**Reproduction Circuit Boards** Look at!

[CRE1992 135]

Okay guys so I recently picked up a tractor that has a faulty circuit board. I don't have the time to tear it apart and re-solder the broken connections and or traces. However I took micro electronics in high school, and my teacher was a electronics guru (I am only 20). He has a masters in micro electronics and vocational teaching (if i remember correctly) and is currently going for doctorate and I have been in contact with him. He has a business that builds robots as well as circuit boards. I expressed my need for a new circuit board and I believe they are now NLA from toro as well as being very expensive if you can find them. I told him there might be a demand or need for these circuit boards at a reasonable price. However I have to get a circuit board to him to be reproduced. I would like to find out how many people would be interested in a new circuit board for their tractors at reasonable cost from anywhere between $45-85 a board. He said he would let me know cost figures as the price could go down with a lot of orders. If anyone has a faulty circuit board they would be interested in donating to this cause please let me know. The one I have is currently faulty, however the tractor I picked up as quite a few electrical problems and half of the board is actually working.

If you have an interest in a new circuit board please post it on here and or respond on the poll so I can get a count of how many boards we would be looking at reproducing.

-Charles

[meadowfield 2,545]

Which circuit board? WH r/r or Toro 5xx /31x style indicator one?

I already have reproductions of the old transformer r/r PCB's and the newer type.

mark

[CRE1992 135]

Which circuit board? WH r/r or Toro 5xx /31x style indicator one?

I already have reproductions of the old transformer r/r PCB's and the newer type.

mark

I am pretty sure he can reproduce any boards that wheel horses have had. The one I am referring to is the one that is on the 418A that I picked up this weekend. How much do you charge for them? And you are also pretty far away! lol

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,034]

I think that most guys really almost "expect" them not to work or be reliable. I would be willing to pay no more than $25-$30 for a new one. That is just me. Others may be willing to pay more to have the indicator lights working. Good luck-

[varosd 1,185]

all the lights are working on my 520 but who knows in the future and previous posts by Chuck (SOI) revealed not the best technology, in the old circut boards, compared to what can done nowadays!

[CRE1992 135]

I pmed SOI, I'm awaiting his response.

[CRE1992 135]

I think that most guys really almost "expect" them not to work or be reliable. I would be willing to pay no more than $25-$30 for a new one. That is just me. Others may be willing to pay more to have the indicator lights working. Good luck-

Well Steve we are going to try and keep costs down, and possibly reduce the chip side to some extent. I have no idea of what it is going to cost. I am sure SOI and I can collaborate and come up with one since technology has come along way since the mid 80s.

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

Charles, I called out to you several times on chat yesterday but must have missed you.

The $15 - $20 price area Steve mentioned is about what you would invest in parts and circuit board material. None of the items used to build the board are expensive or difficult to find. Repair of the owner's original board for $25 may be a more attractive alternative. The boards I have have rebuilt have all been corroded connections or traces on the circuit board itself. The largest investment I made was in a bright work light and a magnifying glass to find all the defects in the broken traces. I did start some work on a fixture to repair and test these boards as I have received a few emails from folks looking to get their board repaired. Hopefully I can accommodate them.

I would love to see someone take on the construct of replacement boards. Newer surface mount technology could probably put the whole board inside an enclosure the size of a matchbox. But then what about the edge connector? How do you fab the smaller pcb into the tractor's electrical connector and then wire indicator lights off the smaller pcb enclosure? Lots of choices to think about. Especially if you intend to recoup any money invested in the venture.

You should also consider the earlier post I made for the 416 indicator is different than the 300 series indicator board. They do not appear to be interchangeable.

I did post more photos over at SOI U.

I'll be happy to help you in anyway possible. Consider this as a possible alternative to the indicator board.

Getting rid of that wacky maintenance decal on the hood of a 400 series in favor of a digital dashboard is a future project I have planned. Just wayyyyyy to much going on at work and home right now for any serious experimentation. Mention the phrase "Arduino UNO" to your instructor, show him the above picture and I'm sure for $40 and a little programming, you would have a 21st century digital dashboard for the 418. Put on a few LED light bars under the floor boards and you have a WH chick magnet !!

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

not the best technology, in the old circut boards, compared to what can done nowadays!

If they had only dipped the entire circuit board in conformal coating instead of "painting" it on the front of the board, then none of this might have happened

[Foozerush 40]

I would love to have a digital dash for my 416-8... Especially the RPM's.... I personally would spend 40-50 for that add-on.....

[CRE1992 135]

Charles, I called out to you several times on chat yesterday but must have missed you.

The $15 - $20 price area Steve mentioned is about what you would invest in parts and circuit board material. None of the items used to build the board are expensive or difficult to find. Repair of the owner's original board for $25 may be a more attractive alternative. The boards I have have rebuilt have all been corroded connections or traces on the circuit board itself. The largest investment I made was in a bright work light and a magnifying glass to find all the defects in the broken traces. I did start some work on a fixture to repair and test these boards as I have received a few emails from folks looking to get their board repaired. Hopefully I can accommodate them.

I would love to see someone take on the construct of replacement boards. Newer surface mount technology could probably put the whole board inside an enclosure the size of a matchbox. But then what about the edge connector? How do you fab the smaller pcb into the tractor's electrical connector and then wire indicator lights off the smaller pcb enclosure? Lots of choices to think about. Especially if you intend to recoup any money invested in the venture.

You should also consider the earlier post I made for the 416 indicator is different than the 300 series indicator board. They do not appear to be interchangeable.

I did post more photos over at SOI U.

