Stuff you have fixed today

pedrobedro · Jul 13, 2024

A few years ago I did a Divvy 600 to sell for a mate. It had stood for two years and the green in the float bowls smelt like gloss paint. I bought some carbs on eBay and made one good set out of the two lots. Somebody on the Divvy forum bought the other bits off me for what I'd paid for the spare carbs. :thumbup:

JMS1972 · Jul 13, 2024

More electronics shenanigans!
I bought contrller board and power driver board as spares for my Denford CNC machines as they turned up on eBay cheap.

There was a reason they were cheap! Neither board worked. :mad:

So the power board DC-DC converter wasn't working correctly. It takes 24-40V in and outputs 5v and +/-12V.
12V rails were very low and the 5V had a load of ripple.

I don't really have a clue with Analogue so I got the thermal camera out to see if anything was amiss.

The inductor on the right (at 37 degrees) eventually got up to 70degrees and one of the diodes was also toasty.

I thought the diode might be shorted out so cut one leg. This reduced the inductor temperature but the didn't fix the 12V supplies.

I managed to find an application note for the IC L4960 and the only thing connected after each diode is a smoothing capacitor. So after a lot of thought (very difficult!)

I tried testing the caps in circuit. +5V and +12V caps were okay but the -12V cap was shorted out. There was no external issues just totally dead. I didn't have a 220uF 16V but I did have a 470uF 25V which did the trick.

Not axial either so it's ugly but it works and 5V ripple much reduced as a side effect. All the channels are tied together so I think issues on one had an effect on the others.

Really chuffed as it's way outside of my comfort zone. First proper use of the TC01 thermal camera too so it's finally paid for itself!

:clapping:

dobbslc · Jul 13, 2024

I tried to start the TRX today but it wasn't running on both cylinders, left side was spitting flames and backfiring badly,
I stripped the carbs off and got that horrible stink of stale fuel

It needs a good service anyway so I'll fit new plugs and do the oil etc, I'm hoping the carbs are not like the ones above!
I've had to order a new 18mm spark plug socket as I can't find one, I don't know how I did the plugs before :doh:

I've also ordered a set of JIS screwdrivers as I don't want to mess up any carb screws.
The Tourmax carb rubbers I fitted a good few years ago still look good so I'm pleased with that.
I'll rebalance the carbs and reset the TPS as that makes a big difference on one of these.

Pete. · Jul 14, 2024

Keithmac said:
Bandit 600 came in, apparently it was running fine one month ago but someone has diagnosed spark failure as to why it doesn't run now..

Hey ho!.

Stripped and ultrasonic cleaned carbs, cleaned all jets and fitted short rebuild kits (no Keyster Kits available unfortunately).

Had to get creative with the cleaning and hand lapped some new fuel needles in.

The bike was in great condition, fuel system was a complete mess..

Personally I can't see how it was running fine a month back but what do I know?..

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I've done that many times. My Bandit would begin to get difficult to start every 6-12 months then over the next month go all the way to won't start at all (from cold, would always start when hot). eventually I did a lonmg post for the Bandit forum on how to strip and clean them and many people have followed it over the years.

pedrobedro · Jul 14, 2024

dobbslc said:
I've also ordered a set of JIS screwdrivers as I don't want to mess up any carb screws.

Before you try to undo the screws put the driver head in and give them a good tap with a small hammer, it helps to break any fuzz round the threads and they come out a lot easier.

OJCar · Jul 14, 2024

Robotstar5 said:
a live roll of cable in the kitchen area.

Shocking !

:whistle:

Hitch · Jul 14, 2024

Hopefully fixed anyway.

Joint between plastic and aluminium box gutter had failed.
Decided to make an aluminium section to fit nicely inside, with ogee section for plastic joiner to clip onto properly.

I'd love to have welded it up, but would damage the insulation etc underneath, so opted for a 300mm overlap, and a whole tube of tiger seal.
Not a very good colour match but it'll weather in. :laughing:

Erie Fred · Jul 15, 2024

Robotstar5 said:
The last 3 days have been spent at @Cato new unit installing a few! sockets, I think I'm getting too old for all that conduit threading

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Also sorted out a few other issues that had been left such as a live roll of cable in the kitchen area.

Now that's ^^^ a proper electrical service panel.
:scared:

Erie Fred · Jul 15, 2024

Update trailer tailgate:

Erie Fred · Jul 15, 2024

The hinge was 6" high to provide a leg in the middle of the tail gate for ground bearing support.
However, when closed up, this put the top section 12" behind the other.
So, today, working between the raindrops, I re-did the pivot point, left the one leg at 6", for ground bearing,
will add a pivoting "ski" there in the original hole.

Erie Fred · Jul 15, 2024

Yesterday morning I drilled and bent some flat bars for a friend, making a 3-point tow adapter (will apply a 2" receiver hitch
in the center on the bottom cross bar.)
I burned out the outer pin supports for the 2x3 box tubing for him last week,
he wanted to use those "3-point hitch pin bolts" but only using 1/4" thick plate with them.
I don't like them much at all with the cantilevered loading, so this is my method with 2 plates, and the arm in between.

Robotstar5 · Jul 15, 2024

Erie Fred said:
Now that's ^^^ a proper electrical service panel.

One thing I don't like about this make of panel is the MCB supply terminals are always live/hot while the panel is on

I prefer the "Isobar" type panels where each terminal has an isolating switch

An example above is the 3 phase MCB's bottom left, the bottom one is isolated while the one above has the brown, black & grey sliders outboard to energise the MCB, so providing the sliders are inboard, non of the terminals are live/hot, much safer in my opinion.