Zumo 550 - Electrical connections problem

[birkdale10]

I am having problems with my Zumo 550 handlebar connection. I browsed for someone that might have had similar problems, but... got to start a new topic.

I've had the Zumo for about 4 years. The electrical connection was 'professionally' mounted by the local YamaShop, and has given me no problems in the past. But, I went out this week, hooked up the GPS and it is not getting power.

(Let me make this perfectly clear - me and electricity do not get along well. This is the guy that initially wired his attic exhaust fan with speaker wire. And, when it kept blowing the fuse, stuck his finger inside the fuse box to see what the problem was. (Wow, that was the best shock I ever got!))

So, could someone walk me through baby steps to see what the problem is?

The Zumo works fine. And I can use it in the car mount, and electrical connections work there.

How can I test the electrical cord on the bike? I have a good electrical tester (i.e.: digital multimeter). There are 4 contact holes in the connector head. Are all of them 'hot'? One a ground? If I poke the contacts around in those 4 little holes, what will it tell me?

I have the Zumo mount sitting next to me. The 4 hold connector obviously goes into the hole with the 4 pins. And power swoops around inside the mount and works its way to the 24 pin mount. How can I test if power is getting this far? Multimeter again? If I do a test and the power just seems to not work its way from the 4 pins to the 24 pin mount - what do I do? Is there anything that can be repaired?

Here is where I admit my (probable) error. I have had the mount (without the Zumo) attached to the bike for almost a year. The magnetic weather cap has been on (mostly...). But I have not attached the GPS for, as I say, almost a year. Last week, when I tried to connect, I could see that some of the gold 24-pin contacts were...blue. I used a fine wire brush on the and removed all the visible corrosion. But there is still no power.

I can see tiny little screws all over the mount and it looks as if I could open up the unit and see if there is any visible damage inside. But, if I do that, can I reseal it in a waterproof manner?

Any and all help, suggestions, offers, constructive criticism welcome.

 

[ionbeam]

I am having problems with my Zumo 550 handlebar connection. I browsed for someone that might have had similar problems, but... got to start a new topic.

Good on ya for looking for an existing thread on this topic. <<LINK>>

Let me make this perfectly clear - me and electricity do not get along well...

Seek professional help.

So, could someone walk me through baby steps to see what the problem is?...Any and all help, suggestions, offers, constructive criticism welcome.

The Zumo has a reputation for problems with the power connections on the cradle. I'm sure a Zumo owner like Fred W can give you sage advice as how to proceed.

Type or COPY/PASTE this into the Google search bar, several Boards have discussed this: zumo power problems

 

[RaYzerman19]

Periodic maintenance is required on the cradle and the Zumo for best results. Clean the contacts on the bottom of the Zumo (I am assuming 550 here), remove the battery and do the same there with the battery and the contacts (be careful don't bend them). Then use a contact cleaner with lube on all the above. Wipe off the excess.

Next with contact cleaner with lube and a toothbrush, clean all the pins on the cradle. Rinse and then work all the pins up and down with a popsicle stick or flat plastic tool. You've neglected yours if it's green.... rinse again and work the pins some more to get the cleaner down in past the pins (if that is possible) as there may be green corrosion on the internals.... you may have to repeat several times to revive it, even testing it again a week later (repeat working cleaner with lube on the pins). Repeat this two or three times per season. I have revived a "dead" cradle a couple of times.......

If you can't revive it, you're looking for a new cradle. Do the same to your car mount also.... it suffers from the same phenomenon. My car cradle is currently acting up.......

I understand those with 660's might have issues as well.......

 

[ahchiu]

I just thought of something, I have had problems in the past with powering up my 550, I would have to take the battery out and reinstall it, then I figured out I can do a hard reset by push and hold the + and the power button down at the same time for 2-3 sec then release it should then power up.

 

[James Burleigh]

(Let me make this perfectly clear - me and electricity do not get along well. This is the guy that initially wired his attic exhaust fan with speaker wire. And, when it kept blowing the fuse, stuck his finger inside the fuse box to see what the problem was. (Wow, that was the best shock I ever got!))

:friends:

 

[worney]

Good Lord! Based on what you say your experience is, unless someone offers to come over and give you a hand find a good independent car stereo installer and have them help you. I hate to say this but a little knowledge is a dangerous thing (and expensive)! I used to teach electronics to high school students and I still hesitate to dig into the electrical side of my bike.

-worney

 

[jmgrif]

Do you know how the bike mounting bracket is powered? Directly from the battery or some other power source? I have had my Zumo 550 not turn on in the normal manner a couple of times and one solution is to remove the battery from the unit and then re install same. I was also told that you can re boot it by connecting it to a computer as well? I power all my accessories from a power distribution box which has failed because the 12v relay became corroded from moisture? That failure led to the GPS not powering up, as well as my other accessories which are powered from the same source?

 

[Fred W]

Ray covered the multipin, spring loaded connector in the base of the cradle. That has been a problem for some folks, without the proper cleaning / maintenance he then mentions. But this typically results in flaky operation (audio or power cutting in and out) not a total loss.

