engine test stands

I just finished building one.

Usually, the high-cost item is the load cell. I have the 500 lb cell from Aerocon and that cost about $100.

They also have about a 40 lb cell for considerably less.

Then you need an instrument amplifier. Figure around $20 if you build it yourself. The Burr-Brown INA-125 chip is usually used.

Then you need an ADC (Analog-Digital Converter). I use the Dataq 194-rs ($25). Of course, you also need a computer to run WinDaq or other capture software.

The stand itself can be cobbled together from scrap iron, wood, just about anything. Aerocon has a wonderful pictorial which will give you ideas aplenty.

Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

Steve Decker

I saw someone use a syringe as the thrust block with a tube connected to a bourdon-type pressure gauge. Used a camcorder to video the gauge reading. You could put a stopwatch in the field of view along with the engine as well. Frame-by-frame analysis gives you a 30 Hz data acquisition rate. Pressure reading is proportional to the motor thrust and the syringe plunger area, there may be some stiction though.

Brad Hitch

Yes, there are many ways to go.

I've even heard of using a cheap digital bathroom scale from Wally World, videotaping the scale face, then analyze to build a thrust-time curve.

Not elegant perhaps, but it works.

Steve Decker