Application of Sensors for Design Improvements

An In-Vehicle Data Acquisition/Monitoring Device (Data Logger) has been developed to be used for evaluating the performance of alternators during vehicle operation. It can be linked to other controllers and electronic devices for exchange of information through the use of a serial communication port. By utilizing a microcontroller, eight analog and three TTL level signals are measured and recorded in non-volatile EEPROM memory devices. The system measures temperatures of critical components, system voltage and rotational speed.