IMPORTANT: PerfectPower is an extremely accurate power and performance measurement tool, but like all measurement material, it needs to be correctly configured and used to deliver its results with an optimal accuracy, and it is therefore essential to read this guide before any first use, thank you for your understanding.
Note: As of April 15, 2023, this guide is exhaustive on the process of configuring and using PerfectPower for the seven basic measurements it performs (power, accelerations, runs flying start, braking, speed, rev calibration, and losses measurement). However, additional information remains to be provided (results, performance simulator, lap timer, use of an external GPS in Bluetooth), and they will be provided in May 2023. Thank you for your understanding.
I) Configuring the application (Setup)
IV) Measurement of power and performances
V) Performances Simulator
VI) Lap Timer
VII) Results
0) Introduction
Using PerfectPower properly comes down to following a typical four-point approach:
1) Properly configure the application (chapter I)
2) Properly configure the Car sheet (chapter II)
3) Properly mount the phone in the car (chapter III)
4) Properly measure, using the flattest and smoothest possible measurement road, and averaging TWO measurements performed in BOTH directions of the road (chapter IV)
Note 1 (phones running Androïd 12 or more): When you open the application for the first time, you are asked if you want to allow PerfectPower to access the "Precise" (GPS) or "Approximate" (WIFI or GSM triangulation) position of the device, as well as the frequency of this access (3 choices: "While using the app", "Only this time", or "Deny"). Although it is obvious, please select the following two choices:
- Precise
- While using the app
For phones before Android 12, you are only asked for location access permission, but same note: please kindly grant it!
Note 2: It is strongly recommended to use a high performance external GPS of at least 10 Hz communicating via Bluetooth with the application for an optimal results accuracy. PerfectPower recommends two:
- The RaceBox Mini (25 Hz, the highest frequency in "all-public" GPS): a direct communication with it is currently being coded in PerfectPower!
- The SkyPro XGPS160 (10 Hz): the external GPS used for many years by members of the PerfectPower group. It works very well (it just requires a third-party Bluetooth GPS application to provide its data to PerfectPower), and it also obtained the 1st place in a fairly recent Internet comparison of "all-public" GPS, even if now the RaceBox Mini should become the new reference in the field...
I) Configuring the application (Setup)
Configuring the application is done in the Setup screen, accessible by pressing the Setup icon located in the main screen (middle icon, the 3rd).
You must perform all the desired settings (depending on the type of measurement) from top to bottom, i.e.:
- the choice of units / colors (all types of measurement)
- the choice of measurement mode (power & accelerations & braking) (locked in version 6.0)
- the choice of power parameters (correction norm, weather conditions, losses calculation mode)
- the choice of performance simulation parameters (shift time)
- the choice of accelerations parameters (end speed, type of measurement stop)
- the choice of runs flying start parameters (gear engaged, start and end speed)
- the choice of braking parameters (start speed)
- the choice of rev calibration parameters (calibration rev)
- the choice of losses measurement parameters (start speed, measurement duration)
All the necessary explanations are already given in the application, you just have to follow them.
II) Configuring the Car sheet
Configuring the Car sheet is done in the Cars screen, accessible by pressing the Cars icon located in the main screen (4th icon).
The list of registered cars is displayed on the screen. It contains a default car on first use (Aston Martin DBS, PerfectPower's mascot). You must select the desired car by clicking on its row, or on the + row if you want to create a new car. You then access its sheet, which you will have to fill in completely. Once completed, don't forget to save the information entered by pressing the "SAVE" button (important!), and return to the Cars screen by pressing the BACK button.
IMPORTANT: A precious help is given to you in the Car sheet to fill in this one: a link to the most reliable and complete automotive database in the world: The Automobile-Catalog!
III) Mounting the phone
Mounting your phone is done by using a good windshield mount (i.e. sufficiently rigid, holding the phone correctly and correctly absorbing vibrations), and by positioning it correctly. No other type of mounting should be used!
The three rules that the phone must follow are:
- it must not move during the measurement (as little as possible in reality)
- it must be subjected to as little vibration as possible
- it must be aligned with the direction of movement of the vehicle and not tilted laterally, but can be tilted vertically between 0° and 90° in relation to the horizontal
The diagram below shows you the position the phone must have.
IMPORTANT: PerfectPower strongly recommends the use of the WIXGEAR universal magnetic windshield mount, which perfectly fulfills all the required criteria!
IV) Measurement of power and performances
You have to perform your measurements on the flattest and smoothest road possible (this is the most important), in straight line, with as little wind as possible, and with tires warm and well inflated (manufacturer's pressure).
It is also important to perform your measurements in both directions of the road (if possible of course) and ask PerfectPowerr to average them in order to eliminate the very real influence of the slope of the road and the wind on the results...
You are now presented in detail the seven types of measurements that can be carried out at PerfectPower:
- 4 main and stored in memory: Power, Accelerations, Runs flying start, and Braking
- 3 secondaries: Speed, Rev calibration, and Losses measurement
1) Power
Go to the Perfs screen (the main screen), and at the very top of the screen, select:
- the P tab (= Power), the 1st
- the car you want to use (short click to scroll through them, long click to select the one you want)
Car well stabilized at standstill, foot on the brake, disengaged and 1st gear engaged, press the chrono located in the middle of the screen.
The bar below the chrono initially blue ("Start") then turns red ("Wait") for 1 second, time during which you must not move (calibration of the accelerometer).
Then the bar turns green ("Go!"): you can then leave whenever you want, the application will identify the precise moment of the start, and the chrono will start immediately (white bar "Running...").
Normally start in 1st, then quickly put yourself on your measurement gear (the one you entered in the Car sheet for the power measurements, the 2nd or the 3rd), making sure to fall back on this gear below the min rev (also entered in the Car sheet).
Then fully accelerate (wide open throttle) to the max rev (also entered in the Car sheet), no more, no less.
As soon as this max rev is reached, immediately put yourself in freewheel (by disengaging the clutch) for at least three seconds, time after which the chrono will stop automatically. You can also brake a little to force it to stop.
In all cases, the chrono (and therefore the measurement) will stop automatically after the first of the three following conditions encountered: 3 consecutive seconds of deceleration, heavy braking, or 60 seconds of measurement. The end of the measurement is shown by the bar which turns blue again ("Ended").
A measurement report is then displayed in the lower part of the screen, which will give you the essential information about your measurement. Once read, press the chrono, the application will re-initialize for another measurement (blue bar "Start").
IMPORTANT 1: For an optimal curve end, it is preferable not to brake suddenly as soon as the max rev is reached (especially if you are not using an external GPS!), but to put yourself in freewheel (or just raise the foot in automatic gearbox) for at least a little second.
IMPORTANT 2: In the "Calculation of losses by measure in freewheel" mode, it is obviously IMPERATIVE to remain in freewheel for the whole losses measurement duration configured in Setup & Power (minimum 5 s and maximum 15 s)!
IMPORTANT 3: Above all, do not continue accelerating in the higher gear once the max rev has been reached in the measurement gear, otherwise the application will believe that the measurement is not finished and will continue to record it! This reflex is very common among new users!
Demonstration videos
PerfectPower demo video (official) - Audi S2 "Track" in "Normal Boost" config - Direction 1 (281 hp)
PerfectPower demo video - Audi S2 "Track" in "Normal Boost" config - Direction 2 (281 hp)
Tips & Tricks
1) Here is how to choose the "Gear engaged", "Min rev", and "Max rev" parameters in the Car sheet:
- Gear engaged: Use only the 2nd or the 3rd with a serial car, knowing that what determines this parameter in priority is the measurement time, which must be as close as possible to 10 s, and in all cases between 6 and 15 s. Which to schematize corresponds to the 2nd for cars under 200 hp, and the 3rd for the others.
- Min rev: Use 2000 rpm in gasoline engine and 1500 rpm in Diesel engine, values typically used on chassis dynamometers and perfectly adapted to these types of engines
- Max rev: Use the rev limiter in gasoline engine and the red zone in Diesel engine, and... give particular importance to the following tip, thank you!
2) Always stop your measurements at the same maximum rev (the one you have entered in the Car sheet) without exception (except in an emergency of course). Not only is this the normal measurement protocol, but it also allows you to detect AND above all correct a weak GPS reception! Indeed:
- When you are not using an external GPS, the maximum speed of all your measurements must be within an amplitude of 2% maximum (example: 60 mph real ==> all speeds between 59.4 and 60.6 mph), and the maximum power in a same direction of measurement within an amplitude of 4% maximum (example: 100 hp real ==> all powers between 98 and 102 hp)
- When you use a high performance external GPS of 10 Hz minimum, these amplitudes change to respectively 1% and 2% maximum (example: 60 mph real ==> all speeds between 59.7 and 60.3 mph & 100 hp real ==> all powers between 99 and 101 hp)
And even, these thresholds are wide: in practice we are often below, even well below with a good external GPS like the two recommended by PerfectPower! Also, if your measurements do not fall within these speed and power amplitudes, it is the sure sign that your GPS reception is weak, but be aware that PerfectPower has in this case a unique (almost magical!) function of re-calculation of the measurement on the real max speed at the end of the measurement!
To use it, go to the results sheet of the erroneous measurement, check the "Max speed correction" box, enter manually in the "Max speed" field the real max speed at the end of the measurement (which you of course have to try to carefully determine: you can for example use that of a measurement that seems correct to you, or quite simply use the "Speed at max rev" calculated by PerfectPower and available in the Car sheet), and finally press the " RE-CALCULATION OF THE MEASUREMENT" button located just below: all your results (powers, torques, speeds, etc...) will then be instantly recalculated on the whole measurement and should this time be perfectly correct! Then press the "REGISTER THE NEWS PARAMETERS" button also located just below if you wish to definitively save the measurement with its new configuration of real max speed at the end of the measurement. You can of course repeat the operation for any other measurement that seems suspicious or erroneous to you!
2) Accelerations
Go to the Perfs screen (the main screen), and at the very top of the screen, select:
- the A tab (= Accelerations), the 2nd
- the car you want to use (short click to scroll through them, long click to select the one you want)
Car well stabilized at standstill, foot on the brake, disengaged and 1st gear engaged, press the chrono located in the middle of the screen.
The bar below the chrono initially blue ("Start") then turns red ("Wait") for 1 second, time during which you must not move (calibration of the accelerometer).
Then the bar turns green ("Go!"): you can then leave whenever you want, the application will identify the precise moment of the start, and the chrono will start immediately (white bar "Running...").
Concerning the measurement itself, only one thing to do: fully accelerate, doing your best to break the clock (but not the application, anyway you would not succeed, even with 1000 hp!).
Once the measurement is finished, immediately put yourself in freewheel (by disengaging the clutch) for at least three seconds, time after which the chrono will stop automatically. You can also brake a little to force it to stop.
In all cases, the chrono (and therefore the measurement) will stop automatically after the first of the three following conditions encountered: 3 consecutive seconds of deceleration, heavy braking, or 60 seconds of measurement. The end of the measurement is shown by the bar which turns blue again ("Ended").
A measurement report is then displayed in the lower part of the screen, which will give you the essential information about your measurement. Once read, press the chrono, the application will re-initialize for another measurement (blue bar "Start").
IMPORTANT: If you have activated the accelerations measurement stop mode on speed in Setup & Accelerations, the measurement will stop automatically as soon as the configured measurement end speed is reached!
3) Runs flying start
Go to the Perfs screen (the main screen), and at the very top of the screen, select:
- the R tab (= Runs flying start), the 3rd
- the car you want to use (short click to scroll through them, long click to select the one you want)
Stabilize at a real speed (GPS speed displayed at the top of the Perfs screen) 2 mph lower than the run start speed you entered in Setup & Runs flying start, by putting yourself in the gear you also filled in there, then press the chrono located in the middle of the screen.
