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Engine/Fuel Sensors and Dynon
I am taking over a 750 project that has a Viking 130 installed by Viking. Will the Oil & Gearbox temp sensors and Oil & Fuel Pressure sensors talk to the Dynon Skyview EMS or do I have to replace all with the Dynon sensors?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by R Michael Moore on
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Call Viking directly for a quick and best answer. They monitor this forum about once a week. Alternatively, go to the Viking FB page.
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Permalink Reply by Bob Simmons on
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You need the Dynon sensors. What were they hooked to before?
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Permalink Reply by Greg Kelley on
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Installed to run the Viking EIS. Ran once at Viking to test engine install and EIS hookup. Was wondering if the Dynon EMS could calibrate the output of these so I don't have to spend $316 on 4 new sensors and a couple hours swapping them out. Hoping someone else started out with the stock Viking sensors then switched over to the Dynon EMS and figured out a way to get them talking to each other. Most sensors are just a variable resistive output - not rocket science...
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Your concern isn't really if the sensors will talk to the Dynon. They very likely will. Your primary concern will be getting the sensor wiring to connect properly to the Dynon system. A traditional wiring harness is designed to make the connector on a particular EMS physically hook up to the right sensors on an engine. Viking doesn't publish wiring diagrams, which makes this fairly difficult to assess. But it appears there is no traditional harness for the Viking because the Viking EMS doesn't utilize CHT and EGT, which is the bulk of a typical traditional wiring harness. It appears each wire is fabricated and run by the builder. So you'll likely be faced with splicing the existing wiring to make it physically connect correctly to the DSUB connector on the Dynon system (https://dynonavionics.com/includes/guides/103488-000%20-%20REV%20C%...). That means you'll have to create an entirely new DSUB connector assembly from scratch, or order the cheapest suitable existing wiring harness for the Dynon, and splice the Viking wiring into that.
As for how the sensor readings are interpreted by the Dynon, you're the one who does the EMS calibrating. The Dynon just reads the output from the sensors. You decide what it does with that output by telling it what upper or lower limits you want, what readings prompt what warnings, etc., etc. You have to do that with any engine you install anyway, since a Skyview system doesn't know what engine you may install, or what the readings for that engine should be. It basically comes as a blank slate, and you decide what parameter readings it uses to do what. Only the basic framework is included, like CHT, EGT, oil temp, fuel pressure, and other such common categories. Even the same engine will have different criteria for normal operation or limits when installed on different aircraft, so the Skyview has no predetermined criteria set in stone for any engine, but instead relies on you to tell it what's normal for your particular setup. The only thing you need to worry about as far as compatibility goes is if the sensors use the same method of parameter reporting, such as voltage level, resistance level, connection continuity, etc. I wouldn't think you'd have any issues, but you could ask this question on the Dynon Forums to see if anyone has direct experience with adapting sensor outputs/readings associated with changing from one kind of engine sensor to another. But again, I doubt you'll have issues in this regard. Wiring should be your only challenge here.
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Adam Andrews is a member of this forum. He is installing a full Dynon system with the Viking 195 Turbo Engine. One of Adam's recent YouTube videos includes a bit on fitting the Dynon Sensors. Seemed very straightforward. Adam showed the sensors he purchased and indicated where they fit on the engine etc.
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I know where the 4 sensors are on the engine, my quest is to find out if someone was able to keep the Viking supplied sensors and get them to talk to the Dynon EMS so I don't have to replace them with Dynon specific.
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Permalink Reply by Jan Eggenfellner on
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The Viking sensors will only work with the Viking View, you will need to get the Dynon sensors direct from them and we have a list on our website of the part numbers as well.
It has been attempted many times and doesn't work. A sensor is a very precise and specific piece that is designed for specific circuit boards inside the instrument, they are all a little bit different, and usually it means unreliable data.
-Alissa
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Is it the brand/type, or the range?
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Permalink Reply by geo. keyes, jr. on
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Greg,
More information and the proximity of it seems to drive this 'need' we all (Viking Builders) have to bring engine information into our glass panels. i will follow along with interest!
If successful, you will prolly find a very uniformed CHT across the 4 cylinders being that they are tightly nestled in a single in-line head. As far a cylinder Exhaust Temps, you'll only need one sender.
Other than that, would it not be possible to create a THINGY that takes the output between the VikingView control box to the VV screen and splits (mirrors) the signal? If it is possible, then Viking should offer the dual outputs, but i suspect Jan will fall back on the stance that it will not tell us that much.
Congratulations on your new project!
geo.
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CHT is not used in a water cooled engine. EGT is also useless since the mixture is controlled by the ECU. If a Dynon Skyview EMS is being used there is no need for a thousand dollar VV setup, you send the signals from the sensors directly to the EMS.
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Permalink Reply by Richard Cooley on
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I'm following on this string because I bought Greg Kelley's Zenith 750 with the Viking engine and Dynon Skyview. I love the plane BTW, and have about 120 hours on it now. But I've been having trouble with the oil pressure reading.
Actually, I've been working on it for almost a year. The pressure reading will work fine for a while then go all wonky on me, jumping from 0 to 120 then sometimes to the red X on the oil gauge. Sometimes before I even crank the engine, the reading will be 80 psi or more. I've worked with David (tech support) at Dynon extensively on this, and he has been very helpful, but it is not resolved.
I've replaced the Dynon Klavico sending unit, the D-sub 37 pin connector that feeds the Dynon EMS module, and replaced the EMS module itself, all to no avail. The pressure reading will settle down and work for awhile then go whacky again.
The Klavico sensor comes with a 6.8 ohm resistor, that David at Dynon says is not needed, in that it's already built into the Skyview. But he said to try installing it anyway and see if that settles down the signal. I will also add a physical ground from the sensor to the firewall, so as to not rely totally on the ground wire through the d-dub pin connector.
Does anyone have any ideas on this? I'm not an electronics expert, and I'm running out of ideas.
Thanks, Richard Cooley
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Permalink Reply by Bryan Buxton on
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Sounds like loose electrical connections vibrating? Although all grounds should be the same, you might only connect one of your 2 grounds at a time for initial testing.
Can you disconnect the sensor from the EMS, provide it 5V power, and measure the output voltage yourself while jiggling the harness, etc.?Another possibility: is your sensor mounted directly to the engine or remotely with a hose? I noticed the Viking video shows a direct mount, but Dynon says to remote mount.
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