BC1600 computer problem

On 2006-04-21, tony f (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Listen. Seriously. Get in a very quiet environment and spin your wheel, with
your ear close to the sensor. You should be able to hear it trip as the
magnet goes past. The magnet should be very close to the sensor as it
passes - usually about 2-3 mm.

Get a multimeter and test for line continuity at the speedo connections - I
think I used the resistance setting - open circuit = normal, circuit closes
as magnet passes sensor. This validates your cabling.

Better yet, go the continuity beeper test setting on the meter. That
way it will actually work, given the sampling period of a DMM.

For mine, I noticed I could make it work by tugging on one section of
the cable. Cut that section out, splice, and bingo! (pity about the
damn thin fragile cables, really. Oh, and a real pain to separate the
two wires and actually get them stripped without breaking anything.
Then my numerous heatshrink stuffups. Put it on *before* soldering.

When the cable breaks next time, I might just go and replace the
entire cable with something a bit heavier duty, although I have no
idea how to solder it to the base of the BC1600.

--
TimC
I found love in rhod and you can too...well, not all of
you...not the smelly amongst you -- Kimberly Chapman

On 2006-04-21, Karen Gallagher (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

Tamyka Bell said:

Karen Gallagher said:

Mine has the same issue with cadence - the pedal magnet keeps moving
a tiny amount due to contact with my shoes now & then. It's a PITA
but I've learned to live with it, as the crank is really not a good
shape for fastening the magnet securely

Karen

Maybe you could get some more serious double-sided tape to supplement
the included tape and cable tie?

Tam

That might make it worse, as it already hits my shoe - another, say, 1mm of
tape underneath it will mean one more mm to strike.

Eh?

| |crank || |
| | || |
| | || |chain stay
/\ | |magnet |-| |
| | | |-| | | |
| | | |-| | | |
shoe_| | |_| |
|______| sensor |
pedal | |

OK, so that's really bad ascii art that probably doesn't convey what I
am trying to say.

The shoe is on the other side of the crank to the magnet, where a shoe
can't possibly come into contact with it, shirley? I can't see any
other way of doing it...

--
TimC
"Indicators: There are controls in each vehicle that cause little bits
of coloured plastic to flash on and off at the corners of your vehicle.
Pretty, aren't they?" -- friend of Richard Sherratt in aus.bicycle

Tamyka Bell said:

Wasn't there a car add like that?

Maybe you could set up your speedo magnet to repel fscking Prados?

Tam

You mean the "Get in or get out of the way or I'll run you over" ad for a
Toyota thingy? That ad *really* [censored] me off! At least the ad for (I
think) a Ford that had the guys talking in high pitched voices has a bit of
humour in it.

Graeme

Yeah, the sensor is actually quite loud when it activates. But it's a
bit harder to know whether it's working when the wheel is spinning
faster. I'll have another play with it tonight and use the multimeter
to test the connections.

TimC said:

When the cable breaks next time, I might just go and replace the entire
cable with something a bit heavier duty, although I have no idea how to
solder it to the base of the BC1600.

Use the original cable at the mount, but cut it off about 5cm out, then
wrap it back under the mount so that the new cable is taking any strain.
My current installations are using the existing cables because I haven't
crashed enough to need anything else. [1] Give me time.

Previously I can remember looking for a DSE in a small town in New Zealand
so I could get a bit of speaker wire to fix up the computer. At home there
ought to be enough in the garage... Using thicker stuff and running it
under a zip tie on the stem or bars works pretty well.

Oh, and if you ever need to replace a reed switch, police breathalyser
straws make pretty good mounts - just tape up the switch so it wedges in
nicely, mark the straw so you know which way it needs to face, and zip tie
it to your fork leg.

[1] Hmmm, I wonder why TimC knows about replacing wires. Tum Te Tum.
--
Dave Hughes | [email hidden]
The plural of 'anecdote' is not 'data' - seffala, /.

My BC1600 always stops working (speed sensor) when I ride in reasonably heavy rain. Is anyone else having the same problem? I can't work out why this would happen as the magnet/sensor interface shouldn't be affected by moisture. The display still works fine, just no speed/distance recording happening.

I wrote to Sigma about it, assuming German technology was faultless! Silly me for being a studid son of a dutchman (which I am). Their reply was to send in the offending article complete with receipt - dumkopf (who keeps receipts these days?).

As rain is a reasonably frequent winter occurrence here in Tasmania, I need to find a product that will work reliably. Any suggestions from experience appreciated.

On 2006-04-24, Spider1977 (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

My BC1600 always stops working (speed sensor) when I ride in reasonably
heavy rain. Is anyone else having the same problem? I can't work out
why this would happen as the magnet/sensor interface shouldn't be
affected by moisture. The display still works fine, just no
speed/distance recording happening.

The only time mine ever gave that symptom was very long duration rain
down the 1:20 -- it may never rain on a BR, as confirmed by this
week's ride, but it always rains on a 1:20.

It was because the contacts underneath the computer had become bridged
by water. Twist the computer off when it stops raining temporarily,
wipe down all four contacts and the entire top of the mount until it
is dry, similarly, dry the bottom of the computer, then twist the
computer back on.