The bar below the chrono initially blue ("Start") then turns green (“Go!”): you can then crush the accelerator whenever you want, the application will identify the precise moment of crossing the run start speed entered in Setup & Runs flying start, and the chrono will start immediately (white bar "Running...").
You must then stop accelerating only when you have exceeded the run end speed entered in Setup & Runs flying start, which will be achieved when the bar turns blue again ("Ended").
A measurement report is then displayed in the lower part of the screen, which will give you the essential information about your measurement. Once read, press the chrono, the application will re-initialize for another measurement (blue bar "Start").
4) Braking
Go to the Perfs screen (the main screen), and at the very top of the screen, select:
- the B tab (= Braking), the 4th
- the car you want to use (short click to scroll through them, long click to select the one you want)
Stabilize at a real speed (GPS speed displayed at the top of the Perfs screen) 2 mph higher than the braking start speed you entered in Setup & Braking, then press the chrono located in the middle of the screen.
The bar below the chrono initially blue ("Start") then turns red ("Wait") for 1 second, time during which you must continue to stabilize your speed (calibration of the accelerometer: you must not start to brake!).
Then the bar turns green ("Go!"): you can then brake whenever you want, the application will identify the precise moment of crossing the braking start speed entered in Setup & Braking, and the chrono will start immediately (white bar "Running...").
You must then brake to a COMPLETE stop.
Once this complete stop has been verified by the application, the measurement will be finished, which will result in the bar turning blue again ("Ended").
A measurement report is then displayed in the lower part of the screen, which will give you the essential information about your measurement. Once read, press the chrono, the application will re-initialize for another measurement (blue bar "Start").
5) Speed
Go to the Perfs screen (the main screen), and at the very top of the screen, select:
- the S tab (= Speed), the 5th
- the car you want to use (short click to scroll through them, long click to select the one you want)
Preliminary note: This function actually allows to carry out three types of measurement: the measurement of the max speed, the calibration of the speedometer, or even a manual rev calibration.
Run your car at full speed (for measuring the max speed) or stabilize at the desired speedometer speed (for calibrating the speedometer) or at the desired calibration rev in the desired gear (for the manual rev calibration), then press the chrono located in the middle of the screen.
The bar below the chrono initially blue ("Start") then turns white ("Running..."), indicating the start of the speed measurement!
You must then remain stabilized at the desired speed or at the desired rev for 3 seconds, time after which the measurement will end, the bar then turning blue again ("Ended").
A measurement report is then displayed in the lower part of the screen, which will give you the average real speed (GPS) calculated over the 3 seconds of the measurement. Once read, press the chrono, the application will re-initialize for another measurement (blue bar "Start").
WARNING: This kind of measurement is not saved in memory: it will therefore be necessary to think as soon as the measurement is finished or to memorize the results (you can for example write them down on a sheet), or to take a screenshot.
6) Rev calibration
Go to the Perfs screen (the main screen), and at the very top of the screen, select:
- the r tab (= Rev calibration), the 6th
- the car you want to use (short click to scroll through them, long click to select the one you want)
Stabilize at the calibration rev entered in Setup & Rev calibration (3000 rpm by default) in the gear entered in the Car sheet for the power measurements (the 2nd or the 3rd), then press the chrono located on the middle of the screen.
The bar below the chrono initially blue ("Start") then turns white ("Running..."), indicating the start of the measurement!
You must then remain stabilized at the desired rev in the appropriate gear for 3 seconds, time after which the measurement will end, the bar then turning blue again ("Ended").
A measurement report is then displayed in the lower part of the screen, which will give you a series of information calculated over the 3 seconds of measurement, including of course the calculated gearbox ratio.
If you are satisfied with your rev calibration, then press the chrono (the bar remains blue but returns to "Start" state) then select the "P" tab (for Power): you are then ready to perform your power measurements!
