Suggest me a fuel sensor for digitial fuel gauge in a bike

[ravi_p]

Fuel sensor

Hi
I am building a digital fuel gauge for my Bike can any tell suggest me the fuel sensor. The one in my bike is float type sensor.

Thanks

 

[flatulent]

Re: Fuel sensor

This general area is full of safety requirements. You would do well to stick with the method that does not start fires or explosions.

There are some other safe methods such as ultrasonic ranging but it costs much more.

 

[halabat]

Re: Fuel sensor

Hi,

other posibility is using a ribbon cable an measuring the capacity between
two wires. The fluid level around the cable changes the capacity between
the two wires. Use a CMOS Mono Flop for converting capacity to
time varaiation. The Pulsetime from the Monoflop can be counted by
a little µc like a PIC.

Good luck, Halabat

PS: don't forget to isolate the end of the ribbon cable

 

[pisoiu]

Re: Fuel sensor

Hi,

other posibility is using a ribbon cable an measuring the capacity between
two wires. The fluid level around the cable changes the capacity between
the two wires. Use a CMOS Mono Flop for converting capacity to
time varaiation. The Pulsetime from the Monoflop can be counted by
a little µc like a PIC.

Good luck, Halabat

PS: don't forget to isolate the end of the ribbon cable

Hmm.. as Flatulent stated, safety is an important issue. If somehow you'll have an ESD discharge in the measuring wires when operating or servicing the module, the result can be pretty ugly.... Also, in time, residues of fuel can deposit on the wire and this will affect the long time reliability of the measurement.

/pisoiu

 

[artem]

Fuel sensor

May be water isolated pressure sensor put on bottom of tank could serve your purpose ? Or you can install it on top if put into tube on one side while making other side open . Then you should mount open side of tube down to bottom of fuel tank .

Also look to the car's fuel tank sensors - there are old simple ones you can use .

 

[halabat]

Re: Fuel sensor

If you're looking in a modern tank of a car you'll see an in-tank fuel pump
where all wires are blank. So the insulation isn't as critical i think. Or look
at Bosch's injections, there are even inline fuel pumps where the fuel
flows through the DC Motor.
But i agree with pisoiu the long time reliability could be a problem...

Halabat.

 

[jorgito]

Fuel sensor

Hello,
You must remember that, usually, pure combustible is not explosive. The air-combustible gas or vapor mixture IS explosive within some limits. I think that the interior of a fuel tank is not the place to make experiments, specially if you are seating on it.
Best regards.

 

[gil]

Re: Fuel sensor

Mesuaring level using Ultrasound waves could be a bit difficult in a bike tank. Two reasons come to my mind:
a) Waves on the surface of gasoline produced by the movement of the bike inside the tank could produce inaccuracies, and filtering it could result very difficult.
b) Echoes of the ultrasound energy inside the tank could mask the measurement process.

As far I have seen, modern car manufactures measures levels using a floating device that drive a variable resistor. All the system is place inside the tank.

So, I sugest you to use some kind of floating device adapted to the bike tank and convert the resistance value to digital.

The issue about the risk of explosion is something to take in account. I don’t know how it is solved by car manufacturers. I have seen several standard level meters of commercial cars and I haven’t seen anything special o different. In fact, come to my attention that the variable resistor seems to be inside the tank without any special protection.

Anyhow, there is a technique used in hazardous areas known as Intrinsic Safety that I recommend you to take in account. The main idea laid on the fact that it is necessary certain amount of energy to trigger an explosion. If the amount of energy is kept below that level, the system works in a safe level.
Please find an explanation about Intrinsic Safety in:
https://www.omega.com/techref/intrinsic.html

 

[halabat]

Re: Fuel sensor

I've got two pics from commercial solution. One is from a 1990 VW
Passat. Sorry, bad pics made with webcam...

They use a Potentiometer on Ceramic Substrate. And the floater moves
the wiper of the potentiometer.

You can use such a level sensor and adapt it to your needs.

Halabat.

 

[pisoiu]

Re: Fuel sensor

Another issue would be: fuel level measuring is required for different sollutions which can be installed on vehicles (datalogers for trucks, etc.). But some of these vehicles are new, and interfering with own car's fuel measuring equipment will not be allowed because of the waranty. Punching tank and installing different stuff is also excluded. So, a non-invasive method would be more apropriate in these cases. Are there any methods, besides ultrasound?

/pisoiu

 

[Basil]

[No message]

 

[shahrol_hisham]

Re: Fuel sensor

u can used crystal as a sensor. The preasure will change a oscillator frequency. So u can build a crystal oscillator and measure the frequency. Put the crystal at the bottom of the tank.

 

[ravi_p]

Re: Fuel sensor

Hi
Can you be more specific of using a crystal.you mean that I should fix the crystal inside the tank and measure the frequency. How do i isolated the crystal

 

[banh]

Re: Capacitive probe - Re: Fuel sensor



hi, is there any commercial capacitvie probe product for use in fuel tank?

 

[aNdreiBuuu]

Re: Fuel sensor

one options for capacitance probe...
h**p://www.hantech.com/documents/PDF/p109.pdf

Hope this helps,
//a