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RE: data recorder

To: Land Speed List <land-speed@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: data recorder
From: "Waldron, James" <James.Waldron@CWUSA.COM>
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 16:47:15 -0500
Tom,

Wow!  Everything I wanted to know and more (gotta love the
knowledgeable people on this list).

Thank you very much.

Jim W. 

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas E. Bryant [mailto:saltracer@awwwsome.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 3:30 PM
To: Waldron, James
Cc: Land Speed List
Subject: Re: data recorder


Jim,

There are two basic types of O2 sensors.

One produces a voltage (zirconium element) it is a battery that 
functions by comparing the levels of oxygen in the exhaust and in the 
atmosphere. The larger the difference the higher the voltage (rich 
mixture produces around 1.0 volt on the high side.) An oxygen rich 
exhaust (lean) produces a lower voltage (a low of about 0.1 volts.)
(The zirconium sensor is a one wire sensor. Some of the zirconium 
sensors have three wires, the extra two wires are for a heating element 
that brings the sensor to a functioning temperature quicker and keeps 
the system in closed loop at idle.)

The second type does not produce a voltage, but acts like a variable 
resistor altering the base voltage supplied by the computer. Rich 
mixture gives a low resistance allowing a higher voltage to flow back to 
the computer and when the mixture is lean, resistance increases, 
lowering the voltage flow back to the computer.

Tom, Redding CA - #216 D/CC

Waldron, James wrote:
> I'm kind of a 'roll my own' kind of guy.  Does anyone know exactly how O2
> sensors work.  I know they have a special coating.  Do they require power?
> Is it just a change in Resistance depending on how much O2 at a particular
> temperature?
> 
> Thanks,
> Jim.

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