Is anyone datalogging on the road course or autocross course? If so, where do you put your computer and how do you secure it?

Thanks.

 

This is an excellent question. I was hoping to use my pda to log but it turns out that my dell axim does not have a fully functional serial port.

I think that either strapping the laptop to the seat or putting it in the footwell of the rear seat are possibilities.

The other issue is that you need to keep the top open. My laptop is on the larger side and the screen tends to move around alot under bumpy conditions. I was thinking about putting a piece of foam near the latch and clamping it down somehow.

Speaking of bumps (we have many in CT), I also wonder about a hard drive platter crash.

 

I have had success simply putting the laptop on the passenger floor. With the lid open, pushed forward mine sort of secures itself.

For some reason it worked flawlessly one day but had limited run time the other.
Your best bet would be to purchase some really soft foam as a bed and "crammer"

Kind of a disappointment seeing how little time a RR car sees at full throttle. oh well, the tps would look better on a car with half the hp (and a better driver).

 

I purchased a very small laptop off of Ebay and put it in the glovebox with bubble rap on both sides.

 

Wow...it must be tiny. What kind is it?

I'm not sure if the lid has to be open on my HP or not. If it didn't need to be open, I was thinking of securing it under the seat with velcro straps and maybe some foam under it.

 

FUJITSU LIFEBOOK TOUCHSCREEN PIII 800 256MB 20GB XP PRO - $250 used.

Why does your lid have to be open? Just change your settings so the computer doesn't hibernate or standbye when you close the top.

 

I just asked the event leaders if I could have a friend hold it and they were cool with it...but it was a test and tune autocross event, not a competitive one. In a competitive one, I put the laptop on the passenger floor, lid closed with the floor mat on top of it. Don't do that for so long, cuz it tends to build up heat under there.

 

put it on the passenger seat, then use the seatbelt and wrap it such that the pc is snug against the seat and the backrest ..

If you have a tablet even better .. get a harsh environment case and sling the straps to the seatbelt

 

Log what?

Why would you not just get a real data acquisition system? Laptops are not reliable enough to log at speed for long periods of time.

d

EDIT: I use two systems regularly: a maxqdata and a high end CDS.

 

As much as I'd like to log on a road course, I wouldn't use a laptop for it. #1, probably kill the hard drive. #2, in the event of an accident, it may become a flying projectile!

 

you have a good point. I assumed we were talking about logging engine parameters.

 

I was thinking of logging in the sense of honing your reflash tune, not logging things that can be monitored through external sensors.

 

My laptop runs with the screen closed. Just set the power saving parameters to not put the computer to sleep when you close the lid.

 

Worked for me passenger seat, and lap belt, stayed fine for 20 minute session.

 

good, so what did you observe? how does your tune stand up to the track?
did you find mid load to be sprinkled with knock?