Portable waterproof CarPlay units for your motorcycle
Quote from 2BTSquared on 06.05.2023, 18:36So I've done the permanent install. Wired the power supply into the bikes switched accessories power via this kit...
Electrical Connection Update Kit
Routed harness to the right side of the bike and installed the power supply there...
Wiring routed up through the backbone of the frame and out the left side...
Display mounted. Phone resides in windshield bag with power routed to it from the USB port.
The red arrow points to a Chargie...
The Chargie manages battery charging and temperature. AFAIK there are generally two ways to get this kind of control... Software which requires rooting the phone and this hardware approach. The Chargie works pretty well for this task.
Overall I'm pretty pleased with this setup. The phone (battery/heat/cold/elements) won't get stressed and the CP/AA display works great. I've tried an intercom system with it. Everything pairs and works as expected. Some had mentioned that they don't like that the display unit doesn't have an internal battery to prevent power cycles/reboots when you start the bike etc. This has absolutely not been a problem. The display unit powers up and reconnects to everything within 30 seconds. If you had a Nav session going before shutdown (say stopping for gas), the route/navigation session is still there when the system reboots and reconnects.
The only nit that I've found so far (and mentioned previously) is that the BINIZE unit's firmware version doesn't yet have the Android Auto volume controls. Other "brands" have already provided the firmware update for that. Right now I'm using my iPhone, so it's not a problem. But sooner or later, I'll want to update the firmware.
So I've done the permanent install. Wired the power supply into the bikes switched accessories power via this kit...
Electrical Connection Update Kit
Routed harness to the right side of the bike and installed the power supply there...
Wiring routed up through the backbone of the frame and out the left side...
Display mounted. Phone resides in windshield bag with power routed to it from the USB port.
The red arrow points to a Chargie...
The Chargie manages battery charging and temperature. AFAIK there are generally two ways to get this kind of control... Software which requires rooting the phone and this hardware approach. The Chargie works pretty well for this task.
Overall I'm pretty pleased with this setup. The phone (battery/heat/cold/elements) won't get stressed and the CP/AA display works great. I've tried an intercom system with it. Everything pairs and works as expected. Some had mentioned that they don't like that the display unit doesn't have an internal battery to prevent power cycles/reboots when you start the bike etc. This has absolutely not been a problem. The display unit powers up and reconnects to everything within 30 seconds. If you had a Nav session going before shutdown (say stopping for gas), the route/navigation session is still there when the system reboots and reconnects.
The only nit that I've found so far (and mentioned previously) is that the BINIZE unit's firmware version doesn't yet have the Android Auto volume controls. Other "brands" have already provided the firmware update for that. Right now I'm using my iPhone, so it's not a problem. But sooner or later, I'll want to update the firmware.
Quote from Kilroy on 20.05.2023, 08:07Have there been any firmware updates since the one posted here? I am with a group of other Kawasaki Concours Owners who many have adopted the C5 unit, but occasionally have buggy issues that we are trying to resolve. The paring issues with some headsets seems to be the biggest issue. I have the Cardo Pack Talk Edge and so far that is working better than the Pack Talk Slim I had before, but it seems that the Bluetooth connectivity seems to not be great to the C5 unit itself creating some issues. Thanks for providing some information and more importantly access to the firmware updates! I have been a Scenic user for many years and depend on it for my long distance trips heavily.
Have there been any firmware updates since the one posted here? I am with a group of other Kawasaki Concours Owners who many have adopted the C5 unit, but occasionally have buggy issues that we are trying to resolve. The paring issues with some headsets seems to be the biggest issue. I have the Cardo Pack Talk Edge and so far that is working better than the Pack Talk Slim I had before, but it seems that the Bluetooth connectivity seems to not be great to the C5 unit itself creating some issues. Thanks for providing some information and more importantly access to the firmware updates! I have been a Scenic user for many years and depend on it for my long distance trips heavily.
Quote from Guido on 20.05.2023, 08:24I don’t know about any new firmware. The best thing you can do is write to info@maxcauto.com about your problem.
Dan is very good at responding. He only gives firmware to official Maxca buyers though, not any other brands.
I’ve had connection drops as well. Both dropping connection to my phone as well as my headset (Cardo Freecom 4x). Removing the Bluetooth pairing between my headset and phone (only leaving headset paired with the C5) seemed to help, but not 100%
I don’t know about any new firmware. The best thing you can do is write to info@maxcauto.com about your problem.
