Project Journals > RossW
DIY genset controller.
rossw:
When I moved in to my new place, I'd hoped to install a commercial CHP unit (Combined Heat and Power) - but suppliers and circumstances conspired against me and I ended up building my own instead. I also had to build something to handle the starting, stopping and monitoring of the engine etc.
Without having finished the genset itself, there was a lot of guessing what I might need. And without the inverter, or having lived in the place, I had no real idea what I needed, what timings might be etc. So it was all "seat of the pants" stuff. A few ideas I did have were that I wanted it to keep track of the run-hours so I'd know when to change the oil at least!
So I picked a suitable processor of the day and set about making a prototype. I intended to make a proper one once this had run for a while and I knew what else I really needed it to do. Well, that was 7 years ago, and the prototype is still running...
I built it on veroboard - doesn't everyone do prototypes this way? I don't usually use sockets, but I figured that this thing might be easier if I could drop out a chip and replace it with one with a different version of the code. (As I built it, I added an in-circuit programming connector, so I never ended up popping the chip either)
The underside is a mess. But it worked.
When completed, the top of the board looked pretty messy too
I poked it into a box along with the display and a switch to select auto/manual(stop)/manual(run)
Bit of a squeeze.
It mounts on the genset frame, along with the fuse and relay panel, governor and AFR controller.
Typical displays (it cycles through several)
The cold sensor wasn't connected on this photo, but has been ever since.
The controller monitors engine temperature in several places, RPM and alternator frequency, oil pressure and inverter signals to request start/stop. It also controls the (electric) water pump, which runs whenever the engine is running, and continues to run while the system can extract useful heat from the engine and/or exhaust. It controls the governor for speed control, does all the cranking control, will attempt a start only (x) times. Will lock-out if there's a problem. Calls for help if the temperature is getting high for any reason, and shuts down if it gets over-temperature or low oil pressure, or the engine RPM is too high or low.
On shutdown it drops the load, then throttles down to idle and has a 30-second cool-down before turning off.
Does other things too that I can't remember now - it just sits there and does its job. If you've got any questions, just ask. I'm sure I'll know (or can check the code to remind me!)
wdyasq:
Does it come in blue? Or, only in black?
Ron
tomw:
--- Quote from: wdyasq on January 21, 2012, 07:23:05 am ---Does it come in blue? Or, only in black?
Ron
--- End quote ---
I know Texas is a bit behind the times but they make this stuff called paint now and it comes in millions of colors. ;D 8)
Tom
Watt:
--- Quote from: tomw on January 21, 2012, 08:19:56 am ---
--- Quote from: wdyasq on January 21, 2012, 07:23:05 am ---Does it come in blue? Or, only in black?
Ron
--- End quote ---
I know Texas is a bit behind the times but they make this stuff called paint now and it comes in millions of colors. ;D 8)
Tom
--- End quote ---
Is that stuff called paint transparent?
Burnit0017:
Wow, very nice. Do you have photos of the sensors?
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