Misc Temp Probe/Data Logging Tools - Temp - Pressure

[suprarx7nut]

Hey guys, I'm interested if anyone has recommendations for reasonably priced sensors and/or logging systems for temperature and pressure. I work with and am familiar with industrial measurement instruments, but I'm not familiar with anything in the ballpark of what an amateur would spend to do some extracurricular research. I don't have a specific budget in mind, but I don't want to spend more than a few hundred.

I want to do some testing in the engine bay of some of the following (only one or two measurements at a time is fine):

Intake Temp at/outside filter
Intake Temp before intercooler
Intake Temp after intercooler
Pressure in intake in a few different locations

At a minimum I'd be able to monitor temp or pressure from inside the cabin with no data-logging ability and looking at one measurement at a time.
Ideally I'd be able to data log a few parameters at once.

Does anyone have any recommendations that won't break the bank? There seem to be a lot of options above $1000, but I'm not ready for that kind of investment on a "curiosity-based" project.

Thanks all!

 

[jetjock]

Lots of stuff out there. Back in the day I liked DATAQ. Some of their low cost offerings:

http://www.dataq.com/data-acquisition/starter-kits/

Try and get get something that does differential for the intercooler efficiency. Simpler to deal with than two measurements, especially when monitoring.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Lots of stuff out there. Back in the day I liked DATAQ. Some of their low cost offerings:

http://www.dataq.com/data-acquisition/starter-kits/

Try and get get something that does differential for the intercooler efficiency. Simpler to deal with than two measurements, especially when monitoring.

JJ, that's awesome, thanks! I hadn't found anything even close to that price range otherwise.

The sensors, however still confuse me. I was hoping to use a passive sensor, but it appears the sensor needs to be amplified and feedback an active 0-10V signal to the logger. This seems to complicate everything. I guess something like this would work if I supplied 5V and figured out the resultant temp scaling.

http://www.bmotorsports.com/shop/pr...SsJANxG-_fSjlTuCFmlA-lrNSvcHWnm0PwxoCJVzw_wcB

For pressure, boost sending units seem to all be 0-5V so I could use one from my current boost gauge and another from another boost gauge. The pressure sending units all seem to be over $50 so I might as well buy the whole gauge set up.

With a couple temp sensors and a couple pressure sensors I should stay under $350 or so including a new gauge. I think I can work with that.

I'm hoping to get some solid numbers on factory intercooler efficiency and then compare it to whatever aftermarket unit I end up with. It's always bothered me how lacking the aftermarket world seems to be regarding intercooler info. Ideally I'd get my hands on a real spearco and a spearco replica from ebay or something and see how they compare. It'd also be neat to compare pressure drops from just post turbo to throttle body with different piping diameters.

Am I missing anything obvious using a 0-5V output misc gauge? The datalogging oriented sensors seem to be 3-5x the cost of a standard auto AIT or pressure sensor.

 

[jetjock]

Yeah, you could use the stock boost sensors. Should be able to find 'em cheap on ebay or a junk yard. Motorola pressure transducers from Mouser/Digikey, et al will also work. The DATAQ software allow for input scaling and all their loggers I worked with have integral supplies for powering sensors. Again, differential stuff is good since I'm guessing you don't want a pressure measurement as much as you want to know the delta between two of them.