Analog Tach Hook-up

[etech]

Hi all,

Yes, this is yet another thread on connecting a tachometer to a Club Car Kawasaki motor. I decided I would like to put one of these Glowshift analog tachs on my Precedent and I'm trying to figure out how to do it.

http://www.glowshiftdirect.com/elite...ter-gauge.aspx

In another thread forum member fastercarter mentioned that he used a hall effect sensor and a small earth magnet on the flywheel to connect his analog tach. That sounds fine and I think I may even have a hall effect sensor around here. Or I could probably purchase this one.

//http://www.amazon.com/Spektrum-RPM-Sensor/dp/B000BYPZGY/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331155044&sr=8-1-spell

//http://www.amazon.com/Spektrum-RPM-Sensor/dp/B000BYPZGY/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331155044&sr=8-1-spell

Or this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Tree-Systems-Sensor-Magnets/dp/B000K9PM5Y

http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Tree-Systems-Sensor-Magnets/dp/B000K9PM5Y

But, I am wondering if anyone here has found an easier way to connect their analog tach, besides using an inductive coupler which Glowshift does not have for their tach.

I was thinking possibly along the lines of connecting the tach sensor line to the rev limiter line that comes from the magneto. Or possibly, connecting it to the lifted ground line from the rev limiter. Has any tried this and had success? Or, have you tried any other method with success? Inquiring minds want know.

Thanks for reading this and any info you can provide.

Ed

[fastercarter]

Originally Posted by etech

Hi all,

Yes, this is yet another thread on connecting a tachometer to a Club Car Kawasaki motor. I decided I would like to put one of these Glowshift analog tachs on my Precedent and I'm trying to figure out how to do it.

http://www.glowshiftdirect.com/elite...ter-gauge.aspx

In another thread forum member fastercarter mentioned that he used a hall effect sensor and a small earth magnet on the flywheel to connect his analog tach. That sounds fine and I think I may even have a hall effect sensor around here. Or I could probably purchase this one.

//http://www.amazon.com/Spektrum-RPM-Sensor/dp/B000BYPZGY/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1331155044&sr=8-1-spell

Or this one. http://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Tree-Sys.../dp/B000K9PM5Y


But, I am wondering if anyone here has found an easier way to connect their analog tach, besides using an inductive coupler which Glowshift does not have for their tach.

I was thinking possibly along the lines of connecting the tach sensor line to the rev limiter line that comes from the magneto. Or possibly, connecting it to the lifted ground line from the rev limiter. Has any tried this and had success? Or, have you tried any other method with success? Inquiring minds want know.

Thanks for reading this and any info you can provide.

Ed

I tried using the limiter wire and the earth wire etech. No joy. All I got was the tach needle raising gracefully from zero to max and back again. This was with an Equus tach. There are analog tachs out there that utilise the plug wire for the pulse signal but these can also have difficulties and you are severly restricted in the available models since most are 4, 6, 8 cylinder switching. You could also get the signal from a CDI ignition but that's a whole different can of worms and of course conversion. The magneto ignition on our carts doesn't lend itself to to analog tachs and that's quite simply why I went with the Hall effect trigger and rare earth magnet. I didn't delve into it but you might check out the possibility of driving the tach from the SG. Diesel cars and trucks use this method since obviously they have no direct ignition and instead use the alternator as the signal generator.

FC

[etech]

FC - I took a quick look at the motor tonight and it looks like it might be possible to stick a small rare earth disc magnet near the outer edge of the S/G pulley on the output side of the engine. If so, it might be a little easier than pulling the flywheel cover to mount the magnet and hall sensor inside. What size magnet disc did you use on yours?

The hall sensor I have here is off of an old satellite dish motordrive. It is a three wire unit that is threaded and will mount on any flat surface in a 3/8 hole with hex nuts on both sides. IIRC, it requires a 1K pull-up resistor between the red plus 12 volt line and the tach output wire. I will test it when I get a chance. I just need to find a rare earth magnet disc. Maybe I can swipe one off one of the wife's fridge magnets. She'll never miss just one.

