Capacitive to voltage fuel gauge converters

[PieChaser]

Having just ordered the D120 and D100 for my RV7, I was wondering if anyone out there knows if the capacitive to voltage converters that Vans sell, part No: IEP-300C, as used by the EI fuel gauge, will work with the D120.
At $45.00 each as against $200.00 + eachfor the Princeton ones, maybe its just wishfull thinking !  :-?

Peter Hambilton

 

[dynonsupport]

Peter,
They don't work

While they are listed as "capacitance to voltage" they are actually "capacitance to frequency." We have one here, and it is not voltage output for sure.

If you don't need them right away, you can wait for ours, which will hopefully begin shipping shortly, and should be less than the Princeton ones. If you need them now, the Princeton ones are the only ones we know of that work with our system.

 

[PieChaser]

Thanks for that, I did not realise you could supply them.
Since you have just announced the brighter screen option as well, do you think they would both be ready for shipping in September?
Regards
Peter Hambilton

 

[dynonsupport]

Peter,
We should be able to get you a bright screen in September. I'd really hope that the voltage converters by then as well, but we're not currently taking orders for them since we haven't been through final testing.

Your best bet would be to get an order in for the EFIS and EMS units so you're early in the ship list. We don't charge until we ship so there is no risk there. You can then call us near to September and see if we're ready to get you the converters. You can decide at that point if you want your order delayed for the converters if they aren't ready to go.

 

[PieChaser]

Thanks for the prompt reply, my order is already in but I will amend it to include the brighter screens. I have just been reading your latest announcements and now feel sure I have made the right choice going with Dynon, awesome! ;D
Thanks
Peter Hambilton

 

[dodsond]

I have a VM 1000 and want to replace it with the EMS-120. Will the converters you are testing allow me to use my VM 1000 fuel level probes?

If not, where might I get a probe that is 8' long and will fit in the hardware that is permaently mounted in my wing?

 

[dynonsupport]

Our converters are mostly aimed at the Van's capacitive plates, but if we had some specifications on the probe you currently have, we could tell you if it would work. We're not familiar with the probes that come with a VM1000.

 

[dodsond]

I wish I knew more about them. I can get one out of storage and measure the tube outside diameter and the pipe thread size, but that's all I really know. I beleve they already present frequency at the output wires, but VM won't really release the specs to users. The protect the informations as being proprietary. Several people have reverse engineered them. I thought maybe you guys had as well. If not, then hopefully someone will chime in with what is required to get voltage or resistance out of them.

I have no problem with my VM 1000, but I am interested in putting in an EMS-120 not so much for the engine monitoring but as a dual/backup display for the EFIS I covet and plan to buy very soon. It would be very nice to have the ability to look at the engine info on the left side of the cockpit and the flight instruments on the right side.

I am not opposed to swapping out any of the sensors, but the fuel level probes must fit in the existing structure. There is no practical way to change the mounting hardware in my Glasair wing.

Doug Dodson
Glasair II-S FT

 

[fabjab]

I am very happy with the Princeton probes that I have with my EMS. They are very accurate and reliable and installation was straight forward. With remote electronics, they just need to be threaded into the wing. They were made custom lenght for me (43inches)

Struggling to post pictures of them - PM me if you would like me to e-mail you some pics.

Blue skies,

Carl.

 

[dodsond]

Fabjab,

Do you have a Glasair? My current probes are 8 feet long and run spanwise from the upper outboard wing rib diagonally to the bottom of the fuel bay 8' inboard of that tip. There is a nylon support bushing in each wing rib, mayber every 24" or so. The probes thread into a large pipe thread fitting bonded into the tip rib. The replacement probes need to fit this hardware exactly or I can't really use them.

I can't find a web site for Princeton. Do you have contact information?

Doug Dodson
Glasair II-S FT

 

[dynonsupport]

Princeton doesn't have a web site. You'll have to call or email.

Todd Stehouwer
Princeton Electronics, Inc.
616 243-8800
todds@princeton-electronics.com

 

[lucaberta]

Princeton doesn't have a web site.

I find this quite amazing in 2006! No website?

But Google is always a good buddy, and it allowed me to find some useful info at Aircraft Spruce:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/princefuelprobes.php

Ciao, Luca

 

[fabjab]

The Spruce site shows the probes with the remote electronics at the bottom.

Probe is .250" diameter and the fitting is 1/8 NPT. They can make them to custom lenght.

Mine are installed in a Jabiru and run from the bottom wingroot diagonally through the baffles to the top outboard of the tank.

Todd is the guy that helped me when I was looking for a solution.

Blue skies,

Carl.

 

[dodsond]

Thanks for the contact. I'll give Todd a call, see what they've got.

The probes in the ACS catalog are of no use to me.

 

[Harkfly]

Hello, I am new to the forum and just got my awesome EMS D-120.

There is a comment made in this thread by dynon suppport that you will be coming out with capacitance to voltage converters for Van's fuel tank plates. Is this still in the works? How long down the road are we looking, months?

Thanks

 

[dynonsupport]

We are still working on them. They should be out in a month or two, we're just testing our first batch of them.

 

[dynonsupport]

And actually, we need people that are basically ready to install them now and can provide fairly short term feedback. If anybody reading this thread is ready to drop one (or a pair) into their RV (with the Van's fuel tank plates installed) and test them, shoot an email to support at dynonavionics dot com with the words "capacitance to voltage beta tester" as the subject.

 

[N941WR]

Any word on when these will become available?

My preference is to go with a Dynon product but I'm running out of time.

 

[dynonsupport]

We have produced a few of them and sent them out to beta testers, so we are close. We're ready to start selling them if all goes well, but it may still be a week or two.

 

[N941WR]

How will these units be powered?

Will they require an "excite field", 12V line from the electrical system, or none of the above? I'm just trying to plan ahead.

Thanks