Connecting Heusinkveld Ultimates to the Fanatec CSPv3 Controller Board

[GeekyDeaks]

I am dangerously curious about this point... I wonder if there is some way to sacrifice/use the components on the hall-sensor board towards the target????

It is possible, but it might be a bit tricky as it's surface mounted. The gain will definitely need to be adjusted as the hall effect sensor give a mV output 10x larger that the strain gauges in the load cells.

 

[Atak_Kat]

Does this also carry over to when you use it on the PS5? I'm curious if it's a setting on the microprocessor on the board or on the driver software on the PC. If it saves the settings on the microprocessor then that is one thing that doesn't need to be addressed in hardware and if you can do similar things on the accelerator and clutch it should also help simplify things there too.

I'm going to guess that this is not an issue, because although the PS5/GT7 doesn't have the same calibration app as the PC, it does it automagically (I think), or through the settings you might make directly on the wheel itself.
I made a quick check launching GT7 even if only the brake was connected. As far as I could see, the first inputs were registering only about 50% brake input with 'reasonable' brake input. But then it seemed to re-calibrate itself and within a few seconds the brake force was going to 100% in game. I don't know how it decides that the input should be increased. But I'm pretty sure it understands that when you go 'over', it recalibrates that as the new 'max'.

For me, the brake is solved (until the last testing.....) just with rewiring direct from the HE output. \

The golden target is to get the throttle/clutch outputting something in the 0-5v window (probably too wide a window, but I'm bold....). If we can do that, I have a feeling that things will fall into place. (reminder> famous last words)

 

[Atak_Kat]

Just thinking out-loud....

The resting output of my HE throttle (and clutch) is not close to zero. With a 1000x multiplier and the input diff 5.1v vs. 3.3v, , I guess the resulting operating range of the HE throttle would be approx 2.3v to 4.3v?????

My earlier testing of the hall-effect range was somewhere in the 0.5v to 2.0v range

(surely now you might be saying.... 'that's what I've been trying to tell you!!!!')

I have NO IDEA how that will work. I remember that somehow the Fanatec Control panel was showing 0% output, when the hall sensor output was about 0.5V. Likely that was with calibration from the software.

I guess we will find out what happens later. I still think a 0 to 5v window as input to the Fanatec board will work, but I have no rightful reason to defend that.

 

[GeekyDeaks]

My earlier testing of the hall-effect range was somewhere in the 0.5v to 2.0v range

I completely forgot that! I was doing all my estimates on a 0 - 3.3v range... I think you are right and the amp will be fine. Here are my estimations based on your measurements :

	Estimated	0%	100%
	input V	mV	mV	diff mV	Gain to reach 1.5v
HE Throttle	3.27	2.31	4.23	1.92	779.82
HE Clutch	3.27	0.78	3.27	2.49	603.57

The diff mV is the amount of range there is available. There is plenty of slack even in the throttles very narrow mV range.

I'm still figuring out how the bridge balancing will work using external resistors. It looks like a simple trim pot will do the job, but I'd like to confirm the resistances of the HE loadcell first. Would you be able to measure the resistance between the E- and E+ on one your pedals?

I'll draft up a little shopping list once I have that sorted.

 

[GeekyDeaks]

To explain how I got those values. If you recall, the mV output between the S- and S+ pins is simply proportional to the voltage across the E- E+ pins.

So, you simply multiply all the values across S- and S+ you measured by ( 5.1 / 3.27 ) to get the estimates of what they will be when you supply 3.27V to the load cell

 

[Atak_Kat]

Any use?

 

[GeekyDeaks]

Any use?

Oh wow! That might be perfect.... I cannot read the markings on the devices, but I'm guessing two are op-amps to buffer the input and output. I'll see if I can figure it out from the circuit.

 

[GeekyDeaks]

Honestly, for that price I'd just buy them and give them a go.... I suspect it will be perfect for the clutch, it's just the throttle that might be tricky due to it's higher rest mV, but I think we can still use the balancing trick on the input to the board to help there

 

[Atak_Kat]

Possibly the same thing??

 

[Neilski]

Any use?

Nice find
I smiled at the slightly mangled description of the device (and the "basic customer" bit) and then I smiled even harder when I realised that it's filed under "Medical Forceps"

 

[Atak_Kat]

I bought 4x of them.
No idea when they might arrive. Will inform if/when they show up.....