Anyway, OK on trying the rev limiter wires. Too bad that didn't work. But I'm sure I can cobble something together. BTW, I do have an old Sun analog tach here that I can use for testing. It is a 4 ,6, or 8 cylinder only, so it will read low, but it should be OK for test purposes.

Thanks for the help.

Ed

[fastercarter]

Originally Posted by etech

FC - I took a quick look at the motor tonight and it looks like it might be possible to stick a small rare earth disc magnet near the outer edge of the S/G pulley on the output side of the engine. If so, it might be a little easier than pulling the flywheel cover to mount the magnet and hall sensor inside. What size magnet disc did you use on yours?

The hall sensor I have here is off of an old satellite dish motordrive. It is a three wire unit that is threaded and will mount on any flat surface in a 3/8 hole with hex nuts on both sides. IIRC, it requires a 1K pull-up resistor between the red plus 12 volt line and the tach output wire. I will test it when I get a chance. I just need to find a rare earth magnet disc. Maybe I can swipe one off one of the wife's fridge magnets. She'll never miss just one.

Anyway, OK on trying the rev limiter wires. Too bad that didn't work. But I'm sure I can cobble something together. BTW, I do have an old Sun analog tach here that I can use for testing. It is a 4 ,6, or 8 cylinder only, so it will read low, but it should be OK for test purposes.

Thanks for the help.

Ed

Ed, three wire is the most common Hall trigger configuration. +voltage,, ground and triggered. I used the larger of the following to keep the gap open as far as possible. I have a whole bunch of Neodimium magnets here that might help you. The smallest are 1/4" x 1/32" and have a 2lb pull at 1/8" . The largest I have are 1/2"x 1/8" and have a pull of 12lbs at 3/4". I also have a little beauty that measures 3/8" x 1/32" that pulls an incredible 30lbs. You can of course stack them for more power and a longer distance effect. Let me know if you need one or more and I'll send them to you for shipping only. I bought a bunch for test purposes (Special was from a friend that is an an expert in the business) and these are surplus. Fun for wiping out credit cards although I admit to knowing nothing about that at the local pub. Sorry Dave.

FC

[etech]

Originally Posted by fastercarter

Ed, three wire is the most common Hall trigger configuration. +voltage,, ground and triggered. I used the larger of the following to keep the gap open as far as possible. I have a whole bunch of Neodimium magnets here that might help you. The smallest are 1/4" x 1/32" and have a 2lb pull at 1/8" . The largest I have are 1/2"x 1/8" and have a pull of 12lbs at 3/4". I also have a little beauty that measures 3/8" x 1/32" that pulls an incredible 30lbs. You can of course stack them for more power and a longer distance effect. Let me know if you need one or more and I'll send them to you for shipping only. I bought a bunch for test purposes (Special was from a friend that is an an expert in the business) and these are surplus. Fun for wiping out credit cards although I admit to knowing nothing about that at the local pub. Sorry Dave.

FC

FC - Thanks for the offer. I will pm my info and will be more than happy to pay the shipping costs for a few samples that you think might work. Once I get them, I will test this set-up on the work bench. I was thinking of clamping the dremel tool or hand drill motor in the vise and sticking one of the magnets on the outer edge of a two or three inch disc. Then I can wire up the tach and sensor on the bench and do some testing before I install this set-up on the cart. I could even put the o'scope on the pulse line and see what the signal looks like.

BTW, the hall sensor I have here is a UGS 3020T which is a unipolar hall effect digital switch. The spec sheet says it will operate on 4 to 24 volts dc and at a frequency up to 100 khz (100k rpm). So, I'm thinking it should work fine. If it works in the test set-up, I will fabricate a bracket to mount it near the S/G pulley and see what happens.

Sending PM with my info and thanks again.

Ed