Speedhut Install/Wiring Question

[Bpreynolds2]

Later today I’ll probably be ordering a Speedhut GPS speedometer for my Cali Stone but I am always greatly challenged even by the simplest wiring, so I’m asking this question.  In theory, mine should be the most basic and straightforward thing but it still confuses me  .  I’ve waded through most of the 15 page installation thread on the V11 forum but a lot of that over here doesn’t apply to mine since I’m not installing a tach, not using a pulse sensor, not wiring in the turn signals, etc.  I’m getting the GPS model, asking them to seal it, getting the remote reset, and getting logos on it as well.  I still plan to use the Stone’s mount and I’m keeping all of the Stone’s dash lights as wired stock.  All I think I need to do is figure out how to use the wires from the stock speedo lights to wire up the new Speedhut unit.  If you are not familiar, the Stone’s original speedo has 2 bulbs to light the interior, 4 wires total (2 to each light).  The Speedhut unit from the install diagram here has a power plug and then it also has an inverter, the latter of which I don’t even really quite understand?  But what would I need to cut/splice/connect to use the stock dash bulb light wires to power the SH unit? 

[John Croucher]

I used a VDO Speedo.  It uses a pickup signal.  I removed the mechanical cable hardware out of the engine gear box and plugged the hole with an oil pan drain plug screw and seal washer. <br

Lights positive wire and ground are connected via female flat terminals attached to short jumper wires spliced into the light positive and the light negative wires.  The gage had male terminals to plug into.

I was able to reuse the chrome cup cover.  I had to use a screw and coupling nut on the back of the gage and then slide the cup back on and run a screw into the open end of the coupling nut to hold it on.  The chrome ring on the OEM gage popped off with a little prying and fit on the new VDO gage. 

[Kiwi_Roy]

Good Choice
Quote
I still plan to use the Stone’s mount and I’m keeping all of the Stone’s dash lights as wired stock.  All I think I need to do is figure out how to use the wires from the stock speedo lights to wire up the new Speedhut unit.  If you are not familiar, the Stone’s original speedo has 2 bulbs to light the interior, 4 wires total (2 to each light).  End of Quote
The Speedhut unit from the install diagram here has a power plug and then it also has an inverter, the latter of which I don’t even really quite understand?
The inverter is for the fancy light inside the Speedhut, you really should use that, just wire it in parallel with the +/- 12Volts that power up the electronics.
The Power distribution wires you will not use, they are to drive other optional gauges that you dont have.
Wiring to the gauge lighting circuit should work well.
Heads-up, you can also ask Speedhut to set the odometer to match the original Veglia

I installed Speedhuts on my VII Sport with a simple pulse device driven by the cable drive.
 

[Craig in Alabama]

Also, don't forget to ask Speedhut to shorten the wire to the GPS receiver. On my V11, I had them make it about 1 foot long. I stuck it on top of the headlight.
Be forewarned, after you do the speedometer, you'll want to do the tach. The gauges look great!
Used the original chrome buckets as well. One of the best improvements I've made to the V11.
Speedhut does have sales a few times a year if you can wait.

Cheers!
Craig

[Bpreynolds2]

Hey all, thanks so much for chiming in here, good info.  IF I did decide to go the pulse route rather than GPS is there a sender that will bolt right up to the rear speedo point?  I think it’s 12mm maybe. 

[John Croucher]

[Kiwi_Roy]

I made my sender from a magnet and a reed switch, it was a very crude looking thing the magnet was glued to a brass bolt filed square to fit the cable drive.
The reed switch was just mounted near the spinning magnet, 2 pulses per revolution.
The case was made from a scrap of sheet aluminium wrapped into a cylinder and glued to the old cable nut.
The reed switch was protected from the spinning magnet, glued to the outside of the cylinder sensing the field thru the metal.
No bearings were required, the magnet was supported by the gearbox shaft.
The reed switch was wired directly to the pulse inputs, no additional circuitry was required.
The speedo is very easy to calibrate, press start, drive a fixed distance, press end.
I used a runners GPS watch to measure the distance, you should be able to borrow one.
The sketch below just shows the component orientation, you will have to imagine the enclosure, about 1-1/2 long by 3/4 diameter.

[John Croucher]

I used this.

