Bus automation, IOT, sensing and actions

[windtrader]

Just polling for those who are interested in or have started the journey of moderinizing the bus instrumentation and actuator systems. Nearly all posts show direct replacement of gauges and sensors. Very few show adding or replacing the OEM stuff.
My goal is to Tesla-ize my bus. That is, have a screen or two that both displays and controls some of the bus systems. Simple example is to add/replace the engine block temperature with a sensor that connects and integrates with digital processor and display devices.
A few here who have some knowledge and possible implementation experiece with this stuff. Let's see what kind of projects get things moving along this path.

Old time luddites in the peanut gallery, please hold the heckling and egg throwing. Some find it very cool to hybird these old road warriors with some new tech.
Few categories to get things started. Then again, maybe all we need is the reference to the body of knowldge from the HOME automation folks and just discuss adaptation to the bus world?

Display systems
Controllers - Arduino - Raspberry - LAMP - Windows

Sensors
EspHome
Network-Bluetooth - WiFi - Wire - Ethernet - CAN

Software/Apps - Python - PHP - HTML/CSS

[Nova Eona]

I've started down this road as well - my end-goal is to have a few Arduinos scattered about the bus reporting back to a master Pi at the dash via either CAN bus or Ethernet.  I've done some prototyping with sensors and can get a good temp readout off a lug-based thermal sensor, just haven't gotten around to actually placing anything in the bus or getting the head unit configured yet.

Short term goal is to have secondary (and more accurate) readouts on temperatures and pressures in various systems with alerts to let me focus on the road more than the gauges, longer term I'd like to factor in cruise control and maybe even a shift-assist function, also house-side things like tank monitors and generator controls.  Sky's the limit if you put enough time and effort in.

I saw a square screen made for Pis which I think could replace my speedo in the dash (it's unreliable anyway) so that'd be a fun way to digitize the dashboard while leaving most of it stock.

[luvrbus]

I have a Silverleaf complete coach system  it monitors all from tire pressure, generator to tank levels plus the engine and transmission if you a electronic engine ,I love the thing no guessing how much fuel you will need when the time comes to fuel     

[Van]

Buy a GPS speedo to replace your inop one, that would be a good starting point.

[Nova Eona]

Oh I've got one, but it's a cheapo stuck-to-the-windshield display.  The in-dash one is reliable enough up until about 45, much higher than that and I'm usually driving by tach anyway - not about to get a speeding ticket in my ol' 4104.

Also zero engine electronics at present, so if I want an electronic monitoring system I've got to start from scratch.

[luvrbus]

Oh I've got one, but it's a cheapo stuck-to-the-windshield display.  The in-dash one is reliable enough up until about 45, much higher than that and I'm usually driving by tach anyway - not about to get a speeding ticket in my ol' 4104.

Also zero engine electronics at present, so if I want an electronic monitoring system I've got to start from scratch.

They  don't make much anymore to monitor the non-electronic engines ,gauges are about it now ,Murphy made a system years back for marine use 

[Bill Gerrie]

Another reason I love my electronic engine. So simple to make any dash you want with a Blue Fire app.

[oldmansax]

There is a guy over on the Wanderlodge board that has completely  electronicized (electrified?) his 1982 PT36 with mechanical 6V92. He is running it al on a raspberry Pi, including a house battery bank for a Chevy Volt. He can run his ACs for about a 24 hours on it. It's worth joining WOG to read the entire saga if you want to go in that direction. Username is BadAndy.

TOM

[freds]

I am a similar path and have purchased most of the parts for the project which has been on hold due to my bus waiting collision damage repairs in LA while I am in Seattle. Which should finally be done next week (fingers and toes crossed) after almost six 1/2 months!!!

I previously made a post about a electronic dash on my build thread and why I wanted to take this approach.

https://www.busconversionmagazine.com/forum/index.php?topic=34318.msg409564#msg409564

There's another bus nut "Scott Cook who has the YouTube channel 'This Old Bus'" who has done this using a combination of a OneGuage sensor hub installed at the drivers dash and Realdash replacing the analog gauges at the dash.

https://www.theonegauge.com/
http://realdash.net/

Scott's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThisOldBus

The OneGuage sensor hub is almost turnkey but you wind up paying for that.

You might want to join the Facebook group "High Tech RV" as there is lots of people doing IOT type stuff. This group was also started by Scott.

I am doing lots of home automation to make my bus high tech which you will find on my build thread.

I am mostly using (at this point) Raspberry Pi's with NodeRed custom flows for my automation. Though looking to transition to Home Assistant.

I have taken a couple of different approaches to my Electronic dash. One based on ESP32/ESPhome and the other based on a  Cannylogic unit as the sensor hub in the engine compartment and using Realdash for the display. The advantage of the CannyLogic board is it's suppose to be automotive hardened and you can purchase it off of Ebay.

https://www.cannylogic.com/

If you send me a PM I will forward you my email thread discussion thread with Scott where I go into more detail and my research notes on the topic.

Happy tinkering!!!

[somewhereinusa]

I started playing with some things last winter using arduinos. Was working on getting data from the one in the rear with engine info and another in the front for data there using bluetooth. Spring came and project got sidelined for summer projects.

I currently have door lock and awning controlled from phone using arduino nano and another using a mega to control my home built bms for lithiums.

[windtrader]

Wonderful to see a few are dabbling in new gen instrumentation, data logging, automation for our buses. One other technology is levering Smart Home tech like ZigBee and Zwave, even WiFi (worst case, IMHO). I did a kitchen remodel and got it all wired up using the Samsung Smarthings hub and protocol. Seemed to be the most flexible and the most value to get going.

Samsung got out of the hardware side and sold/licensed the tech to Aeotec Smart Home Hub

[luvrbus]

Trust me you guys do not want all the electronics,I have 1 friggin remote that controls everything from the awnings,6 of those, blinds to the high tech sound and TV's 3 years and still have figured out all the stuff yet.lol I still turn the Ac and heat on manually plus the in dash GPS and CD player keep it simple   

[buswarrior]

Messing with automation is the same as messing with an old bus.

It ain't about being done, it's about doing it.

Carry on, having FUN!

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior