Solid State Power Box

[robertbarr]

I like seeing the "Made in USA" on there.

Looks like a piezo on the board. If so, what's it for? Probably in the instructions, I'd bet...

 

[posplayr]

Jim,
Congratulations with a very professional looking design! It looks well constructed and I would forecast that you are most likely going to get positive feedback from those who are using it!:clap:

Well done!

Thanks for the complements. It took about twice as long and twice as much effort as I had expected so the only way this was going to work was make it into a product.

In fact is that it is only because of the applicability to other bikes beyond the GS which was probably the deciding factor to pursue this as I have; there are probably just not enough people that would buy it for a GS.

I'm updating the documentation now to make it a little easier to assimilate.

 

[posplayr]

I like seeing the "Made in USA" on there.

Looks like a piezo on the board. If so, what's it for? Probably in the instructions, I'd bet...

Yes although the BARE prototype boards were made in Malaysia, I did a significant production run from Advanced Circuits from here in the USA. So other than those parts that are produced overseas, it was all assembled by me.

This is probably the best overview at the moment. It is a buzzer to complement the Red flashing LED in order to provide user feedback from the internal device "fault" STATUS signal. It is really not very load and you will not hear it over the motor.

The other side of the board is virtually filled with parts and traces and bonded to the base with thermal epoxy. The form factor required to fit in the original location put a lot of constraints on the design. The PCB is only 98mmx41mm.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBA4JFru6iA&feature=youtu.be

 

[Stahlgrau333]

Got mine in the mail a few days ago. As others have already said, the build quality is impressive. In addition, as Bob already said, I love the fact that it's "Made in the USA". I can't wait to get the project far enough along to put it to use!

 

[Guest]

At least with all of the bad weather, here, I have had more time to work on the bikes, so I hope to have mine together before too long. I have an Electrex stator and rec/reg unit (shunt) so I am looking forward to installing the series unit at the same time as the SSPB.

The SSPB does look nice and the graphics are COOL, too!

 

[ptexotik]

Jim,
Congratulations with a very professional looking design! It looks well constructed and I would forecast that you are most likely going to get positive feedback from those who are using it!:clap:

Well done!

+1, well said

 

[posplayr]

+1, well said

Thanks guys,

There is also a lot of engineering that went in under the hood that you don't see.

This is intended to be a rock solid upgrade that you should not have to worry about once it is installed.

 

[Guest]

As usual, Jim's work is top notch.

While I did manage to muddle thru and successfully install both ignition and coil relays in my EZ, I am really a complete dolt when it comes to electricity; therefore I would be hesitant to 'undo' the work.

BUT, if I am understanding you correctly, installing the SSPB on a bike with a factory, unmodified wiring harness will make the system act identically to my modified harness?

I have toyed with the idea of getting a new OEM harness, as mine is not looking too good in a few places. I think I'd rather just get an entirely new harness and start fresh...so if I can purchase this SSPB and get the same increased efficiency as my current relay mods without having to make any changes to the new harness (apart from those included in the instructions for install), I'd love to do so!! I'd be an enthusiastic customer...

Then again, I could have completed misunderstood everything I read...

 

[posplayr]

As usual, Jim's work is top notch.

While I did manage to muddle thru and successfully install both ignition and coil relays in my EZ, I am really a complete dolt when it comes to electricity; therefore I would be hesitant to 'undo' the work.

BUT, if I am understanding you correctly, installing the SSPB on a bike with a factory, unmodified wiring harness will make the system act identically to my modified harness?

I have toyed with the idea of getting a new OEM harness, as mine is not looking too good in a few places. I think I'd rather just get an entirely new harness and start fresh...so if I can purchase this SSPB and get the same increased efficiency as my current relay mods without having to make any changes to the new harness (apart from those included in the instructions for install), I'd love to do so!! I'd be an enthusiastic customer...

Then again, I could have completed misunderstood everything I read...

Not sure what you mean by act; you get a relay mod using "Safe Power" for 5 different circuits (UNSWITCHED,SIGNAL,IGNITION,HEADLAMP and ACC) these are almost (no UNSWITCHED circuit on the OEM harness) one for one the same fused circuits in your harness.

It will fit in place of your stock fuse-box with diagonal tabs.

The other benefits beyond not requiring an ignition relay mod is that when the headlamp cuts out during cranking you are less likely to get starter kick back. Kick back is most likely when you have a low battery.

I also noticed that my charging improved and went up by about 0.25V.

You will also have all your circuits protected from conducted spikes (over 17 volts) that would otherwise knock out sensitive circuits.

You will also have an additional relay for an accessory and will never have to worry about dirty ignition/kill switches.

 

[Guest]

Looks Interesting. Any chance it can be grafted to a 2000+GSXR harness?
Tnx
G

 

[BigD_83]

Keep forgetting to reply, Jim.

My SSPB arrived last week, and I picked it up from the Post Station on the weekend.

I have not yet opened it, but just wanted to let you know it made it across the border, seemingly with no issues.

 

[posplayr]

Looks Interesting. Any chance it can be grafted to a 2000+GSXR harness?
Tnx
G

Should be no issue that some wire and solder will not achieve. The main issue will be with a FI bike is they typically draw 40+ amps through more than 5 fuses. So I would need to change the main fuse from 15-20 amps up to 40 amps which I will have to test if that is even possible given the current PCB however more power channels (independent fused circuits) is not going to happen without adding another SSPB or just keeping the some part of the electronics as separately fused and relayed from the SSPB.

