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Safe and Sound
Blog Safe and Sound - Winter/Cold weather survival suit Post 11
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  • Author Author: dwinhold
  • Date Created: 28 May 2017 2:27 AM Date Created
  • Views 1517 views
  • Likes 6 likes
  • Comments 15 comments
  • safe and sound
  • carbon fiber
  • dwinhold
  • winter survival suit
  • cold
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Safe and Sound - Winter/Cold weather survival suit Post 11

dwinhold
dwinhold
28 May 2017

In this post, I will show how everything is coming together and works. After a frustrating 2 ½ weeks with my code not working with the temperature sensors I got that issue solved. I did post the solution but here it is again. There was an error with Energia compiling the code for the MSP432 Red. Before I knew this, an error showed up while compiling saying “analogRead” was not declared. This was odd but I declared it in my code and everything compiled but wouldn’t read the sensors. I searched the internet for solutions and finally found a forum where this issue was brought up. There was a reply saying that 1 week ago Energia released an update to correct this issue.... Really…. So, I did an update and everything compiled and ran exactly as it should have. Now that all is good I can continue with my project!!!

 

 

Code completed and working:

//Winter Survival Suit Temperature
//Dale Winhold
//C = (F - 32)/ 1.8; Convert to celcius
#include "SPI.h"
#include "OneMsTaskTimer.h"
#include "LCD_SharpBoosterPack_SPI.h"
LCD_SharpBoosterPack_SPI myScreen;
int llPin = A14;       //Temperature sensor Left Leg
int rlPin = A13;       //Temperature sensor Right Leg
int laPin = A11;       //Temperature sensor Left Arm
int raPin = A9;        //Temperature sensor Right Arm
int ltPin = A8;        //Temperature sensor Left Torso
int rtPin = A6;        //Temperature sensor Right Torso
int LLegValue = 0;            
int RLegValue = 0;           
int LArmValue = 0;  
int RArmValue = 0;
int LTorsoValue = 0;
int RTorsoValue = 0;
int SettempValue = 25;
String LLegStr;
String RLegStr;
String LArmStr;
String RArmStr;
String LTorsoStr;
String RTorsoStr;
String SettempStr;
// setup 
void setup() {
    Serial.begin(9600);
    myScreen.begin();
   // setup LCD 
    myScreen.clearBuffer();   
    myScreen.setFont(0);
    myScreen.text(3, 1, "Set Temp:   c");
    myScreen.text(3, 14, "L-Leg       c");
    myScreen.text(3, 27, "R-Leg       c");
    myScreen.text(3, 40, "L-Arm       c");
    myScreen.text(3, 53, "R-Arm       c");
    myScreen.text(3, 66, "L-Tor       c");
  
    myScreen.text(3, 79, "R-Tor       c");
  
    myScreen.flush();
}
 
void loop()
{
  LLegValue = analogRead(llPin);    //Reading Temperature
    
  RLegValue = analogRead(rlPin); 
       
  LArmValue = analogRead(laPin);    
    
  RArmValue = analogRead(raPin); 
     
  LTorsoValue = analogRead(ltPin);
  
  RTorsoValue = analogRead(rtPin);
   
  LLegStr = String((LLegValue-32)*5/9);        //Converting F to C
  RLegStr = String((RLegValue-32)*5/9);          
  LArmStr = String((LArmValue-32)*5/9);          
  RArmStr = String((RArmValue-32)*5/9);        
  LTorsoStr = String((LTorsoValue-32)*5/9);       
  RTorsoStr = String((RTorsoValue-32)*5/9);
  
  SettempStr = String(SettempValue);

//Display temperature
    myScreen.setFont(0);
    myScreen.text(60, 1, SettempStr + "");
    myScreen.text(60, 14, LLegStr + ""); 
    myScreen.text(60, 27, RLegStr + "");   
    myScreen.text(60, 40, LArmStr + "");   
    myScreen.text(60, 53, RArmStr + "");  
    myScreen.text(60, 66, LTorsoStr + "");
    myScreen.text(60, 79, RTorsoStr + "");
    myScreen.flush();
//Heat on or off
if (((LLegValue-32)*5/9) < (SettempValue-3)) //Heat On
{
  digitalWrite(40, HIGH); //Power on to Relay Module to open power supply to carbon fiber
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 14, "H"); //Displays heat on icon
}
if (((LLegValue-32)*5/9) > (SettempValue+3))  //Heat off
{
  digitalWrite(40, LOW);  //Power off to Relay Module to close power supply to carbon fiber
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 14, "L"); //Displays heat off icon
}
if (((RLegValue-32)*5/9) < (SettempValue-3))
{
  digitalWrite(39, HIGH);
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 27, "H");
}
if (((RLegValue-32)*5/9) > (SettempValue+3))
{
  digitalWrite(39, LOW);
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 27, "L");
}
if (((LArmValue-32)*5/9) < (SettempValue-3))
{
  digitalWrite(38, HIGH);
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 40, "H");
}
if (((LArmValue-32)*5/9) > (SettempValue+3))
{
  digitalWrite(38, LOW);
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 40, "L");
}
if (((RArmValue-32)*5/9) < (SettempValue-3))
{
  digitalWrite(37, HIGH);
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 53, "H");
}
if (((RArmValue-32)*5/9) > (SettempValue+3))
{
  digitalWrite(37, LOW);
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 53, "L");
}
if (((LTorsoValue-32)*5/9) < (SettempValue-3))
{
  digitalWrite(36, HIGH);
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 66, "H");
}
if (((LTorsoValue-32)*5/9) > (SettempValue+3))
{
  digitalWrite(36, LOW);
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 66, "L");
}
if (((RTorsoValue-32)*5/9) < (SettempValue-3))
{
  digitalWrite(35, HIGH);
    myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 79, "H");
}
if (((RTorsoValue-32)*5/9) > (SettempValue+3))
{
  digitalWrite(35, LOW);
  myScreen.setFont(0);
  myScreen.text(85, 79, "L");
}
delay(100);
}

 

Hope it made sense!!

