I’m not expert on these subjects, but I have spent a decent amount of time scrubbing up on the tech and application of tire temperatures, including looking at a lot of data in race studio. What became apparent to me, and which is backed up by comments I’ve heard/read is that IR-based temperature gathering methods should not be considered a full solution since the outer tire temperature may, or may not, bear much resemblance to the core tire temperature (which is obviously more important). Basically, if you’re going to get some IR temps you need to also use a pyrometer to make sure what you think you’re seeing is actually happening.
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what temp were the slowest laps at? Did you ever try to really overheat the tires to see if you got an improved performance?
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Yes, sure, but the data does not show me I get better lap times when I have the average tire temp between 80 and 95C as suggested by the tire manufacturer.
Is there a way can have the data show the tire temperatures for each lap?
If you can do that then you can see the tire temps for each lap and then look at your times of each lap and then you can see what your tire temperature was each lap and see if you are getting better lap times in a certain temperature range
Did you discard temperature measurements when you weren’t in a corner? I would think the average would be dragged down by the tires cooling while you’re going down the straight.
So you’d probably want to set up a channel in Racestudio to only sample when it is under load, like using the lateral G as the indicator.
Something like this:
=IF(GE(abs(GPS_LatAcc),0.25),WheelTempFL,0)
Where 0.25 is the Lateral G you want to measure above and “WheelTempFL” is whatever you’ve called the wheel temp channel.
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I suspect it’s very possible to create a temp setup for a kart for ~$100. Sensors run $20+ each thanks to the pandemic and people buying every insta-read thermometer out there, but combine 1-4 MLX90614 sensors with an arduino, you could get a log of data for post-race review. Mounting might be a bit tricky. Adding wifi or live readout would be slightly more complex but doable. Looks like you can get 10 measurements a second per sensor.
Edit: read the link for the DIY version above, looks pretty similar. Will see if I can hack something together and post a more complete version sometime.
I am always considering the average temp of each tyre in the lap. I assume that, if the temp is higher in the corners, even reducing the temp in the straight, the average will be higher when compared to a lap where temps in the corners are lower.
I’ve never tried formulas in RaceStudio 3 as it is a little bit complicated for me to set up, but I’ll try this one you created.
To really log and use sampled tired temp data, I feel you would need a high end data system. On a kart, I would want 3 sensors for front tires, and 4 per year. That is 14 channels. I would think the sampling rate does not need to be really high as tire temps can not change that fast. 10 Hz would be fine. Something like a Motec C125 or an Aim system with CAN logging enabled. I would not send 14 analog channels to the DAQ. I would have each corner be a CAN module on the DAQ CAN bus, and then send the structured multi channel CAN signals at 10 Hz.
If I could log transient temps, I would not really put much weight at all into “average” tire temps. What you want to do is look at transient tire temps in different phases of cornering. What are the temps after you get the kart to take a set up till apex? What are the temps after you get on the gas? How do peak temps in given corners change over the course of a long run. Average temps I would think are close to meaningless compared to sampled transient data overlayed on a track map.
I think this would be INVALUABLE tuning data, over time. Initially, you would not use tire temp data to tune, because you do not yet know what tire temperatures do when the kart is working really well. You do a lot of testing and racing. Log tons of data. Then go back, and note those sessions where the kart was just dialed. THEN go see what the tires were doing when the kart was working so well. Now you learn how to get the tires to do that every time. That is what handling is. Getting the tires to work well.
*Tire pressures
*Seat position / weight distribution
*Front end geometry
*Axles
*Qualifying set ups
These are the areas where having good transient tire temp data (What are my outside front and read temps at just before I get on the gas at the apex. What are they at peak G load on the gas exiting the corner…) could teach you a lot.
Sounds like another project…!
Monte Ryan, do you know to acquire the PWM or SMBus singals, program a MCU and send to a CAN Bus message? That seems like the way to do it. That 90614 certainly looks like it would be accurate enough.
No. Looks like there’s interface available, though I’d have to get one and something for it to talk to, then figure out what and how to say. Was just looking at a cheap way to do tire temps. Turns out it’s more like a raspberry pi and a pair of arduinos, though, for reasonable update speeds. Mounting also a bit of fun, going to try putting it in the side pods.
hah, looks like he’s using the same sensors.
I don’t think side pods will work. For the rear, you need something frame (bearing carrier bolt ups) mounted. For the front, it has to be spindle arm mounted. Also the distances have to be carefully controlled based on the contact patch width and field of view.
Sorry to bump up this old topic but I feel it is better than creating a new one. I am thinking about buying a affordable temp gun to measure tire temps, these can be bought in any hardware store or online for a few dozen euros/dollars. However, there is so much supply of infrared temp guns that I don’t know what to choose. They vary in accuracy, range, surface that is measured, speed, distance etc. Probably all of them do the job, because measuring tire temps is not that complex. But does any of you have experience about the specific characteristics that I should take into consideration? Thanks in advance.
I bought a cheap one and it works well. I guess the issue is that it measures the surface as opposed to inside the rubber. I guess this means that you will need to do temps immediately and be consistent about when that is.
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On practice days, I put air gauge and temp gun inside my suit so I can get them immediately when I come off the track.
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I put a beer and a bag of Doritos in mine for the main for the exact same reason.
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Plus you can break the beer bottle if things get ugly in the scale line. 
This comment was made in jest;
I am NOT condoning violence, the wasting of beer, or setting bad examples for the impressionable.
I should have specified that I mostly drink cans, so rather than engaging in any scale house brawls I’ll try to redirect everyone to the benefits and drawbacks of recycling in America. 
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Warren and Evan do an experiment:
Here’s what I did for a cheap and simple method to measure and record tire temps. I bought the probe below off Amazon for $34. At the end of the session, I would plug in the temp probe into the ebox temp channel (needs a round to flat connector adapter cable). Measure the 3 tire temps and use a silver marking pen to scribble the temps on the side of the tire. If you need a separate display, Amazon has really cheap DVMs with a K type thermistor input.
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