Vendors Corner > Tim's Universal Timers

Tim's Universal Timer

(1/4) > >>

Tim Wescott:
Now that Howard Rush has flown at the Nationals and gotten some good out of the first Tim's Universal Timer, it seems like it's time to throw the door open further and start discussing things publicly.

The TUT is still very young, but it's time to start selling it.  For those of you who are willing to trade being on the bleeding edge of technology for the utility and flexibility that the TUT offers, you can come here to ask questions, get answers, and see what other people are thinking about the TUT.

As time permits I'll be posting information about what the TUT is capable of, who may benefit from using it, and details about how particular installations may be undertaken.

Dane Martin:
so, as far as the name, is the TUT as the name implies to be used as a timer for electric esc's? can we see a pic?

Tim Wescott:
I think most of the people who use it will be flying electric, but it has some utility in the IC engine world.  I know that Dave Trible was interested in using it as an engine cutoff.  With the addition of a crank sensor it can sense the engine speed, so in theory you could set up a twin-engined ship to cut off the remaining engine when one engine cut out (or you could just use big tanks, and cut both engines on a timer).

I've been so deep in getting it working, I don't have any good pictures!  I'll rectify that situation.

Tim Wescott:
Here are the timers.

The one on the right is the cut-down one that Howard Rush is taking to the Worlds.  I'm calling it the TUT-HR.  He's actually running this timer in cascade with an Igor Burger timer: during most of the pattern the TUT just repeats what the Burger timer says, but during takeoff and landing the TUT takes over and gives Howard some special sequencing.  At the same time, the TUT is driving some indicator lights for Howard to let him know when the TUT is in charge, and to help him place the motor cutoff event exactly where he wants it to be.

The TUT-HR has a gyroscope, which allows it to sense a cutoff loop -- so you don't have to leave cutoff loops behind when you go electric.  With the current set of TUT sequences, the TUT uses the cutoff loop to initiate a sequence where it continues to fly for some (adjustable) fraction of a lap at high throttle, then it cuts the throttle.

The bigger one on the left the "original" TUT. In addition to everything the TUT-HR has, the TUT has an accelerometer and some memory.  It will record accelerations, rotation rates, and, if properly set up, motor speed during a flight.  This data can then be downloaded to a computer afterward for analysis.  It's still in the experimental stage -- it takes about as long to download a flight's worth of data as it does to fly, and its up to the user to figure out what to do with the data once its on their computer.

David_Stack:
Good Morning Tim;

  Familiar with this particular chip?  Something to incorporate into the TUT perhaps (assuming you are not already using it)?

  http://www.engadget.com/2014/08/20/tiny-accelerometer-adds-motion-detection-to-clothes-and-cheap-ph/?ncid=rss_truncated

r/
Dave

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page