Does the VM1000 Output Serial Data?

A search of the web indicates that my (circa 2000's) VM1000 may spit out serial data for fuel flow. I'd like it to talk to my GTN650 rather than rely on the crude manual entry I'm using now.

Does the VM1000 produce FF data from a serial port? and if so, is it software version dependent? What "format" is the output?

Thanks

Yes or does

The serial output on the VM1000 will output fuel level and flows but you do need a small circuit board to do it. After several years of begging the previous owner, they did produce the required hardware and software. I got the first one, did the Beta testing. Still working great. They also gave us the ability to fine tune the flow rates by adjusting the inputs.

Don't know if the board you need is still available. I have seen a web site that supports the 1000 with new and used parts (don't remember the site, try a google search) so they may have one.

Scott A Jordan
80331
1000+hours

Thanks Scott. Do you know the part number/nomenclature for the add on board?

Michael,

My website is the one Scott is referring to:
http://vmsupport.weebly.com/

To get serial data out of the VM1000 requires 3 conditions:
1) VM1000 serial connector type DPU (screw terminal type DPUs do not have the hardware to support)
2) VM1000 software version 2.xx (previous software versions do not support)
3) Either an EC100 P/N 4010055 Rev A (serial type connector) or a PCB I/O board P/N 3020018 Rev C (serial type connector). Screw terminal type EC100 or PCB I/O boards do not have the hardware to support.

Both the Rev A EC100 and Rev C PCB I/O are very rare, I have only come across one of each in the 5+ years I have been providing VMS support. Please feel free to email direct if I can help out with any VMS issues.

Reggie

Not entirely true

My unit is of the older terminal screw variety. I will be out at the airport tomorrow and will check the part and documentation to see if I can get a part number or other info.

Scott

...and the plot thickens...

Thanks gentlemen

Scott,

I am definitely interested in what you have then, please pass along the p/n's etc, when you can, to add to the knowledge base, pictures if possible too.

All the documentation I have points to only the serial connector type DPUs (p/n's 401008x) with the referenced serial version EC100 or PCB as being the only ones RS-232 capable. This is further supported by the install/ops manuals 5010012A and 5010012B both of which are the latest versions I have in my library (I have most versions of the VM1000 manual and all of the EPI-800 versions). The A version makes no mention of RS232 and the wiring diagram has no references to it. However, the B version (serial DPU) shows pin 30 EC100 as "RS232 TX OUT" and pin 18 PCB I/O the same.

If there is a way to get the screw terminal DPUs to output data, the whole VMS community could benefit. Perhaps the support architecture is in the periferial units and not the DPU, that would be a good thing.

Looking forward to your information!

Reggie

I would LOVE to see a manufacturer produce a replacement for the vm1000 that can use its existing probes-- there are a lot of rv flying with these and they are better than steam but still missing a lot of data logging, and other features... I don't find mine very user friendly at all and would love a drop in replacement....

VM1000 Sensor Compatibility

Eric,

I am not an expert on the current production engine management systems, but it is my belief that there is a high level of customization available to the owner/operator on the types of sensors that the modern boxes can use. The VMS products use fairly conventional sensors, type K EGTs, type J CHTs, millivolt pressure sensors, thermistors for temperatures, and hall effect or direct pulse (elec ign) sensing for RPM ... I am thinking that units like the JPI EDM 900, Dynon EMS and Skyview, EI MVP 50 series, Advance Flight Systems AFS series, and others can be user programmed to accept most if not all of the original VMS sensor inputs.

Yes the new units have a lot of bells and whistles the trusty old VMS products did not have, but in the 80s and 90s, the VM1000 and EPI-800 was the cutting edge in engine management and a highly innovative use of scaled computer processor technology of the time. User friendliness has certainly evolved exponentially since the first EPI-800 boxes came out in 1986-87 timeframe, I believe many of the modern features can tie their lineage back to the original work of Lance Turk and company with VMS.

All the best,
Reggie

Thanks for that. Great to know

EPROM

My builders log show I installed EPROM B0001 4002 and Interface S/N 75211 in May 2002. I took a look yesterday to refresh my memory. The small circuit board is mounted external to the CPU and is connected to it via the ribbon cable that connects to the display, daisy chained like we used to do with hard drives on computers. There is an edge connector with two pins used to send the fuel flow to my Garmin 300XL serial input. It was difficult to get pictures but I will try and upload what I got later today.

Scott

New EPROM

I checked my builders log and it shows that in May 202, I installed EPROM B0001 4002 and I/O Interface SN 75211. There is a small circuit board external to the CPU and is connected to the CPU via the ribbon cable that also connects to the display. Daisy chained in the same manner as multiple hard drives in a PC. There are two wires coming out of an edge connector that go to the serial input of my Garmin 300XL.

It was tough to get pictures but I will up load one as soon as I figure out to do that here.

Scott

Here it is

No Flicker

Guess the Flicker account didn't transfer the image.
I don't use any other photo sharing sites so we are out of luck. If you would like, I can e-mail what I got.

Scott

Scott,

Yes please email to me at [email protected]

Reggie

Many thanks to Scott for getting me some pictures of his installation.

Scott has a screw terminal type DPU with a later version serial connector type PC I/O board. The I/O board does indeed support RS-232 fuel flow output from the DPU to an external GPS.

Many thanks to Scott for adding to the VMS knowledge base ... that's the good news.

Bad news is the serial type I/O boards seem to be pretty rare compared to the non serial type.

But at least we all now know that with a RS-232 capable external board, all the VM1000s old and newer style can send fuel flow data out to external units.

Reggie

erikpmort said:

I would LOVE to see a manufacturer produce a replacement for the vm1000 that can use its existing probes-- there are a lot of rv flying with these and they are better than steam but still missing a lot of data logging, and other features... I don't find mine very user friendly at all and would love a drop in replacement....

Click to expand...

You could probably whip up something pretty easily with an Arduino. A raspberry pi or a beagle bone would work too, but would probably be overkill. However they both have USB, whereas you'd need a shield for the arduino.

SD cards don't work reliably at 5v, you'd need the 3.3v variety of arduino. I went through a few before I figured that out

As a follow up, Scott found some documentation that came with his I/O board outlining requirements for RS232 out, it appears that the system software must be "RS232 capable" on the EPROM. So the solution may not be as plug and play as we had hoped.

Reggie