Custom guages

[CCurran88]

Ok, it started out as a joking comment, but the more I think about it, the more I want one. I'm a nerd. The desire to have a school bus build really comes down to "it's the only chance I'll ever have to custom-design my own space-ship," which gets a lot of eye-rolling from my kids. Mr. Worf informs me "Captain, incoming message!" when I get a text. Really. Definately a nerd. So - where can I find a custom guage? I'm thinking I'd like one that shows warp-drive capacity or phaser-bank levels. I want a working guage. I'll attach it to my secondary fuel tank. I'm willing to forgo the targeting array. That might be too tacky.

[wunderhut]

A true nerd is gonna DIY one using maybe an arduino and a little oled screen. You can also DIY a capacitive liquid level sensor.
Or you can get really fancy and run AGL (automotive grade linux) on a RPi.

[cadillackid]

build it baby build it!!! while others here are trying to avoid computers like the plague.. im ADDING them to my bus.. !

im working on some iudeas to glassify the cockpit as much as i can. so I say do like wunderhut suggested build a circuit with an arduino or a beaglebone.. if you want nice linux and touchscreens go raspberry pi 3.

the sky is the limit and a aschool bus is the PERFECT place for Uber-GeekDom to shine!!

-Christopher

[mysty]

My kind of people! I think you should definitely do it, and then explain how you did so we can copy you.

[Tango]

Heck...even when they explain it I am STILL lost. I did not inherit the Geek gene.

[CCurran88]

Neither did I - so I'm going to hope I can find this wonderful guage out there somewhere. Surely there are far more tech-savvy nerds than I. I would think, even, that it had already been done. I just have to find it. And then convince my husband that the guage(s) would be truly awesome installed in the console. This may be hard, as he was rather embarrassed by the Vulcan Science Academy banner in the rear window of my Chevy Nova hatchback.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

build it baby build it!!! while others here are trying to avoid computers like the plague.. im ADDING them to my bus.. !

im working on some iudeas to glassify the cockpit as much as i can. so I say do like wunderhut suggested build a circuit with an arduino or a beaglebone.. if you want nice linux and touchscreens go raspberry pi 3.

the sky is the limit and a aschool bus is the PERFECT place for Uber-GeekDom to shine!!

-Christopher

I'd love for my analog gauges to work, but they're famous for NOT working.
Maybe you can help me out sometime next year putting in the kind of display you have in your buses??
I've gotta undercoat your bus, too, don't forget!

[Iceni John]

I know it's fun to think about the "Fun Gauges", but the first priority should always be to have sufficient reliable accurate engine and transmission gauges so you won't get any rude surprises when driving. Only after you've got a full complement of useful trustworthy gauges should you then get the silly ones.

I finally got my basic eleven gauges in the front and another nine in the engine room all working well, so now it's time for me to have some fun! The radio is worthless, and I really don't want anything to block out the noises of the bus while driving, so it's going to go. In its place I'll have a VDO clock and a VDO outside air temperature gauge, and in the space for a third gauge will be a Ritchey X-21 compass. Nothing beats not getting lost! I've got another small space for something else, and I was thinking of an altimeter. Some eBay sellers in Ukraine and Bulgaria sell old Russian altimeters - I don't mind their Cyrillic lettering, but they're all graduated in meters so that's not so useful here in the land of feet and furkins. I saw a good looking one from some Yakovlev or Antonov transport aircraft, but it's only for cabin air pressure, not exactly what I want. A Mach meter would also be fun, but cruising at Mach 0.09 just isn't very impressive.

John