Dan is very good at responding. He only gives firmware to official Maxca buyers though, not any other brands.
I’ve had connection drops as well. Both dropping connection to my phone as well as my headset (Cardo Freecom 4x). Removing the Bluetooth pairing between my headset and phone (only leaving headset paired with the C5) seemed to help, but not 100%
Quote from Guido on 20.05.2023, 08:29On my last trip I had big problems with the Maxca C5 Pro.The first 200 (highway) kilometers it worked good. But then it started shutting OFF and restart itself in a loop. At first after about 3 to 4 loops it stayed ON for a while. But it got worse every time. In the end it would not start up at all. It would just show the start screen and ‘hang’ there. I had to remove the Maxca for the rest of the trip nbecause it wasn’t working at allI have a few theories:HEATI live in Mexico and it’s very warm this time of year. 35 degrees Celsius. Could that have something to do with it? I tried it the day after in the morning (around 28 degrees Celsius) and it would start up initially but almost immediately shut down, then start up again and hang at the start image.VOLTAGEThe other theory is voltage. Maybe it voltage needs to be below certain value? I have a regular motorcycle and battery voltage is around 12.5 when the engine is not running and around 14.5 when the bike is running. That seems pretty normal, so not sure that is the problem.VIBRATIONSI have a KTM 690 Enduro. It’s a single cylinder so it vibrates a bit, especially on the highway. Could that have damaged the electronics to cause this behaviour?My setup:- Maxca C5 Pro with February 2023 firmware, mounted to handlebars of KTM 690 Enduro- iPhone 13 Pro- Cardo Feeecom 4x (connected to Maxca, NOT to phone)************
I wrote this in an email to Maxca support as well. They gave me some diagnostics steps to see if it’s the unit or the cable/mount. + a way to force a hard firmware update. I have not had a chance to try this yet.I’m sharing this so that everyone thinking of buying a unit can take this into account. I’ve not heard of anyone else having this specific problem.
I wrote this in an email to Maxca support as well. They gave me some diagnostics steps to see if it’s the unit or the cable/mount. + a way to force a hard firmware update. I have not had a chance to try this yet.
Quote from 2BTSquared on 20.05.2023, 10:00Quote from Guido on 20.05.2023, 08:29On my last trip I had big problems with the Maxca C5 Pro.The first 200 (highway) kilometers it worked good. But then it started shutting OFF and restart itself in a loop. At first after about 3 to 4 loops it stayed ON for a while. But it got worse every time. In the end it would not start up at all. It would just show the start screen and ‘hang’ there. I had to remove the Maxca for the rest of the trip nbecause it wasn’t working at allI have a few theories:HEATI live in Mexico and it’s very warm this time of year. 35 degrees Celsius. Could that have something to do with it? I tried it the day after in the morning (around 28 degrees Celsius) and it would start up initially but almost immediately shut down, then start up again and hang at the start image.VOLTAGEThe other theory is voltage. Maybe it voltage needs to be below certain value? I have a regular motorcycle and battery voltage is around 12.5 when the engine is not running and around 14.5 when the bike is running. That seems pretty normal, so not sure that is the problem.VIBRATIONSI have a KTM 690 Enduro. It’s a single cylinder so it vibrates a bit, especially on the highway. Could that have damaged the electronics to cause this behaviour?My setup:- Maxca C5 Pro with February 2023 firmware, mounted to handlebars of KTM 690 Enduro- iPhone 13 Pro- Cardo Feeecom 4x (connected to Maxca, NOT to phone)************
I wrote this in an email to Maxca support as well. They gave me some diagnostics steps to see if it’s the unit or the cable/mount. + a way to force a hard firmware update. I have not had a chance to try this yet.I’m sharing this so that everyone thinking of buying a unit can take this into account. I’ve not heard of anyone else having this specific problem.The voltages you mention are normal. I didn't look at the input specs on the power supply they provided, but I would imagine these normal operating voltages are well within the input specs of the supply. I would be surprised if either heat or vibe are an issue. You would think that this thing was designed for these environmental conditions. However, it's possible that one of both factors are in play here.
