[Minardi]

Sorry If this has been asked before, have searched but couldn't find It. I am thinking of separating pit pro from the track piece, which should be straight forward because in a way It already is and has been done before, I have seen some marvellous examples of pit pro combined with the lap display. My main goal is to make a housing for pit pro with the red/green light, probably combined with the lap display, but I want to run the leds in parallel to the driver stations.

Has this been done before ? Can I expect current-problems when running leds in parallel ?

And another suggestion, I think It would be nice to use the led's of Pit Pro for other purposes too, like stop&go indicator for example, track call , tyre wear indicator etc. If running parallel, one could change the color of the leds. Thing is, software should be compatible too.

Thanks for your input !

 

[raikkonen_webber fan]

you could just chop up the casing and extend the wires to the leds but i havnt done it and wont be doing it

 

[MrFlippant]

Can't help on the electrical/electronic stuff, but would like to note that PC Lap Counter makes use of Pit Pro in a different way than SSDC. What the LEDs show is entirely up to the software controlling them, as they are "dumb" when connected to the PC. I believe PCLC uses them for penalties as well as fuel and pit-lane indications. I don't think it would be possible to have one row be a fuel indicator for a driver AND something else on the "board", though. Since they'd be parallel, they'd each show the same lights. Also, Andrew already has a hefty to-do list. I would be surprised if changing the way Pit-Pro works would get any work time for a good long time.

 

[Minardi]

Still, If the most right LED is green for full tank, going down to yellow and red, parallel is an option. I was aware of PC lapcounter, the only reason I haven't tried is that It doesn't have auto track call, something I think I can't miss. I admit that PCLC's pit pro functions are what I am looking for. It uses 1 led for fuel level, which startrts blinking faster when getting empty I believe, but I especially like the stop&go feature. After taking a look again at PCLC, I think I can initiate a track call with a button connected to the parallel port. Interesting, since I use button brake, I need an extra button for track call. So, parallel the led's won't hurt I guess ?

 

[MrFlippant]

Hopefully an electronics guru can answer that for us. I know it has to do with amp draw and power supply and such, but it's not in me to figure it out.

I would imagine that 6 extra sets of parallel LEDs would be more than you'd want to power from the Pit-Pro without some kind of modification or power supplement, though.

 

[sealevel]

2 interesting concepts here....

1) replacing the LEDs in PitPro with different colours (after all, SSDC has fuel and the light colours will show the degree of fuel usage), and

2) parallel LEDs for separate stations (now, how often does one look down instead of at the track?)... parallel may change the resistance used so may have to modify the PitPro display when adding LEDs in parallel to adapt for the voltage and current loads.

I am sure someone more technical will be able to fill the blanks or correct me.... but I wonder what happens if you are looking at the driver station while pressing the controller... might want to have the lights on the track instead!

Cheers!

 

[Minardi]

QUOTE (sealevel @ 29 Jul 2011, 06:35) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>2.... but I wonder what happens if you are looking at the driver station while pressing the controller... might want to have the lights on the track instead!

Cheers!

If you parallel them, you have the pit pro on track and at your driver station. With my new lay-out It is almost impossible for everyone to see the leds on pit pro when in original form. But yes, may be the lights at strategic places is an option (at the wall, at eyesight ?). Although when leds in parallel I will have fuel level on monitor, on pit pro AND driver station. Now, If you still run out of fuel, It really is your own fault !

 

[sealevel]

This will be interesting to see developed.
I am still pondering start lights and track call lights.
But first I have to get my layout finalized!

Cheers!