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Offline LukeZ

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New Smoker Functinality
« on: September 03, 2019, 10:56:31 PM »
I've just posted a new firmware update to the TCB and OP Config (v0.93.60) that adds some new functionality to the smoker. On the Motors tab of OP Config you will now see a smoker Type selection. The default selection is Combined Heat & Fan which is the same as before, to be used with stock Heng Long/Taigen smokers, but there is now a new option called Separate Heat & Fan.

This new option is for those who wish to control the fan and heating element independently. Under this arrangement the heating element will be plugged into the SMOKER output on the TCB (and will receive full battery voltage). The fan should then be plugged into the AUX output which the TCB will reserve for its use (manual aux control functions will be disabled when you select separate heat and fan). One limitation of the AUX output is that it only provides 5 volts so you should select a suitable fan (but there are many 5v case fans available online).

The Experimental smoker type is for my own testing and you should not use it, it will do nothing. It will be removed in a later release.

When the separate type is selected you will see additional options for setting the heating element level at idle, fast idle, and max throttle speeds. Most will probably want the heating element on at 100% for all throttle speeds but the ability is there to adjust it if you want.

is also an additional option called Preheat time which becomes available that will allow you to specify a length of time in seconds that the heating element should be powered before the tank engine is started. Set this option to 0 to disable preheating or if you don't want an engine start delay. Otherwise if a preheat time is specified, when you start the engine with whatever trigger you have assigned to that function, the heating element will immediately be turned on to full power (battery voltage) and an optional pre-heat sound will be played as a notification (User Sound 2 if using the Benedini TBS Mini or "preheat.wav" if using the Open Panzer sound card). After that length of time has passed, the engine will automatically start and the smoker fan will then turn on.

Some users have also requested the ability to have "inverse" smoker output, such that more smoke is generated at idle and less at full throttle. To accomplish this simply set the Idle speed to some percentage higher than Max speed, for example you might have Idle = 90%, Fast Idle = 100% and Max = 50% or something along those lines.

I hope some find this useful. As always, let me know if you have any questions.
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Offline Rad_Schuhart

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Re: New Smoker Functinality
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2019, 08:01:45 AM »


I hope some find this useful. As always, let me know if you have any questions.

It is indeed useful. Thanks for keeping adding more and more things.


And now I know I have to find/make a sound that fits that preheat.wav, lol.

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Offline LukeZ

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Re: New Smoker Functinality
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2019, 10:59:21 AM »
Someone else had the idea of something like "Roll out!" or the like. I probably would have just made it a beep or something, since it only needs to notify the user that they have indeed started the engine even though nothing is happening yet. But that shows how uncreative I am. You will be the perfect person to come up with something fitting!
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Offline Snipah

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Re: New Smoker Functinality
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2019, 11:19:56 PM »
Agreed very interesting and useful.

I have a sabot_up.wav somewhere and am pretty sure Smoke_up.wav is with it :-)

Thanks also for the continuing improvements you have been releasing. Much appreciated!


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Offline Rad_Schuhart

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Re: New Smoker Functinality
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2019, 02:13:06 PM »
I dont know if the feature is already there, but can we control the smoke with a pot? I mean in a proportional way, the more the more you turn the pot, the more the smoke.

I am saying this because I had some problems when extensive using smoke units. With the On-Off way, alfter a while running sometimes is either too much smoke, or too little. Also the smoke fluid evaporates and sometimes I need to adjust the voltage to keep the equilibrium between puffing smoke and not burning the element, so a pot would be the ideal for that purpose.

In this case is just an idea, not an official request. I do this in some other units with a cheap chinese ESC and works good.

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Offline LukeZ

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Re: New Smoker Functinality
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2019, 02:48:24 PM »
I dont know if the feature is already there, but can we control the smoke with a pot? I mean in a proportional way, the more the more you turn the pot, the more the smoke.
Yes, this is possible if you set the Control to "Manual (with function triggers)" in the Smoker section on the Motors tab of OP Config. Then assign the "Smoker - Manual Speed" function to your pot channel.

Of course as the name implies, you will have to adjust the speed manually - the smoker will not respond to throttle commands, it will only respond to you turning the pot. But I think this must be the same method as when you use a speed control.
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Offline Rad_Schuhart

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Re: New Smoker Functinality
« Reply #6 on: October 15, 2019, 03:02:00 PM »
I dont know if the feature is already there, but can we control the smoke with a pot? I mean in a proportional way, the more the more you turn the pot, the more the smoke.
Yes, this is possible if you set the Control to "Manual (with function triggers)" in the Smoker section on the Motors tab of OP Config. Then assign the "Smoker - Manual Speed" function to your pot channel.

Of course as the name implies, you will have to adjust the speed manually - the smoker will not respond to throttle commands, it will only respond to you turning the pot. But I think this must be the same method as when you use a speed control.

Perfect, that was my idea. I will test it soon.

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Offline Rad_Schuhart

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Re: New Smoker Functinality
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2019, 10:47:23 AM »
I dont know if the feature is already there, but can we control the smoke with a pot? I mean in a proportional way, the more the more you turn the pot, the more the smoke.
Yes, this is possible if you set the Control to "Manual (with function triggers)" in the Smoker section on the Motors tab of OP Config. Then assign the "Smoker - Manual Speed" function to your pot channel.

Of course as the name implies, you will have to adjust the speed manually - the smoker will not respond to throttle commands, it will only respond to you turning the pot. But I think this must be the same method as when you use a speed control.

Tested and works like a charm. This is very very usefull. Thanks!