 

The suit:

All the carbon fiber is sewn into the suit (Thanks to my daughter Chrystal) and I have run tests for how many volts makes the carbon fiber heat up enough, but not to hot. For the legs and torso strips I need to have 14.8v to get me 52 deg C (125 deg F) which I found a very comfortable warmth. For the same result in the arms I required 7.4v, go figure, Chrystal made the carbon fiber ½ the length in the arms!! (Made my life easier). For fun, I ran the 14.8v to the arms to see how hot the carbon fiber would get, I disconnected the power when the temperature reached 86 deg C (187 deg F). Here again as suggested by DAB, I am doing a quick disconnect to all the carbon fiber as well as a manual over ride in case the computer should fail. Being a survival suit, the need to survive can’t rely solely on the computer working so I am putting over ride switches to each area for manual operation of the heater (this is not completed yet). Pictures below:

 

image

 

 

 

The wiring:
I ran CAT5e wires to the sensors. I found this was a nice light weight wire that was easy to use. As per DAB’s suggestion, I did a quick disconnect for the sensors in the legs (and the carbon fiber explained later). Since I am using CAT5e I wired in the usual male/female connector as my quick disconnect. It works very well as shown in the pictures:

 

image

 

image

 

 

I only had the leg sensors attached at this time, as you can see the four real weird temperatures and 2 correct ones!!

image

 

All hooked up!!

image

 

 

For a bit of a laugh, here is a picture of my home made board I through together that connects to the bottom of the MSP432. I did a PCB layout on AutoCAD, printed out an acid etch transfer and found I didn't have any blank PCB board left. No one in town had any either. I hope to get some in so I can make this a little more prettier.

image

 

 

 

Things to complete:
So, what is left to do? Here is my list:

  • Solder the sensors to the leads
  • Attach everything to the suit
  • Add in the carbon fiber power quick disconnects
  • Heater manual over ride
  • Case for computer and switch
  • Make pockets in the suit to hold the power supplies (Ohhhh Chrystal!!!)
  • Water proof the computer and hardware
  • Testing of completed suit

 

I want to thank everyone (dougw balearicdynamics Jan Cumps msimon mcb1 DAB **Sorry if I missed anyone**) for their help these past few weeks with my frustrations. I'm so happy those issues are out of the way!!

 

I also want to send an extra special thank you to DAB for the excellent suggestions he gave me to add into the suit. I'm using them all!! I truly can't thank you enough!!

 

Dale Winhold

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Top Comments

  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 8 years ago in reply to dwinhold +4
    Heat zones: Right chest, left chest, mid back (Theirs) Left leg, right leg, left arm, right arm, left torso, right torso (Mine) dwinhold Yes it is very hard to heat the legs when it's a jacket only Shorts…
  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 8 years ago +3
    I was looking in one of our local tool supplier catalogues the other day. They had two different heated jackets. As usual one was a cheaper asian knockoff with different number of heating elements in different…
  • balearicdynamics
    balearicdynamics over 8 years ago in reply to mcb1 +3
    As a historycal motard I suggest to explore the byker heated trousers; these are interesting suits as should be powered by the USB plug or your motorcycle ... Very diffused in Germany (strange, uh?) E…
  • dwinhold
    dwinhold over 8 years ago in reply to e14phil

    Hi Phil

     

    Thank you for the question. This will be on my next blog, When I first started this project I didn't realize there are so many technical issues to deal with (Especially moisture). That is why I am enjoying this project so much, solving problems is the challenging part and most frustrating at times.

     

    Dale

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  • e14phil
    e14phil over 8 years ago

    This is great! do you not have any issue with sweat or water shorting out the heating element?

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  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 8 years ago in reply to dwinhold

    that a wet suit is a tight fit

    The rubber always shrinks over winter ... Last time I put mine on, I'm convinced it shrunk even more.

     

    You're quite right about the pressure, and it's not the pressure that might cause the issue, its the change when you return to the surface and the ability for trapped air to escape.

     

    Never actually done any dry suit diving, and Ice diving sounds fun ... I might need to come for a visit. image

    Mark

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  • dwinhold
    dwinhold over 8 years ago in reply to mcb1

    Hi Mark,

     

    That is an interesting comment as with a dry suit you have an air line attached to it already. As you go under water, the pressure compresses the suit so you have to equalize the interior pressure so the suit won't hurt. The difference between a wet suit and dry suit is that a wet suit is a tight fit and a thin layer of water between your skin and the neoprene warms up to keep you warm. With a dry suit you wear thermal underwear inside the suit that is sealed to keep water out and the air inside helps keep you warm. So, the suit is loose fitting and the pressure on the suit, if not equalized, can cause very bad pinch marks or worse. So there are other issues to consider like, pressure on the computer. One thing that would be an advantage is that you wouldn't require much heat to keep warm, even under ice I never felt in danger of freezing. With a dry suit it is like going out in winter, since you stay dry inside the suit you dress for the occasion.

     

    If anyone is wondering; diving under the ice is the coolest experience. I have done this many times - **Ice diving is extremely dangerous, safety is the top concern and every possible precaution must be taken - Certification must be completed before doing this**

     

    Dale

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  • mcb1
    mcb1 over 8 years ago in reply to dwinhold

    I also SCUBA dive (Dry suit) in very cold water

    Sounds interesting.

     

    You may get away with pressuring the container.

     

     

    Mark

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