[towertek]

Gentlemen,

We build wind turbines and solar trackers that mount to existing communications towers. The device (solar tracker or wind turbine) is mounted on a wheeled carriage, that is in turn mounted to a circular rail system. Think roller coaster and car flipped on it's side. See here Windular Turbines for Cellular Towers - Home

As the carriage traverses the rail. we are keeping the PLC (Mitsubishi Q Series) updated with position info with a KVH Compass c-100 C100 Compass Engine

My question is this,

Can we get rid of the really expensive KVH Compass and use this inexpensive Honeywell compass? https://www.sparkfun.com/products/7915

We are getting pushback from Mitsubishi claiming this Honeywell compass will require all sorts of extra programming time. I think that the output is simply output and any competent programmer should have no problem.

Anyone want to weigh in?

Thanks...

Kerry Donnelly
Windular Research and Technologies Inc.

[hjl4]

The honeywell compass will need programing as it reacts with any magnetic material in proximity to it. Any ferous materials will throw a curve at the Honeywell sensor. At work, we had an engineer write a program so that the sensor would recalibrate itself in it's new environment wether in proximity to ferous materials or even magnets. It took him a while to figure it out. But, in the end, he must still rotate the equipment that the sensor is mounted on, 360 deg until the honeywell sensor relearns its corrected azimuth and where magnetic north is. Much like your compass in your vehicle, or even in an airplane.

[towertek]

That wouldnt be a problem (rotating on it's axis) for us as the existing compass has a similar calibration sequence.

How often would this Honeywell unit require calibration? Where are you in Canada?

[hjl4]

Hello again. The problem I see using that Honeywell sensor, is that if the sensor changes pitch or roll it will require even more programming to be done as all the calculations done previously will now be offset.
We use a ready made $700 dollar unit that Honeywell makes, (HM) series, as they have done most of the computing for us in the chip. So we are basically just extracting the info from it and display it on the GUI.
Generally, we adjust the sensor only once. But if the whole unit is moved, the sensor that is, then a reset is necessary and the recalibration is necessary for it to adapt to it's new environment.
I live in Winnipeg, Mb.
Good day.