custom tach and dash progress

02-08-2006, 09:22 PM

This is the display part of it, in the lab, on the bench.
I grabbed a quick video on my mobile, so excuse the quality.
the 30 LEDs are working ok, i have a glitch on one of them, but i think i worked the fix out. The whole thing is blinding bright though.
the whole ramp fits around the speedo, on a custom made face plate, behind a sheet of smoked acrylic.
some people do have too much time on their hands !

http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...=Video03_1.flv
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMv7Oxxl8dg

Zimbo · 02-08-2006, 09:41 PM

Nice one Stef, looking good!

Can you dim the LEDs by increasing the resistor value on the power supply? Might be an idea to have a "day" setting and a "night" setting?

Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

02-08-2006, 10:06 PM

Yes please explain why you have time to do such things,don't even have time to srub my new 2 week old tyre in yet

Look's sweet though maybe a TRI colour LED for nearer after the optimum change up point red would be nice.

Just a thought.....did you design it on a bread board or more complex stuff?

03-08-2006, 06:58 AM

cheers lads.
It's all on breadboard, small enough to fit in the profile of the speedo,
4 IC's and a dozen other components (R's and C's).
Nice idea for the night/day switch. i didnt think of that.
Will come in usefull, since the new dash plate also includes all the idiot lights, which i am thinking of replacing by LEDs as well.
The tricolor sounds a good idea, i might replace a few leds sometime..

Bod, That's what lunch hour is for !

gary tompkins · 03-08-2006, 07:53 PM

The LED's would be really distracting without a dimming facility. I had one of the DP tacho units on my 600, and found the display really distracting at night - especially in the rain. This wasn't helped by the fact all the LED's lit up together rather than just one sweeping the display - as in your design.

look forward to seeing the finished job in action

Yorkie · 03-08-2006, 08:29 PM

Very nice Stef! When are you taking orders??

Yorkie.

03-08-2006, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gary tompkins

The LED's would be really distracting without a dimming facility. I had one of the DP tacho units on my 600, and found the display really distracting at night - especially in the rain. This wasn't helped by the fact all the LED's lit up together rather than just one sweeping the display - as in your design.

look forward to seeing the finished job in action

Looks good stef i like that.

I'll second what Gary said as i've got one of the ones in his pic on my 600 at the mo. Even at dusk or dawn time its distracting cos its bright, if you can sneak in a switch to dim for night it will be well worth it, either that or do what i do and stick a bit of tape over it at night (which kind of makes it pointless having it in the first place).

Look forward to a picture of it on the bike.

Cheers,

Shandy

03-08-2006, 08:44 PM

cheers guys, I'll definitely put a dimmer switch then. thats lunch time tomorow taken up.

16-09-2006, 05:52 PM

quick update on my first run with the tach actually connected to the bike (using the pick up coil).
The good news is that the tach actually works, sort of, ramping up blue LEDs as the RPM goes up. Reading is a little "ghosty", rather than sharp (more than 1 LED lighting up, a little like KIT) I guess a well placed capacitor should sharpen this out.
Also, the whole position of the LED ramp makes it a little hard to see. This i am not too happy about.
As you guys pointed out, it is too flat. well i want it flat, but if i cant read it, it's a little pointless. so i think it's back to the drawing board, as far as the mechanical mounting is concerned.
i'll kep you posted.

Yorkie · 16-09-2006, 06:52 PM

Stef,

Just replace the top plate with a slightly raised one at the rear!

Yorkie.

16-09-2006, 09:04 PM

ok, been on the sketch board.. got some new ideas.
i want to get a classic look, so how about an old style headlamp with dash incorporated ? a little like this :
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CEV-105-LAMP-V...QQcmdZViewItem

so i did a couple of mockups from pictures:

i'll sleep on the idea. if i am still going for it tomorow, i'll get the clay out.

16-09-2006, 09:46 PM

Oh i like that how easy hard is it to make?

Or where can you get a dp one?

17-09-2006, 07:49 AM

will have to be home made, i am afraid.
should be doable, following Dave's technique of glass fiber part making.

crust · 17-09-2006, 07:31 PM

you need to visit somewhere like Netley Autojumble, coming up very soon I think.

Theres a few bikes have had speedos built into the headlight shell.

Will rack my brain for makes/names

Crust

17-09-2006, 08:11 PM

cheers crust,
I have made a wooden frame to get started on proportion, but i have underestimated the space required to fit both the original tach and the headlamp. The whole headlamp housing is just gigantic.
so the next step is to get a smaller tach.

