Rowe Electronics Power Distribution Module PDM60: anybody try one?

[donnh]

Ordered two over the weekend, one for my bike and another for dirtbikegirlrider, received a reply that they are on backorder
Hopefully they get some more soon......

[qman8]

I'd like to use the externally switched circuit to power an accessory brake light on a GS with CanBus. Looks like a separate relay would be needed to switch the lead to ground when the brake light is on??? OR am I missing something?

For future designs, I would recommend several switchable circuits be added that can be switched ON via applied power so the circuit acts as a solid state relay.

[RocketMoto]

Originally Posted by qman8

I'd like to use the externally switched circuit to power an accessory brake light on a GS with CanBus. Looks like a separate relay would be needed to switch the lead to ground when the brake light is on??? OR am I missing something?

For future designs, I would recommend several switchable circuits be added that can be switched ON via applied power so the circuit acts as a solid state relay.

The switched circuit has an 'input' lead. When you ground it, it outputs voltage on the corresponding switched lead.

We can custom program the PDM60's purchased from us, so when you ground that 'input lead' it can output voltage on one or more circuits.

[ngng]

I'm a bit confused, it Rocket Moto sells the PDM60 "exclusively" but Aerostich also wells one?

Another question, I know the PDM60 can delay shutoff, but can it delay power on? I want to hardwire my xenon ballast because I keep getting a LAMPF, but I don't want the light to fire for a delay (after I would typically start the bike)

[RocketMoto]

Originally Posted by ngng

I'm a bit confused, it Rocket Moto sells the PDM60 "exclusively" but Aerostich also wells one?

Another question, I know the PDM60 can delay shutoff, but can it delay power on? I want to hardwire my xenon ballast because I keep getting a LAMPF, but I don't want the light to fire for a delay (after I would typically start the bike)

Aerostich sold a version of the PDM60, but no longer. We have the PDM60 version 2, which is the latest.

The PDM60 can have delayed power on, delayed power off, or constant power - per circuit. Take a look at the PDM60 install guide HERE. There's a table in the guide that shows how the circuits are programmed from the factory. We can program the behavior of these to suit your requirements.

Questions? Don't hesitate to call us, 877.533.4245.

[ngng]

Originally Posted by RocketMoto

Aerostich sold a version of the PDM60, but no longer. We have the PDM60 version 2, which is the latest.

The PDM60 can have delayed power on, delayed power off, or constant power - per circuit. Take a look at the PDM60 install guide HERE. There's a table in the guide that shows how the circuits are programmed from the factory. We can program the behavior of these to suit your requirements.

Questions? Don't hesitate to call us, 877.533.4245.

Perfect!

[John Smallberries]

Adam;
I hope I'm wrong, but I think you have an error in your website description of the PDM60:
"What if I have gadget that draws more than 15Amps?
Simple. You just run a 'parallel circuit'. You utilize two of the circuits (i.e. two 15A circuits (=30A), or a 15A and a 5A (=20A) to power your device. You just connect two circuit leads to your device power lead, ground your device to the frame or other suitable ground point, and you’re up and running, fully protected."

I think this is half right. I went through this loop trying to keep my Stebel horn powered, but failed. I wired it to a 15-amp circuit and found that it actually draws ~ 17amps. Circuit popped on the first long blow. No problem - I had a spare 5 amp output on my PDM60 and wired it parrallel to the 15. The circuit tripped just the same.

My theory for why this didn't work: The two wires feeding power to the horn don't know their fuse value. The 17 amps drawn by the horn gets split equally by the two wires of equal size: 8.5 amps each. The 8.5 amps blows the 5 amp circuit, leaving the 15 amp circuit to carry the full 17 amp load. It then blows as well. If I were to bundle two 15-amp circuits together I would expect no problem. So, parallell wiring only helps if the paired circuits have equal fuse value.

The beauty of your programming service is that you could give me two 9 amp-limited circuits to feed this load in parallel.

I fixed my horn problem by inserting a relay triggered off the horn and an "old school" 20-amp inline fuse to the battery. Not too elegant, but it works.

Do the engineers at Rowe agree?

[RocketMoto]

Originally Posted by John Smallberries

Adam;
I hope I'm wrong, but I think you have an error in your website description of the PDM60:
"What if I have gadget that draws more than 15Amps?
Simple. You just run a 'parallel circuit'. You utilize two of the circuits (i.e. two 15A circuits (=30A), or a 15A and a 5A (=20A) to power your device. You just connect two circuit leads to your device power lead, ground your device to the frame or other suitable ground point, and you’re up and running, fully protected."

I think this is half right. I went through this loop trying to keep my Stebel horn powered, but failed. I wired it to a 15-amp circuit and found that it actually draws ~ 17amps. Circuit popped on the first long blow. No problem - I had a spare 5 amp output on my PDM60 and wired it parrallel to the 15. The circuit tripped just the same.

My theory for why this didn't work: The two wires feeding power to the horn don't know their fuse value. The 17 amps drawn by the horn gets split equally by the two wires of equal size: 8.5 amps each. The 8.5 amps blows the 5 amp circuit, leaving the 15 amp circuit to carry the full 17 amp load. It then blows as well. If I were to bundle two 15-amp circuits together I would expect no problem. So, parallell wiring only helps if the paired circuits have equal fuse value.

The beauty of your programming service is that you could give me two 9 amp-limited circuits to feed this load in parallel.

