Radio problem...wet connections?
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,602
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From: Bellevue, NE
Radio problem...wet connections?
Got caught in the rain today. I'm not complaining, it felt awesome! It's been as dry as a popcorn fart here all summer! Anyway, while running down the interstate in the rain my radio stopped recognizing my MP3 player, jumped from AUX to AM, and AUX disappeared as a choice in the menu. Stopped for a while to get dried off and, on the ride home, the radio was practically possessed, jumping from AM to FM to WB, all the while the handlebar switches wouldn't work for me. Now that I've been home for several hours it seems to be back to normal and behaving itself. I'm thinking maybe something got wet? Anyone have this happen to them? How did ya fix it? Dielectric grease on all the connections?
Supporter
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,189
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From: N.E. Wisconsin
I've been lucky so far as water and my electronics goes, even took it through Stocks HD in Manitowoc,Wi. Automatic pressure bike wash ( one there and one in Illinois ).
I put dielectric grease on every electrical connection I could find when I first got the bike. Maybe your CD player cover was open. Otherwise I know that you can directly spray WD-40 on electrical parts for removing moisture as well as corrosion.
I put dielectric grease on every electrical connection I could find when I first got the bike. Maybe your CD player cover was open. Otherwise I know that you can directly spray WD-40 on electrical parts for removing moisture as well as corrosion.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Eastern NE
Mine did once after a good bath (similar) & I tore off fairing to dry + greades every connector...never repeated. I'm guessing you've got a loose connection, or water in an audio harness.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
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From: Near Myrtle Beach, SC
There have been several reports of this "type" of behavior with the HK unit after a good rain or a wash where water contacted the radio face.
The Aux port on front, a mini-stereo jack, is soldered directly to the mother board of the radio. Unless a 1/8" stereo plug is actually plugged into the port, the "Aux" position will not be listed in the mode choices as you step through AM, FM, WB, etc.
This jack does have a rubber gasket behind the face plate to partly guard against water intrusion around the circumference of the jack. But there is no protection if water happens to get inside the jack and finds it's way to the motherboard components adjacent to the jack solder points.
When you insert a stereo plug into the jack, it interrupts a circuit controlled by a small component on the board that allows the "Aux" position to be shown on the display. As I said before, no plug, no Aux position. Well, it's my guess that moisture is bridging the points inside the jack that would normally be separated by the physical presence of the stereo plug. The other possibility is that water droplets have "bridged" some of the board components and is creating havoc. These surface mount components are tiny and it would not take much of a droplet to bridge them out of the circuit.
In the picture below, you can see what is labeled as "inductor". This is the component that must be removed when installing the aux jack on the rear of the HK unit, thus eliminating the need to feed audio into the HK from the front. Removing this inductor will allow "aux" to be included in the mode menu without the necessity of a plug being inserted into the front aux jack. The trace can also be cut (circled in red) to accomplish the same result, but my preference was just removing this component when I installed my rear aux jack.
Photo courtesy of Jeff at www.hdbomm.com :
The Aux port on front, a mini-stereo jack, is soldered directly to the mother board of the radio. Unless a 1/8" stereo plug is actually plugged into the port, the "Aux" position will not be listed in the mode choices as you step through AM, FM, WB, etc.
This jack does have a rubber gasket behind the face plate to partly guard against water intrusion around the circumference of the jack. But there is no protection if water happens to get inside the jack and finds it's way to the motherboard components adjacent to the jack solder points.
When you insert a stereo plug into the jack, it interrupts a circuit controlled by a small component on the board that allows the "Aux" position to be shown on the display. As I said before, no plug, no Aux position. Well, it's my guess that moisture is bridging the points inside the jack that would normally be separated by the physical presence of the stereo plug. The other possibility is that water droplets have "bridged" some of the board components and is creating havoc. These surface mount components are tiny and it would not take much of a droplet to bridge them out of the circuit.
In the picture below, you can see what is labeled as "inductor". This is the component that must be removed when installing the aux jack on the rear of the HK unit, thus eliminating the need to feed audio into the HK from the front. Removing this inductor will allow "aux" to be included in the mode menu without the necessity of a plug being inserted into the front aux jack. The trace can also be cut (circled in red) to accomplish the same result, but my preference was just removing this component when I installed my rear aux jack.
Photo courtesy of Jeff at www.hdbomm.com :
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Bellevue, NE
Thanks Joe. So, to be clear, you think it's caused by water coming in at the face of the radio as opposed to the connections on the back? I had my MP3 player plugged in the whole time.
As long as it's covered under warranty I'll let the dealer worry about it, but now that's it's acting "normal" again I'm sure they won't be able to duplicate the problem. After warranty I'll send it off to Iron Cross.
As long as it's covered under warranty I'll let the dealer worry about it, but now that's it's acting "normal" again I'm sure they won't be able to duplicate the problem. After warranty I'll send it off to Iron Cross.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,553
Likes: 13
From: Sussex, South of England
It may be caused by water slipping past the mp3 plug and into the aux plug and causing what Joe so clearly decribes.
I would not mention having plugged in the MP3 whilst riding in rain. Dealer might get tempted to absolve themself from any responsibility if they find out about it.
I would not mention having plugged in the MP3 whilst riding in rain. Dealer might get tempted to absolve themself from any responsibility if they find out about it.
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