Thread: Questions about functionality and usage

Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

I understand that meddler is writing a manual for the brain...which would explain why I couldn't find one... (*ahem...meddler....)

• How much current does it pull in stand-by?
• If you have it powered on, and turn the computer off, does it power down or does it stay on constant?
• What are the 4 black pins for that have the jumper already set? Some kind delay setting like on the PSUs?
• Re: Current Sensor...it says 50 amps...really? On these solder joints? Doesn't look like it would hold. Has anyone tested it to this point?
  • The holes that are here to solder wire to are like 12 gauge holes. So....at 50 amps you could run 12 gauge...like 3 inches? Seems like a terminal block would be better suited, no?
  • Looks like a wave solder table was used...but only on one side of the connections. If this thing is really going to be able to carry 50 amps of current, wouldn't it be right to have turned the unit around and let the wave hit the back side too? Maybe I'm missing something?
  • If we wanted to use a larger current sensor, like a 100 amp sensor, is that possible? Just buy the parts and make it our self or can we buy from some place in particular?
• Any leads on a temp sensor that can read to the tenth and is accurate down to that point?
• Anyone have an actual picture of the Rotary Pot?

I'll try, I waited for the fusion guys to answer, since they're best qualified, but no sense in waiting too long if you don't have to:

• with all outputs off it should draw less than 60mA (from the hardware manual). Other than that, it depends on what kind of sensors are connected (low resistance sensors will draw some more current), one of their temp sensors will pull <1mA each (per hardware manual). The maximum the +5V on the brain can supply is about 1A.
  
  
• I power it from a regulated 12V rail off of the power supply. In my experience, the brain prefers 12.0V without fluctuation. So that takes care of on/off with computer. There's no standby mode that I'm aware of.
  
• This is a guide to the jumper settings.
  
• I have not purchased or tested their current sensor, so I can't really comment on it's quality, I do know that dakota digital has one that goes up to 250A.
  
  here's an email from them concerning this product:
  
  
  
  Subject: RE: Website Contact
  
  SEN-20-3
  
  Our gauge is designed to monitor up to 250A, at this current, the output from the sensor is 5V, @ 500A the output would be 10V, but we have nothing currently designed to monitor this range.
  
  There is no minimum wire gauge.
  
  It is a rectangular opening(15mm x 20mm), so depending on sheathing, up to (1/0), maybe more.
  More than one wire can fit through the opening. The sensor can only monitor current in 1 direction.
  
  Greg Wickre
  Production Engineer/Lead Technician
  
• Here's a pic of the pot I got from them, but it was a while back.
  
  
  
• for more accurate temperature sensors, I know their's is like +/- 2C. And the ones I'm using are OEM Automotive thermistor (0-15K with a pretty average B value). You might want to talk to Dakota Digtal about the accuracy of their ambient sender (they're not real big on listing specs on the site)...If air/surface contact is what it is you're thinking about measuring. Otherwise, all I can recommend is crunch away at the datasheets in digikey for NTC temp sensors, and find one that works for you and set it up in either a divider or even a bridge for calibration and accuracy. I know the ADC is 10bit, so that shouldn't limit you.

Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

I understand that meddler is writing a manual for the brain...which would explain why I couldn't find one... (*ahem...meddler....)

• How much current does it pull in stand-by?
• If you have it powered on, and turn the computer off, does it power down or does it stay on constant?
• What are the 4 black pins for that have the jumper already set? Some kind delay setting like on the PSUs?
• Re: Current Sensor...it says 50 amps...really? On these solder joints? Doesn't look like it would hold. Has anyone tested it to this point?
  • The holes that are here to solder wire to are like 12 gauge holes. So....at 50 amps you could run 12 gauge...like 3 inches? Seems like a terminal block would be better suited, no?
  • Looks like a wave solder table was used...but only on one side of the connections. If this thing is really going to be able to carry 50 amps of current, wouldn't it be right to have turned the unit around and let the wave hit the back side too? Maybe I'm missing something?
  • If we wanted to use a larger current sensor, like a 100 amp sensor, is that possible? Just buy the parts and make it our self or can we buy from some place in particular?
• Any leads on a temp sensor that can read to the tenth and is accurate down to that point?
• Anyone have an actual picture of the Rotary Pot?

Sorry Red, I saw the post and was going to answer later and then got caught up in work.

Anways, everything h3rk said is correct.