02-08-2006, 09:22 PM	#1
stef Guest Posts: n/a	custom tach and dash progress This is the display part of it, in the lab, on the bench. I grabbed a quick video on my mobile, so excuse the quality. the 30 LEDs are working ok, i have a glitch on one of them, but i think i worked the fix out. The whole thing is blinding bright though. the whole ramp fits around the speedo, on a custom made face plate, behind a sheet of smoked acrylic. some people do have too much time on their hands ! http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...=Video03_1.flv or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMv7Oxxl8dg Last edited by stef; 02-08-2006 at 09:41 PM..

02-08-2006, 09:41 PM	#2
Zimbo Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Stonehouse, Glos Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 2,078	Nice one Stef, looking good! Can you dim the LEDs by increasing the resistor value on the power supply? Might be an idea to have a "day" setting and a "night" setting? Looking forward to seeing the finished product!

02-08-2006, 10:06 PM	#3
bod Guest Posts: n/a	Yes please explain why you have time to do such things,don't even have time to srub my new 2 week old tyre in yet Look's sweet though maybe a TRI colour LED for nearer after the optimum change up point red would be nice. Just a thought.....did you design it on a bread board or more complex stuff?

03-08-2006, 06:58 AM	#4
stef Guest Posts: n/a	cheers lads. It's all on breadboard, small enough to fit in the profile of the speedo, 4 IC's and a dozen other components (R's and C's). Nice idea for the night/day switch. i didnt think of that. Will come in usefull, since the new dash plate also includes all the idiot lights, which i am thinking of replacing by LEDs as well. The tricolor sounds a good idea, i might replace a few leds sometime.. Bod, That's what lunch hour is for !

03-08-2006, 08:29 PM	#6
Yorkie Anglo-Saxon Warrior Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: North Yorkshire Bike: M900 Posts: 2,485	Very nice Stef! When are you taking orders?? Yorkie.

03-08-2006, 08:44 PM	#8
stef Guest Posts: n/a	cheers guys, I'll definitely put a dimmer switch then. thats lunch time tomorow taken up.

16-09-2006, 05:52 PM	#9
stef Guest Posts: n/a	quick update on my first run with the tach actually connected to the bike (using the pick up coil). The good news is that the tach actually works, sort of, ramping up blue LEDs as the RPM goes up. Reading is a little "ghosty", rather than sharp (more than 1 LED lighting up, a little like KIT) I guess a well placed capacitor should sharpen this out. Also, the whole position of the LED ramp makes it a little hard to see. This i am not too happy about. As you guys pointed out, it is too flat. well i want it flat, but if i cant read it, it's a little pointless. so i think it's back to the drawing board, as far as the mechanical mounting is concerned. i'll kep you posted.

16-09-2006, 06:52 PM	#10
Yorkie Anglo-Saxon Warrior Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: North Yorkshire Bike: M900 Posts: 2,485	Stef, Just replace the top plate with a slightly raised one at the rear! Yorkie.

16-09-2006, 09:04 PM	#11
stef Guest Posts: n/a	ok, been on the sketch board.. got some new ideas. i want to get a classic look, so how about an old style headlamp with dash incorporated ? a little like this : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CEV-105-LAMP-V...QQcmdZViewItem so i did a couple of mockups from pictures: i'll sleep on the idea. if i am still going for it tomorow, i'll get the clay out.

16-09-2006, 09:46 PM	#12
katana Guest Posts: n/a	Oh i like that how easy hard is it to make? Or where can you get a dp one?

17-09-2006, 07:49 AM	#13
stef Guest Posts: n/a	will have to be home made, i am afraid. should be doable, following Dave's technique of glass fiber part making.

17-09-2006, 07:31 PM	#14
crust rattles when he walks Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: in the comfy chair,moved furniture around Bike: M900 Posts: 1,065	you need to visit somewhere like Netley Autojumble, coming up very soon I think. Theres a few bikes have had speedos built into the headlight shell. Will rack my brain for makes/names Crust

17-09-2006, 08:11 PM	#15
stef Guest Posts: n/a	cheers crust, I have made a wooden frame to get started on proportion, but i have underestimated the space required to fit both the original tach and the headlamp. The whole headlamp housing is just gigantic. so the next step is to get a smaller tach.