Project build plaque for retiring USMC SSGT.
Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:34 am
Been a while since i came around these parts of the woods and i need some help/advice.
I am stationed in NC right now and am currently a Test Cell Operator for a few helicopter engines(LOVE my job). My SSGT has been working here for over 17 years and is retiring in 3 months. He is a fuckin awesome guy and I volunteered to make a bad ass plaque for him which will include two RPM gauges and a TEMP gauge mounted in the center of the plaque..
I plan on having the gauges wired up and blinking engine operating limits and to have the dial either jump back and forth or redlining. The gauges have 7-segment led displays on the bottom to give the limit you are at and the needle is just there pretty much for a quick glance reference. I have one gauge that I experimented on and have the display set to 999.9 with 3v-5v(3v being the voltage i think would be easier to power the plaque with and 5v where the display is brightest)
The power source is still undecided. With 3v i can easily mount 2 aaa's behind the gauges concealing them. Another option is to use a dc converter and just plug it into the wall. Everyone i work with agrees that would be the best but i think mobility of the plaque is important let alone if he loses the wall plugin he would not figure out the correct amperage to replace it with. At least with aaa's its consistent.
The needles have what looks like a 180 sized can motor attached. got a positive lead and a negative lead. With 3v the needles moves very slowly, just the speed id like it to do a full gauge swipe from 0-120. At 5v the needle moves more in the speed if it were jumping quick to redline.
That is as far in this project I have gotten. I am coming to the pimps first for advice cause I have been out of the loop for a long while.
I dont know what to do as far as AC power or some relay(?) to make the motor switch polarity and for the display to blink. My first thoughts were to go to radioshack and see if they had an ac adapter and throw ac to it to make the motor switch polarity and to turn on and off the display. They had none and i dont know how fast the current would change even if they did. Second thought was relay or something. i really dont know how a relay even works so im kinda stuck on where to go with this project.
I was tasked with the gauges being completed in 3 weeks starting last friday. If I cannot get them to move electronically they will be mounted at a permanent limit.
I am hoping there are still some electronic gurus around like code.. havent heard from him in ages now though.
I will post pictures of the gauges later this afternoon since photobucket and such places are blocked on government computers, thank god BitPimps isnt!!
thakns for the help Pimps
I am stationed in NC right now and am currently a Test Cell Operator for a few helicopter engines(LOVE my job). My SSGT has been working here for over 17 years and is retiring in 3 months. He is a fuckin awesome guy and I volunteered to make a bad ass plaque for him which will include two RPM gauges and a TEMP gauge mounted in the center of the plaque..
I plan on having the gauges wired up and blinking engine operating limits and to have the dial either jump back and forth or redlining. The gauges have 7-segment led displays on the bottom to give the limit you are at and the needle is just there pretty much for a quick glance reference. I have one gauge that I experimented on and have the display set to 999.9 with 3v-5v(3v being the voltage i think would be easier to power the plaque with and 5v where the display is brightest)
The power source is still undecided. With 3v i can easily mount 2 aaa's behind the gauges concealing them. Another option is to use a dc converter and just plug it into the wall. Everyone i work with agrees that would be the best but i think mobility of the plaque is important let alone if he loses the wall plugin he would not figure out the correct amperage to replace it with. At least with aaa's its consistent.
The needles have what looks like a 180 sized can motor attached. got a positive lead and a negative lead. With 3v the needles moves very slowly, just the speed id like it to do a full gauge swipe from 0-120. At 5v the needle moves more in the speed if it were jumping quick to redline.
That is as far in this project I have gotten. I am coming to the pimps first for advice cause I have been out of the loop for a long while.
I dont know what to do as far as AC power or some relay(?) to make the motor switch polarity and for the display to blink. My first thoughts were to go to radioshack and see if they had an ac adapter and throw ac to it to make the motor switch polarity and to turn on and off the display. They had none and i dont know how fast the current would change even if they did. Second thought was relay or something. i really dont know how a relay even works so im kinda stuck on where to go with this project.
I was tasked with the gauges being completed in 3 weeks starting last friday. If I cannot get them to move electronically they will be mounted at a permanent limit.
I am hoping there are still some electronic gurus around like code.. havent heard from him in ages now though.
I will post pictures of the gauges later this afternoon since photobucket and such places are blocked on government computers, thank god BitPimps isnt!!
thakns for the help Pimps