My TARDIS

[Deadman]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-2-7-8-in-Ice-Hardened-Bi-Metal-Hole-Saw-49-56-0167/203113603?N=5yc1vZc268Z1z0t5i4

[MacFevre]

Huh. Look at that! Disadvantages of living in a small town and only going to the local hardware store. Should've looked online. Thanks DM

[Deadman]

your welcome Mac you know I have that same small town problem.

[MacFevre]

Need a little help from any electrical engineers out there. I have a 4" led panel that I was going to use for the CDU. It did not come with a dc power adapter. In the literature, all it says is that I need a 12VDC power adapter with appropriate connector. I have a bunch of those! But still wanting to make sure all my bases are covered, I looked around and found the actual specs on the panel. It says 12-15VDC 120mA+/-10mA. Hmmm. The smallest adapter I have is 12 VDC 500mA. Now, it's been a long, long time since I've been through electronics school. Is that 120mA what it uses, or the maximum input? I've got a problem if it's the maximum, as I can't seem to find a 120mA power adapter! Question is, am I safe using the 500mA adapter, or should I keep searching?

 

One last question is I'm ready to cut Main Instrument Panel version 2.0. I want this one to be as close as possible to the real thing, so when I am able to adapt instruments I won't have to recut anything.

 

I know that duckling had a pic with some dimensions on his site, but it's been down for weeks now. His is an A model, but I'm assuming they're still the same size (except for the cutouts?) Does anyone know or have the MIP other than Dimbug's drawings? They're really nice, but doesn't show anything like the upright stanchions on the top or account for the glareshield. I've almost got the glareshield completed. Just a few adjustments and it should be good to go, but it doesn't fit right on the Dimbug MIP, thus the creating a new one.

 

I'll post the glareshield pics as soon as I'm done! Thanks for any help with these two issues that anyone can help with. BTW, anyone using the UltraMCFD software? It's brilliant, it really is.

[Boltz]

For the MIP there is http://www.mikesflightdeck.com/oldnews/oldnews_2011.html Starting from 21st September and there is also y2kiah's design, sorry don't have a link to the section. I don't know how accurate either is but Mike was able to use real instruments with his MIP.

 

As for the screen, I am not an expert, but a component draws what current it requires so the rating will be what it uses and not the maximum input. If something gave me a maximum current input then I would be very worried about the quality.

[MacFevre]

Excellent! Thanks C!

[Mike Powell]

If I were to redo the glued together aluminum MIP frame I would probably use an adhesive other than epoxy. "Extreme 310" looks very, very good.

 

See: http://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/aircraft-design-aerodynamics-new-technology/5293-conclusions-aluminum-adhesive-bonding-tests.html

 

and:

[MacFevre]

Mike, how was doing the MIP in the bar stock? Are you happy with the results? If you did it again, in other words, would you use the aluminum or would you just use wood? You mentioned you were going to use sheet metal afterwards. What would that be for? Everything is pretty well covered, for the most part anyway, with bezels and backplates. Thanks for the idea though, regardless.

[Hansolo]

Hi MacFevre,

 

With regard to the power rating, you spec for the panel is what it consumes. So if you power supply can handle 500mA it shouldn't be a problem, as the panel only consumes 120mA.

 

I am powering mine via an ATX (PC power supply) and it has a rating more than 120mA. The good thing about the ATX power supply is that i normally has +3.3VDC, +5VDC & +12VDC. Secondly my ATX (I am pretty sure this is standard) being powered up by the motherboard. In the PC the motherboard makes a connection between two terminals to power-up the power supply

I have hotwired these two terminals and used a dual pole switch for may battery switch. This means that when I flip the battery switch a signal is sent to the game AND it also powers up the power supply thus LCD panel for CDU, Phidgets board and Arduino Uno :smilewink:

 

Link to how-to-hotwire; http://4volt.com/blog/archive/2009/03/12/howto-hotwire-a-pc-power-supply.aspx

 

I suppose you will be needing more power than just this one and since the ATX can handle quite a bit of load you should be home safe.

