Home assembled might be a better description...
I've been running a dashcam off the 12v adaptor under the seat, and it stopped working recently. I was using an adapter from that nice chap in Canada who sells the on ebay, and I traced the issue back to that component. I actually have two of them, one in the front socket and one in the underneath socket, and the front unit is working fine, only one failed. I contacted the seller for a replacement, and one should be in the post in a week or so. The seller trusted me that the component was genuinely broke and let me keep the older one, which was nice. His ebay URL is here: https://www.ebay.com/usr/kompelec, as an FYI.
So obviously, my next step is to take apart the older one and see if I can fix it.
Well, I think if I was some kind of genius with a solder iron then I could fix it. The 12v transformer magnet thing had come unstuck, probably a bad solder join. As I'm not a genius with a solder iron, I started wondering how practical it would be to make my own at home, especially now that I have the input and output cables spare.
I found transformers here: https://ebay.to/2VzufSM The units are higher spec than I need for the project but cost less than $2, so I figured I'd get three. That way I have spare ones in case the unit dies again, or even one to give/sell to someone else.
Next I got to looking at the actual plug that fits into the BIKE socket, and I realized it had writing on it!! I typed the number TE 1703498 into the Googles, and it took me to a DigiKey page selling the plugs!!
Again, less than $2 each: https://bit.ly/2VxCIGb. I ordered two or them.
Next step, for the sake of completeness, was to google search "USB A female to pigtail". There are plenty of options out there, but I could not find any with the neat waterproof cover that kompelec's have. So instead I just ordered a couple off of some place in Washington state for like $0.99 each. The actual power module itself has screw-in plugs not solder, so I figure that the a dollar each for USB sockets is OK if they are easily interchangeable later on.
Current cost is less than $30 for three adaptors, so about a third of the price of the komplelec components. I have not assembled, tested, or verified that any of it can work, and have not even thought about casing for the adaptors either. I can verify that the kompelec units are pretty good, and when they aren't good kompelec do very good customer service.
Has anyone tried building their own electronics for any bike yet?
I'll post a follow up after, the transformers are not due to arrive until April so it may be a while.
Edit: there are some images in the post, but I can't see them. No idea why. The URLs for them are: https://imgur.com/mWpJH1X & https://imgur.com/r1H1JTq
I've been running a dashcam off the 12v adaptor under the seat, and it stopped working recently. I was using an adapter from that nice chap in Canada who sells the on ebay, and I traced the issue back to that component. I actually have two of them, one in the front socket and one in the underneath socket, and the front unit is working fine, only one failed. I contacted the seller for a replacement, and one should be in the post in a week or so. The seller trusted me that the component was genuinely broke and let me keep the older one, which was nice. His ebay URL is here: https://www.ebay.com/usr/kompelec, as an FYI.
So obviously, my next step is to take apart the older one and see if I can fix it.
Well, I think if I was some kind of genius with a solder iron then I could fix it. The 12v transformer magnet thing had come unstuck, probably a bad solder join. As I'm not a genius with a solder iron, I started wondering how practical it would be to make my own at home, especially now that I have the input and output cables spare.
I found transformers here: https://ebay.to/2VzufSM The units are higher spec than I need for the project but cost less than $2, so I figured I'd get three. That way I have spare ones in case the unit dies again, or even one to give/sell to someone else.
Next I got to looking at the actual plug that fits into the BIKE socket, and I realized it had writing on it!! I typed the number TE 1703498 into the Googles, and it took me to a DigiKey page selling the plugs!!
Again, less than $2 each: https://bit.ly/2VxCIGb. I ordered two or them.
Next step, for the sake of completeness, was to google search "USB A female to pigtail". There are plenty of options out there, but I could not find any with the neat waterproof cover that kompelec's have. So instead I just ordered a couple off of some place in Washington state for like $0.99 each. The actual power module itself has screw-in plugs not solder, so I figure that the a dollar each for USB sockets is OK if they are easily interchangeable later on.
Current cost is less than $30 for three adaptors, so about a third of the price of the komplelec components. I have not assembled, tested, or verified that any of it can work, and have not even thought about casing for the adaptors either. I can verify that the kompelec units are pretty good, and when they aren't good kompelec do very good customer service.
Has anyone tried building their own electronics for any bike yet?
I'll post a follow up after, the transformers are not due to arrive until April so it may be a while.
Edit: there are some images in the post, but I can't see them. No idea why. The URLs for them are: https://imgur.com/mWpJH1X & https://imgur.com/r1H1JTq