On the other hand, if you are not (poor stabilization of the speed during the 3 seconds of measurement), simply press the chrono (the bar remains blue but returns to "Start" state) then redo another one in stride, making sure you stabilize the speed better.
WARNING: The gearbox ratio calculated following a rev calibration is systematically saved in memory, and it therefore "overwrites" the old value that was there: you will therefore have to think carefully if you are not satisfied with your rev calibration or to redo another one immediately, or to put back in the Car sheet the old value that was there!
7) Losses measurement
Go to the Perfs screen (the main screen), and at the very top of the screen, select:
- the l tab (= Losses measurement), the 7th
- the car you want to use (short click to scroll through them, long click to select the one you want)
Stabilize at a real speed (GPS speed displayed at the top of the Perfs screen) 2 mph higher than the losses measurement start speed you entered in Setup & Losses measurement, then press the chrono located in the middle of the screen.
The bar below the chrono initially blue ("Start") then turns green ("Go!"): immediately put yourself in freewheel by disengaging the clutch, the application will identify the precise moment of crossing the losses measurement start speed entered in Setup & Losses measurement, and the chrono will start immediately (white bar "Running...").
Then remain in freewheel for the whole losses measurement duration entered in the Setup & Losses measurement (minimum 5 s and maximum 15 s), which will be achieved when the bar turns blue again ("Ended").
A measurement report is then displayed in the lower part of the screen, which will give you the information of your measurement. Once read, press the chrono, the application will re-initialize for another measurement (blue bar "Start").
WARNING: This kind of measurement is not saved in memory: it will therefore be necessary to think as soon as the measurement is finished or to memorize the results (you can for example write them down on a sheet), or to take a screenshot.
V) Performances Simulator
VI) Lap Timer
VII) Results
VIII) Using the RaceBox Mini
Starting from version 6.1, PerfectPower is able to drive the RaceBox Mini, the best 3 in 1 "all-public" on-board measurement equipment, including a GPS of speed (25 Hz!) and accuracy (around 1 ft) completely unprecedented, as well as an accelerometer and a gyroscope both 3-axis. The RaceBox Mini is a "Bluetooth Low-Energy" type device, able to send and receive information with any type of device supporting this type of communication, such as any modern smartphone.
PerfectPower's communication process with the RaceBox Mini was designed to be as simple and comfortable as possible so that you can focus on the quality of your measurements and absolutely do not have to worry about the RaceBox Mini once it is installed. in the car, and is based on a cycle of 3 long-clicks on the chrono, located in the center of the main screen:
- The 1st launches a SCAN of 15 s during which PerfectPower searches for all the devices available nearby in "Bluetooth Low-Energy". If it finds your RaceBox Mini within the time limit, it stops the SCAN and is then ready to connect. If it doesn't find it, you can run a new SCAN until it finds it.
- The second allows PerfectPower to CONNECT to the RaceBox Mini, which signals this connection by emitting a blue light
- And the third allows to DISCONNECT from it, the blue light then ceases to be emitted
Concerning the installation of the RaceBox Mini in the car, I let you refer to the documentation provided by RaceBox.
Concerning its use, as said, everything has been thought out so that it is completely forgotten, and once it is connected to PerfectPower (blue light on), the measurements are performed EXACTLY as usual! The only visible difference on the phone compared to conventional measurements using the phone's internal GPS at 1 Hz: the speed display is in red (instead of white), with an accuracy of 0.1 mph (instead of 1 mph), and... at the frequency of the RaceBox Mini, so 25 Hz (instead of 1 Hz) and therefore 25 displays per second!
Note 1: All SCAN & CONNECT & DISCONNECT actions are always reported by PerfectPower via pop-ups, whether success or failure, so that you always know exactly where you are with your RaceBox Mini.
