1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Adding instruments to the panel

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by Eisenson, Jul 30, 2004.

  1. Eisenson

    Eisenson New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2004
    142
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    I'd like to add a secondary instrument panel just in front of the steering wheel, with small (2") gauges and LEDs indicating the state of things, such as:

    SunPro 2" MiniTach
    Engine Run
    Brake/Regen Status
    Coolant temp
    SOC (12V system)

    These would be relatively trivial. What else might be useful in increasing understanding of the car?

    Also, who's pulled that panel, and knows what's behind it?
     
    #1 Eisenson, Jul 30, 2004
  2. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2004
    14,487
    1,518
    0
    Location:
    Spokane, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Ammeters. Three of them: How much current is going to and from the battery and each of the MGs.
     
    #2 daniel, Aug 1, 2004
  3. Lectricar

    Lectricar New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2004
    98
    0
    0
    Location:
    Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
    I guess the question being "begged" is "Why?"

    I have a MGB - that car has mechanical oil and temperature gauges, a tach, ammeter and volt meter, for a real good reason, I need to monitor the engine variables to know if it's overheating, stressed out or about to explode.

    I Understand that with the CVT, the Hybrid engine and the ICE, it's possible to that the number engine revolutions are not always related to speed as the engine revs at its most efficient rate. A tach would provide feedback of questionable or useless value - there's no clutch or gears to shift and, frankly, I can't imagine that information concerning electrical charging and discharging rates would be helpful or informative.

    Suffice to say, if it stops and won't start, It's time for a tow....I'm always eager to get under the MG bonnet to adjust the SU carbs or other things that don't really need my attention...I'm not at all eager to touch the Prius go systems...
     
    #3 Lectricar, Aug 2, 2004
  4. Eisenson

    Eisenson New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2004
    142
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    I'll never forget or forgive my MGTC, or the Healey, Triumph, and Jag that occupied my nights and weekends during my Anglophile/autophile years. Such gauges plus a lot of luck were what kept the cars running.

    Now, 40-50 years later, the instrumentation will enhance my understanding of how the car really works. I'll dump it all when the Miniscanner's available...
     
    #4 Eisenson, Aug 2, 2004
  5. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2004
    14,487
    1,518
    0
    Location:
    Spokane, WA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    The ammeters would help understand where the energy is going and when and under what conditions the car is at its most efficient. Not to be able to repair or tune it, but for the pure techno-geek pleasure of understanding it, and possibly get the best use out of it.

    A coolant temp gauge would enable the driver to know when the car is ready to go into S4 (full hybrid) operation, as that does require driver intervention (a full stop for either 10 or 5 seconds, depending on ... ???)

    The tach, I agree with Lectricar, would serve no useful purpose, though it would still be interesting to see what it's doing.
     
    #5 daniel, Aug 3, 2004
  6. Lectricar

    Lectricar New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2004
    98
    0
    0
    Location:
    Glenmoore, Pennsylvania
    Oh, ok...I agree that it would be interesting to know exactly what's going on, but still, the car seems to have a mind of its own and, since I wouldn't be able to make adjustments or "corrections" I prefer to drive in ignorant bliss.
     
    #6 Lectricar, Aug 3, 2004
  7. Eisenson

    Eisenson New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2004
    142
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Bliss indeed!
    I did not buy this car to save fuel or the environment. I was considering a new MBZ at 3X the price, which would have addressed neither of those issues. Rather, I liked the utter geekiness of the car, and still do. I bought it last October (call me an "Early Adopter"), and the blush is still on the rose.

    And I like working on cars, whether toward an operational purpose or for intellectual satisfaction. In 1963 I had brake temperature sensors on my Jaguar, but it was a Triumph that I raced. A decade ago my Buick Grand National's ECU could be reprogrammed on the fly!

    There are at least two pragmatic objectives of instrumenting the Prius. The first is operational economy. For those motivated to save fuel, a detailed understanding of engine operation under various conditions *will* help optimize driving style. Instrumenting my car - and sharing the knowledge gained - will help everyone improve their own results.

    And there's a second potential benefit: knowledge base. The more "We" (the technogeek collective) understand about this car, the better the car can get for those interested in modifications to hardware and software. The collective "We" know more about browsers than Microsoft (witness Mozilla). The collective "We" evolved the Buick GN into a monster that regularly destroyed Corvettes on the track. "We" will eventually know more about some Prius issues than Toyota. As the Prius knowledge base grows, and it IS growing rapidly, everyone here will benefit. And this forum, PriusChat, is the perfect place for those benefits to be promulgated.
     
    #7 Eisenson, Aug 3, 2004
  8. DonDNH

    DonDNH Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 3, 2004
    1,711
    654
    0
    Location:
    Nashua, NH
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Four Touring
    How many gauss does it take to levitate the Prius to 50ft?


    Leather absorbs farts?


    Now that's a good idea. Too many drivers don't seem to "see" my Prius. What make/model did you use? Where did you get them?
     
    #8 DonDNH, Aug 3, 2004
  9. Eisenson

    Eisenson New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2004
    142
    0
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    The levitation system is for heavy traffic when an exit ramp is nearby, or you can hop from the freeway over the shoulder onto a surface street. It's nonmagnetic so is not gauss-dependent. Really neat!

    The gas absorber is really an "adsorber": activated charcoal and perlite in a porous bag, beneath the perforated leather. Fart freely, zipper access, replace monthly.

    The horns are Fiamm 5 amp/132db "Freeway Blaster", Pep Boys @ $16 each. Stock is Maruko 3 amp 113dB.
     
    #9 Eisenson, Aug 3, 2004
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)