Q&A Forum
Dear all
I have some questions regarding the use of water brakes in general, and with YourDyno software more specifically.
Basically, I might be able to acquire two similar smallish brakes, and was wondering if it could be envisaged, if properly geared, to use them as synchronized axle brakes, as one would do with two eddy-current brakes. Is the rpm control fast and precise enough to allow this with water brakes?
A second link question concerns the actuation of said brake. Do you have any sources for automated linear valves / valves that can be automated, other than the official Dynomite one? Or else, has any one tried to use a variable frequency drive on the pump rather than using a valve? How does it impact the actuation speed?
Thanks in advance for all the information!
Hi,
Water brakes are simple in construction, but can be difficult in setup and control. They need a lot of "stuff" around them, with a heavy duty pump, water tank, hoses, valve with stepper/servo motor, etc, etc. This is not cheap either (depending on the horsepower of course).
Precise matched RPM control is more difficult as water brakes are very non-linear, but it may still work. Since I have never seen water brakes being used as hub dynos, I am sceptical, but maybe someone else here has seen this in action?
Is it possible to rather connect them both in parallel to a set of rollers? I imagine that is better.
Thanks for the reply. I know that Clayton dynos used water brakes for rolling road, but never saw them in action.
In my head, the two brakes would indeed be connected to a set of rollers, it is the front/rear mechanical coupling that I would have liked to replace by a common speed target, as varying wheelbases do immediately make it more complicated and costly.
Reading on this site, I'm lead to believe that you played with a marine Dynomite one ? How precisely did you manage to get it to track the rpm target?
What about the water valve and/or vfd pump?
Thanks in advance!