6-speed gear indicator display

[werase643]

........................
KISS usually is better :mrgreen:  :mrgreen:  :mrgreen:  :mrgreen:  :mrgreen:

I agree, do you have a design worked up that you could share with us.  Something specific that you or someone else could prototype. :dunno:

+12V into 6 bulbs
wire from bulbs to the shift indicator....which will ground the associated bulb for each gear as you shift from 1-6

it's pretty simple

[starwalt]

Just to keep this thing from dying...and the fact that another thread made an overlap in my mind...

At some point in time, the Neutral switch, "Neutral Base Assy" ceased being called such and became a "Gear Base Assy" in the parts fiche. That happend with the 04 model (actually 03 for some markets).

Checking the 04 gixxer 600 parts, it also refers to a "Gear Base Assy) where the neutral switch is mounted.

That clue in addition to the fact that the 04+ feeds information from the "Gear Base Assy" to the new design ignitor ("black box"), leads me to think the GS 04+ has a resistive output like the Gixxer.

Goat - Microchip has a PIC with 8 channel A/D and 12 I/O pins...16F676 . Will your programmer at work handle it?  With 8 channels we could get your O2 sensor, RTD input, hell even a rain gauge into this project! One chip solution for input, nearly any display type on the output.

[John Bates]

It looks like a single digit LCD display is not going to work out.  First of all I don't think they are available.  Even if they were available they appear to be too complicated to implement considering our KISS strategy.

The most straightforward design seems to be:

The GS450/GN125 gear indicator (part# 37720-33200 or 37720-45100). This is a drop-in replacement for the existing neutral switch It has seven wires. One for the neutral lamp and one for each of six gears 1 - 6. The single neutral wire can be spliced directly to the existing blue wire therefor utilizing the existing connector. A new cable assembly attached to a small display panel using six 12V bulbs or LEDs needs to be designed.  It would be nice to have a brightness adjustment for day/night use.

[gobstopper]

First off, I know jack about electronics, so you guys have lost me with your amps and ohms and whatnot.

These things are on the market for other bikes:
Might it be easier to design an adaptor to make one of these work on a GS?

[starwalt]

First off, I know jack about electronics...
Might it be easier to design an adaptor to make one of these work on a GS?

Man that dancing pickle cracks me up every time!  :lol:

The short answer to your question is no. The problem with the abundance of electronics today is that most people don't appreciate or understand the engineering required to provide simple information.

Most "digital" displays depend conversion of physical  information into a representation we humans can understand. It is the stuff between the physical and input to our senses that is magic to most.

John B - I guess the "wire and lamp" method will get it done quicker.  Rather than worry about brightness adjustment, we could use an old automobile trick and shade the display. With stencils of 1 - 6 and N arranged linearly on a clear plastic sheet, spray the sheet black. Each character would then be centered over a black tube and a super white LED inserted below it. Connection circuitry has been discussed.

Then a smoke colored layer of plexi is placed over the numbered piece. That shades it from sunlight but allows the number to show through the clear number section.

With the "wire and lamp" method, it is only a matter of packaging for desired effect.

[davipu]

ok so when are you going to put a kit together for me?

[John Bates]

These things are on the market for other bikes:
Might it be easier to design an adaptor to make one of these work on a GS?

No. These things only work on bikes that have electronic tachos.

[JeffD]

Brightness adjusting for LED's can be done simply,  1 transistor for each led, 3 resistors for each LED, and an LM317 with a pot.   Q.E.D.

If using the 12 bulbs it will require a bigger transistor but the same method as above (except lamps of course)..

I did something similar for my sr design for school, but instead of using a regulator to control the brightness, I used 2 wein bridge oscillators.  

I have a video, email me if you want it.  (I'm not selling these, the ones I will be selling again will look Identical to the old ones, but with brighter LED's and a regulator. )
electrovw at hotmail.com

[werase643]

These things are on the market for other bikes
Might it be easier to design an adaptor to make one of these work on a GS?

No. These things only work on bikes that have electronic tachos.

um,     install an electric tacho....
why reinvent the wheel.....
if it is readily available....buy one

[Bluebellylint]

I found a site where someone already made one that works. Check it out!

[mp183]

I just need to know when I'm in 6th.  
The others don't matter.
I have a tendency to try to shift up when I'm in 6th.
When I'm pushing it it's a pain to look down and figure out that
you are in the last gear.

[John Bates]

............... perhaps this its time to rip open the speedo, or tach and mount 6 LED's to the inside, have them running clockwise for next highest gear.

Does anyone know if there is room for 6 LEDs or a 7 segment display inside the spedo or tach? :dunno:

The most difficult part of this project is the packaging.

[John Bates]

I found a site where someone already made one that works. Check it out!

Yes, this will work and you have to use the 3 wire gear position switch which requires a 1/8 inch spacer.

[starwalt]

Does anyone know if there is room for 6 LEDs or a 7 segment display inside the spedo or tach? The most difficult part of this project is the packaging.

That's a clever idea John! The back of the tach face is clear. Why not remove black face in the desired pattern of the gear sequence? It is just paint. Perhaps a 10 segment LED bargraph? That would only require a rectangular area for the LED chip. There is plenty of room for a horizontal layout at the lower part of the tach face between the x1000rpm lettering and the tach face mount.

Of course the wiring would need to get into the tach. I wouldn't recommend the speedo due to much mechanics.  I will try to sketch something up this weekend and post to this thread.

[Bluebellylint]

I was thinking of a string of 6 LED's going with the curve of the bottom of the tach.

[Bluebellylint]

You can see how hollow the back of our tachometer is on this page.

[airbrush]

there should be lots of room...even around the outside edge of the gauges on the mounting plate would work....had my gauges apart awhile back...they can be a bugger to get the trim ring off.

[starwalt]

....had my gauges apart awhile back...they can be a bugger to get the trim ring off.

That is why I chose the "eliminate the back of the ring" method by filing away the 90 degree corner. I reattached the front part with black RTV on the edge. None of that "bent it out, pound it back" stuff for me.

Here's a shot of a tach face with some LEDs around it. I think the rectangular display sitting on the face is a good candidate. A custom PCB would not be difficult thing either. It would allow more spacing between LEDs and could be just a little larger.

I have LOTS of parts to play with. The only thing we really need to do is come up with a reliable method of reproducing the tach face. The back is clear plastic. It can be hole sawed or even batch turned from material the same thickness.

[airbrush]

I was thinking in this area here...then no one has to mess around with taking their gauges apart. There should be lots of room in this area behind the faceplate.

[starwalt]

Yes, another good candidate for location. It would also work well with the instrument bucket and locate the wiring inside it.

Mounting could be drill holes in existing bracket and mount with drop in or from the rear LEDs/Lights. I think a kit would include a new bracket pre-modded for such a thing. CF brackets have been suggested/requested before.

Did you paint your tach/speedo with that wild layout? Very nice!