Q&A Forum
Hi Jostein,
is it possible to deactivate those 100% lock hotkeys?
I would prefer not to have them because a eddy current at continuous 100% will overheat rapidly, leading to potential catastrophic results (thinking about unintentional activating of load) or unsafe situations/tyres damage/stress on straps while pressing panic by mistake when engine is launched at high rpm in a long gear.
To me the panic would come if the brake would engage 100% suddenly 😁
if I feel something is feeling unsafe it happened once to just smash the foot on the brakes and in half a second everything was stopped, engine, rollers, etc
They are disabled by default. The hotkey is set to 'None' in the options unless you change it.
I thought it might be possible to disable them in hotkey menu, just I'm not in front of the PC now to check.
Thanks
Thanks for the steady flow of updates Jostein, we all appreciate it 🙂
I have a couple of minor bugs to report after spending some time improving my setup during the last week.
1. On the graph screen, the software appears to remember scaling preferences (man/auto and scaling ranges if manual) for the main power/tq graph, but if you add a graph below for AFR or anything else, the graph config is not remembered when restarting the program.
2. On the run screen, the 'send to back' and 'bring to front' preferences are not remembered when restarting the software either. I have a couple of gauges overlapping in order to fit them all on the screen (digital gauges have a lot of extra space) and have to reset the front/back options each time I pull up a new run screen.
3. when using options/restore from file, if you select a config file to restore, then click 'no' on the 'are you sure you want to close yourdyno' prompt, it restarts regardless.
4. when you choose to add a new gauge to the run screen, standard gauges appear properly, but any new gauge that has been created with the math channel plugin seems to be placed w-a-y off the screen where it can't be seen and moved/resized. I eventually found it by selecting auto-arrange, but then had to rebuild the whole layout to the way I like it 🙂 The next time I was able to increase my monitor resolution and found it way over on the left of the gauge layout where it couldn't be seen previously. I think any new gauge should be displayed at 0,0 and on top of other gauges so it can be seen?
I know you get bombarded with requests for new features, so I'm always reluctant to suggest them but I do have two simple ones if you see any value in considering them in the future..
1. on the graph screen it would be great to be able to add horizontal markers to indicate an acceptable band/range. For example, on an AFR graph scaled to show 9-17:1 AFR, the ability to show a bold horizontal line at 11:1 and 13:1 (for example) would enable the user to quickly see if the AFR stays within their acceptable limits. Mainline dynos have this and I think it's a simple and handy feature that could possibly be easily added to the scaling overlay?
2. It would be nice to be able to zero out any drift in the load cell without doing a full span calibration also. Just a simple button that resets the zero value for the load cell, but maintains the calibrated span. ie if the load cell calibration is 3200 to 24000 counts but it currently showing 3210 counts with no load on the cell, pressing the zero button would adjust the calibration to 3210 to 24010 counts. This would allow the user to correct the dyno showing a measured torque value on the run screen when it isn't even moving.
Again, many thanks for all your efforts in improving your product 🙂
hello would it be possible to add the power dissipation in the diagram (Loss or drag power)?
@bendd, thanks for the good list of proposed improvements and minor bugs. I will add the zeroing of the load cell to the next version, that is a good idea. The horizontal markers is more work if this is going to be a general option for all channels, however it could perhaps be added for Aux channels only.
@stage6evo, yes, I will add the loss channel.
There are some changes planned for gauges, with the addition of Bar gauges that can be grouped (nice for 8 thermocouples for example) and rectangular size for the Digital gauges.
There is also a Dark mode coming, that will be nice!
Stay tuned!
@admin Thanks
Would it also be possible to add a company logo as a watermark in the diagram
Thanks Jostein @admin
I'm looking forward to the dark mode! I think a black background may improve visibility of the coloured traced on the graph screen.
I too am looking forward to the dark mode. I have everything switched to dark mode that I can, my phone, my computer's themes, browsers, etc. It's easier on the eyes, and can use less energy too.
In the latest software, there is a new issue with the BRAKE SWEEP brake control. It no longer allows you to put in a negative number in the % in the Brake Percent Sweep Rate.
For example, I normally set my brake (which is a hydraulic pump) to start at 58% and reduce 2% per second. (-2.0%) So the run would start at 58% and end at roughly 42% brake. This is required because pump flow increases as RPM increases, and it will stall out then engine/prevent acceleration if there is too much brake.
Thanks.
@hansl it is changed. Now you just enter the sweep rate (RPM per second). The Start and End RPM will determine if you are ramping down or up, you don't need to put a negative sweep rate number.
@admin
The issue is under the "Define Sweep", "Brake % sweep rate" field. (see attached picture). The brake sweep % needs to be a negative number, (effectively reducing the brake percent every second) or it will bog out the engine and I cannot accelerate. This is a must have feature for me to use my dyno (hydraulic brake).
I had to go back to a previous software version, where it works correctly.
Thanks.
@admin
The issue is under the "Define Sweep", "Brake % sweep rate" field. (see attached picture). The brake sweep % needs to be a negative number, (effectively reducing the brake percent every second) or it will bog out the engine and I cannot accelerate. This is a must have feature for me to use my dyno (hydraulic brake).
I had to go back to a previous software version, where it works correctly.
Thanks.
@hansl no, you misunderstand. The sweep rate is not negative or positive anymore. It is just the RPM/s. Negative or positive is automatic, based on the start RPM and end RPM. If start RPM is lower than end RPM, the sweep is positive and vice versa.
Earlier you could make the mistake to set the sweep rate the wrong polarity. This is not possible anymore, since the sweep is defined by start and end RPM.
@admin
There is still a "Brake % Sweep Rate" mode under the "Define Sweep" section. (see the picture I previously attached)
I need to REDUCE the brake % during the run (negative percent) at a steady rate in order to get a smooth acceleration with my hydraulic setup.
It is not a mistake for me to set the number negative, its a necessity. In my case, the actual braking force changes with the drum speed (more flow = higher pressure), and the PID control is too slow to provide good results.
Sorry for the double.
i try not to have the run open any longer than I have to. It can screw up my first pull.
wish the hot key for load and unload could work in main screen also. If not no big dealin power sweep a mph to mph option would be nice
Yeah, easy to implement, but I was thinking to reduce the risk of someone accidentally pressing the Load/unload button and not noticing.
There is a hotkey for opening the Run window, so you could push that, then push the lock button. It is just 2 buttons instead of 1 🙂
Yes, Power sweep using speed instead of RPM is on the backlog!
How about having a timer on the load/unload hot key. For example once pressed the brake goes on 100% for 3 seconds allowing for the car to be loaded or unloaded but the brake cannot be left on by accident. You can have a user defined time in the setup. This would stop a brake form burning out if left on.
I use the KMTronic relay box and when I try to switch by hotkey it will just flashing not hold the chosen relay channel even by holding the switch pressed.
Is there somting I must adjust?