The RCA90 Display Controller is a small sealed module that connects between a Farringdon SWIS Series Steering Wheel display and an Engine Management Unit (ECU). The ECU requires most of the standard engine temperatures and pressures to ensure the engine runs safely within its limits. The readings from these sensors are transmitted by the ECU to other systems, such as dashes thereby avoiding the duplication of sensors.

The Display Controller reads this ECU data (whether in RS232 or CAN form) and processes it to be displayed on the steering wheel. In addition, the controller has a direct input for a wheel speed sensor (often not connected to the ECU) and lap timing facilities.

The RCA90 Display Controller is available for all our displays

Detailed Description

The Display Controller contains a powerful processor and the following interfaces

The controller also contains non-volatile memory to hold set up information, warning limits, shift light settings and a large lap time memory used in lap time recall mode.

The controller is available to match various ECUs and more specifically various cars.  There is no connector on the module - all connections are made through connectors mounted on the end of flying leads.

The controller operates in one of three modes, run mode, set up mode and recall mode.

Run Mode
The Display Controller will start in Run Mode.  The sensor readings from the ECU are sent to the Steering Wheel for display and can be selected with the right hand buttons: Oil Pressure, Water Temperature, Oil Temperature and Fuel Pressure.  The rpm is also read from the ECU and displayed in the lap time window if required, but more usually, the shift lights are driven from this input. If wheel speed is available from the ECU, then speed can be displayed in the left hand bottom window.  If not, a separate wheel speed sensor (option) can be connected to the controller so that speed can be measured.  Speed is required for the road of course, but is very handy for checking pit lane speeds.

For those systems supplied with lap timing, a small infra red detector is supplied that plugs into a flying lead from the Display Controller.  This IR Detector will trigger lap timing when it crosses an Infra Beam from a Farringdon Beacon and alsowhen it crosses  the beam from the PI Channel 0 beacons at most UK tracks.  The lap time is displayed in the large top window and remains frozen for the adjustable “hold” time.. 

The Performance Monitor Option (PMO) is available with the RCA90 Display Controller.  After the hold time has expired, the difference between the time from the beacon to the current track position and the corresponding time for the best lap, is displayed.  The time difference is displayed as a + or - time.  The Performance Monitor is updated about every 10 metres so gives a near real time indication of the driver’s  performance in the current lap compared with the best.  It can result in staggering lap time improvements.

Set Up Mode
Pressing both left hand buttons together switches the system to Set Up Mode where the following parameters of the system can be adjusted:

* only on a system with a lap timer (SWIS10-12 or -13)
+ only with PMO
** oil pressure minimum limit is multiplied by 8 over 5000 rpm which allows low limits to be set that are not reached even at very low rpm.

Recall Mode
Pressing both right hand buttons puts the system in Recall Mode.  The last lap time will be shown in the lap time window.  The left hand buttons allows the stored laps to be scrolled through and displayed.