Sensor, Wheel Speed, Generic Conventional Forks

Item # 704-06

$34.95 USD



Mounted on rear brake caliper bracket.  J.B. welded 6 round magnets on brake rotor mounting screws.  Ran wire to new speedo.

Removed the unused hardware from transmission and plugged hole with an oil pan drain plug screw and seal washer. 

Calibrated speedo.  A read switch has a limited life cycle and wears out.  A hall affect does not have moving parts.  I initially had a reed switch that wore out and replaced it with the Trail Tech.

I used 6 magnets to get a better signal at low speed and fine tuning.  one will work.  When installing multiple magnets you want the same pole to create the signal.  North or south.  I bought the magnets at Home depot or lowes.

[Bpreynolds2]

Finally got the Speedhut unit in yesterday, going to try and install it today.  Several redundant questions that have likely already been answered above but just trying to make absolutely sure I’m doing this correctly before I go snipping wires.

I didn’t get the GPS model and, instead, I got an Ace pulse sensor that wires directly into the previous speedo cable connection on rear of engine.  Wiring that up is pretty simple as the diagram here shows.  The dual black wires from the rear of the speedo go to the Ace sender. 

As stated above, I was hoping just to use the wires to the old dash light bulbs to power the unit.  My understanding of the diagram and what Roy says above is that I could use the wiring to the 2 bulbs stock dash bulb  to power the unit and connect the inverter.  You can see these two bulbs in my picture.  I’ll snip both these off.  My plan here is to use the two wires from one bulb and connect those to the two wires from the inverter.  Then I’ll use the other 2 wires from the 2nd bulb light and connect those to the red and black wires that actually power the new Speedhut unit.  This will leave the white wire unused since I’m not running any other things. 

I am not using any of the other connections coming out of the Speedhut unit - no turn signals (might change my mind on this and delete the stock dash cluster one and go with the Speedhut signal - maybe), no cruise (pink wire), and no auxiliary things to run to the white wire.  If everything I’ve described above is correct, what would you then do with all those unused connections?  If I was using a cup on the rear I’d just leave there there and stick them hidden into the bottom of the cup but I don’t think I’m going to use a cup since that’s something else I’d have to figure out how to mount.  Anyhow, suggestions welcome on this.

[Bpreynolds2]

Oh well.  Got it connected and seemingly powered.  Just gotta figure out how to run/hide these wires in the back and/or clip the ones I’m not using.

[s1120]

Oh well.  Got it connected and seemingly powered.  Just gotta figure out how to run/hide these wires in the back and/or clip the ones I’m not using.

If your not using any kind of cup, I would run the other wires in a bundled harness with the other wires you are using. Keep them all together and just not going anywhere.

[Kiwi_Roy]

Check that the power supply doesn't switch off for any reason while you are riding for example when you press the Start button the lights drop out while cranking otherwise the Speedo will drop out and take a few seconds to recover, Its not a show stopper just annoying.
I used the original double cup off the VII Sport but I thinned it down to about 1-1/2" deep and plugged all the holes with bondo, the Speedhuts are only 1" deep/Another thing you could do is wrap the gauge in thin Aluminium highly polished, that would look good.

[Bpreynolds2]

Thanks for the input here.  I may just go the route of the loom but then I too would have to figure out a way to hide/mount/secure the inverter box underneath the dash console and behind the headlight.  It would just be cleaner if I could somehow get a cup to work with it and could then just tuck most of the wiring and the inverter box into the rear inside of the cup.  Humor my idiocy here and stupid thought processes.     Here is an idea I have tho probably not a good one.  Some pictures again below to illustrate what I’m saying/describing.  So here is the back of the Speedhut unit currently as it is mounted now.






The stock silver cup will go over this on the rear but I can’t really see how I’d get it to stay without the stock white interior cup upon which it mounted in the original speedo.  I thought maybe if I tried to glue it where it would go around the back of the Speedhut unit but I’m seriously doubting if that would stay and then too I would maybe like to keep the threads around the SH unit clean as I might need to remove it and so forth. 






The idea I’m now entertaining - have a laugh on me - is to use my rotary tool and cut out the rear portion of the white interior cup (as I’ve circled in red) and then glue it onto the back of the new SH unit; thus, I’d then just be able to bolt the silver exterior cup up to it as with the stock setup.  Since the SH unit is a lot shorter in the rear, I realize I might too need to cut down the silver cup to bolt up correctly. 




