Debug prototypes of Enercorp AI-1 Air Infiltrometer

The IAMC (Industrial Applications of Microelectronics Centre) had developed a product called the Air Infiltrometer 1 for Enercorp.  The AI-1 could automatically measure the leakage of a home by replacing one of the doors with a large fan, and measuring the pressure drop across it as the fan was sped up.  Enercorp had been manufacturing manual units that used TI-59 calculators, but the AI-1 made it all automatic.

The AI-1 mechanicals and PCBs were developed by Vansco.  The main board was based on the Motorola MC6802.  The PCBs came back and were built up, but everyone else was busy working on getting the Conviron CMP3000 going, so there was nobody to do the initial debug.

Although at that point, I had no idea what a microprocessor was or how it worked, I was given the MC6800 manual and Ed’s dusty old Krause Industries Micro Maniac development system, and asked to give it a go.  I put the development system together, dusted off the tape recorder, loaded up the development tape, and got the AI-1 up and running in 2 days.