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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: Dreamscape on April 20, 2009, 04:38:01 AM

Title: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dreamscape on April 20, 2009, 04:38:01 AM
OK guys here's the deal. I've done a search on the subject, checked the siemens/vdo website and I have some questions.

I have a VDO Tach, 4,000 rpm ( I know Dallas  ;D ), it has a potentiometer, no dip switches, one terminal W/S1, other is ground, ( I got that one figured out ). Their website does explain to some degree how to hook it up. I assume that I hook a wire to the "R" terminal on my 50 DN and the other to the W/S1 terminal. My question is this, is a sender used? I could not find any information on that. What size wire is used? Do I need to hook up a diode? I have a 12 volt system.

I'll also secure a photo tach to set it up, Dallas did teach me something! ::)

Just want to make sure all my ducks are in a row and not scattered!

Please be gentle,  ;)

~Paul~
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: JackConrad on April 20, 2009, 04:48:52 AM
Quote from: Dreamscape on April 20, 2009, 04:38:01 AM
OK guys here's the deal. I've done a search on the subject, checked the siemens/vdo website and I have some questions.
I have a VDO Tach, 4,000 rpm ( I know Dallas  ;D ), it has a potentiometer, no dip switches, one terminal W/S1, other is ground, ( I got that one figured out ). Their website does explain to some degree how to hook it up. I assume that I hook a wire to the "R" terminal on my 50 DN and the other to the W/S1 terminal. My question is this, is a sender used? I could not find any information on that. What size wire is used? Do I need to hook up a diode?
I'll also secure a photo tach to set it up, Dallas did teach me something! ::)
Just want to make sure all my ducks are in a row and not scattered!
Please be gentle,  ;)
~Paul~

Paul,
  We have a Datcon 3000 RPM tach on our bus that is connected to the R terminal of our alternator.  When we installed the new 24 volt air cooled, belt driven "truck type" alternator, I had to re-calibrate the tach (different drive ratio). The wire from the R terminal on our  alternator goes directly to the S terminal on the tach (no diodes). My Datcon tach requires a small ( I think 5/32") allen wrench to adjust the potentiometer.  My old gear driven alternator was a 12 pole (6 pulses per revolution) with a final ration of 2.77:1. The new alternator was also 12 pole with a final drive ration of 2:1. It took very little change in the potentiometer to adjust.  I was told by the tech at Precision Speed Instruments to adjust at full RPM for a more accurate setting.  our tach is not VDO,but I hope this will help.  Jack
PS: on the back of our tach, there is also a small knob that can be set to 4, 6, or 8. Ours was set at 4.
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: RTS/Daytona on April 20, 2009, 05:40:19 AM
 For  -MOST-  Detroit Diesel Delco gear driven 50DN  270 Amp 24 volt alternators "R" Terminal hookup

<>         The "R" terminal output is 12 volt -
<>         Most 6V92 / 8V92-->(2.94 (53/18) gears & 6 pulses per rev=17.66 pulses/rev)
<>         Most 24 volt - 8v71->(2.75 (55/20) gears & 6 pulses per rev=16.5  pulses/rev)
<>         Most 12 volt - 8V71>(2.29 (55/24) gears & 6 pulses per rev=13.75 pulses/rev)           
         
     Note A  ->For you engineers - I used a 12  volt A/C transformer with an unfiltered full
                  wave rectifier to test - 60 cycles via a full wave bridge=120 pules/sec
                  17.66 p/rev (D/D Delco 270 ALT) - adj for 408 RPMs
                  12.00 p/rev (Computerized DDEC) - adj for 600 RPMs
     Note B ->For other Unique applications (Pulses/rev)
                  see (www.dakotadigital.com) DSL-1 $65) + others
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dallas on April 20, 2009, 07:08:03 AM
Paul,

Check your mail,

I sent you 5 PDF files with the set up instructions.

I think the first one is for yours.

Dallas
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dreamscape on April 20, 2009, 01:44:44 PM
Thanks Dallas, I'll check them out! 8)

~Paul~
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Mrbill4108 on April 20, 2009, 02:47:35 PM
Dallas,

Can't you post them here for all to see? 
That way if someone else needs them they can find them.

Mrbill4108
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dallas on April 20, 2009, 03:12:01 PM
I would but the files are too large to post here.

If anyone else wants them, just holler, I'll be glad to email them.

Quote from: Mrbill4108 on April 20, 2009, 02:47:35 PM
Dallas,

Can't you post them here for all to see? 
That way if someone else needs them they can find them.

Mrbill4108

Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dreamscape on April 20, 2009, 06:08:17 PM
Dallas, All the files show what I think is a later model with a display, I do not have that feature. It does give me enough information to get me by though. I'm thinking I'll hook it up to the alternator for now then get a pulse generator or whatever I need to hook it up the the blower crank or ?

(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi363.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo78%2FDreamscape_Eagle%2FDreamscape%2FVDOTachometer001Small.jpg&hash=749935471fbc74dda1799d9d204db2e4344cd883)

(https://busconversionmagazine.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi363.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Foo78%2FDreamscape_Eagle%2FDreamscape%2FVDOTachometer003Small.jpg&hash=abf32c2240ad717c0e629a341165842eb6c19a4f)

Thanks for the help Dallas and RTS/Daytona!

~Paul~
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dallas on April 20, 2009, 06:17:47 PM
Paul,

If you can find a part number on it, I'll look through my olde files and see what I have for it.
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dreamscape on April 20, 2009, 07:20:41 PM
Here is what the sticker on the side says, 1 211 160 010 A, Pierce Manf., 12 volt 0176.
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dallas on April 20, 2009, 07:34:02 PM
I'll check tomorrow Paul, I think I may have that one
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: David Anderson on April 21, 2009, 05:55:26 PM
Paul, I wish you luck.  I had the same problem hooking up my VDO tach (3000 rpm)  I never could get it to work correctly off the alternator.  I have a Niehoff 350amp.  It is hard to talk to a VDO tech guy that knows what to tell you.  At their recommendation I finally bought a sender and screwed it into the bottome of my flyweel.  There was a 1/2 or 3/4 hole there that you can see the teeth on the flywheel.

VDO had to know how many teeth it had to set the dip switches.  I marked one tooth with white out and pried the flywheel with a screwdriver 360 degress and counted the teeth.  With that, VDO gave me the proper setting.

Now, you wrote you have no dip switches.  How do you calibrate? 

David
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dreamscape on April 21, 2009, 06:17:51 PM
David, The only way that I know of is a screw in the back that I'm assuming is a potentiometer of some sort, it has an arrow that starts small and increases in size.

If I can't get a good reading, I'll probably hook it up the way you did or off the blower.

Are having fun yet? ;)

~Paul~
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dallas on April 22, 2009, 08:39:23 AM
Paul,

I came up with these two diagrams, from some website a long time ago.

Hopefully, one will work for you.

Dallas
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dallas on April 22, 2009, 08:44:29 AM
By the way, I just remembered, I have a tach sensor from the flywheel setup on an 8V92/HT740 if it would help.
You'll need to drill a hole in the bell housing and tap it with a bottoming tap because the clearance between the bell housing and the fly wheel is very close.
If you are lucky, the hole is already there and tapped.

Dallas
Title: Re: VDO Tach Hookup ?
Post by: Dreamscape on April 22, 2009, 11:24:48 AM
Dallas, That is the correct diagram, Thanks,

I'll take a look at the bell housing and see if I have a hole or not, if not I'll make one!  ;D PM me on the cost of the sensor.

Thanks,

~Paul~