I've got mine installed on a '18 Harley Heritage 114. It's a Harley so it does produce some vibration. However, the new Softail M8s don't have the same shake, rattle and roll as older models. For example, the Heritage isn't nearly as entertaining in this regard as my '09 Nightster (rubber mounted 1200 EVO). So I can say that my installation may not experience the same challenging vibe profile as your 1 cylinder thumper may be producing.
So far though, I haven't had any issue with my unit. Then again, I have only had it out and about for a half dozen trips or so. Those trips ranging 2 to 3 hours a piece. It's still fairly cool here. I've probably only did one run so far in the mid 80's (F). I'll be keeping an eye on this thing to see if it gets fairly warm to the touch.
Do you have any stability issues running it off USB connected to a reliable source (phone power supply, computer, whatever)? Might test this thing in the heat connected this way to rule out heat. Maybe set it out in the sun on a table or something and see what it does. I might put it in the same orientation - in relation to the sun - as it might encounter (worst case) on the bike.
You might double check your wiring to make sure there are no intermittent opens. Bend it, shake it, move it, etc. everywhere along it's length (and especially anywhere there are crimps or solder connections) to make sure the connection remains intact.
Quote from Guido on 20.05.2023, 08:29On my last trip I had big problems with the Maxca C5 Pro.The first 200 (highway) kilometers it worked good. But then it started shutting OFF and restart itself in a loop. At first after about 3 to 4 loops it stayed ON for a while. But it got worse every time. In the end it would not start up at all. It would just show the start screen and ‘hang’ there. I had to remove the Maxca for the rest of the trip nbecause it wasn’t working at allI have a few theories:HEATI live in Mexico and it’s very warm this time of year. 35 degrees Celsius. Could that have something to do with it? I tried it the day after in the morning (around 28 degrees Celsius) and it would start up initially but almost immediately shut down, then start up again and hang at the start image.VOLTAGEThe other theory is voltage. Maybe it voltage needs to be below certain value? I have a regular motorcycle and battery voltage is around 12.5 when the engine is not running and around 14.5 when the bike is running. That seems pretty normal, so not sure that is the problem.VIBRATIONSI have a KTM 690 Enduro. It’s a single cylinder so it vibrates a bit, especially on the highway. Could that have damaged the electronics to cause this behaviour?My setup:- Maxca C5 Pro with February 2023 firmware, mounted to handlebars of KTM 690 Enduro- iPhone 13 Pro- Cardo Feeecom 4x (connected to Maxca, NOT to phone)************
I wrote this in an email to Maxca support as well. They gave me some diagnostics steps to see if it’s the unit or the cable/mount. + a way to force a hard firmware update. I have not had a chance to try this yet.I’m sharing this so that everyone thinking of buying a unit can take this into account. I’ve not heard of anyone else having this specific problem.
The voltages you mention are normal. I didn't look at the input specs on the power supply they provided, but I would imagine these normal operating voltages are well within the input specs of the supply. I would be surprised if either heat or vibe are an issue. You would think that this thing was designed for these environmental conditions. However, it's possible that one of both factors are in play here.
I've got mine installed on a '18 Harley Heritage 114. It's a Harley so it does produce some vibration. However, the new Softail M8s don't have the same shake, rattle and roll as older models. For example, the Heritage isn't nearly as entertaining in this regard as my '09 Nightster (rubber mounted 1200 EVO). So I can say that my installation may not experience the same challenging vibe profile as your 1 cylinder thumper may be producing.
So far though, I haven't had any issue with my unit. Then again, I have only had it out and about for a half dozen trips or so. Those trips ranging 2 to 3 hours a piece. It's still fairly cool here. I've probably only did one run so far in the mid 80's (F). I'll be keeping an eye on this thing to see if it gets fairly warm to the touch.
Do you have any stability issues running it off USB connected to a reliable source (phone power supply, computer, whatever)? Might test this thing in the heat connected this way to rule out heat. Maybe set it out in the sun on a table or something and see what it does. I might put it in the same orientation - in relation to the sun - as it might encounter (worst case) on the bike.
You might double check your wiring to make sure there are no intermittent opens. Bend it, shake it, move it, etc. everywhere along it's length (and especially anywhere there are crimps or solder connections) to make sure the connection remains intact.
Quote from Guido on 20.05.2023, 10:34You would think that this thing was designed for these environmental conditions.