Anyhow, if you got a better idea (I’m sure someone does), pleas share.  Thanks.

[Craig in Alabama]

That looks reasonable to me.
I JB welded some bolts to the back of the Speedhut unit so I could use the stock chrome cover. Your idea looks easier.

Cheers!
Craig

[Dharma Bum]

I used some ABS fittings from Lowes to make some cups that fit
 Don't have the bike anymore so I can't remember how I put it together.

[Bpreynolds2]

Thanks Craig and DB.  I went ahead and installed it today without the cup.  I even got everything including the inverter box down inside the long dash housing.  I kind of like the odd spareness of it behind and above the speedometer.  There is an issue; however, after I got everything put together and turned the bike on, it all seemed to be working fine.  Speedo showing menu, lights illuminating, etc.  But for whatever reason I can’t get a signal to the speedo for calibration.  I ordered an Acewell pulse sender that seemingly screwed right into the old cable housing and then wired directly to the SH unit.  I’ve now unwired, rewired, and even tried switching the wires from the sender and still no luck.  I wonder if there is any way to test the sender with a multimeter? 











Here is the Acewell one I ordered - I wasn’t keeping my original setup which is what this one was designed for per se - but I figured it would work the same as a reqular Acewell unit.  I asked Speedhut and they said it “should” work with their speedometer, but oh well.  It does say it only works with Acewell speedometers but I was thinking that was just to encourage you to buy their stuff.

https://www.acewell.co.uk/Acewell%20Accessories%20and%20Sensors/Speed%20Sensors%20-%20Cable%20Drive/ACE-S2.htm?action=full&id=14

Maybe I should have tried this one instead.

https://www.digital-speedos.co.uk/speed-sensors-c9/acewell-ace-s1-honda-yamaha-suzuki-moto-guzzi-ducati-speed-sensor-p480

[Dharma Bum]

You might try to get in touch with Irish Flier on this site. He bought my Cali that I installed the Speedhut gauges on and I believe he was successful in finding a sending device that worked.

[Kiwi_Roy]

I think you need a 3 wire version, they seem like a Hall Effect type and should have a large signal.
Can you give us the ACE part No so we can look it up.
I don't know exactly how the unit you bought works but I suspect it has a tiny signal, Speedhut may have an adapter for it.
I don't recall if the speed hut indicated MPH before it was calibrated, it has to be told how many pulses represent a mile with a couple of button presses.
You might be able to detect a signal with your multimeter, try low level AC Volts for a 2 wire device. A hall Effect (3 wire) type will need to be wired correctly, the transistors are polarity sensitive and it will operate right down to zero RPM.

[Bpreynolds2]

I think you need a 3 wire version, they seem like a Hall Effect type and should have a large signal.
Can you give us the ACE part No so we can look it up.
I don't know exactly how the unit you bought works but I suspect it has a tiny signal, Speedhut may have an adapter for it.
I don't recall if the speed hut indicated MPH before it was calibrated, it has to be told how many pulses represent a mile with a couple of button presses.
You might be able to detect a signal with your multimeter, try low level AC Volts for a 2 wire device. A hall Effect (3 wire) type will need to be wired correctly, the transistors are polarity sensitive and it will operate right down to zero RPM.

Thanks, KR.  You are a wealth of information on this stuff.  I think I “might” have figured it out, however.  As I stated in my initial post, I am truly a kind of idiot when it comes to wiring.  Seriously.  It didn’t dawn on me the sender might need to be connected to a 12v source; thus, the red wire from the sender should go to the battery or source and then the white wire goes to the speedo.  I think.  The sender doesn’t have a ground wire.  Speedhut indicated a sender may/may not have a ground wire but they supply a ground if needed from the speedo. 

[Bpreynolds2]

Crap.  Didn’t work.  Guess I gotta get the one Irishflier bought with the three wires. 

[John Croucher]

https://www.trailtech.net/en-us/shop/accessories/support/vehicle-sensors/wheel-speed-sensors/sensor-wheel-speed-generic-inverted-forks/?recID=1969630744813

I used this. Cut the terminal end off to length.