One easy thing to check is the inline fuse. Follow the power cord back to wherever the installer picked up the +12V source. You should see an inline blade type fuse in a plastic case. Looks like this:

If your cradle has been wired to be "always on" and anyone has touched those spring loaded pins in the cradle base with something metallic, there is a high probability that this fuse has just blown.

Hope that is all it is. Otherwise, as Ray says, it's time for a new cradle.

 

[ER RN]

"How can I test the electrical cord on the bike? I have a good electrical tester (i.e.: digital multimeter). There are 4 contact holes in the connector head. Are all of them 'hot'? One a ground? If I poke the contacts around in those 4 little holes, what will it tell me?"

I had a similar problem w/ my Zumo 450. Attach your meter to a known good ground. Probe the 4 holes w/the positive probe. if you don't get power then the problem is in the cord or at the fuse. If you get power then leave the probe in that hole and disconnect the ground and probe the remaining holes. If you get power then the cord etc is good. If you don't then you have a bad ground. Let's say you have power to this point. Reconnect the power cord to the cradle. Reconnect your meter to that known good ground and probe the 24 pins for power. If you don't get power then the cradle is bad on the positive side. This where i found my problem. If you get power then note that pin, disconnect your ground and probe the remaining pins while touching the power pin to see if you get power. No power then the ground circuit in the cradle is bad. If you get power then the problem lays w/ the unit. Follow the directions in the other posts. Maintenance wise I always keep my connections clean and use a lot of di-electric grease to seal water and crud out.

Hope this helped ~Harvey

 

[ionbeam]

I admire your energy conserving power setup! I see that you use the endless loop of current circulation to avoid excess power draw on the electrical system.

 

[RaYzerman19]

I admire your energy conserving power setup! I see that you use the endless loop of current circulation to avoid excess power draw on the electrical system.

Absolutely correct, Alan!! Basic rule, when electrons race around in a circle, they will NEVAR blow a fuse.

 

[tallyho911]

I think it's safe to say that we know the mount has problems.

Here's just a crazy idea you might try....

Just replace the mount....about $62 plus $4 shipping on EBay

I'm sure your time and fustration is worth $66.

We won't even discuss the lost riding time.

The KISS method

 

[birkdale10]

I see lots of people had a fun time with me admitting my electercal (sic) ignorance. I stuck it there for entertainment value, it seems to have worked.

As to the problem, I did go out and try a few things after getting a couple of replies.

First, I definitely have power from the battery to the power cable. It seems odd, but only one of the 4 holes is 'hot'. I stick the multimeter probe ground (black) in one hole, and the red in another. ONE of them comes back with 12 volts. If I leave the red in the one that shows the voltage, and move the black to any other hole - 12 volts. If I put the red in one of the 3 other holes, and the black in the 'other' dead holes, nothing. I can only hope that that is normal.

And, I have the car mount for the Zumo, and I haven't used it in years. But I stuck in the GPS, and stuck the charger cord in the power outlet in the car and Zumo came right up, using battery power.

This seems to me to point directly at the bike mount as a problem. I'm going to get some contact cleaner today and give it one more try.

I do appreciate any and all suggestions and comments. And I really did stick my finger in the house fuse box.

 

[ahchiu]

Does your Zumo power up off the cradle? if not you need to remove the battery and reinstall or a hard restart by pushing the + and Pwr button at the same time for 2 sec then release. Your Zumo should still power up in the cradle when you push the Pwr button, it will show the battery icon on the display.

 

[Fontanaman]

I think it's safe to say that we know the mount has problems.

Here's just a crazy idea you might try....

Just replace the mount....about $62 plus $4 shipping on EBay

I'm sure your time and fustration is worth $66.

We won't even discuss the lost riding time.

The KISS method

I agree with Tallyho911.

 

[birkdale10]

I think it's safe to say that we know the mount has problems.

Here's just a crazy idea you might try....

Just replace the mount....about $62 plus $4 shipping on EBay

I'm sure your time and fustration is worth $66.

We won't even discuss the lost riding time.

The KISS method

I agree with Tallyho911.

I agree with Tallyho911.

Except I ordered a new mount on Amazon for $55 and free shipping.

(I first tried the idea of getting some contact cleaner and blasting away. Very clean contacts now... But no power to the Zumo.)

So.

Recap.

Zumo works by itself. Full battery change from wall mounted charger.

Zumo works in car, powered by car mount and cigarette lighter charger.

Electrical cord on bike has power to at least one of the 4 holes.

Zumo on bike laughs at me and points to the house fusebox and says, "You want power? Go stick your finger in there!".

(I thought that was an unnecessary comment from a piece of electronic equipment.)

:angry2:

 

[Fred W]

Well, now that you have the replacement on the way, it's time to attempt a dissection of the failed cradle. What do you have to lose? And if you can fix it, you'll have a backup unit for when the new one goes TU some day.

 

[Fred W]

I admire your energy conserving power setup! I see that you use the endless loop of current circulation to avoid excess power draw on the electrical system.

Three words: Room Temperature Superconductor.

I'll be rich, I tell ya...

 

[ahchiu]

I have an extra cradle if you need, $50.00 shipped. PM me if you need it