also attached a PDF with some info so you can change the settings to speed up testing.
Worked fine for me.
Started with the leds on pin 1 and 2 off until the voltage dropped below 12.3V
Rapidly blinked the two leds on pins 3 and 4, so your bicolor led should be twinkling.
Turned the green led on pin 14 on and off every few seconds all the time.
What do you see on the debug output?
This is truly not the case because the digital displays never light up.
RY1 and RY2 just don't output when there is 12.3volts.
How is the 219 supposed to see ground from the battery bank to get a voltage reading????
The unit only has ground from the BS2 white Radio shack 12 volt selected 2.5 amp AC/DC wall plug.
The AC circuit in the rv has copper wire ground that attached to the chassis. The battery bank has thick welding size cable bolted to the chassis. How do the sensors see ground to make the determination?????
You need 2 wires. The battery+ to Vin+ and the battery- to a ground. The battery-, Basic Stamp ground, and INA219 ground all need to be connected together at some point as close as possible to the Basic Stamp.
'Autonomous generator control module '
'Detects voltage levels activates programmed relays to start electric start generator'
counter VAR Byte
FOR counter = 1 TO 9
DEBUG ? counter
HIGH 14
PAUSE 350
LOW 14
PAUSE 350
NEXT
DEBUG ? IN8
DEBUG ? IN15
IF (IN15=0) THEN
HIGH 1
HIGH 0
HIGH 4 'Red
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 'Green
HIGH 3
PAUSE 250
HIGH 4 'RED
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 'GREEN
HIGH 3
PAUSE 250
HIGH 4 'Red
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 'Green
HIGH 3
PAUSE 250
HIGH 4 'RED
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 'GREEN
HIGH 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 ' Off
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
ELSEIF (IN8=1)THEN
HIGH 1
HIGH 0
HIGH 4 'Red
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 'Green
HIGH 3
PAUSE 250
HIGH 4 'RED
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 'GREEN
HIGH 3
PAUSE 250
HIGH 4 'Red
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 'Green
HIGH 3
PAUSE 250
HIGH 4 'RED
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 'GREEN
HIGH 3
PAUSE 250
LOW 4 ' Off
LOW 3
PAUSE 250
ENDIF
DO
LOOP
"IN15=0" For the 9,000 relay/Led test code anyway
It works without the input wire from the battery bank.
So this must mean the condition is way less than 12.3 volts.
Thats why it turns on right away.
I will go unplug and make a cycle test.
I think this will work.
Thankyou Kwinn and Tom
Vavg: reps = 8 VbusM = 0 DO WHILE (reps > 0) TOGGLE BICLED1 TOGGLE BICLED2 GOSUB INA219ReadBus 'get voltage from selected INA VbusM = VbusM + (i2cData >> 3) reps = reps -1 LOOP VbusM = VbusM * 3 'FOR DEBUGGING ONLY RETURNSorry about that.
At this point the voltage reading will read about 10.86V or so and the relays should turn on when the second status line is printed.
PS - busy weekend ahead so you may not hear from me until Sunday evening.