I doubt it. After all, these are cheap Chinese units. They have to cut corners to make it this cheap. I.e. cheap electronics with lower temperature ratings, very limited testing, etc. Not saying that this would mean it's automatically bad, but overall I believe it's highly unlikely that they've tested in extreme environmental circumstances. E.g. they advertise it's IPX7 rated, which implies that the device is waterproof and that it can be fully submerged into 1-meter deep water for up to 30 minutes and still be able to work properly after that.
Having said that, it's very possible that it wan't heat, but the connection. Testing if it works through the USB connection and with another cable/power source was one of the diagnostics steps Maxca recommends me to do. I'm going to give that a try once I can. Unfortunately, I also broke my leg during the trip where my Maxca failed, so I'm a bit less mobile now to thoroughly try this. Will keep you posted here though once I get around to it.
You would think that this thing was designed for these environmental conditions.
I doubt it. After all, these are cheap Chinese units. They have to cut corners to make it this cheap. I.e. cheap electronics with lower temperature ratings, very limited testing, etc. Not saying that this would mean it's automatically bad, but overall I believe it's highly unlikely that they've tested in extreme environmental circumstances. E.g. they advertise it's IPX7 rated, which implies that the device is waterproof and that it can be fully submerged into 1-meter deep water for up to 30 minutes and still be able to work properly after that.
Having said that, it's very possible that it wan't heat, but the connection. Testing if it works through the USB connection and with another cable/power source was one of the diagnostics steps Maxca recommends me to do. I'm going to give that a try once I can. Unfortunately, I also broke my leg during the trip where my Maxca failed, so I'm a bit less mobile now to thoroughly try this. Will keep you posted here though once I get around to it.
Quote from 2BTSquared on 20.05.2023, 10:49Quote from Guido on 20.05.2023, 10:34You would think that this thing was designed for these environmental conditions.
I doubt it. After all, these are cheap Chinese units. They have to cut corners to make it this cheap. I.e. cheap electronics with lower temperature ratings, very limited testing, etc. Not saying that this would mean it's automatically bad, but overall I believe it's highly unlikely that they've tested in extreme environmental circumstances. E.g. they advertise it's IPX7 rated, which implies that the device is waterproof and that it can be fully submerged into 1-meter deep water for up to 30 minutes and still be able to work properly after that.
Point well taken. I wouldn't doubt that no environmental testing was done. That kind of testing cost money. But, it seems some basic design practices to make these things viable for the application wouldn't have been too costly. In the end though, they may indeed prove to be cheaply built units that won't hold up. I'll certainly report in if I start having issues with mine.
Quote from Guido on 20.05.2023, 10:34You would think that this thing was designed for these environmental conditions.
I doubt it. After all, these are cheap Chinese units. They have to cut corners to make it this cheap. I.e. cheap electronics with lower temperature ratings, very limited testing, etc. Not saying that this would mean it's automatically bad, but overall I believe it's highly unlikely that they've tested in extreme environmental circumstances. E.g. they advertise it's IPX7 rated, which implies that the device is waterproof and that it can be fully submerged into 1-meter deep water for up to 30 minutes and still be able to work properly after that.
Point well taken. I wouldn't doubt that no environmental testing was done. That kind of testing cost money. But, it seems some basic design practices to make these things viable for the application wouldn't have been too costly. In the end though, they may indeed prove to be cheaply built units that won't hold up. I'll certainly report in if I start having issues with mine.
Quote from mbirth on 06.06.2023, 11:25Apparently there's a newer firmware version 202304212327 with a small change - does anyone have the download link?
Apparently there's a newer firmware version 202304212327 with a small change - does anyone have the download link?
Quote from massi on 07.06.2023, 01:27Be careful, this firmware seems to bring some issues, as I have read on the Facebook site of Maxca. But I didn't try it by myself so far.
problems found in this firmware:
- the "next track" button from the intercom doesn't work (interphone avant)
- voice commands on the interphone doesnt work
- when receive or make a call the interphone disconects, once you turn it off and on again it works normally (until the next restart of the maxca device)
Be careful, this firmware seems to bring some issues, as I have read on the Facebook site of Maxca. But I didn't try it by myself so far.
problems found in this firmware:
- the "next track" button from the intercom doesn't work (interphone avant)
- voice commands on the interphone doesnt work
- when receive or make a call the interphone disconects, once you turn it off and on again it works normally (until the next restart of the maxca device)