--
TimC
Just because they are called 'forbidden' transitions does not mean
that they are forbidden. They are less allowed than allowed
transitions, if you see what I mean. --unknown

Quite a common problem for Audax riders because of the
conditions you find yourself riding in.
An old trick is to put a smear of "chapstick" type lip
balm between the contacts on the computer mounting plate.
The water beads up and doesn't tend to bridge them.

PeteB.

--
Anyone feel like writing a sigmonster extension for Thunderbird?
I'm getting quite envious of TimC's quotes ;-)

TimC said:

On 2006-04-24, Spider1977 (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

My BC1600 always stops working (speed sensor) when I ride in reasonably
heavy rain. Is anyone else having the same problem? I can't work out
why this would happen as the magnet/sensor interface shouldn't be
affected by moisture. The display still works fine, just no
speed/distance recording happening.

The only time mine ever gave that symptom was very long duration rain
down the 1:20 -- it may never rain on a BR, as confirmed by this
week's ride, but it always rains on a 1:20.

It was because the contacts underneath the computer had become bridged
by water. Twist the computer off when it stops raining temporarily,
wipe down all four contacts and the entire top of the mount until it
is dry, similarly, dry the bottom of the computer, then twist the
computer back on.

Would wrapping a strip of cling film used for food around the display unit
be effective enough at keeping it dry in heavy rain?

I saw someone who looked to me like a regular cycle commuter was doing it.
Of course it might have been the first time he did it before deciding it was
a dumb idea.

Regards Wilfred

"Skewer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quite a common problem for Audax riders because of the
conditions you find yourself riding in.
An old trick is to put a smear of "chapstick" type lip
balm between the contacts on the computer mounting plate.
The water beads up and doesn't tend to bridge them.

PeteB.

--
Anyone feel like writing a sigmonster extension for Thunderbird?
I'm getting quite envious of TimC's quotes ;-)

TimC said:

On 2006-04-24, Spider1977 (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

Quoted message said:

My BC1600 always stops working (speed sensor) when I ride in reasonably
heavy rain. Is anyone else having the same problem? I can't work out
why this would happen as the magnet/sensor interface shouldn't be
affected by moisture. The display still works fine, just no
speed/distance recording happening.

The only time mine ever gave that symptom was very long duration rain
down the 1:20 -- it may never rain on a BR, as confirmed by this
week's ride, but it always rains on a 1:20.

It was because the contacts underneath the computer had become bridged
by water. Twist the computer off when it stops raining temporarily,
wipe down all four contacts and the entire top of the mount until it
is dry, similarly, dry the bottom of the computer, then twist the
computer back on.

Wilfred Kazoks said:

Would wrapping a strip of cling film used for food around the display
unit be effective enough at keeping it dry in heavy rain?

I saw someone who looked to me like a regular cycle commuter was
doing it. Of course it might have been the first time he did it
before deciding it was a dumb idea.

Regards Wilfred

"Skewer" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quite a common problem for Audax riders because of the
conditions you find yourself riding in.
An old trick is to put a smear of "chapstick" type lip
balm between the contacts on the computer mounting plate.
The water beads up and doesn't tend to bridge them.

PeteB.

--
Anyone feel like writing a sigmonster extension for Thunderbird?
I'm getting quite envious of TimC's quotes ;-)

TimC said:

On 2006-04-24, Spider1977 (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:

> My BC1600 always stops working (speed sensor) when I ride in
> reasonably heavy rain. Is anyone else having the same problem? I
> can't work out why this would happen as the magnet/sensor
> interface shouldn't be affected by moisture. The display still
> works fine, just no speed/distance recording happening.

The only time mine ever gave that symptom was very long duration
rain down the 1:20 -- it may never rain on a BR, as confirmed by
this week's ride, but it always rains on a 1:20.

It was because the contacts underneath the computer had become
bridged by water. Twist the computer off when it stops raining
temporarily, wipe down all four contacts and the entire top of the
mount until it is dry, similarly, dry the bottom of the computer,
then twist the computer back on.

Probably won't do any harm, providing you take it off again when you get
home, else any moisture trapped within the clingfilm will turn to vapour and
may get in places it otherwise would not have done.

Karen

--
"I'd far rather be happy than right any day."
- Slartibartfast

On Mon, 24 Apr 2006 13:55:35 GMT, "Wilfred Kazoks"
<[email hidden]> wrote in aus.bicycle:

Quoted message said:

Would wrapping a strip of cling film used for food around the display unit
be effective enough at keeping it dry in heavy rain?

I saw someone who looked to me like a regular cycle commuter was doing it.
Of course it might have been the first time he did it before deciding it was
a dumb idea.

No it's not a dumb idea. I am just a commuter and my Acme brand
computer ($12.99 from Woollies sadly no longer available) has been
thus protected for years.

I only take off the Gladwrap to change the battery. I use a 3" wide
strip of Gladwrap and wrap it twice round the computer, the mount and
the bars then secure it with a piece of twine or an elastic band just
below the contact mounting. Twine or twist ties are better than
elastic bands because the latter self destruct in the sun light and
have to be replaced.

Works well, still using the same cheap computer after god knows how
many years and water/moisture never gets in.

The hardest part (?) is keeping the glad wrap from creasing over the
screen as you wrap it round but it just takes a bit of care.

Regards
Prickles

Timendi causa est nescire
This message only uses recycled electrons