Standby current: 30mA to 60mA at most.
The Fusion Brain keeps whatever state the computer tells it. There are versions with timer offs where it will turn off outputs after the computer stops USB communications. But all new versions keep their state.

4black pins: No. Not at all. The pins with the jumper on them enable the onboard LEDs. Another pair controls an external power LED. The other 2 are for our use only.

The entire leg of the current sensor can be used, so yes you can get that much out of it. For larger currents you should really use a inductive sensor (the type that wraps around the wire and measures the field) but those are pricey and the market is small.

A temperature sensor that is accurate to 0.1C is not going to be cheap. You can get a LM35A or something but even that will be +/- 0.7C. One of the biggest problems is that the chip itself puts out heat, usually more than 0.1C. So you need something very accurate and/or very low power. It will cost you a pretty pennt.

Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

I understand that meddler is writing a manual for the brain...which would explain why I couldn't find one... (*ahem...meddler....)

• How much current does it pull in stand-by?
• If you have it powered on, and turn the computer off, does it power down or does it stay on constant?
• What are the 4 black pins for that have the jumper already set? Some kind delay setting like on the PSUs?
• Re: Current Sensor...it says 50 amps...really? On these solder joints? Doesn't look like it would hold. Has anyone tested it to this point?
  • The holes that are here to solder wire to are like 12 gauge holes. So....at 50 amps you could run 12 gauge...like 3 inches? Seems like a terminal block would be better suited, no?
  • Looks like a wave solder table was used...but only on one side of the connections. If this thing is really going to be able to carry 50 amps of current, wouldn't it be right to have turned the unit around and let the wave hit the back side too? Maybe I'm missing something?
  • If we wanted to use a larger current sensor, like a 100 amp sensor, is that possible? Just buy the parts and make it our self or can we buy from some place in particular?
• Any leads on a temp sensor that can read to the tenth and is accurate down to that point?
• Anyone have an actual picture of the Rotary Pot?

Sorry Red, I saw the post and was going to answer later and then got caught up in work.

Anways, everything h3rk said is correct.

Standby current: 30mA to 60mA at most.
The Fusion Brain keeps whatever state the computer tells it. There are versions with timer offs where it will turn off outputs after the computer stops USB communications. But all new versions keep their state.

4black pins: No. Not at all. The pins with the jumper on them enable the onboard LEDs. Another pair controls an external power LED. The other 2 are for our use only.

The entire leg of the current sensor can be used, so yes you can get that much out of it. For larger currents you should really use a inductive sensor (the type that wraps around the wire and measures the field) but those are pricey and the market is small.

A temperature sensor that is accurate to 0.1C is not going to be cheap. You can get a LM35A or something but even that will be +/- 0.7C. One of the biggest problems is that the chip itself puts out heat, usually more than 0.1C. So you need something very accurate and/or very low power. It will cost you a pretty penny.

Originally Posted by RedGTiVR6

I understand that meddler is writing a manual for the brain...which would explain why I couldn't find one... (*ahem...meddler....)

Sure. Blame the frog! I am working on it..

@Toaster, I sent you an email last week. Maybe you didn't get it. I need some more info to continue. I will send you another email.

Thanks for the info guys.

I plan on reading through the tutorials and everything today for the software. Naturally, I'm going to start out small and work my way up with this. Seems that a background in electrical engineering would help out tremendously if you're wanting to try different sensors.

Regarding the current sensor, I'm assuming you hook this up in series with the line you're trying to measure, correct?

Looking at the specs for the 200 amp sensor, we're seeing that the physical dimensions are identical, which is strange. We're just a little iffy about running that much current through one of these things...lol

Ideally, we want to be able to run a sensor on each amplifier, as well as temperature on either side of each amplifier.

The amps I have already have built in monitoring, however, it's kind of a beta thing....the drivers for them don't really work and since I'm not a driver person....

there is a current sensor outboard module

http://www.fusioncontrolcentre.com/F...products_id=45

Woofnstuff -

I'm not sure I understand your post. I have one sitting right here in front of me...so I'm aware of what it looks like and what it has.

I'm really not sure what your post is referencing or trying to answer?

Originally Posted by meddler

Sure. Blame the frog! I am working on it..

@Toaster, I sent you an email last week. Maybe you didn't get it. I need some more info to continue. I will send you another email.

Sorry about that, I saw your email and flagged it to reply to it, but then forgot. I replied now.