Mine was done with SSS and a yellow head. I am guessing it's possible with NCS expert if you know the right combination of settings in the fsw_psw file.
Any update on this, testing the OBC and showing the real results with dipslay messages?
So m2pc did you get those boards verified? If so, did you get anymore designs finalized?
1999 ///M3 TiAg | Heated Power Vaders | DDM Projector36 5000K 55W HIDs | DDM 3000K 35W HID Fogs
DDM Smoked Corners | DDM Weighted Shift Knob | K&N CAI | Mishimoto AL Rad w/Zionsville AL Shroud
Stewart HiPo Water Pump | Samco Hose Kit | 16" SPAL Puller Fan | Viper 5701LE Security
E36 OBC is now open! Join the effort: BF.C Thread | openOBC Wiki
Very cool, glad to hear you have updates!
I just wish mine would do the speed updates automatically, to get average speed I have to push reset. Otherwise it will stay at the last mph...I have driven 75 on the interstate for over an hour and it will stay at 30mph or the last place I left it unless I press reset
A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a child.
for Zach, Everett, and Lilly
Just curious -- anyone have any schematics on the illumination circuitry in the OBC?
Reason I ask is because I'm starting to notice the three bulbs on the information display fail to come on (or just go out suddenly). When this happens, if I shine a light on the display or ambient light is sufficient, I can see that the display is showing the correct text for the given mode of operation, hence this is strictly a lighting issue and not a problem with the display itself.
Ideas?
E36 DICE MediaBridge BT and iPod support Photo location of the cabrio drain holes. Custom heated seats and lumbar support retrofit. Glovebox charging sockets and cupholders. E36 PDF Schematics UK Aftermarket E36 OBC bulbs Convert rear lights from non check-control to check-control DIY BMW E36 MFSW retrofit pictoral DIY All BMWs UK cheaper source for electrical connectors, Farnell, RS BMW INPA success E46/E39 onwards E36 vert mood lighting DIY BMW E36 puddle light and inner handle illumination DIY. E36 convertible flat bungee tension strap fix DIY BMW E36 PDF manualBMW E36 vert water in motor of tonneau area fix.
+1 on that easy job
A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove. But the world may be different, because I was important in the life of a child.
for Zach, Everett, and Lilly
The bulbs are about $12 a piece from the dealer, so it would be in your interest to test them before you go spending almost $50 on new bulbs.
Link in my sig to the OSRAM part number.
E36 DICE MediaBridge BT and iPod support Photo location of the cabrio drain holes. Custom heated seats and lumbar support retrofit. Glovebox charging sockets and cupholders. E36 PDF Schematics UK Aftermarket E36 OBC bulbs Convert rear lights from non check-control to check-control DIY BMW E36 MFSW retrofit pictoral DIY All BMWs UK cheaper source for electrical connectors, Farnell, RS BMW INPA success E46/E39 onwards E36 vert mood lighting DIY BMW E36 puddle light and inner handle illumination DIY. E36 convertible flat bungee tension strap fix DIY BMW E36 PDF manualBMW E36 vert water in motor of tonneau area fix.
Doug,
I will check my OBC schematics tomorrow and post a diagram if I can find one. Basically the OBC controls the lamps using a MOSFET (transistor) and a series resistor. This is how it matches the OBC brightness to the "brightness" signal coming from the instrument cluster ambient light sensor and the dashboard dimmer knob.
Any of these connections may be failing. If all 3 bulbs are intermittent, then it definitely points to the OBC board, maybe even the ribbon cable (3 wires) that controls the lamps.
Does both the main and clock displays all go on and off together when this happens? If so, it's probably the common terminal failing, as there is a common, then 1 for the main, and another for the "clock" display bulb.
1999 ///M3 TiAg | Heated Power Vaders | DDM Projector36 5000K 55W HIDs | DDM 3000K 35W HID Fogs
DDM Smoked Corners | DDM Weighted Shift Knob | K&N CAI | Mishimoto AL Rad w/Zionsville AL Shroud
Stewart HiPo Water Pump | Samco Hose Kit | 16" SPAL Puller Fan | Viper 5701LE Security
E36 OBC is now open! Join the effort: BF.C Thread | openOBC Wiki
Sorry for not replying sooner...work. Errr.