 

Cheers

Hans

Edited December 20, 2014 by Hansolo
Hotwire ATX link

[Mike Powell]

Using bar stock results in a very realistic looking structure. It's time consuming, (I cut everything by hand with a hacksaw) but not particularly difficult. I did it mostly to see if it could be done that way. I particularly wanted to recreate the multiple levels of the instrument placement. This approach probably wouldn't be a good choice if the MIP sits in front of a monitor.

 

I got most of the metal from OnLineMetals, so not "too expensive".

[MacFevre]

Well, a couple days ago after an unfortunate, stupid accident at home, I am laid up on the couch unable to work on the pit. a definite drag. I figure now would be the perfect opportunity to try and learn and work on figuring out all the Arduino stuff.

 

Unfortunately, I'm due to travel to New Orleans for Mardis Gras, so I'm hoping it'll be all better by then!!

 

It will also give me a little more time before I start to cut other MIP panel, just in case there are any more accurate drawings or dimensions happen to show up while I wait. :D Lately it just feels like the more I try to work on my pit, the less gets done. This happen to anyone else, or is it just me? :huh: Luckily, a lot of really really good things have been happening lately, especially in regards to the interface and Arduino.

 

One last question. Has anyone been able to source an LCD monitor that would just fit the ADI and HSI. Since I'm planning on remaking the MIP anyway, and wanting to make the other instruments analog, that's one of the last obstacles I'm facing.

[Gadroc]

I have an AT090TN10 panel which is just about a perfect fit in the MIP if put in portrait mode. You'll have to reduce the height of your HSI / ADI by a little than the real thing. I have bezels draw up in cad for this if you want me to post them up.

 

This is what I was going to do before I got the real ADI working.

[MacFevre]

That would be exactly what I'm looking for! Thank you! Please do

[Gadroc]

Here is the bezel I designed. It's supposed to house three Panasonic EVE-GCF2012B encoders. It's designed to be cut out of 1/8" and 1/16" black acrylic and one piece of 1/16" clear acrylic. If you don't want to have the clear windows just cut upper spacer twice. Once in 1/8" and once in 1/16". Glue the spacers and top plate together, paint if desired and then wire and mount the encoders. Fasten to MIP holding base plate and spacer in place with screws.

EFIS Bezel.zip

[MacFevre]

Thanks Gadroc, looks great. One of the reasons I was looking into this now is MakerShed just released this particular monitor that looked nice. The outside dimensions are 235 (H) X 143 (V) X 5.2 (D) (9.25"x5.6"x0.20")

 

I see the AT090TN10 is 211.1(W)×126.5(H)×5.9(D) (8.3"x5"x0.24") so both look to be pretty good alternatives.

 

(As an aside, you wouldn't happen to have dxf files of the other bezels for the MIP would you? Is that asking too much? It was just a thought. ;) I'd even go so far as the MIP itself, but from what I've seen so far, it doesn't look like anyone has anything on the MIP that includes the stanchions at the top to take into account the glareshield mounting. Gus has a picture on his site that shows what I'm talking about, but it's on an "A" version, and unfortunately, his site is sometimes a hit or miss concerning if it's up or not.)

 

Either way, thanks again and your always an inspiration.

[MacFevre]

Well, all good intentions and all that. Pain's a funny thing. Oh yeah, I have all this time now, I can plan all this other stuff! Yeah. Then you don't feel like doing a damn thing. Oh well, hopefully it'll all be better by Mardis Gras! Thanks again for the plans.

[MacFevre]

Just saw this. Listen to the sound of that beautiful GAU-8 [YOUTUBE]http://youtu.be/0Kg0CBT5WWw[/YOUTUBE]

 

If video not working, try this. http://theaviationist.com/2014/12/07/video-shows-a-10-iraq/?relatedposts_hit=1&relatedposts_origin=31165&relatedposts_position=2

Edited January 27, 2015 by MacFevre