Making a PTT Button for Hexhead Bikes

[FlyingFinn]

While working on upgrading our comms systems I decided to add a permanently mounted PTT button to my 1200GS. I wanted a solution that doesn't look too "ghetto" and would keep working reliably for years to come.

 

My GS is non-ABS and non-ESA so there is a blank push button location in left switch cluster. I guess sometimes that location would be used for ABS or ESA button.

 

The cool thing is that inside the switch cluster all the electrical switches(momentary close) are there! Even the ones that are unused and are being blanked out by the switch cover with no hole and no push button for that switch.

 

 

In my case the unused switch is the lower single switch to the right of the hi/lo headlight switch.

 

To use that switch for PTT I need to:

- Make a push button for the switch

- Cut a hole to the switch cover

- Remove that switch from the wiring loom of the switch cluster and connect it to a separate wires that go to external connector.

 

You can't buy those push buttons from BMW, so one option would be to buy a used cluster and salvage a button from that.

I decided to make my own buttons.

 

First I took a button from my spare cluster and modified it adding some material here and removing some there to make the button easier to cast. I made the thin areas little thicker, removed sharp corners and gave it little "release" so that a cast would be easier to get out of a mold.

 

 

 

Then I made a jig for a mold. The mold needs an inside and outside part so the jig has a removable lid that the inside molds attach to.

 

 

 

I now have three complete molds casted into the jig, including the inside and outside molds. No picture of that yet....

 

Inside the switch cluster I pulled out the unused switch, disconnected it from the cluster and added new wires that run out from the cluster to a new connector.

 

 

I'll keep updating this thread with my progess casting those new buttons. First patch of buttons will be cast of blue epoxy resin. If the results are acceptable I can make more buttons in different colors. I get three buttons per cast.

 

--

Mikko

[johnlt]

Mikko my friend, I'm thinking that maybe you don't have enough to do!

[FlyingFinn]

THAT is not my problem. I just can't sit idle...

[EddyQ]

Hey, that's a real interesting find. I wonder if my '07 RT cluster has this option available?

 

Please, keep us posted with the results!

[KER]

seems like a nice install with a factory look. however the button seems like the ptt button would be out of the way and inconvenient to use........have you thought of you using the standard police ppt button and bracket? The parts are pretty cheap and easy to get. My personal experience is that any other location besides under the grip is cumbersome at best to use safely, but just a thought....

 

 

http://www.bmwmc.net/uploads/tm7/instr%20K26SF%201.pdf

[Kritou]

I have often wondered if the freeplay in the clutch lever could be used as a switch. The lever is spring loaded back to "neutral" so my thought was to glue a waterproof microswitch to the underside of the lever housing and actuate it with a corresponding pin fixed to the bottom of the lever itself. Thus, pushing the clutch lever with your fingertips would close the switch ........... trouble is I can't find a suitable m/switch ..........

[Haynes]

It looks like some project that I would take on. Perhaps you'll spend a week at it but you'll end up with a "better than factory" quality control switch. I'll keep an eye on this for the final outcome.

[lvnvbiker]

Dude you are my new hero! They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and you my friend found a need that needed a new solution. I do love the modification of stock components to meet a need while keeping a factory appearance, so your solution is to me, the best one I've seen yet. If you need more switches for accessories I have a good one for you.

It is a reworked LT housing with six micro switches, not my idea, it was borrowed from a fellow on bmwlt but it is another factory appearing solution to a common issue.

So GREAT JOB! and keep the ideas coming.

[FlyingFinn]

Thanks for all the encouragement.

 

The molds.

 

 

That's almost a week's worth of progress right there.

Three molds cast from one original. Times two for the inside and outside. 12 hours cure time per cast....

 

 

--

Mikko

 

[FlyingFinn]

First three buttons are out from the mold.

Little trimming with the Dremel and these should be just fine.

 

 

--

Mikko

[FlyingFinn]

I'll do a full writeup later to document some of the intermediate steps but here's the end results. A working PTT button for Autocom.

 

 

--

Mikko

[ESokoloff]

NICE

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

OMG, that's awesome. You know I like making my own stuff, but it never would have even occurred to me to make molds and cast my own frickin' buttons.

 

I salute your hacker ingenuity.

[Ebbo]

Absolutely brilliant Mikko, what a neat solution, do let us know how the wiring in to the Autocom goes

[Smoky]

Wonderful job! Makes my zip-ties look like a hack-job!

[russell_bynum]

Very cool. Molding your own buttons is a special kind of crazy.

 

 

Just wondering...do the hexheads have a flash-to-pass button?

 

My Aprilia has a flash-to-pass switch on the front of the left switchgear...the intent is you would reach up with your index finger and flash the high beam when you're passing someone. Or something...I dunno. I didn't have any use for that, so I just rewired that to be my PTT.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Just wondering...do the hexheads have a flash-to-pass button?

 

Yes, they do.

 

As an alterntive solution, maybe when I upgrade the shocks I can use the ESA button as a PTT.

[Satguy]

Yes, I actually bought an ESA add on switch for the 2005 1200RT and modified it to become the PTT. I installed a center off toggle switch in the same housing for the VOX, PTT or always transmit mode selector.

 

Guess I'll have to post a pix. sometime.

 

 

[FlyingFinn]

Just wondering...do the hexheads have a flash-to-pass button?

 

Yes, they do.

 

Not sure out the 2010 models with the redesigned switches but at least for the 05 -> 09 models then answer would be "well, sort of."

 

The rocker switch for hi/lo beam has three positions.

1. Push up the rocker to select hi beam

2. Middle position is for low beam

3. Push down is momentary-close for flash-to-pass.

 

But under the "rocker button" there's really only one momentary-close switch.

The switch is open for low-beam (middle rocker position) and closed for high-beam.

In the "high-beam" position the rocker mechanically latches into that position and keeps the switch closed, flash-to-pass just closes the same switch but rocker doesn't latch.

 

So there is flash-to-pass function but no switch for it that could be re-used for PTT.

 

That would have been my first choice

 

--

Mikko

[johnlt]

Absolutely magnificent Mikko. Not only are you an engineer, you're a great technician. Not all engineers are good technician but you are quite a craftsman plus very innovative. congrats

[FlyingFinn]

I don't have any buttons to sell at the moment but I thought I'd gauge is there any interest for these.

IF any of you guys would like to possibly buy on of these buttons I could make some more and let you know a price, available colors and all that.

 

So I'm asking if anyone who potentially interested in getting one would send me a PM. If you have a color preference let me know that too. I'm not promising to make them available at this point, just trying to get a feel is there any demand at all.

 

If I get enough interest off-line, I'll then post my "allotted one time add" with price and available colors.

 

 

Thanks!

 

--

Mikko

[ESokoloff]

Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

 

Sorry, I could not help myself

[johnlt]

But Mikko, where is the three way toggle that allows for PTT, Vox and continuous Xmit?

[FlyingFinn]

Hi John,

I left that switch out. Same way as I did before with Dakar where I used the "flash to pass" button.

Continuous TX is pretty useless for us males, VOX setting would be useful but not mandatory, I can live with out it.

So the way I have it is VOX works between rider & passenger, PTT is used for bike-to-bike.

 

--

Mikko

[bmurphypdx]

FWIW, my SO and I prefer PTT and do not want VOX because I sing in my helmet and she doesn't need to hear that, and I suspect she occasionally says something I might not need to hear!!