PDM60 - Power Distribution Questions

We don't offer them separately. We have these longer cables custom made for us by Powerlet and dedicate them to complete kits.

I don't have a fraction of the wiring experience that others do here, but it might be a useful option to have separately as well? I could envision someone with a lot of electronics wanting two ground units; one toward the beak, the other under the seat somewhere...?

This looks like a great unit, but I have a few questions regarding the programmability.

Is the software available in a Mac version? If it's PC only, what version of windows does it support?

I have old PC laptops (boat anchor) that I use for testing, but my primary machine - the one I carry with me on the bike - is MacBook Air with the latest version of the OS (10.8.5).

If a Mac version is not available, are you willing to share the API hooks and ducumentation so I can write my own iPhone/iPad app (I'm a professional developer)? I'd be interested in building both a Apple and Android version of the app. A bluetooth module would be a great addition to your unit.

Certainly works with XP thru Win7. No Mac version . We program these with Macs running Windoze under Parallels Desktop, no problem.

Contact Rowe Electronics, directly, to see about offering up an API.

Thanks,

Good to know it works on Parallels, it's not uncommon to run into driver issues when running on a VM.

So maybe you can help with my question here? Really not PDM60 specific...

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=927712

Thanks

DFWBo

Replied at above thread

Its 2014 and i wanted to enquire if we can program the PDM60 personally?

I remember seeing a video where the person installs some software and uses a "custom" usb cable to access the parameters and change them.

So,
Is it possible now?


*edit*
I found the below URL explaining how to program the PDM60 using your personal computer
http://pdm60.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/PDM60-Dashboard-Software-User-Manual-091613.pdf

Can anybody confirm if this works?

Yes - it works. The programming cable is included with the PDM60, and the dashboard software is downloadable.

Yep...user programmability works very well!

Adam is a great resource, and so is the team at Rowe.

I do wish, however, that the unit could be easily programmed "on the bike". That's not a feature, yet.

Although I probably could stand next to the bike with my laptop and git her done. Adam?

You can do that, but I suggest disconnecting the PDM60's black ground wire before connecting the programming cable.

Question: I know you can set each circuit for a ground trigger and/or ignition trigger, but say you set up two circuits for a ground trigger, can you have two switches to control them or are you limited to just one switch that will control them both? For example, if you run fog lights and driving lights and want to control them separately, can you set it up with a switch for each one?

I think this is the case - at least my unit has only one "power" trigger wire and one "ground" trigger wire. I ran mine with 3 circuits triggered off the ignition and one unit to be both ignition and ground (2 not used). The 3 power 2 aux lights and passenger heated vest. The solo circuit powers my heated vest with a handlebar switch which actives the ground trigger.

I've found the unit to be quite useful and solid quality.

The blue ground trigger can operate one or more circuits simultaneously, but there's no way to have those circuits operate individually. You'd probably need a separate switch and relay for the second set of lights.

Do you have a discount code?

Thanks,
Brian

Okay, that is what I thought. I will just change my configuration accordingly.

Blake--

Thanks for hosting this thread. It helps.

In the past I've used conventional fuseblocks and relays, and I understand about how to set up "switched" circuits and "unswitched" circuits. On the PDM60, there's the "ignition trigger" which I believe is basically the equivalent of what I would call a "switched" circuit, yes?

But after reading the FAQ's and watching several vids, I can't figure out what the "ground trigger" is. Is that what I would call an "unswitched" circuit? In other words, is it a circuit that is always on?

Also, some of the pushbutton switches on my bars only tolerate low amperage because I connect them to the relay trigger wire for my switched devices which normally only pulls milliamps. To use the PDM60, would I need to beef up all my switches to handle the entire load going to the device?

The ground trigger is used, with a handlebar switch, for example. Normally, with high current lights, as an example, you'd need to switch power through a relay to the lights. With the ground trigger, you connect a PDM60 output to the lights and the switch grounds the blue ground trigger wire. Any circuit that is programmed for ground trigger will have 12 volts sent to it - no relay needed.

Regarding unswitched circuits... Normally, I don't suggest running unswitched on the PDM60. Reason is that when this is enabled, all of the LED's on the unit stay on, all the time. So, if you don't ride you bike for several days, then your bike's battery may be discharged to the point where the bike will not start.

Hope that helps.

That helps a lot. Thanks.

I'm still not sure I understand.

Let's take your example of lights. Each light has two wires--one goes to the bike's ground and the other goes to one of the PDM outputs. None of the wiring for the lights goes anywhere near the handlebar switch. The handlebar switch has two wires--one goes to the bike's ground and the other goes to the blue wire, right? The handlebar switch will now control ALL the PDM circuits that are programmed with "ground trigger" instead of "ignition trigger", right? So, then are the lights ALSO on a switched circuit? In other words, if the bike's ignition is turned off then the handlebar switch won't do anything because everything is totally off? Or, can I accidentally leave the lights on as I walk away from the bike to get some lunch because I forgot to thumb the handlebar switch?