DragStuff

Was working on wiring this weekend on the Nova and finished up the transbrake circuit. Went to test it and everything worked fine but I blew out my LED reverse lights. Apparently somebody (me) forgot about inductive flyback on a large solenoid. On the old setup, the incandescent bulbs served as a dump circuit to bleed the voltage down when the circuit was released, but the new one having nothing there to dump the voltage spike was just too much for the LEDs to handle.

Crap. $32 worth of LEDs down the drain. So, had to order another set of LED's. I'm putting in a dump circuit this time around using a NTE5817HC rectifier diode.

LOL! I really don't mean to laugh. I know it's something you warn't expecting. It just reminds me of my car and the unexpected! Although mine runs through the delay box and doesn't have that issue. Got love the stuff!!!!!

Nope, didn't even think of that one although I was aware of the issue. Always something... Of course now this has triggered all kinds of research into ways to shorten the coil release time.

Now I know why I didn't want to get into all that fancy electronic stuff, makes your head hurt to much

Heck my head was hurting way to much over my shifter issue, I don't want to find out how bad it would be hurting if I had to worry about installing diodes or coil release times........

One big question, does the starter work?

Yeah, the starter and bump buttons all work. Wrapping up the data logger cables now, getting close to finishing the wiring - well as close as I can get until I get carpet in it.

John, I didn't get to talk to my electronics guy about the zener diodes yet. Won't see him until Monday since he's off work the rest of the week.

I'm seeing wires in my sleep the last couple of nights. But I'll have the data logger finished today and the nitrous was finished up yesterday. The new panel under the seat turned out pretty good. Not as neat as some I've seen but its a big step up from what I had.

Hopefully if I had any RF issues with the progressive controller, moving it 3 ft from the coil and MSD will take care of it. Sure hope my top end surge is gone now. If not, maybe the data logger will clue me in on what's going on.

I've got a handful of different diodes already on their way, but I'm not certain I've spec'd the correct ones. Would be good to hear what he's got to say. Now that I've gotten so deep into this, I'm wishing I had an oscilloscope to test this stuff with to see how well it's working.

I've been on wiring so long, it's really going to be nice to work on something else for a change.

I now where a Fluke oscilloscope is just sitting in a box not doing anything....but my work might not understand why I sent it out to you.

If you want to drive up here to PA I'll let you borrow it

I actually have a very old analog scope, but it doesn't have any storage capability for capturing events. I did find a little cheap scope called a DSO Nano which looks VERY interesting. I might have to buy me one of them.

Maybe my guy could do some testing for us if we can come up with a spare transbrake solenoid. He's got a scope on his bench at work. He probably has one at home too knowing him.

Hmm, don't have any spares of that. I'd actually like to test it in circuit with all the other wiring in place.

Jeez you guys all have some fancy shit on your cars.

Hitchcock wrote:Jeez you guys all have some fancy shit on your cars.

I'm planning on installing an electron microscope in mine.

Oh yeah, and I found a surplus WWII Norden Bombsite but I haven't figured out just where to mount it.