Data Loggers, who uses one???

[Hot Rodders]

I use a data logger............................in my Glider.

[SKYHI]

Looks like I just secured a second hand Race Technology DL1 with the upgraded 20Hz GPS

Will post up some photos of the product and install when I get it.

[NMX516]

I've just come across this -

http://www.ja-gps.com.au/RoadMemory/road-memory/

Looks interesting, and not a bad price. Could be worth the experiment...

[fattima]

I’ve been mucking around with making a lap timer for myself. Because I’m a tight arse I didn’t want to replace my phone to run RaceChrono, I also wanted a large clear display and a touch screen so it is easy to use in car.
What I ended up doing is grabbing a cheap GPS, I used a Navig8r G35 from Catch of the day for $60, Harvey Norman have them for $68 last time I looked. Then with some help from a guy on the Navig8r forum installed MioPocket, this software allows access to the underlying Windows CE software. You need to be careful what GPS you pick as some brands (TomTom, Garmin) are locked down or run Linux. I then installed ChronoGps on an SD card to do the timing. Very easy to setup and it works a treat, you can record tracks, compare laps etc.
I tested at Winton the other day and it was accurate compared to the stop watch timing. It highlights your time in green if you set a new fastest lap or in red if you go under your fastest time, this is a really easy indicator to see when driving. I’ve made an alloy mount so the unit sits near the middle airvents and can be reached with a harness on. The track recording are exportable and can be opened on ChronoGPS PC version for ease of reading . Surprisingly the G35 is not a bad GPS and I used it as a speedo on the way to Winton and back, my steering wheel blocks my view of the speedo.

I’m sure dedicated units are better but I’m happy with this for a budget build.

[manga_blue]

I’m sure dedicated units are better but I’m happy with this for a budget build.

I doubt they are any better. Plenty of evidence around that cheap Chinese GPS units are as accurate as any. You've done well.

[two40]

I’ve been mucking around with making a lap timer for myself. Because I’m a tight arse I didn’t want to replace my phone to run RaceChrono, I also wanted a large clear display and a touch screen so it is easy to use in car.
What I ended up doing is grabbing a cheap GPS, I used a Navig8r G35 from Catch of the day for $60, Harvey Norman have them for $68 last time I looked. Then with some help from a guy on the Navig8r forum installed MioPocket, this software allows access to the underlying Windows CE software. You need to be careful what GPS you pick as some brands (TomTom, Garmin) are locked down or run Linux. I then installed ChronoGps on an SD card to do the timing. Very easy to setup and it works a treat, you can record tracks, compare laps etc.
I tested at Winton the other day and it was accurate compared to the stop watch timing. It highlights your time in green if you set a new fastest lap or in red if you go under your fastest time, this is a really easy indicator to see when driving. I’ve made an alloy mount so the unit sits near the middle airvents and can be reached with a harness on. The track recording are exportable and can be opened on ChronoGPS PC version for ease of reading . Surprisingly the G35 is not a bad GPS and I used it as a speedo on the way to Winton and back, my steering wheel blocks my view of the speedo.

I’m sure dedicated units are better but I’m happy with this for a budget build.

You have inspired me. I shall attempt this. Thanks for sharing.

[whoa_dang_96]

If you just want laptime within .1-.3 of a second at most tracks (wakefield and winton have some stallite lock issues/black spots - sometimes around coporate hill at Eastern Creek aswell) and that is it - yeah racechrono and similar are ok - I started with this.

Recently I have had on loan a Race Technology DL1 (no dash though) and it is sooooo good that I am going to buy one (with 20hz) with a dash3 or dash2. i not only have logged lap times, I have actual accelerometer values (not gps calculated), TPS, brake switch, steering angle, rpm,coolant temp, oil temp and have written funtions to calculate gear position etc.... I cannot tell you how awesome these are. I have even used it ona friends car with an interface cable between the ecu and logger to get ecu data in the logger via can.

I have a few frineds interested - to the point I will be installing one on a class winning escort with carbies and historic formula ford.

Maybe we need a group buy for a DL1 and DASH3 combo.........

[SKYHI]

They certainly are a good bit of gear, hopefully I'll be getting my DL1 in the next week or so. I was lucky that my ex demo model already had the 20hz upgrade, and in my opinion, it's definitely worth the extra money for the upgrade.

