Audiovox CC water tightness an issue?

[Fred W]

In a discussion on the alt.motorcycles newsgroup some guy from over in Europe relayed information he had picked up from some BMW riders group over there that audiovox cuise controls have been malfunctioning due to their not being truly "waterproof".

I kind of dismissed the idea since most of the guts of the thing are in the vacuum operated solenoid (or whatever the thing is called) which is intended to be installed under the hood of a car, and therefore, I assume, is fairly watertight. The only part of it that was intended to be inside the car (that we are subjecting to weather) is the little switch control box. It looks to me like it would be pretty easy to make the switch box water tight with the application of some judicious use of silicone sealant. But even if it wasn't, I think it's just switches in that box, isn't it?

Anyway, I'm getting ready to make the leap and install mine (it's been sitting on my shelf for 6 months) but thought I'd do a quick check to see if anyone that has one installed for a decent length of time has some experiences they can share and maybe some tips about the waterproofing.

TIA,

 

[ionbeam]

Howdy neighbor!

The AVCC control pad must be waterproofed. The servo unit is very water resistant.

About the pad.

kaitsdad seals the pad.

ionbeam seals the pad.

I wrote to Audiovox and asked them how waterproof the servo was and got back a very cryptic Chinglish response that wasn't very informative so I took the sucker apart. The front half, from which the servo cable exits has no water susceptible parts, the back half is pretty well sealed with the exception of the wire bundle exit hole. Outside of the wire opening the servo should take everything up to total immersion in water. When I finished setting the DIP switchs and routing the wires out the back I filled the wire exit with RTV. My AVCC servo has lived on my rear swing arm for 33k miles and never had a problem.

 

[FJRocket]

I waterproofed my pad AND the area where the wires enter the servo with clear RTV.

 

[radman]

The only problem I've had in the 2+ years I've mine in has been water intrusion into the control pad, even though it is well sealed. This only happens when washing the bike-rain, even heavy rain, has not caused any problems. As a result, I simply cover the control pad with some masking tape before washing the bike. My servo install is under the seat, has never been sealed, and in that position has never indicated it needed to be.

 

[jayke]

Waterproof the control pad as previously mentioned. I didn't waterproof the control pad on my old Concours and when I washed it or rode in the rain the CC wouldn't work until it dried out. On the Concours I started putting a clear baggy over the control pad secured with a rubber band before it could get wet and never had a problem again. I've never had a problem with the servo and water.

 

[Shane]

The control pad on the FJR has not yet given me any problems, and is siliconed. The control unit is in the more-or-less original location, near the shock, and is not sealed up.

Works fine now for 2.5 years.

On my KLR, I used black silicone sealer on all seams, holes, cable and wire exits, as well as on the beginnings of the wire bundle into the loom. Reason being is that on that bike, it's proximity to the elements is more extreme. I also have eliminated the control pad, and gone with the momentary switch, thus eliminating the need to seal up the touch pad.

Works great, even with the rain and road spray next to the rear tire area.

Shane

 

[Fred W]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. It seems as if my original hunch was correct, i.e. that the only thing that needs attention is the switch assembly, and that seems like it will be easy enough to seal up.