Installing SpeedHut gauges

[Chuck]

^^^^^ good one, docc. That's probably all that's needed. 

[nobleswood]

Pretty sure I can improve on this set-up . . .

http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16949&p=181486

You know this set-up has it's merits; deleting the speedo for a Beer holder : )

[docc]

Some ideas seem so brilliant on the front. Before the slippery slope presents . . .

[Scud]

It's a whole lotta little wires. But you can do it. What's so slippery? You thinking about adding the Go-Winkie to the dash... or installing a fish-finder to go with your marine grade electronics? You'll just need a new place to hold that beer. And what's with the tease? Not showing us the faces? 

[docc]

Heh . . . fish-finder . . . I didn't see that box to tick on the Speedhut website . . .

 

See, what else am I missing here?

[docc]

I've got to get the sixteen foot GPS antenna lead shortened somehow. I thought it was going to be ten inches.

 

I've got the two, separate, "inverters" for the illumination, but do not understand the night dimming function . . .

 

Do the inverters get hot? Where to mount them . . .

 

Ten days to the DamRide. No pressure.

[Scud]

Docc - if you go back to the first few pages you can see where I was struggling with same issue. Here's a pic of the way it's been tucked up between gauge pod and the fixed LeMans fairing - and everything's been working great. I think two gauges behind a fairing that moves with the gauges should allow a cleaner installation than mine.

 

 

I'm not thrilled with the excess wires I had to stash back there, but I installed four gauges. I taped the inverter to the harness, outside of the gauge cups. I used one inverter to power 4 gauges, but I noticed that it has a different part number sticker than yours. I wonder if one inverter would do the job?

 

And Speedhut should have cut that GPS cable to your specs. If you don't have time to send it back, maybe an electronics shop could do it for you.

[docc]

Using one inverter seems ideal. How does the dimming work? I'm vague on that . . .

[Scud]

I didn't get the dimmer. Sorry I can't help there, but I recall their other documentation being quite good - and their technicians very helpful on the phone.

[docc]

Unfortunately, they missed all of the noted order instructions, so the gauges have to go back for sealing, correct cable length, and multi inverter with dimmer.

Fortunately, I already am using GPS speedometer/odometer in the Garmin Zumo. Plus, I'm getting a little better at not twitching so violently when the St. Vitus Veglia speedo needle flicks from 40 to 100 sporadically . . .

 

I'm trying not to feel too bummed. Not likely to get them installed before our next ride, but pretty good chance they'll be in by the Next South'n Spine Raid.

[docc]

Speedhut got my gauges back yesterday and shipped them back to me today.

[docc]

Ok . . . gauges are back on the bench. A couple questions after reviewing this entire thread (again):

 

1) Supplied fuses are mentioned, but I don't see any in the kit (?). I don't want to add a fuse I can't get to easily. The existing illumination wiring is fused from Fuse#6 straight from the Ignition Switch (no intermediate relay) - isn't that enough fuse already?

 

2) Someone mentioned "dimmable"illumination, but I'm having trouble getting dimmable inverters from Speedhut. How important is this? Will they be annoyingly bright at night (with white face gauges) without dimming? Are the Speedhut dimmers manual?

[Scud]

I used the existing light wiring without additional fuse - still working.

 

On the brightness, that's going to be a matter of personal preference. When I had the white-faced gauges on at first I thought they were too bright - but I prefer low light on my gauges and I had installed four gauges, not two. I'm happy with the the same light on the black faces - I didn't get the dimmers either.

[swooshdave]

Or go with red lights. Still visible but not as blinding as white.

[docc]

Speedhut is sending me the dimmer, but it is for controlling up to eight instruments, and I don't know where I can mount it or if it's worth the trouble.

 

http://www.speedhut.com/ecommerce/product/780/Gauge-Lighting-Inverter-for-Multiple-Gauges-with-Dimmer

 

I'll know more when it gets here.

[edit/ 20 May 2017: I didn't use the dimmer. I found it too bulky for my application and don't trust it's weather resistance. I haven't had the bike out at night yet, but in the dark garage the brightness level looks okay.]