 

[GeekyDeaks]

Possibly the same thing??

yeah, looks identical except I can read the markings on that one so I'll look up the details

 

[GeekyDeaks]

Nice find
I smiled at the slightly mangled description of the device (and the "basic customer" bit) and then I smiled even harder when I realised that it's filed under "Medical Forceps"
View attachment 674424

yeah, I also did a bit of a double take at Medical Forceps!

 

[GeekyDeaks]

I think it will do the job for the throttle too. There is an LMC7660 on there to apply an actual -ve voltage to the amp supply so you can adjust the ref to the amp below 0V, which in turn will allow you pull the throttle down to 0.5V. Nice find!

 

[Atak_Kat]

They are gonna come from China no matter what. It's gonna be a few weeks for sure before they get here, I'm sure.

Would you be able to measure the resistance between the E- and E+ on one your pedals?

I'll do/post that tomorrow. Thank again for all the help.


It might be interesting/fun to continue with the build using bits/parts anyway?? Maybe that board I ordered (and related pics) can give us some hints how to do it, or parts needed? Maybe you see a way to make something even better??

What do you think??

 

[GeekyDeaks]

It might be interesting/fun to continue with the build using bits/parts anyway?? Maybe that board I ordered (and related pics) can give us some hints how to do it, or parts needed? Maybe you see a way to make something even better??

Your call chap. I'm happy to offer advice and you'll certainly learn how simple it is to construct the circuit. I'd probably keep it simpler than the board you are buying and stick with just the amp and the passive parts required as that should at least get you something that works with the clutch.

I'll take a look at the datasheet for the amp you suggested earlier and draft up a list of components you will need

 

[Atak_Kat]

Your call chap.

I'm definitely eager to try to build something on my own, even if just to learn something.

As for the specific amp to use, I really have no idea how to choose that.
- I think I understood through-hole vs. surface mount, and the gain possibility.
- Other than that I'm clueless, and maybe for this application all the other specs are mostly irrelevant. I just think of things like temperature, or the stability/noise that might be in the output signal. Perhaps a non-issue here.

I think this is the same as the one in the boards I bought? There's an 'A' version, and also a 'B' version. If I read it correct, it has 'voltage supply min 4.6V', not sure if that's an issue since we have 3.3V from the CSPv3 board? The price is not really an issue, but it's funny how the cost of just 1x is double/triple the entire cost of the complete board I bought.

EDIT: here's another link to something similar (I think) to what I purchased

 

[Atak_Kat]

but I'd like to confirm the resistances of the HE loadcell first. Would you be able to measure the resistance between the E- and E+ on one your pedals?

1.099k Ω. (Throttle/Clutch pedal were the same)
0.414k Ω. (Brake Pedal)

I could not get a good contact direct from the RJ10 plug itself, so I had to plug it in to my little in-line adapter I made earlier, and take the readings from the terminals like I did all the other readings. The adapter is just one of those old RJ10ports, with a RJ10 plug on the other side (about 10cm long), with all the wires soldered. There's a section in the middle with open wires where I can clip onto and take the readings. Hopefully it doesn't make much difference.

I assumed to do that when the pedal were not connected. I wasn't sure if it was OK to do when connected to the control box and powered. My instinct said no. If I should re-do, let me know.

 

[GeekyDeaks]

1.099k Ω. (Throttle/Clutch pedal were the same)
0.414k Ω. (Brake Pedal)

I assumed to do that when the pedal were not connected. I wasn't sure if it was OK to do when connected to the control box and powered. My instinct said no. If I should re-do, let me know.

Yep, that's the way to do it. With the boards you have ordered, I don't think it will be a problem, but I can use this info now to calculate what resistors would be required to adjust the output of the throttle if needed.

 

[GeekyDeaks]

As for the specific amp to use, I really have no idea how to choose that.
- I think I understood through-hole vs. surface mount, and the gain possibility.

Yeah, through hole to make life easier for prototyping and a gain of at least 1000x, also as you noted later, look at the min supply voltage. Rail to rail is nice, but since you only need to get to 2v, it's not a must have.

I'll take a look at the datasheet for AD620, but it seems a bit pricy to be honest and I'd probably just go for the AD623 you found earlier.