Thursday 12 April 2012

Testing didn't happen today as Buren was sick, Scott couldn't make it and I didn't consider testing alone particularly safe.

Instead I worked on converting the Arduino based control box to a National Instruments DAQ based one. Its something I have been wanting to do for a while but now has become necessary as I cant seem to pulse the solenoid fast enough with the arduino through lab-view. I couldn't figure out why but I think it has something to do with the lag in the wireless communication and the way the labview-arduino interface woks. Using the DAQ should fix the other problems we have had with the data logging.

I also installed a vent solenoid to the test stand plumbing which will make venting  much safer than our current manual venting procedure. In addition I switched out the main run solenoid for a smaller one as the minimum flow rate was way to high. Reading an article about pulsing solenoids for auto nitrous systems I had an idea that the spring in check valve down stream from the solenoid could be messing with the solenoid. This could explain why those tests in which the solenoid was actually opening and closing gave such crazy results. I put the check valve before the solenoid, and put the solenoid as close as possible to the engine and am keen to see what difference this makes.

Hopefully we can test on saturday afternoon.

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