Thanks for the tip. I figured it was using PWM in some form or another. Like I indicated, this is definitely not an individual bulb issue because all bulbs go out at the same time, but I could see it being something simple like a loose cable or connector between the bulbs and their power source. But based on what you say, the FET could be toast too. Wouldn't be the first time I've seen that, particularly when the FET is operated near the extreme of its specs. And it IS 14 years old, after all. Nothing lasts forever.
I think the annoying thing is going to be testing it because it's an intermittent problem. When it happens, it stays dead sometimes even if I love tap it, but then it will be fine for a week or more. In fact, haven't seen the problem since I posted the original message.
By the way, I recently got the bug to build one of Nelson Pass' Class A home amps (the F5) and that has spawned the purchase of a crapload of bench test gear, desoldering station, etc. so I am ramping up to be able to do more of this kind of development and debugging. If I can help integrate the final articles I'll try, and obviously if I ever do figure out what is wrong with the lighting I'll certainly post it here.
Thanks for all your work on this project. I know how hard it can be to find time to do stuff like this and make a living. Really looking forward to the end result.
Doug,
Is it the _main_ and _clock_ displays that go out together, or does the clock part stay lit? Reason I ask is there are 2 MOSFETS in the OBC main board that control these sections; if they're both going out together, then it's probably the common lead getting an intermittent connection. There's a gray 3-position ribbon cable running from the OBC main PCB to the lamp housing, where it is soldered to thin metal strips that make connection to the actual bulbs. I'm willing to bet it's either a bad solder joint at the PCB junction or where it meets the metal strip.
That F5 amplifier is an intriguing design indeed! Have fun and PM me some details if you want...
Thanks again for the kind words; I'm very close to a final board that I can begin building the software on top of... just need to get the D-Bus interface ironed out so I don't need several RS-232 ports to make it work (my design has only one left for this purpose). I also want to use LIN/ISO9141 Bus Driver ICs instead of discretes, so I can take advantage of their ESD protection and overcurrent shutdown capabilities.
Stay tuned!
Last edited by m2pc; 02-28-2012 at 12:53 AM.
1999 ///M3 TiAg | Heated Power Vaders | DDM Projector36 5000K 55W HIDs | DDM 3000K 35W HID Fogs
DDM Smoked Corners | DDM Weighted Shift Knob | K&N CAI | Mishimoto AL Rad w/Zionsville AL Shroud
Stewart HiPo Water Pump | Samco Hose Kit | 16" SPAL Puller Fan | Viper 5701LE Security
E36 OBC is now open! Join the effort: BF.C Thread | openOBC Wiki
Anything yet. I just read the whole forum post and now I have the worst headache ever.
lol I can build a motor.
I can use a computer..
But I can't build a computer
Bump because I just finished reading through all the pages and I'm super excited to see this work, still super confused by a lot. I'm down for helping with any programming, not very good with hardware though.
Interesting thread. I'm learning lots![IMG]http://www.**********.info/7.jpg[/IMG]
Last edited by Gabel1234; 03-16-2012 at 07:38 AM.
Really helpful thanks
Great help thanks
Last edited by M3 NIKKI; 03-16-2012 at 02:04 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
I have a working 18 button I'll co tribute to the cause. I'm not technically literate as you must be but am EXTREMELY interested in what your doing. Pm your address if you still need one. I'm in ga, but don't have a problem shipping. It's small so... Let me know. Otherwise I'm outing it up for sale.
Guys, I congratulate you and wish you good luck. I see myself as a huge nerd, but I still can't decipher most of the lingo in this thread.
If (When!) this becomes reality, I am sure to build myself one. I would help any way I can but sadly it seems there's little I can do, seeing as I have no money, no parts and no know-how.
You must not give up!
This thread is awesome and reminds me of a project I used to work on (http://code.google.com/p/robotmeter/).
I haven't touched it in over a year now.
If engineering school is still like it was in my day, you have not gotten into the specific EE design courses before your 3rd year. Only basic math, physics, and general engineering courses were offered in my first two years. Things like digital logic and software design came in junior and senior years. I am 25 years past my EE degree and much of this gives me a headache.
Seriously, lots of very good embedded systems design information here for a young engineer if you dig in and study the things that are not clear to you. m2pc has done a better job than many similar efforts to describe what he is doing. I wish I had a project like this back when I was a student to build my skills. In the real world, no one person or book will ever tell you all you need to know to make a design work. You need to do some independent study based on what you don't understand yet, buy some hardware and start experimenting. If you do this, by the time you graduate, you will have a leg up on a lot of your competition.
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