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Release the geek....

A project log for CamperCycle

A rather large project that spans multiple disciplines. Despite of a chronic illness that leaves me fatigued a lot of the time.

timescaleTimescale 03/17/2024 at 21:340 Comments

Seeing how the battery and inverter are heavy, why not give them more function apart from feeding the drive train..... is the excuse I use to let loose feature creep and throw everything but the kitchen sink at this projects (although adding a sink to a tiny kitchennette to it).

What could I go with that power.... Here are the features I plan to implement in the order from sensible to silly:

- Main front and read lights.
- Indicator lights.
- A Horn.
- Internal lighting.
- Internal charging points.
- Fans.
- A rear facing camera.
- Proximity sensors.
- Odo meter.
- Music and or a radio.
- GPS and navigation.
- WIFI.
- Internal and external temp and humidity sensors.
- Alarm system.
... This list will not remain static.

So basically I'm talking adding computers. This is a part of the project I can work on most days even if I have trouble walking or lifting. What I ended up with and what I am testing now is the core system and writing the software for it.

- The main computer will be a Raspberry Pi 4 4GB.
- The controller will be an Arduino mega with a GPS shield and various sensors and relays attached. The Arduino will communicate with the RPi over serial for sending commands and receiving data and status
- As a main console I'll use a iPad mini with a webapplication that runs off of the RPi
- For the quick control panel an old iPhone 6 is used with its own webapp.
- Powered USB hubs go into the console, in the battery compartment and in the back storage compartment.
- The system, apart from the e-bike stuff which will be 24v, 36v or 48v, most power will be distributed as 12v. At certain location like the console it can ben boosted down to 3.3v and 5v.
- Of course there must be a PV panel on the roof with at least 100 WH, but preferably 140.

The only system I contemplated but are probably not going to add is regenerative breaking. It would add cost and complexity to the drive train and that part is difficult enough as it stands..

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