Think i have posted that PDF on here before. Remember the lift and soft drop discussions.
Think i have posted that PDF on here before. Remember the lift and soft drop discussions.
Castor
Trainee maniac
Sorry - it's my thing - I do industrial automation & special purpose machinery for a living and have done for over forty years. The automotive industry drive me ***insane*** because rather than use lessons learnt from other industries, they insist on reinventing the wheel. Everything automotive is non-standard.
So every pressure sensor, every temperature sensor, motion sensor - rather than being £3.99 from Maplin is £103.99 from your main stealer.
And usually technologically retrograde from standard practice.
And a pig to fix, usually.
Whinge moan etc.
Castor
Trainee maniac
Think i have posted that PDF on here before. Remember the lift and soft drop discussions.
I wish I'd never seen it.
My obsessive brain now has to fix it - at least in principle.
:ballchain::ballchain:"Resistance is futile".
Yep true, one would wonder why a few plastic moldings and electronics possibly costing less than a tenner to produce, when assembled into a EAS selector switch cost over £300.00.
Datatek
Well-Known Member
Pick & hold is an industry standard standard practice, I have been designing and manufacturing controllers for air powered systems since 1986.
Pick & hold is not inherently unreliable. The solenoid armatures operate against considerable spring tension, therefore a pretty hefty current pulse is required to get them moving. The pulsed hold current looks to be a nonsense on the face of it, but may be more effective in holding than a lower flat line voltage when the unit is exposed to shock loads on rugged terrain.
It's not difficult to design a simpler replacement for the driver pack, the difficulty would come in being absolutely sure it performed to spec in all conceivable conditions.
I have repaired 2 driver packs, both of which seem to be functioning correctly.
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Castor
Trainee maniac
For what it's worth (not much in the real world unless someoene wants to pay for the develpment time) a retrofit solution might be:-
One of these:-
Valve terminal VTUG | Festo Great Britain
Controlled by a one of these (replacing all the functionality of the EAS/BEMS/etc.):-
Process and Automation Centre, RS is a world leading distributor of Process Control and Automation Components; with the widest range of products from control gear to sensors and PLCs to pneumatics from the market leading brands.
HMI from here:-
http://w3.siemens.com/mcms/topics/en/simatic/display-technology/Pages/default.aspx
this would also be the diagnostic screen, of course.
Engine management:-
MegaSquirt-II - Advanced Electronic Fuel Injection Computer by Bowling & Grippo ©2005
Ironically, the trickiest thing to implement would be the statutory OBD2, which is, in common with all things automotive, non industry standard.
All of the above, repackaged and supplied in quantity for production, shouldn't cost more than a grand or so I reckon.
Maybe I'll get some clones made in China.....
One of these:-
Valve terminal VTUG | Festo Great Britain
Controlled by a one of these (replacing all the functionality of the EAS/BEMS/etc.):-
Process and Automation Centre, RS is a world leading distributor of Process Control and Automation Components; with the widest range of products from control gear to sensors and PLCs to pneumatics from the market leading brands.
HMI from here:-
http://w3.siemens.com/mcms/topics/en/simatic/display-technology/Pages/default.aspx
this would also be the diagnostic screen, of course.
Engine management:-
MegaSquirt-II - Advanced Electronic Fuel Injection Computer by Bowling & Grippo ©2005
Ironically, the trickiest thing to implement would be the statutory OBD2, which is, in common with all things automotive, non industry standard.
All of the above, repackaged and supplied in quantity for production, shouldn't cost more than a grand or so I reckon.
Maybe I'll get some clones made in China.....
blue beasty
Leaks an prone to bits dropping off
What the hell happened to the quoted posts on this thread?
They look alright to me
Have ya put the wrong glasses on again?
Castor
Trainee maniac
Recognised - but it's going to be one hell of a shock.
I've got some ordinary valves here that we have been knocking about quite severely - seeing several G at least, and they are operating and holding in securely at 38mA@17.2V.
Agreed - I don't believe they really did any of this in the first instance....
That must be very rewarding - I know I get a warm glow when I know it's sorted. I recently did the ABS valve array for my Volvo V70 which involves de-encapsulating, re-capacitor-ing, re-solder-flowing and all that stuff. Took ages. Like surgery.
That's *another* ****ing stupidly designed arrangement too.... but it feels good when it works.
Datatek
Well-Known Member
17.2 volts would fry the EAS solenoids in no time, they pull at 12 volts and will hold at around 5 or 6 volts from memory.
Datatek
Well-Known Member
The problem with selling a replacement driver pack is the testing required in all conditions to ensure reliability, conformity etc. Selling something that affects the suspension without the correct approvals may well invalidate insurance on the vehicle.
The easy option for me is to make a copy of the original, yes it's over complicated and old technology, but no approvals would be needed.
I believe I have found the source of many of the failures and it's a simple fix. When testing is complete I will publish the fix.
Castor
Trainee maniac
....and that, for the vast majority, is the correct way to go. I look forward to this with immense interest - and I will probably apply the fix if applicable.
It's only control freaks like me want to change everything.