I fixed my horn problem by inserting a relay triggered off the horn and an "old school" 20-amp inline fuse to the battery. Not too elegant, but it works.

Do the engineers at Rowe agree?

Hmmm... Well, that's not how it's 'sposta work , so I will have to give it a whirl, and check with the guru's at Rowe. I've setup several Stebel's on a 15AMP PDM60 tap, and no issues that I know of.

Stay tuned - 'film at Eleven...'

[ngng]

Originally Posted by RocketMoto

Aerostich sold a version of the PDM60, but no longer. We have the PDM60 version 2, which is the latest.

The PDM60 can have delayed power on, delayed power off, or constant power - per circuit. Take a look at the PDM60 install guide HERE. There's a table in the guide that shows how the circuits are programmed from the factory. We can program the behavior of these to suit your requirements.

Questions? Don't hesitate to call us, 877.533.4245.

Can you highlight the changes between the V1 and V2?

[dmac57]

Originally Posted by ngng

Can you highlight the changes between the V1 and V2?

What he said.

[RocketMoto]

Originally Posted by ngng

Can you highlight the changes between the V1 and V2?

Version 1 had a heavy power and ground lead coming out one end, the output leads from the other end of the unit.

Version 1 had a 16 pin Molex-type connector for the output leads. You'd plug-in a hot and ground lead into the connector for each circuit. Version 2 has the leads coming directly from the unit, no intermediate connector, which is a better design.

Version 1 did not have the startup delay, version 2 has a seven second start-up delay so that all of the circuits don't come on while you're trying to start the bike.

There are a number of internal circuit improvements, as well.

Hope that helps.

[RocketMoto]

Originally Posted by John Smallberries

Adam;
I hope I'm wrong, but I think you have an error in your website description of the PDM60:
"What if I have gadget that draws more than 15Amps?
Simple. You just run a 'parallel circuit'. You utilize two of the circuits (i.e. two 15A circuits (=30A), or a 15A and a 5A (=20A) to power your device. You just connect two circuit leads to your device power lead, ground your device to the frame or other suitable ground point, and you’re up and running, fully protected."

I think this is half right. I went through this loop trying to keep my Stebel horn powered, but failed. I wired it to a 15-amp circuit and found that it actually draws ~ 17amps. Circuit popped on the first long blow. No problem - I had a spare 5 amp output on my PDM60 and wired it parrallel to the 15. The circuit tripped just the same.

My theory for why this didn't work: The two wires feeding power to the horn don't know their fuse value. The 17 amps drawn by the horn gets split equally by the two wires of equal size: 8.5 amps each. The 8.5 amps blows the 5 amp circuit, leaving the 15 amp circuit to carry the full 17 amp load. It then blows as well. If I were to bundle two 15-amp circuits together I would expect no problem. So, parallell wiring only helps if the paired circuits have equal fuse value.

The beauty of your programming service is that you could give me two 9 amp-limited circuits to feed this load in parallel.

I fixed my horn problem by inserting a relay triggered off the horn and an "old school" 20-amp inline fuse to the battery. Not too elegant, but it works.

Do the engineers at Rowe agree?

OK - you are correct. The two parallel circuits must be the same ie. 2x5AMP or 2x15AMP. I've corrected the description on our site. We'd be happy to program any PDM60 previously purchased from us, at no charge, if y'all need.

[ngng]

Originally Posted by RocketMoto

Version 1 had a heavy power and ground lead coming out one end, the output leads from the other end of the unit.

Version 1 had a 16 pin Molex-type connector for the output leads. You'd plug-in a hot and ground lead into the connector for each circuit. Version 2 has the leads coming directly from the unit, no intermediate connector, which is a better design.

Version 1 did not have the startup delay, version 2 has a seven second start-up delay so that all of the circuits don't come on while you're trying to start the bike.

There are a number of internal circuit improvements, as well.

Hope that helps.

Great, thanks. So, by default, all V2 outputs have a seven second start-up delay?

[StuartV]

Originally Posted by Bill P.

However, I have at least one reservation regarding the PDM60 so far. This concerns circuit 1, the circuit that can be controlled by a user-supplied switch. If I understand the documentation correctly (thanks, John Smallberries, for posting that), that circuit is always hot if you enable it to be externally switched. This means, in what I see as a real-world typical application, that someone could come along, hit the switch to turn on your added driving lights on your parked bike, and walk away (or, you, yourself, could forget to turn them off). Right?

Now, you could always add a relay to, say, one of the other two 15-amp circuits, and a switch to the relay trigger, but this sort of defeats one of the major advantages of the electronics of this gizmo.

Seems to me if you're worried about that, you just don't use that circuit. Pretend it's not there and your concern goes away. You still have numerous switched and delayed-off circuits to use for whatever you want.

[RocketMoto]

Originally Posted by StuartV

Seems to me if you're worried about that, you just don't use that circuit. Pretend it's not there and your concern goes away. You still have numerous switched and delayed-off circuits to use for whatever you want.

The 'external switch trigger' blue lead has to be grounded *AND* the grey wire input for the ignition-switched power must be at +12 volts for there to be +12 volts output on the white wire.

The blue lead can be grounded all the time, if desired, and the white lead will then have +12 volts output when the ignition is switched on. This behavior of this, and any other circuit is programmable with our dashboard software and programing tool.

Hope that helps to clarify how it works.