Potato Equipment Shaft Monitor
Budget: $250 – $750 CAD
I need a practical, low-cost electronic shaft monitor for my potato equipment that will immediately warn the operator whenever a driven shaft stops or drops below a set RPM. The core functions are:
• Continuous RPM sampling with a Hall-effect sensor on the shaft.
• A second “machine state” sensor so the alarm stays silent when the whole implement is intentionally idle.
• Adjustable minimum-speed set-point that the operator can change in the field with a single button or knob and a quick reset routine.
Architecture
I am open to either an Arduino or Raspberry Pi brain—whichever you feel gives the cleanest, most economical 12 V design. Please select readily available components; I’d like the entire bill of materials to come from common distributors.
Indicators
The operator must get both visual and audio feedback. A bright LED bar / compact LCD plus a beeper works, but feel free to propose something equally simple to mount in a tractor cab.
Environment
The main board will sit in a sealed weather-proof box; the two Hall sensors and their leads will face dust, moisture, and vibration, so please include any protective wiring practices and mounting notes.
Deliverables (acceptance criteria)
1. Fully commented firmware source code.
2. Wiring schematic and pinout for a 12 V electrical system.
3. Parts list with manufacturer part numbers and estimated unit prices.
4. Sensor-mounting drawing showing target air gap and cable routing.
5. Brief setup guide explaining calibration, threshold adjustment, and reset procedure.
If you can also model the enclosure layout or provide Gerber files for a small PCB, consider that a plus, but the essentials above are mandatory. My goal is a design I can hand to any competent farm mechanic for assembly without exotic tooling. Let me know your preferred workflow and how quickly you can have a first prototype ready.
• Continuous RPM sampling with a Hall-effect sensor on the shaft.
• A second “machine state” sensor so the alarm stays silent when the whole implement is intentionally idle.
• Adjustable minimum-speed set-point that the operator can change in the field with a single button or knob and a quick reset routine.
Architecture
I am open to either an Arduino or Raspberry Pi brain—whichever you feel gives the cleanest, most economical 12 V design. Please select readily available components; I’d like the entire bill of materials to come from common distributors.
Indicators
The operator must get both visual and audio feedback. A bright LED bar / compact LCD plus a beeper works, but feel free to propose something equally simple to mount in a tractor cab.
Environment
The main board will sit in a sealed weather-proof box; the two Hall sensors and their leads will face dust, moisture, and vibration, so please include any protective wiring practices and mounting notes.
Deliverables (acceptance criteria)
1. Fully commented firmware source code.
2. Wiring schematic and pinout for a 12 V electrical system.
3. Parts list with manufacturer part numbers and estimated unit prices.
4. Sensor-mounting drawing showing target air gap and cable routing.
5. Brief setup guide explaining calibration, threshold adjustment, and reset procedure.
If you can also model the enclosure layout or provide Gerber files for a small PCB, consider that a plus, but the essentials above are mandatory. My goal is a design I can hand to any competent farm mechanic for assembly without exotic tooling. Let me know your preferred workflow and how quickly you can have a first prototype ready.