Note 2: Everything has been thought out to limit energy consumption as much as possible (Bluetooth being very energy-intensive as you can imagine), however the only action that remains YOUR FACT to limit energy consumption is to think about disconnect from your RaceBox Mini as soon as you are no longer using it. Needless to say, however, that the connection is automatically cut as soon as you leave PerfectPower, even if for optimal stability of the Bluetooth system on your phone, I recommend that you disconnect from your RaceBox Mini BEFORE leaving the application.
Note 3: It is of course necessary that Bluetooth is enabled on your phone when you use the RaceBox Mini! However, here again, everything has been thought out to make things easier for you, and if your Bluetooth was disabled during the first long-click (this of the SCAN), PerfectPower will allow you to enable it WITHOUT EVEN EXITING THE APPLICATION!
Appendix (hacking awareness)
Text dated Sunday, April 16, 2023, 4 am (Paris time) (sorry for the late after the release of the 6.1 version at 9 pm the 15th)
In March 2023, I led a merciless fight (which I won) against the piracy of APK files (file format under which we developers send our Android programs to Google Play for release) by certain malicious users who had extracted the APK file of PerfectPower from their phone to make it available for free on parallel sales platforms, which penalizes not only us developers because our work is scuttled by people who do not know how to do anything with their ten fingers (french expression), but also you users who legally buy my application on the official sales platforms (Google Play and App Store) when others get it for free on these parallel sales platforms...
For this, I contacted on Thursday, March 9, 2023 the 6 parallel sales platforms on which these APK files were located (most recent version: 5.6, most frequent versions: 3.3 and 4.2), and I explained to them (calmly but clearly) the situation and I asked them to immediately remove these APK files from their sales platforms...AND they ALL did it within a week and therefore it has now become impossible to find APK files of PerfectPower (of course I checked everything!), and I must admit that it's a victory that made me very happy, not only for me the developer of PerfectPower, but also for you the users of my application who buy it legally on the official sales platforms, and I'm so glad I did us ALL justice!
Small clarification: out of the 6 sales platforms concerned, 3 quickly replied to my email and even sent me the "offending" link to show me that the application was no longer there and I thank them all, and the other 3, if they didn't answer me and apparently didn't change anything on their site where PerfectPower is still present, well they still removed the APK files concerned since the links have become inoperative and it has therefore become impossible to get them (for free anyway since there is also a link to the official Google Play for the 3 platforms!), when before I could download for free and without any difficulty old versions of PerfectPower (my OWN application so!) on each of these 3 platforms!
On the other hand, what a disaster for other well-known paid applications in the same category as PerfectPower (I obviously won't mention any name, but everyone -in France anyway- knows what applications I'm talking about, a former French colleague and a German...) where you can easily find free APK files (even including "unblocked" versions...), it's obviously sad for them and it shows how much piracy is a plague that must be fought, but it also shows that I seem to have accomplished a feat by managing to make "disappear" hacked APK files of my application... (example with the first two sales platforms appearing in a Google search "PerfectPower apk" and who had hacked APK files of PerfectPower: HappyMod and APKCombo)
So, all's well that ends well? YES... but on the one hand I have to remain vigilant about this (the sales platforms concerned obviously know this...), and on the other hand I had to make all the users of my application aware of this plague of modern times, and that's why I introduced in the 6.1 version of PerfectPower a hacking awareness system in which I locked the Power function of PerfectPower... while giving you in this hacking awareness text that I asked you to read the manipulation (very simple!) to perform to unlock it, here it is: make as many long-clicks on the Perfs icon (the leftmost icon of the 5 icons in the main screen and representing a stopwatch) that there are characters in the following equation:
P I R A T E = I D I O T
It's done? You can then now use the most fascinating version of PerfectPower since its creation in 2012 on iOS and 2014 on Android which drives the RaceBox Mini, the best 3 in 1 "all-public" on-board measurement equipment (GPS + Accelerometer + Gyroscope) , as I let you find out in the NEWS section of the site! I will add to the site on Sunday, April 16, 2023 the information to connect to it and to use it, thank you for your patience and your understanding!