Several people have approached me regarding the best way to setup data logging, and how to do it in practice. I collected some thoughts here for discussion. Comments obviously welcome - there are many ways to address this issue!
It is quite easy to buy a datalogger and display, but the installation is a source of concern for some people. Often also the analysis software can cause some difficulties in the beginning - after all, this provides a pretty sophisticated toolkit to work with!
My initial suggestion, and one that I have personally followed in my cars, is to start with some simple steps first. Basically to get going, all you need is to provide power to the DL1 logger unit! OK, it is a good idea to put a fuse there, and also nice to have an ON/OFF switch, and you need a good flat location in the car but other than that you are set. With just the base logger and the memory chip you already can start looking at your lap times, the track map, your speed, as well as your acceleration and braking. This is already plenty to start with, and gives most drivers a lot of learnings about how to improve. The reason you can start with this simple step is that the DL1 has a GPS antenna and accelerometers as standard - thus the unit, without being connected anywhere (except power...) already logs a lot of useful data.
The benefit of starting with this simple step is two-fold: First, running the post-session analyses is much easier, since you do not have millions of variables to look at. This makes also using the analysis software much easier, and allows you to setup your basic analysis screens so that you can focus on pure essentials. Second, in the early phase I personally feel the driver should not look at too much data while driving, but rather focus on the driving itself. Thus omitting even the display is perfectly fine (provided you have the regular oil pressure, engine temp indicators available).
As a second step, I find the most useful to connect the ECU to the logger. This provides further useful data, including throttle position (quite useful!) as well as all the key engine data (rpm, ignition, oil, water, battery, and such - depending on the unit used of course). This step too is very simple - basically you just hook up the ECU interface with power, and connect the serial cables.
At this point using the dash (Dash2 in most racing applications, Dash3 for street use) starts to be useful. Also, you may want to complement some of the data with specific sensors - typically brake pressure and some auxiliary engine data (whatever your ECU does not provide). Brake pressure I suppose is the most common, and also very useful - both for driver development as well as a safety feature. The dash of course allows you to eliminate a number of dials/meters, since all data you are logging can now be displayed too. Thus at this stage a clean-up of the cock-pit is in order, removing whatever is not needed and replacing that with dash display.
For those looking for ultimate sophistication, adding sensors for suspension and ride height follows. However, given that this starts to multiply the data dramatically, I would suggest this only as the last step once the user is able to use the data already available. Also, all along this development I would suggest continuous review of the standard screens used in the analysis software. Looking at the data in certain preconfigured ways, and always following the same procedure when analysing the data will speed up learning tremendously!
If you have more questions, or comments to the above, please let me know! I would also recommend the book The competition car data logging manual by Graham Templeman as a fast and easy way to get a thorough overview of what data logging provides and how it is best used. Graham is a regular writer for Race Technology magazine, and you can find more advanced tips there.
To close, at s2i Motorsport we are happy to address all your concerns regarding data logging, provide hands-on support and demos, and provide you with all the HW, SW (and books) needed to get going. Data logging and analysis, done the right way, provides a great way to gain deeper insight into being faster! It does not need to cost much either, a step by step approach can both limit expenses and speed up the learning process.
