[s-cars] S4 Digital Boost Gauge Option for UrS Cars

[Kirby Smith]

My A'pexi boost controller provides a digital display of boost and peak
boost.  One could install it and use it only for monitoring purposes.

kirby


Christopher Gharibo wrote:
>
> Came across the below article at AudiWorld that applies to the newer S4 cars
> on how to install a Digital Boost Gauge by Don Pavlik.
>
> I was wondering if anyone has ever done this before on a UrS6. The gear
> selector display area is of course unutilized in our cars and may make a
> suitable spot for the digital boost gauge described below.
>
> Chris
>
> -------------
> Digital Boost Gauge II
> Article By: Don Pavlik - 2000
>
> So you want a boost gauge in your A4 or S4.  Sounds easy enough right?  Just
> get a gauge and put it somewhere.  Uhhh, not so simple.  In later cars you
> can't use a A-pillar mounting pod... airbag lives in there.  Do you really
> want a gauge slammed into your head with explosive force in the event the
> airbag deploys?  And, cosmetically there aren't many good places that you can
> glance at quickly.  After spending the cash to get an S4 simply screwing or
> gluing a gauge pod to the dash was not an option for me.  I had a mounting
> solution for the gauge in my A4 but the '00 console is different and won't
> fit.  My solution?  A LED bar graph at the bottom of the instrument cluster.
>
> I found a document, AN1304, published by Motorola for a LED bar graph but the
> example used their MPX5100 series sensor which is only rated to 15 psi.  They
> also offer an MPX4250 which is good to 36.3 psi and designed for use as a MAP
> (Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor for turbo engine boost control.  Based on
> the specs the 4250 was a perfect replacement for the 5100.  I made a quick
> stop at my favorite surplus store for most of the parts and a call to
> newark.com for the sensor.  I built it on breadboard first then assembled it
> once I was sure it was what I wanted.
>
> The gauge consists of 10 segments; 8 red and 2 amber LEDs.  Red and amber
> match the dash very well.  I calibrated the display to read full scale at 20
> psi so each bar is 2 psi.  I'll get 1 amber at 18 psi and 2 amber at 20 psi. I
> used a ribbon cable to mount the LEDs remotely.  Turns out an MFM hard drive
> 20 pin signal cable (remember those?) is an ideal holder for the LEDs. Thanks
> to the location it's protected from most direct sunlight and very easy to
> glance at quickly.  I still have not decided if I need to add a light sensor
> to control LED intensity.  I'm going to use it for a while and see.
>
> Info about the gauge. All documents are in PDF format.  You'll need Acrobat
> Reader from Adobe to view PDFs if not so equipped.
>
> AN1304 Bar graph display local
> MPX4250 Pressure sensor local
> LM3914 bar display driver local
> I purchased the hard to find sensor at Newark
> I will not be building these for sale nor do I know of a company offering this
> or a similar device.
>
>  The completed gauge.  I tucked the electronics up under the dash.  Only the
> boost sensor signal line runs under the hood.  The ribbon cable obscures the
> LM3914 IC and a few other components.  The green and blue pots are for zero
> and full scale calibration.  The 3 posts next to the pots are the analog test
> point for the sensor, zero calibration test point and full scale calibration
> test point.
>  Underside of the circuit board.  Please, no snickering or scoffing at my
> amateur soldering and cheesy construction techniques.  I'm a car nut /
> computer geek... not an EE.
>  Excuse the poor picture--camera doesn't autofocus very well with all that
> red.  The gauge is 10 segments.  8 red and 2 amber LEDs.  Each segment is
> about 2 psi.  6 psi shown.
>  Just another shot. 9 segments lit (about 18 psi)
>
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