HVAC Control on Car PC through Serial Port. - Page 4

wizardPC · 05-25-2005, 10:53 PM

I know with my truck, it wasnt as simple as that.

I am really interested in this project, and I know you do great things, but what about heat? Where I live, we have hot summers and cold winters, so I need heat and air conditioning. It sounds to me like you can't control the temperature beyond making it cooler with the AC

Blue ZX3 · 05-25-2005, 11:18 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by J's89

There is one vacuum line from the engine bay that supplies vacuum to either a four or five way connection on the back of the control cluster. Rotating the switch supplies vacuum to the desired combination of vents, defroster, floor, etc. The other end of the vacuum line connects to a diaphram "actuator", or motor whichever is the correct term. It in turn raises or lowers rotating lever that extends out of the sealed evaporator core box which is attached to the door that directs the internal air flow of the system. Did any of that makes sense? I'd really like to do this. However, a $200 actuator to get the job done is out of the question!
Mainly because I have to first buy another AC system to install... I deleted it so I could go fast. It was a brilliant decision...I should have slept in that day.

yea, i know what your talking about...I'm a Ford man...One way to do would be to get a couple of solionds that could control the vacuum just as the switch did but give you a way to control it...wouldn't be that hard

...you would just have to find the correct valve layout...

Chris31 · 05-25-2005, 11:35 PM

Out of interest, did you designed the hw yourself.

From the look of the PCB it didnt look like homebrew to me, more like a mass produced board already.

Chris31 · 05-25-2005, 11:38 PM

I see it has an IR remote sensor. Do you have a pic for the remote handset?

antimatter · 05-26-2005, 01:27 AM

I have a ford too and attest to the vaccum switch. but i think what the purpose of the project is a bit more basic then total HVAC controlls.

Blue ZX3 · 05-26-2005, 01:30 AM

Thats what I was thinking with my idea...would prob req a whole board by itself to to get it to work right...

gyro · 05-26-2005, 01:33 AM

Mastero, if all works as you stated and your pc fails, you can sense that too I suppose. That way you can eliminate the remote and go back to basics with a few relais that only switch off the original (factory) setup of the AC if the pc is out ? BTW another nice development

Mastero · 05-26-2005, 08:33 AM

Wizard how is heat controlled in my car its with a flap which sends the air through the coil heated with engine coolant.

Chris I am trying to find cheap programmable remote ...

no hardware yet

Gyro if pc fails and you have not powered the unit with your PC power suply then it stays on else it powers off .. for the reomte to work the unit needs power when pc not on ..

The new PCB design is ready ... size is 152mm x 88mm single board. Shall post pics when the new pcb is ready.

As for the vacuum thing .. need more info guys .... just wondering how can vacuum air change fan speed..?

cheers
Mastero

lostreception · 05-26-2005, 09:39 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Mastero

As for the vacuum thing .. need more info guys .... just wondering how can vacuum air change fan speed..?

cheers
Mastero

I have something similar in my Van the fan speeds initially are controlled by vacuum but those vacuum switches eventually power on regular switches you would just need to bypass the vacuum circuit

Wiredwrx · 05-26-2005, 12:13 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Tuckie

a servo would be so much easier to use than a linear actuator

Yes, a servo would be easier to control, but I don't think will have enough torque to make the dials change. I may be wrong, but in my last car, it was more difficult then I thought it should be to make changes on the dial. An actuator should be more then strong enouh to move the cable.

Now, the person who wrote that long description of how his car worked. That is gonna take me some time to conceptualize, but I will do my best. Unfortunately, I have a lot to do at work, so it might take some time.

Michael

Blue ZX3 · 05-26-2005, 12:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by lostreception

I have something similar in my Van the fan speeds initially are controlled by vacuum but those vacuum switches eventually power on regular switches you would just need to bypass the vacuum circuit

Fan speed controlled by vacuum???

Thats a little strange...

The fan is almost always somekinda actual switch(s)...I yours works like you said then you might be able to just use the regular switches to tap into...don't know

Chris31 · 05-26-2005, 12:29 PM

I think alot of poeple will have problems attaching a servo/actuator to the control knob/shaft.

The controller must know how much to turn the servo/actuator by as well as how many stop positions. Attaching and mounting the servo can be a problem to most, non of them would be standard the way they work.

Not to put off you guys, I can just see problems comming in making a universal AC controller...it can be done though.

Blue ZX3 · 05-26-2005, 12:32 PM

Can't say too much as I have not quite ventured down that road, yet! Mine are done by a 2 way cable...much better desgned than the single cable ones...

Blue ZX3 · 05-26-2005, 12:35 PM

I am thinking about a way to be able to use both the oem ones and have it on auto...it just a matter of making sure that the software would know the positions of everything and adjust accordingly...

gyro · 05-26-2005, 12:41 PM

<quote>
Gyro if pc fails and you have not powered the unit with your PC power suply then it stays on else it powers off .. for the reomte to work the unit needs power when pc not on ..
</quote>

I know, but if this goes on like this we have to buy a bigger car to store the remotes