I think it would be neat to have three very simple LEDs on the dash. (1) Engine on - red, (2) motor on - yellow, (3) regen - blue. The MFD already has this information, but you have to take your eyes off the road to see it. I know there must be a simple "Engine on" analog signal somewhere - reference the costal tech LED "Brake/Engine Run" mod sneak preview. Does anyone know if there are simple analog signals available for electric motor and regen functions? If so, what are they named/general location? Which signal is used for "ICE Engine on"? Maybe some relay actuation signal somewhere? I guess I could spend hours pouring over the Prius manual & schematics, but it doesn't hurt to ask... maybe someone already knows if they exist.
Don't know what Coastal Tech is doing for that as its not a product yet, but that info is readily available from the car's on-board diagnostics (OBD) port. A Scan Gauge or similar device can be used to get the relevant info. It can be mounted more in the immediate line of site.
This might help, at least for the engine. It describes how to install an aftermarket analog tach, including where to tap the signal. I haven't heard of any way to do anything similar with motor and regen status. AFAIK, all of us that monitor those do so with one device or another plugged into the OBDII connection, as Jpadc suggests.
Graham installed the HV current meter on his NHW11 Prius. http://prius.ecrostech.com/Measure/BattCurrMeter/BattCurrent.htm Regarding to "Engine on" monitor, the fuel pump power might be synchronized with the engine, but I've not tested it yet. Ken@Japan
Thanks! this information definitely points me in the right direction. I'm an electrical engineer, so I'd have no trouble with the technical side of these links - but for now, due to time limitations, I might try the scangauge route... Does the scangauge only indicate RPM for the ICE when it's running? What does the RPM indicator do when the electric motor (only) is engaged? What gauge would I use to detect only the electric motor is running? How about regen? Since these are Prius specific, I'm wondering whether the scangauge provides them... I see from looking on the documentation - the battery State of Charge, and the Battery Voltage or Current. Does battery current run in both directions (charging and discharging)?
When the ICE isn't running, the SG simply shows zero RPM at <40 MPH. At higher speeds it (accurately) shows the ICE turning below 1000 RPM, but there is no fuel flow. You can easily enough identify that as an ICE-off condition; RPM won't be that low when the ICE is actually on. The stock SG doesn't provide data specific to the Prius hybrid system like SOC or current flow (the latter showing regen by current into the battery). However, the user can configure it to do so with the XGauge feature. See this for an in-depth discussion of XGauge capabilities and limitations.
