Command Center background

110 volt, 12 volt, Batteries, Converters and Inverters, Solar
Salty
Posts: 805
Joined: Sat May 12, 2018 1:35 am
Location: Houston

Re: Command Center background

Post by Salty »

@silverloaf I hear ya. I wanted to stay with a little bit of the original. I actually like the tank PCB b/c it's repairable.
The SeeLevel system is good, I considered that myself. I like how the installation instructions tell you not to use spade connectors.
Have you considered an electronic weather center vice the gauges?
Do you want to stay with an analog Ammeter for the battery?
21st century look or more traditional?

I stayed with the analog weather gauges. I replaced the barometer with a more substantial unit. Heavy brass. Very nice. Small but readable. The other two gauges are ebay specials. Much better looking, but not the quality I was looking for. Found a home for the three of them over the microwave.

Today's progress
command center comparison.jpg
EDIT: I came up with the designs, but they panel was cut CNC (switch holes were a little tight and required some minor adjustment on my part) and the graphic was roughed out by me, but massaged by a graphics artist. I'm guilty of the frame.
1987 34V
2000 Ford F250
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
silverloaf
Posts: 763
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 9:01 pm

Re: Command Center background

Post by silverloaf »

Salty wrote: Tue Oct 06, 2020 9:01 pm @silverloaf I hear ya. I wanted to stay with a little bit of the original. I actually like the tank PCB b/c it's repairable.
The SeeLevel system is good, I considered that myself. I like how the installation instructions tell you not to use spade connectors.
Have you considered an electronic weather center vice the gauges?
Do you want to stay with an analog Ammeter for the battery?
21st century look or more traditional?

I stayed with the analog weather gauges. I replaced the barometer with a more substantial unit. Heavy brass. Very nice. Small but readable. The other two gauges are ebay specials. Much better looking, but not the quality I was looking for. Found a home for the three of them over the microwave.

Today's progress
command center comparison.jpg

EDIT: I came up with the designs, but they panel was cut CNC (switch holes were a little tight and required some minor adjustment on my part) and the graphic was roughed out by me, but massaged by a graphics artist. I'm guilty of the frame.
The SeeLevel module is very thin and fits flush against the panel. The hole in the panel is cut out slightly smaller than the module. It's a very clean look.

But all other gauges I have looked at have a rather thick frame, like it's been designed to sit on a table. I'm looking for stuff that has a dashboard appearance.
" Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel.”


Silverloaf (Bob)
Dawsonville, GA
1988 30P
Salty
Posts: 805
Joined: Sat May 12, 2018 1:35 am
Location: Houston

Re: Command Center background

Post by Salty »

@silverloaf Digital or Analog meters?
SVL1.jpg
SVL2.jpg
1987 34V
2000 Ford F250
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
User avatar
Razorback
Moderator
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Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 12:42 am

Re: Command Center background

Post by Razorback »

Hmmmmm. I like both for different reasons.

What's the overall interior of yours like? "Updated" to be more modern-looking, or like mine..... "vintage"?

I love the "vintage" look and feel of ours. With that, I would like the analog meters. Much simpler design. If one meter quits for some reason, they might not all quit.

I guess it just depends....
Razorback (Paul)
1987 Avion 34W
1995 Ford F-250 7.3L PowerStroke
I'm a "whosoever"... are you???
silverloaf
Posts: 763
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 9:01 pm

Re: Command Center background

Post by silverloaf »

Salty wrote: Sat Oct 10, 2020 1:25 am @silverloaf Digital or Analog meters?
SVL1.jpg

SVL2.jpg
Salty -

The interior dimensions of our command center panel is roughly 22" wide x 7" high. It is located above the frig and tilts up from the top. There is much wasted space behind the command center but not really useful for storage.
I suppose it would be nice to have some type of "weather center" for temps, humidity, BP, time, etc. I haven't found one that actually face-mounts to a flat panel. Perhaps I can split the panel, with the weather center on one side and the SeeLevel monitor, ammeter, kill switch, etc. on the other.

I don't want to be filling the panel with just to make it look hi-tech. I'm about function, not doo-dads.
" Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel.”


Silverloaf (Bob)
Dawsonville, GA
1988 30P
Salty
Posts: 805
Joined: Sat May 12, 2018 1:35 am
Location: Houston

Re: Command Center background

Post by Salty »

Mine are the same dimensions. I just threw those up as an idea. I will scale it up if you like. If you find some components that you like I can try to do a graphic for you.

One of the benefits of relocating the command center for me is eliminating that unused space above the existing fridge and making room for a larger one (fridge).

I spent the evening tracing out the Command Center PCB connections - the connectors on the PCB, the 10 pin, 7 pin and 3 pin connectors that attach to the circuit board.

A question for you folks with 80's Avions. On mine, there is a white 15 pin connector that is an intermediate between the command center PCB + Indicator Lights + switches. Are yours like that as well?
Attached is the PCB pin out
PCB pinout.pdf
(27.77 KiB) Downloaded 74 times
1987 34V
2000 Ford F250
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Salty
Posts: 805
Joined: Sat May 12, 2018 1:35 am
Location: Houston

Re: Command Center background

Post by Salty »

Made a correction to the pinout pdf in the previous post.
1987 34V
2000 Ford F250
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
silverloaf
Posts: 763
Joined: Wed Aug 23, 2017 9:01 pm

Re: Command Center background

Post by silverloaf »

Salty wrote: Sun Oct 11, 2020 9:36 pm Mine are the same dimensions. I just threw those up as an idea. I will scale it up if you like. If you find some components that you like I can try to do a graphic for you.

One of the benefits of relocating the command center for me is eliminating that unused space above the existing fridge and making room for a larger one (fridge).

I spent the evening tracing out the Command Center PCB connections - the connectors on the PCB, the 10 pin, 7 pin and 3 pin connectors that attach to the circuit board.

A question for you folks with 80's Avions. On mine, there is a white 15 pin connector that is an intermediate between the command center PCB + Indicator Lights + switches. Are yours like that as well?
Attached is the PCB pin out
PCB pinout.pdf
Thanks, Salty. Frankly, this hasn't been a priority. I won't have good place to work on our trailer until our house is built. We have been dealing with an unusual wet summer in GA, so construction has been agonizingly slow. I'll be in touch, my friend.
" Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel.”


Silverloaf (Bob)
Dawsonville, GA
1988 30P
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