SIP Speedo with Varitronic - Underpowered?

[Hughieboy]

Afternoon All,

I hope someone can help me with this, I've looked for the answer first but haven't come across it.

I have a non battery Li 150 motor with Varitronic igntition. I've just treated myself to a SIP speedo V.2 and a direct from hub speed sensor cable. When I start the scooter with no lights it fires into life but pressing the button doesn't cycle through the settings. I noticed a couple of times that if I rev it hard it will change settings once or twice but not consistently and I can't get it to go into the settings mode, i.e. Holding down for three seconds to set the miles instead of km/h etc. Turn on the lights and it goes off, only to come on again with a good handful of throttle and again no function from the settings button. It goes on and off at tick over. The temp gauge seems to be working and I am getting a rev reading although I can't be sure it is correct as I was expecting to reset it for the Varitronic.

I have the brown and red wires taking power from the old speedo light supply and have it earthed to the handlebars via the throttle rod clamp bolt. I have checked, unplugged, replugged in etc and no change. I have a hunch it just isn't receiving enough power to work properly although I'm getting a reading of 13 volts on the multimeter.

Anybody shed any light on this?

Thanks.

[Wack]

Have a read here, same system viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8406

[Fast n Furious]

Yep.. as above.... You really do need a pure dc supply with a battery for these SIps to work with any degree of reliability.

[Hughieboy]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the replies, a bit late coming back to you as I changed my email address and got locked out of the site until today! That's a bit of a pain, I thought they were supposed to work on AC power with no battery, didn't realise I was going to have to do all that as well!

It's a bit naughty not making that clear, it's a bit late when you've spent the money and found out it doesn't bloody work!

What a pain in the a***....

I guess that's what comes from trying to get modern day convenience from 50 odd year old technology....

[Wack]

They do work on AC but not that reliably with the Vari/ Casa tronics

[Delboyli150]

Hi Update.

From Earlier threads, my Sip is now working all Ok thanks to Wack and co,(Sorry if I missed anyone out)!

See Link viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8406

Hope This helps.

[Hughieboy]

So, I have a 12v battery in the leg shield toolbox with fuse, relay and switch for a spotlight. I just charge it with a trickle charger as I don't use it much. Could I run a wire from the Varitronic CDI to the positive terminal on the battery and then another wire from the positive battery terminal via a switch to the DC input wire on the SIP power box? Would that do the trick? Sorry, I'm not that clued up on electrics so forgive my ignorance if that's wrong.... I'd like to sort it as simply as I can without 'parts-cannoning' if at all possible.... and if that's right, would it need a fuse somewhere?

Cheers!

[missing lynx]

I run a sip 2 speedo on an ac scooter without any problems when I first got it the book doesn't make it clear you can only access the menu when the screen displays the screen shown on the overview page once I found that out setting was easy I've been told the rev counter doesn't work so well on a dc set up I hope this helps you do need to run it off the scooters power as running off a battery won't give it the impulses it needs to give you all the functions

[Fast n Furious]

I run a sip 2 speedo on an ac scooter without any problems when I first got it the book doesn't make it clear you can only access the menu when the screen displays the screen shown on the overview page once I found that out setting was easy I've been told the rev counter doesn't work so well on a dc set up I hope this helps you do need to run it off the scooters power as running off a battery won't give it the impulses it needs to give you all the functions

The SIP is designed to be powered from a DC source. Supplying from an AC source is less than ideal. It will give the SIP's regulator a hard time and will be very erratic on tickover. Pick up pulses for the rev counter are sourced from the AC output directly from the stator. This is technically less than ideal because the voltage can get quite high at high RPM potentially destroying the input circuit for the rev counter. Ideally, the pulses directly from the stator should be opto-isolated using a small device called an Optocoupler which again will only work properly with a DC system.
AC systems are fine for those who like the simplicity of it, buts it's crap when you want to add electrical enhancements.

[Hughieboy]

Ok, so for the sake of simplicity and to see what's working and find out if anthings faulty......

I have connected the brown ac control box wire to the ac power supply that used to be the supply for the old speedo bulb (where both power wires were previously connected)..... this is giving a reading of 13 volts. I have then connected the red dc control box wire to a fully charged 12v motorcycle/scooter battery. The SIP speedo obviously turns on as soon as the battery is connected. Fire the scooter up and the rev counter works on the 'speedo' face and the cht works. There is now no cutting in and out when ticking over with the lights on due to the dc power I guess but I have noticed that there is only about 9v reading from the ac power supply when the lights are on.

BUT...... As with before, the control button is very random in its functioning. Sometimes it will cycle through the trip 'a' settings but if you hold it down for the recommended 3 seconds to change settings, it still does nothing most of the time and occasionally has a bit of a hissy fit, scrolls through some readings randomly and then gives a code on the screen that seems to read 'r7ah'.

I have no idea what's going on with it. It now effectively has dc power (unless anyone tells me different?) but won't do what it's supposed to do. I have also tried powering the ac side from before the ignition as suggested by the technical guy at Beedspeed where I bought it from but this makes no difference as the voltage is the same.

I need to try and work out if it's dodgy switch, dodgy power box, both or something I'm doing wrong?

Any ideas what 'r7ah' is? I can't see it anywhere in the instruction booklet.

Cheers.

[Covboy]

r7aH means MAX - it shows max revs, temp , speed etc

To get to the settings pages - you can only acces these menus from the first main screen by holding the button down for 3 seconds.

[Hughieboy]

Thanks....... do you think it sounds like the switch/button is faulty then?

[Fast n Furious]

Use a multimeter on the switch connection to see if it's switching properly.

[Hughieboy]

I've pulled it all back off and sent it back to Beedspeed for testing..... pretty sure it's faulty.

[Delboyli150]

Hi Hughie

Having a similar problem, First it was my ignition switch, I knew this by putting a multi meter across and turning the key ALL cables open circuit in every key position, took this back. Checked in shop and did what it meant to do!

Got my lights back and Sip then the Menu button did not work, borrowed one from a friend and put on my scoot and hey presto the menu button works so will also be taking this back to the shop!

[Hughieboy]

Hi Delboy,

Yep, sounds about average.... I've now sent mine back to Beedspeed but they in turn have sent it off to SIP for testing..... when they hear back I'll hear back I guess.... not their fault but it's a bit of a pain having to wait around for everyone, plus the cost of returning it Special Delivery was best part of a tenner. Starting to wish I hadn't bothered, I didn't realise they were that hit and miss or I'd have thought twice before parting with my cash! So, three weeks later, £150 down, scooter with no speedo in it, not sure when it will be sorted. Cosmic!

[Delboyli150]

Hi

Ready through many forums and speaking to many people there does seem to be either a bad batch, or just rubbish in the first place.

I am under the impression that once set up they are a good piece of kit, fingers cross, hope you resolve this quick. Just a thought can you 'borrow' one from anywhere@

[Covboy]

Hi
I've just fitted 2 - apart from needing a battery on the variatronic scoot - no problems at all and I'm really impressed. The non variatronic one is fine at low revs even with the lights on .

[Hughieboy]

Hi

Ready through many forums and speaking to many people there does seem to be either a bad batch, or just rubbish in the first place.

I am under the impression that once set up they are a good piece of kit, fingers cross, hope you resolve this quick. Just a thought can you 'borrow' one from anywhere@

Had a call from Beedspeed yesterday..... SIP have confirmed that the unit is faulty and have credited them, they despatched a replacement and it should be here today. Fingers crossed it all works this time. Great service from Beedspeed as well....!

[Delboyli150]

Must admit Beedys are good.