LC-1 Serial to USB

Delox · Post by **Delox** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:36 am

I've been researching which wideband product to use with nistune and I believe I will be going with the innovative LC-1 unit.

I noticed it's only available with a serial output, so I would have to get a serial to USB adapter as my laptop does not have a 9pin serial input.

are there any problems with using an adapter?

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:49 am

no problems with USB-serial adaptor. thats what i use here

Legionnaire · Post by **Legionnaire** » Sun Mar 01, 2009 9:53 am

I use zeitronix ZT-2, it also has DB-9 cable, so I have to use serial to usb adapter cable just like you. No problems encountered to date. But you have to configure everything properly. Install the cable driver first then choose com port it represents. Use lower #'s of ports if possible, because some software cannot access port #'s above 4 for example.
PS. The above info is true for windows XP. Have not tried it yet under Vista.

Delox · Post by **Delox** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:41 pm

Wonderful, thank you.

now I have a question about sensor placement. My downpipes came with auxiliary bungs for wideband 02's. I have been hearing that they may be too close to the turbo to use. Any input on this? (image below shows the position of the bung)

http://www.z1motorsports.com/imagemagic ... 702&h=783&

MichaS14a · Post by **MichaS14a** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 11:27 pm

Delox wrote:now I have a question about sensor placement. My downpipes came with auxiliary bungs for wideband 02's. I have been hearing that they may be too close to the turbo to use. Any input on this? (image below shows the position of the bung)

http://www.z1motorsports.com/imagemagic ... 702&h=783&

In the manual for the AEM UEGO is written:

Mount the O2 sensor in the
exhaust system at least 18 inches downstream from the exhaust port. If you anticipate
high EGT's (over 800C), run a turbocharger, run at high RPM for extended periods of
time or plan on running leaded race fuel then you must mount the sensor at least 36
inches or more downstream of the exhaust port as all of these can cause the sensor to
overheat. On turbocharged engines the UEGO sensor must be installed after the
turbo charger, if not, the pressure differential will greatly affect the accuracy of
the unit.

You find it here on page 8: download.php?id=268

If you want to place the wideband probe in the hole shown in your picture I suggest the use of a heat sink like this:
http://www.dynotunenitrous.com/store/sc ... roduct=158

For myself I let weld the bung into the downpipe but before the cat. For now I have accurate readings and no problems at all with the wideband. Here are 2 pictures to show you details:

Delox · Post by **Delox** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:43 am

looks like I'll ad a bung to my midpipes in that case (I dont have cats

)

chris2712au · Post by **chris2712au** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 7:30 am

normally the stock narow band is pretty close.. I just replaced it with the wideband... Hope that is ok ? what does everyone think..

It has been there for a while and is still working ok.. simulated narrowband works great..

MichaS14a · Post by **MichaS14a** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:41 am

If your EGT are not very hot (more than 800° C) you don't get any problems I think. But if you have EGTs over 800° C for a long time this will shorten the lifetime of the wideband probe (this is written in the AEM manual).
How much I can't estimate but I life in germany with (mostly) no speed limit at our motorways. So it is not unusal for me to see EGTs greater than 930° C on my EGT-gauge at the motorway (full power run of course!). This is for me the main reason to buy NIStune and a WAES (which has to be installed too in the next time). I hope to get the EGT down a little bit without a great loss of power. I only have EGT-problems on the motorway. On country roads there is no EGT-problem as I can only give full throttle for a short time (e.g. if I overtake a truck).

So in short: A short "full pedal to the metal" will not be harmful for the sensor but a long time will (at the position of the original narrow band sensor).

Legionnaire · Post by **Legionnaire** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:52 pm

According to zeitronix, AEM, innovate and bosch itself (LSU 4.2 if im not mistaken), turbo outlet is not the place for a sensor if you are going to leave it in there for a long time. It is OK (although not recommended) for a short tuning session, but long-term reliability suffers and sensor life expectancy is reduced considerably. At least 40cm, or ~16inches are claimed as a minimal safe distance, preferrable is 18-20 inches. Mine sits 56cm off of a turbo and before wastegate plumbback to reduce the heat soak under full load.
Also there are some requirements as to the positioning of the sensor - its tip should be pointing either downward or between 10 and 2 o'clock to avoid water condensation on the tip.

Delox · Post by **Delox** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 4:08 am

Well I'll take a look under my car and find an acceptable spot on the drivers side mid-pipe (as the drivers side on the VG engine tends to run hotter/leaner).

thanks for the input!

Delox · Post by **Delox** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:05 am

Hey everyone.

I was looking at converters from DB9 serial to USB for the innovative LC-1 on ebay and the ones I've been finding are all from male USB to male Serial... I found one that includes a female to female serial converter which would work fine, however its with a 50 inch usb cable.

I was wondering, do you think that the 50 inch cable along with the 5ft cable length of the LC-1 itself is going to pose a problem with delaying the information transfer to the laptop. I know that it should be trivial, but I figured it's worth asking if anyone has had problems with it.

TM_S13 · Post by **TM_S13** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:09 am

I don't think that would pose a problem...but Matt and company will come to the rescue I believe.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:18 am

this is one that i use and recommend:

http://www.aten.com/products/productIte ... 2316346005

you see the picture here

Male USB connector and I think the serial is male (has the pins sticking out) also

USB cables can be of some length for USB 1.0 which doesnt have as high speed data requirements as USB 2.0 which is what the innovate unit is

Delox · Post by **Delox** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:39 am

the only problem with that unit is that you need a female-to-female gender changer to use that with the innovative unit as the innovative output is male according to what I've read.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 12:12 pm

that one plugs straight into my LC-1 serial plug with no gender changer required