The guy I bought it off is a Race Technology dealer and I have been talking to him about possible additons to the DL1. My next purchase will more than likely be a Dash 3 and ECU interface cable for my Haltech ECU, although he is currently looking into a second hand Dash 2 for me, so I may but that instead if the price is right.

If I was starting from scratch I'd definitely be looking at a DL1 & Dash 3 combo, they are good value for money.

Paul.

[whoa_dang_96]

Hey Paul, is that through Meridian or is there a dealer in QLD? Whoever it was were they good to deal with ?

The interface cable is awesome......and a must have if you have an ECU

WHat are you going to hook up to the analogues ???? Are you looking at the 3rd party video license ?

[SKYHI]

I am purchasing my DL1 from Renato at MotoKinetic. He is apparently a Race Technology dealer although all Australian enquiries through the RT website seem to be directed through Meridian.

I met him at the QLD MX5 Club track day at Lakeside and we got talking about data loggers, and the fact that I use to run a DL1 in my last race car, and that's when he mentioned that he had a demo unit for sale. He's a very clever bloke and talented driver by all accounts and good to deal with. He's sometimes a little slow to respond to enquiries because he's so busy with the business but I haven't really been in too much of a rush anyway.

My initial setup will just consist of the logger and an RPM signal from the ECU to provide me with an RPM trace. This is all I ran with my first unit and it gave me plenty of data to analyse.

Next step will to get a dash and ECU interface cable and then eventually I'll get a Video 4 unit to hook everything up and allow me to overlay the data and video for analysis.

[SKYHI]

Finally got my DL1 data logger and got it installed today. Looking forward to giving it a test run next weekend at Lakeside.

More details of the install here:

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=40183&start=60

[SKYHI]

Well the data logger had it's first run at Lakeside last weekend. Performed flawlessly and have a ton of data to sift through, including track maps, speed traces, rpm traces, lateral and longitudinal gs, sector times etc etc.

Expecting delivery of my Dash 3 shortly, so I'm hoping to have this and TPS sensor hooked up to the DL1 before the next run at Morgan Park. Might just need a few tips on hooking up the TPS

[Guran]

I recently installed the new Circuit Tools software for the Performance Box and can conclusively say that it is BRILLIANT!

For starters, it extrapolates the 10Hz data to provide laptimes to the nearest 0.01s (Performance Tools only showed laptimes to the nearest 0.1s, ie no extrapolation). Last night, I checked my times against the official Dorian times (at Eastern Creek), and the average error for Circuit Tools is a mere -0.006 seconds!

It also graphs "combined G" (ie vector sum of lateral G and longitudinal G), and Delta-T (excellent for comparing laps to show exactly where time was lost/gained).

Circuit Tools is not a complete replacement for Performance Tools however, because it doesn't allow exporting of graphs, data, etc., or overlaying of Google Maps images. So I will be leaving both installed on my laptop ... but probably using Circuit Tools most of the time.

Highly recommended!

[rain902]

love my DL1 - the best things about it are:

1. I can second guess myself after the event - seeing what i did and where I did it gives me the tools to develop consistency and improvement

- "i went through turn 1 @ the island at full throttle" - erm, no you didnt, you lifted to 70%.

- is that corner or sector faster in 3rd or 4th? Drive it in both and compare them and see the speeds and times for yourself.

- check your peak speed or RPM at a known and static location on the track - see how altering your line alters your times at a fixed location

- look at your theoretical best lap - how fast would you be if you strung your best corners together in 1 lap. This is a good lesson on how to drive consistently.

- filling up the G Circle - when I first looked at it it was a G+ sign, now im trail braking and my G+ is looking decidedly round. This is reflected in my lap times too

2. engine health

- you can plot lateral G forces vs oil pressure and see if you are surging your oil and if its getting too low

- you can see if your temperature climbs too far exposing the head to suffering etc if you do 3 laps in 3rd as opposed to 4th.

We cant keep constant eyes on our instruments while we are driving so the ability to look back over the data is the advantage a sensor equipped datalogger has - ive heard only good things about the racechrono and it no doubt improves the most important part of the car (the driver) - it just doesnt record sensors etc.

[SKYHI]

Good to see another DL1 user in Oz.

Just hooked up my Dash 3 last week and am set to give it a run at Morgan Park this weekend. There's two of us sharing the car this weekend as part of the 1Hr race, so it'll be good to have some data from another driver for comparison.