Here is a video of a neat project I have been working on for my SeaArk. Hopefully I will continue to make good progress to get the controller down to a size that will easily fit inside the switch box.
Making some progress! I’ll put the prototype to use this week fishing in Tybee, GA.
Mark Ingle
1660 SeaArk w/ 50HP Tohatsu
…Engineered to fish!!!
Subscribed! Cool project.
“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”
George Orwell
Field testing notes:
- Add fill tank option (time based, set by user)
- Default timer to On when switch is set to On
- Shorter cycles
- Automatically cut pump Off when underway (some pumps may lose prime)
- Add temperature feature
- Start design for Bluetooth App
Mark Ingle
1660 SeaArk w/ 50HP Tohatsu
…Engineered to fish!!!
Very nice!
1966 13’ Boston Whaler “Flatty”
2018 Sportsman Masters 207
www.eyestrikefishing.com #predatorsstriketheeye
Thanks Optiker!
I finally got the PCB soldered up and working. Next step is to replace the big mosfet. This is the dangerous part since the pump pulls 7AMPS. If the traces on the PCB aren’t big (wide) enough for the 12V supply to the pump…my wifi timer will turn into a cigarette lighter!!!
Mark Ingle
1660 SeaArk w/ 50HP Tohatsu
…Engineered to fish!!!
Why not switch on dash)
quote:
Originally posted by tigweldWhy not switch on dash)
No room for it
Mark Ingle
1660 SeaArk w/ 50HP Tohatsu
…Engineered to fish!!!
Haven’t actually watched any videos, so this might not be relevant, but why don’t you use the controller to switch a relay? That way you don’t deal with the heavy current on the board.
1994 Hewes Redfisher 18
Conchfish 178 build in progress…
quote:
Originally posted by brysonHaven’t actually watched any videos, so this might not be relevant, but why don’t you use the controller to switch a relay? That way you don’t deal with the heavy current on the board.
1994 Hewes Redfisher 18
Conchfish 178 build in progress…
Good idea.
Fishing Nerd
“skilled labor isn’t cheap, cheap labor isn’t skilled”
quote:
Originally posted by brysonHaven’t actually watched any videos, so this might not be relevant, but why don’t you use the controller to switch a relay? That way you don’t deal with the heavy current on the board.
1994 Hewes Redfisher 18
Conchfish 178 build in progress…
Good question! Thats what I started out with on the workbench. But through testing I learned about something called “inductive kickback”. When power is cut off, the magnetic field from the coil in the pump collapses. There is an effect, from physics, that causes current to flow the other way with a HUGE increase in voltage from the force of the collapse. My testing revealed a small voltage of 3.3v to spike up to ~51v!!! Im not sheetin’ you!! I have a picture from my scope that I will post later…Inductive kickback causes the contacts in a mechanical relay to arch which would wear out over time.
You can correct for inductive kickback using a diode on the relay coil and there are some solid state relays (SSR) with built-in diodes. I do not like moving parts in my solutions so I am staying way from mechanical relays. And unfortunately the one SSR that I found to handle 7 AMPs and fit on the PCB was $64 so…the SSR in the video is $3.
The current on the board is handled with 3mm wide traces and its just a pass through…so not a big deal.
Let me know if you have any more questions…
Mark Ingle
1660 SeaArk w/ 50HP Tohatsu
…Engineered to fish!!!
Man dang, it must have turned the coil into a transformer some how with the induction, that’s brutal… with some more research and some trial and error, you’re bound to come out on top!
Fishing Nerd
“skilled labor isn’t cheap, cheap labor isn’t skilled”
quote:
Originally posted by StumpNockerMan dang, it must have turned the coil into a transformer some how with the induction, that’s brutal… with some more research and some trial and error, you’re bound to come out on top!
I was testing against a coil I made using a ferrite ring. The picture shows shows the spike when power was removed. Max voltage spike was between 40v to 53v during the testing.
Mark Ingle
1660 SeaArk w/ 50HP Tohatsu
…Engineered to fish!!!
I decided to place the controller in the bilge so I am working on fitting a case for mounting on the side wall. Heading to Pamilico Sound in a few weeks for some trout and bull drum to field test.
Mark Ingle
1660 SeaArk w/ 50HP Tohatsu
…Engineered to fish!!!
Everything came together well with the install. Having a bus bar will make future additions much easier too. Time to go fishing!!!
Mark Ingle
1660 SeaArk w/ 50HP Tohatsu
…Engineered to fish!!!
Man that’s AWESOME!!
Wadmalaw native
16’ Bentz-Craft Flats Boat