Engine dyno throttle control

[Tony]

Just wondering what other teams, with engine dynos, are using to control their throttles remotely from the "control bench" if you will.

I know that there are controllers out there specifically designed for this purpose but they seem pretty expensive for such a simple task.

Anyone fashioned some kind of home made setup? I was thinking about a cruise control actuator and some circuitry but if anyone has something better I'd like to hear about it?

Thanks
Tony Do
Kettering FSAE

[Ryan Schoffer]

i just sit in the car, and use the TP% reading on the laptop for the part throttle mapping

[DJHache]

Instead of hooking up the cable to the foot pedal, we hook it up to a lever and that's it. We use the computer's tp reading.

[JConway-UofManitoba]

generally, pure manual setup, someone cracking the throttle or a lever.

JPC

[Kirk Feldkamp]

We have a push-pull cable that attaches to a hand lever. Unless you have the time to do the control system, I'd say just use a cable and you'll be just fine. Most of the "throttling" you do on the dyno happens with the changing the load on the motor anyway.

-Kirk
UC Berkeley

[boss451t]

We have a set-up with a hydraulic lever actuated system. One end is by the controls with a hand lever and the other end pulls the throttle cable. We are separated from the dyno with a wall and viewing window so we needed something to translate motion from about 15 feet away. Push pull cables will work better if you have one long enough or can set-up closer to the engine. Push-pull cables can be found on boats anywhere from 10 feet and longer. Check a junk yard if there is one by.

[Jarrod]

we had a rotary pot in the control room hooked up to a remote control plane/car/whatever servo. Worked alright until it all got a bit worn out, then it would start doing crazy stuff, so we put a cable on it.