My new "sub-dashboard"

[Gobs]

Hi all,

Some days ago, I just finished the "sub-dashboard" on the rear plastic board of the front half-fairing:

Zimage.biz

LHS BOARD:

- Splashproof cigarette-lighter socket.
To plug a smart battery tender as well as a GPS or some 12V accessorie.

- Battery/Charge monitor ON/OFF switch.
To control the battery level as well as the charge efficiency. Engine not running: battery checking; engine running: charge checking. I install this ON/OFF switch not to permanently get a "Christmas-tree-like" blinking all along long rides.

- "Out-of-town" loud horn ON/OFF switch, with its "idiot" LED.
To ride on highways and open roads out of town. In OFF position, the handlebar horn switch only feeds the stock horn. In ON position the handlebar switch feeds both stock and added horns. As I'm a polite guy, I prefer not to open my pass in a agressive way in the small streets downtown

RHS BOARD:

- Battery/Charge 4 LEDs monitor.
Yellow (up to 12V): wrong; Green 1 (from 12V to 13.4V): OK; Green 2 (from 13.4V to 14.7V): OK; Red (over 14.7V): warning! It's a very easy to do home-made LEDs voltmeter based on a LM324 IC. Accuracy is OK for what it is done for...

- Alarm flashing red LED.
Hiden switch controlled alarm.

Hiden under the board, I add too a home-made turn-signal lights buzzer... Very useful for me as I forgot so many times my turn-signal lights after use!

It tooks me some time and work, but I'm rather glad with the result. And all works great... Maybe I'm going to change the 2 screws holding the LEDs print-board with some nicer ones a next time... I feel they have a bit of a "big" head.
Though I've been very careful, the plastic has been slightly scratched, only by using a soft pencil to draw my drilling patterns. Actually I can't get these small scratches off. This plastic is very, very soft. I guess, by the "PP" marked on the rear side, that it is some polypropylen. So for sure, its finish is a bit fragile...
As for drilling, not so easy to get a perfect cut: plastic tends to soften under the drill and then to make small smudges all around the edge... Difficult to take off as well.
If someone have some tips about this, I'll appreciate.

Someone here already did something like that? Or in a different manner?
If any comment, don't hesitate. It may help...

Thanks,
Gobs

 

[Humperdinkel]

Looks pretty good , great idea :thumbup:

 

[Ridgeback]

Looks almost 'factory' good job fella :thumbup:

 

[Senior]

Looks almost 'factory' good job fella :thumbup:

looks great, I was expecting a second shot being the "after" and the first one the "before". had to have a good look.

how about another picture with the LED's shining, or even a short video with the ignition on and then starting it up . . . I'm interested in the volt meter (have you got a how to for that?)

Good job :thumbup:

 

[Argyle]

great setup, looks very clean. i'm going to be looking into a charging port like that for mine as well.

 

[Mancolt]

Agreed, that's some impressive work! Looks very professional! Great job!

 

[RJ2112]

Looks really good, Gobs.

Knowing Thailand is very hot and humid.......

Did you use 'sealed' all weather switches for the rocker switches? If not, you may want to. Moisture will eventually get in there and make them fail.

If you built your own circuit board for the volt meter, maybe you could share the design? How is the board preserved? Did you take any pictures of the board itself?

As far as drilling the holes in the soft plastic, the only suggestion would be drill very slow.

Instead of a pencil, perhaps a felt tipped pen to make marks?

 

[goker]

Very nice.

As for drilling on the plastic, I agree on the using slower speed for drilling especially when you first start it up, also looking into drill bits that are just for plastic (they are very sharp). Around here hobby shops (model train, car) have them, so you can check that out. Since drilling into plastic does not require a lot of power, you can also use smaller drills that are easier to control rather than regular sized ones.

If you want to start over again, you can probably get somebody who went naked or sell you that piece. That piece is usually survives crashes because of its location, so someone may have it even though the rest of the fairing is no longer good / saleable.

 

[mxgolf]

Very nice. I like it. I have a battery tender plug on my FZ6 but the rest is cool.
Thanks :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

[Dennis in NH]

Hey, very nice :thumbup:. I think if the bike came stock like that, it's cost maybe $800 more.

Dennis

 

[Shiloh]

I had been looking at doing something with the sub dash plastic also, but not to the extent you did. Thanks for the ideas, and very well done!:cheer:

Andy

 

[Dr.Moby]

great work. inspiring, even.

DrM

 

[SANGER_A2]

Excellent. Really nice. You should be able to get some waterproof covers for those switches. Also, I'd recommend covering any soldered points on circuit boards in hot glue to waterproof it and also to stop contacts lifting with all the vibration they are subject to. An option instead of drilling is just to use a sharp knife point turned round and round like a drill to make/enlarge holes in plastic. It works well for me. Those screws don't look too bad as they kinda follow the line of dots made by the LEDS IMHO. In fact, I thought they WERE LEDs the first time I saw them!

 

[Senior]

Had a quick dig around and found this circuit for a volt meter.

I guess that you could playaround with the resistors to set the voltage to required levels . . . .

 

[FZ-B]

looks great! Nice job

 

[sxty8goats]

Sounds cool, but can't see the pic.

 

[fzme]

Sounds cool, but can't see the pic.

Yep, the pic is no more...I'm dying to see it...

 

[AngelFZ]

I do not know what happened to the picture, I was able to see it earlier!!!!!

Great job. That is a good location for the 12-volt port. I have in mind adding a 12-volt port and this locations is looking very good.

 

[fzme]

The picture is back!

Awesome idea. I've always wanted a couple switches for the alarm, horn, whatever... Good job, man:thumbup:

 

[Gobs]

Thanks to all for your comments, advices, tips and ideas... Very useful.
Am I going for a new "sub-dashboard" right now? Ehm... I suppose I will go with this one as it is for some months
Sorry no pics "before/after" and no pics "LEDs shining yet!

If someone interested, here is the link for the voltmeter diagram I used:

http://users.otenet.gr/~athsam/voltmeter_with_led_for_car_battery.htm

Thanks to M. Sam from Greece!

I made two little personnal modifications to get my own tensions specs/ LEDs light up:
- I changed the 5.6V Zener diode for a 6.2V one
- I changed the 10K R6 for a 10K trimpot in serie with a 4.7K resistor
A DC power supply is needed to adjust the trimpots to get the expected tensions setting (LEDs lighting up) before installing the voltmeter on the bike.

I did 2 or 3 attempts with different diagrams. This one is the best easy-to-do, the more accurate and the cheapest I can recommend (as far as I know of).
Controlled with a digital voltmeter engine cold or hot, the accuracy and stability are good for the intented use. Very resistant to bike vibrations, heat and humidity.

I've been using the same diagram/installation on my other bike for more than one year now without any problem. The only weak point is reading the voltmeter at one glance when LEDs are in full sun...
So far, for the moment, no problem with the rocker-switches, LEDs board (coated with silicone) or connexions (automotive type).

Cheers,
Gobs

Dennis: + 800$? OK, right now I e-mail to Yamaha top-office!