For example if the fuel pump is maintained on a separate circuit with a separate relay then that would take a big load off of the electrical.

I have considered extending the design to handle this type of bike but there is probably less demand to cut into a relatively new harness that is probably still working well. One thing for sure the form factor would have to increase to get more pins to come in for more than 5 channels.

 

[posplayr]

Keep forgetting to reply, Jim.

My SSPB arrived last week, and I picked it up from the Post Station on the weekend.

I have not yet opened it, but just wanted to let you know it made it across the border, seemingly with no issues.

Good Deal; let us know how you get on with the install. Shoot me any questions of clarifications you might need/have.

 

[Roger P.]

Depending on how busy you want to get, you might do a bit of fishing amongst the XS650 crowd. Charging system upgrades and replacement of the typical Mission Impossible fuseboxes (this fusebox will self-destruct in....) are usually jobs 1 and 2 on the list of upgrades. See Hugh's Handbuilt in Asheville, N.C.. He's built up quite a nice business from scratch catering to the DIY crowd, as well as Pamco Pete.

 

[Guest]

Depending on how busy you want to get, you might do a bit of fishing amongst the XS650 crowd. Charging system upgrades and replacement of the typical Mission Impossible fuseboxes

I had an "77 XS-650 for years and I sure wished I had upgrades to the stock electronics. Makes me want one for every old bike!!

 

[posplayr]

Depending on how busy you want to get, you might do a bit of fishing amongst the XS650 crowd. Charging system upgrades and replacement of the typical Mission Impossible fuseboxes (this fusebox will self-destruct in....) are usually jobs 1 and 2 on the list of upgrades. See Hugh's Handbuilt in Asheville, N.C.. He's built up quite a nice business from scratch catering to the DIY crowd, as well as Pamco Pete.

Not sure how this just came up but I just posted over at XS650.com last week.

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33037

I have a couple of guys interested at the moment. I think it just takes a while.

 

[posplayr]

I had an "77 XS-650 for years and I sure wished I had upgrades to the stock electronics. Makes me want one for every old bike!!

Any progress on the install Mike?

 

[posplayr]

I just found a competing product. It has an internal microprocessor that allows you to program the amp limits individually and oh by the way it is $199, but it wont fit whrre your stock GS fuse box fits.

2? high (51mm) x 3? (76mm) wide x .9? (24mm) deep

http://www.rocketmoto.com/index.php...ion-module-digital-circuit-breaker-panel.html

The big questions are is it really fail safe and what type of quiescent power does it pull. You also need to program it, although that is not really a big issue.

50 mil-amp quiesent power. That is 25 times the SSPB (i.e. 2 milli-amaps).

Based on the formula your 14 amp hour battery will be dead in 10 days. With the SSPB that is 250 days.

ALWAYS LIVE - Active ? Always On ? Constantly Powered (Note: circuit power is briefly interrupted upon ignition trigger signal)
*** WARNING *** THIS CONFIG HAS A CONSTANT CURRENT DRAW OF 50mA ? IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR VEHICLE
BATTERIES WITH LESS THAN A 15Ah RATING, NOR FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE USED INFREQUENTLY or IN STORAGE, WITHOUT A
CHARGING SYSTEM/BATTERY TENDER BEING CONNECTED ? USE THE FORMULA BELOW TO CALCULATE BATTERY DISCHARGE
Discharge Formula: Your Battery Ah rating / 1.5 = number of days to discharge
Example: (20Ah battery) 20Ah/1.5 = 13 Days to discharged condition

 

[Roger P.]

Not sure how this just came up but I just posted over at XS650.com last week.

http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33037

I have a couple of guys interested at the moment. I think it just takes a while.

Wow. It's a small web sometimes. Truth be told, I haven't been here or there much since selling both my 1100 and XS, but out of curiosity I dropped by here to see what's been going on in my absence. If there was one thing that both sites had in common, it was a never-ending series (pardon the pun) of electrical upgrade and modification threads. Seemed like your power box was a natural for a solution to the terrible stock fuse boxes on the XS. Good luck with it all. I hope you sell a boatload of them.

Many of the posters there upgrade to a permanent magnet charging system to remedy the rather tragically performing stock system. A short tutorial on the benefits f the SH775 or Compufire would certainly be enlightening.

 

[posplayr]

Wow. It's a small web sometimes. Truth be told, I haven't been here or there much since selling both my 1100 and XS, but out of curiosity I dropped by here to see what's been going on in my absence. If there was one thing that both sites had in common, it was a never-ending series (pardon the pun) of electrical upgrade and modification threads. Seemed like your power box was a natural for a solution to the terrible stock fuse boxes on the XS. Good luck with it all. I hope you sell a boatload of them.

Many of the posters there upgrade to a permanent magnet charging system to remedy the rather tragically performing stock system. A short tutorial on the benefits f the SH775 or Compufire would certainly be enlightening.

I am in contact with a couple of guys that have XS650's so I can learn more about their specifics. One of the guys is in the middle of a build and is planning on one of a few PMA upgrades for which I have suggested the Compufire.

Since just getting to a PMA design is a first step for these XS650 guys, I am treading lightly with saying that the cheap Chinese shunt R/R should be $hit canned in favor of a series R/R (although I can't really help myself in that regard either).