I'll be happy to help you in anyway possible. Consider this as a possible alternative to the indicator board.

Getting rid of that wacky maintenance decal on the hood of a 400 series in favor of a digital dashboard is a future project I have planned. Just wayyyyyy to much going on at work and home right now for any serious experimentation. Mention the phrase "Arduino UNO" to your instructor, show him the above picture and I'm sure for $40 and a little programming, you would have a 21st century digital dashboard for the 418. Put on a few LED light bars under the floor boards and you have a WH chick magnet !!

I for one would be interested in a little monitor like that. Though I am having a hard time trying to figure out how you would be able to get it to measure MPH, as well as RPM, and whether or not the brake is on. I would be interested in learning more about this.

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

Speed is fairly easy. A plexiglass disc fastened to the rear wheel hub has drilled holes about 1/16 in diameter spaced equally around the rim of the disc. Embedded into each hole in the disc is a strong rare earth magnet. Attached to the axle housing is a small magnetic hall sensor that picks up each passing magnet as the disc rotates with the wheel. The UNO micro computer calculates the time between each magnetic pulses and converts the timing to MPH. Lots of math, but all easy steps.

RPM is a little more challenging but the same principle - number of pulses counted over a period of time. A wire "antenna" is wrapped around the spark plug wire and leads off to a circuit that takes the pulses from the spark and directs them to a counter in the UNO. You may only measure for half a second, count 30 pulses and convert that from pulses per second to pulses (or camshaft revolutions) per minute. All turns out well with the appropriate math.

Voltage is a no brainer - onboard voltage measuring capability of the UNO takes a direct voltage measurement and displays it.

Current is measured across a small shunt circuit board substituted for the ammeter. Another no brainer.

All the safety switches are really just logic levels - 12 volts when the switch closes = Brake ON , the same switch when opened drops the voltage to zero - so UNO sees that and interprets 0 and 12 volts to on and off status. Easy Easy.

The lift level is done with a flex sensor off the body of the cutting deck. The more the sensor is flexed (bent) the higher the deck. I'm not happy with that method but it does prove the deck height can be measured.

Other easy options would be live exhaust temp via a thermocouple, engine oil temperature, transmission hydro oil temp, fly by wire throttle (no cable from dash to carb) just a servo on the carb. While you are there, slap another servo on the high speed main jet and you have adjustable carb mixtures on the fly. Oh, don't forget remote start too on those cold winter mornings.

Look up "Arduino" on Google. Check out all the inexpensive add on circuits and displays and you will be amazed at how easy it is to accomplish this project. The programming of the micro controller is the only part that requires some effort. Once you have the programming done, the hardware is all plug and play.

[coldone 35]

Instead of the plexi and magnets, how about a optical unit counting light and dark? That should work on the tach too.

[dsholler 54]

...

Other easy options would be live exhaust temp via a thermocouple, transmission hydro oil temp, fly by wire throttle (no cable from dash to carb) just a servo on the carb. While you are there, slap another servo on the high speed main jet and you have adjustable carb mixtures on the fly. Oh, don't forget remote start too on those cold winter mornings.

....

The idea of remote start on the tractor just cracks me up! Could you program a servo on the steering linkage to steer by wire? If you can do that, then all you need is a GPS and an accurate map of your property... a little bit of programming and the lawn can cut itself! :)

[Guest skinner]

Look up "Arduino" on Google. Check out all the inexpensive add on circuits and displays and you will be amazed at how easy it is to accomplish this project. The programming of the micro controller is the only part that requires some effort. Once you have the programming done, the hardware is all plug and play.

Chuck I'm surprised to see the word Arduino pop up here - what a coincidence. I am learning to use these at work. I have one of these UNO boards right now on my desk. I'm mainly a Python and Fortran guy (gotta love Linux!). Looks like the code for these is more C like so I have a bit to learn before I can write anything useful. Got any more of these setups for your tractor to show us? This is really cool. I wonder if you could plug in an exhaust gas temp slot to monitor as well. What about a simple fuel injection loop?!

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

http://www.ladyada.net/learn/sensors/thermocouple.html

[Save Old Iron 1,563]

Instead of the plexi and magnets, how about a optical unit counting light and dark? That should work on the tach too.

I thought the the opto unit might get confused looking thru holes filled with dirt or grass, etc and compromise the function. Magnets can see thru dirt and grime.

[armstrrw 15]

I am most certainly interested in either having a reliable repair service or replacement pc boards available for my WH tractors. All three have the lighted test panels on the dash. They include a 520-H, a 314-8, and a 312-8. The 312 is presently running me ragged in trying to resolve its "test lights on" problem.

Bob

[tom hart 0]

I have a 87 wheel horse 312-8 . How much for a PC board . Text or call 765-649-6289

[GoBucks 4]

I have a 416-8 and the PC board is shot. Did anyone come across a way to repair or replace them?

[dcrage 621]

Search posts made by "Save Old Iron". He did a series on rehabbing these circuit boards. 

[JUSS10 250]

Fun topic! I've built a ton of my own PCBs that run an ATmega chip core (same as the arduino) with all surface mount components. By integrating the micro controller straight on the board, you can save a ton of space and don't have to attach a whole arduino uno or similar to it. There are also a lot of cheap board shops out there now too. I go through one that only charges $1.66 a square inch with free shipping and you get it in 2 weeks. Its just crazy!

 

I'm working on the idea of a dash unit for some of my vintage motorcycles that will have speed, tach, signals and a few other things on a screen. GPS units are pretty cheap these days as well so you could just attach one of those to the micro if you were really concerned about speed. Takes out any moving components which would be nice.