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Unit Conversion

Cole Gentry edited this page Dec 23, 2025 · 1 revision

Unit Conversion

UltraLog provides comprehensive unit conversion for 8 measurement categories. This page details all available options and conversion formulas.

Overview

  • Access unit settings via the Units menu
  • Changes apply immediately to all displayed values
  • Original data is never modified - conversions are display-only
  • Preferences are maintained for the session

Temperature

Available Units

Unit Symbol Description
Kelvin K SI base unit
Celsius °C Metric standard
Fahrenheit °F Imperial standard

Conversion Formulas

Celsius = Kelvin - 273.15
Fahrenheit = (Kelvin - 273.15) × 9/5 + 32

ECU Data Notes

  • Haltech: Stores temperature in Kelvin
  • ECUMaster: Typically in Celsius
  • Speeduino: Varies by configuration

Common Temperature Channels

  • Coolant Temperature
  • Intake Air Temperature (IAT)
  • Oil Temperature
  • Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT)
  • Fuel Temperature

Pressure

Available Units

Unit Symbol Description
Kilopascals kPa SI standard
PSI psi Pounds per square inch
Bar bar Metric bar

Conversion Formulas

PSI = kPa × 0.145038
Bar = kPa × 0.01

Common Pressure Channels

  • Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP)
  • Boost Pressure
  • Oil Pressure
  • Fuel Pressure
  • Barometric Pressure

Understanding MAP Values

kPa psi bar Condition
101.3 14.7 1.01 Atmospheric (sea level)
50 7.25 0.5 Vacuum (naturally aspirated)
150 21.8 1.5 ~7 psi boost
200 29.0 2.0 ~14 psi boost
250 36.3 2.5 ~21 psi boost

Speed

Available Units

Unit Symbol Description
Kilometers per hour km/h Metric standard
Miles per hour mph Imperial standard

Conversion Formula

mph = km/h × 0.621371

Common Speed Channels

  • Vehicle Speed
  • Wheel Speed (individual wheels)

Distance

Available Units

Unit Symbol Description
Kilometers km Metric standard
Miles mi Imperial standard

Conversion Formula

miles = km × 0.621371

Common Distance Channels

  • Trip Distance
  • Odometer
  • GPS Distance

Fuel Economy

Available Units

Unit Symbol Description
Liters per 100km L/100km Metric (lower is better)
Miles per gallon MPG Imperial (higher is better)

Conversion Formula

MPG = 235.215 / L/100km

Note: These units are inversely related - L/100km measures fuel consumption while MPG measures fuel efficiency.

Interpretation Guide

L/100km MPG Efficiency
5 47 Excellent
8 29 Good
12 20 Average
15 16 Poor
20 12 Very Poor

Volume

Available Units

Unit Symbol Description
Liters L Metric standard
Gallons gal US gallon

Conversion Formula

gallons = liters × 0.264172

Common Volume Channels

  • Fuel Level
  • Fuel Used
  • Tank Capacity

Flow Rate

Available Units

Unit Symbol Description
Liters per minute L/min Metric standard
Gallons per minute GPM Imperial standard

Conversion Formula

GPM = L/min × 0.264172

Common Flow Rate Channels

  • Fuel Flow
  • Air Flow
  • Water/Coolant Flow

Fuel Flow Reference

L/min GPM Approximate Power (gasoline)
0.5 0.13 ~100 HP
1.0 0.26 ~200 HP
1.5 0.40 ~300 HP
2.0 0.53 ~400 HP

Note: Actual power depends on BSFC and other factors


Acceleration

Available Units

Unit Symbol Description
Meters per second squared m/s² SI standard
Gravitational force g Earth gravity reference

Conversion Formula

g = m/s² / 9.80665

Reference Values

m/s² g Context
9.81 1.0 Earth gravity
4.9 0.5 Moderate acceleration
9.8 1.0 Hard braking/acceleration
14.7 1.5 Very hard maneuver
19.6 2.0 Extreme (racing)

Common Acceleration Channels

  • Longitudinal G (acceleration/braking)
  • Lateral G (cornering)
  • Vertical G (suspension movement)

Default Units

UltraLog uses these defaults:

Category Default
Temperature Celsius
Pressure kPa
Speed km/h
Distance km
Fuel Economy L/100km
Volume Liters
Flow Rate L/min
Acceleration m/s²

How Unit Conversion Works

Data Flow

  1. Raw Data - ECU logs data in native format
  2. Parser - Converts to base units (Kelvin, kPa, etc.)
  3. Storage - Data stored in base units
  4. Display - User preference conversion applied
  5. Legend - Shows converted value with unit symbol

Example

Haltech logs coolant temp as 363.15 (Kelvin)
→ Parser reads raw value: 363.15 K
→ Stored in memory: 363.15 K
→ User preference: Celsius
→ Displayed: 90.0 °C
→ If changed to Fahrenheit: 194.0 °F

Why Base Units?

Using base units internally:

  • Ensures consistency across ECU formats
  • Simplifies conversion logic
  • Prevents cumulative rounding errors
  • Allows instant unit switching

Tips

Choosing Units

  • Use units familiar to your region/industry
  • Match units to your reference documentation
  • Consider your audience if sharing exports

Comparing Data

  • Use the same units when comparing logs
  • Note that some ECUs log in different units
  • Field Normalization helps standardize naming

Troubleshooting

If values seem wrong:

  1. Check your Unit Preferences
  2. Verify the ECU's native units
  3. Some channels may not support unit conversion

Next Steps

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