Get motorsport electronics out of the dark ages without spending thousands.
Replace the rat's nest of wires with the exact same keypads used in big dollar motorsport all managed by the MicroPDM, a configurable CAN bus controlled power distribution module that weighs just 50 grams.
The Best Option for Club-level Motorsport
The Rat’s Nest
Most club-level race cars use hardwired toggle switches and standalone components often haphazardly installed.
MESSY AND UNRELIABLE
sealed switches x 6 $90 indicator lights x 6 $72 coolsuit timer $116 defroster timer $49 ---------------------------- total $327
Pro-level PDM
Big dollar PDMs are the right solution for the highest levels of motorsport. They are often overkill for club and grassroots racing.
COMPLEX AND EXPENSIVE
PDM $1059 - $9000 CAN keypad $399 ---------------------------- total $1458 - $9399
MicroPDM
The MicroPDM provides the flexibility and interoperability of pro-level PDMs scaled to the needs of club-level and grassroots motorsport.
SIMPLE, FLEXIBLE, AFFORDABLE
MicroPDM $240 CAN keypad $260 ----------------------------
Total $500
Should you spend thousands to eliminate a handful of relays?
We don’t think so.
High-side MicroPDM modules can drive 2 . 5 amp loads on each output. Low-side modules can sink 0 . 5 amp on each output. Larger loads should be driven through relays. This is the key difference between the big-dollar solutions and the MicroPDM.
Relays are reliable.
When properly sized and protected from water, mechanical relays are extremely reliable. Solid state relays are also available for those looking to eliminate moving parts.
Relays are flexible.
Relays can carry any kind of load needed in a race car, from the smallest switches to 80amp monsters. They can be used to switch arbitrary signal wires (like radio push-to-talk circuits) - something not otherwise possible.
Relays are cheap.
Quality mechanical relays cost less than $5 each. Solid state relays are approaching $30 each.
Features at a glance
7 outputs, expandable to 28.
Control 7 2.5A circuits with each MicroPDM. Add up to three add-on units for 28 total outputs.
4 - 32 buttons
The MicroPDM supports up to three Blink Marine PKP series keypads concurrently for a total of up to 32 buttons. Unlike the big-dollar players, we don’t force you to buy from us at an inflated price.
Flexible behavior
Need a momentary pushbutton for push-to-talk? Need a latching pushbutton for a cooling fan? The MicroPDM supports momentary, latching, ignition-on, mutually exclusive groups, plus a lot more.
Personalize with colors
32 color combinations are available to individualize each button. Use a flashing button as an interactive warning light.
Motorsport behavior built-in
The MicroPDM has built-in behavior for common race car devices.
Specialized uni-taskers like cool suit pump controllers, flash-to-pass relays, rain light flashing modes, and defroster timers are no longer needed. Get rid of the complexity and simplify your next race car build.
Control over CAN
Ability to speak on the CAN bus? If so, you can configure the PDM, remote control buttons, and listen for button events. The sky’s the limit.
Perfect compliment to motorsport ECUs, AIM and RaceCapture
Have an custom ECU that speaks CAN or an AIM or RaceCapture device? Want to control it with keypad buttons or toggle outputs based on data? No problem.
Leave the laptop at the shop
Forget about buggy software, glitchy bluetooth or wifi, or that special USB cable. The MicroPDM is configured on the panel itself.
If you can set an alarm clock, you can configure the MicroPDM direct from the driver’s seat.
FAQs
-
Yes. We think spending thousands on equipment, wiring, and 10s or 100s of hours in custom wiring to eliminate some relays is unnecessary in most cases. Making the other benefits of a PDM (keypad control, configurability, flexibility, CAN-interoperability) simple is our most important goal.
Simply put, properly installed relays have been proven to be reliable and solid-state relays are becoming available for those that want no moving parts in their electronic systems.
-
Probably not. We’ve seen countless over-budget, behind schedule, and unreliable builds because people under-estimate the effort and skill involved in rewiring a car from scratch.
Most of our sports car customers keep the essential factory wiring in the car, then use the MicroPDM to power their accessories.
Additionally, we’ve found many sports cars are factory-engineered with low-side switching of fuel pumps, head lights, and wiper relays, etc. Our low-side modules can naturally integrate with those factory circuits without having to gut everything and start from scratch.
-
We’ve seen our customers do all kinds of things:
Turn on cooling fans when temps get too hot.
Control dash through keypad and steering wheel buttons.
ECU control of fuel pump with keypad manual override.
Send pit speed or fuel reset command to ECU from keypad (and steering wheel).
Log data to see which drivers flash the headlights the most, use the radio the most, turn on the pit-speed limit at the right time, etc.
Create advanced headlight flash logic in ECU.
-
That’s completely up to you and your application. You can always mix and match, one low and one high for ultimate flexibility. Or you can use a relay to switch a single output from high-side to low-side.
The majority of customers select high-side PDM modules.
-
Not exactly. You can use the MicroPDM as a CAN-controlled device without a keypad. For example, an IMSA team uses our MicroPDM and controls it exclusively through the MoTeC system in the car.
-
Absolutely, as long as it is one of our supported keypads. See the User Guide for the most up-to-date list.
Unlike some other vendors, we don’t lock you in to buying keypads from us at inflated prices.
-
Please submit our dealer application form and a representative will contact you.
-
There is no app. Nothing to install, update, break.
All configuration is done with the keypad summarized in our Quick Reference Guide and fully documented in our User Guide.
You can also configure the device over CAN. This is used by power users and those that need to configure multiple PDMs.