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Can't read the trip comp (RT) in daytime unless in direct sun


macx

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I've always had trouble reading the display in the daytime, even tho the dimmer is set to full bright, unless there's direct sunlight on it. Just not enuf contrast. I admit I can't see as well as I used to, but even with my driving glasses I have trouble reading much of it, esp the info in the 2 bottom rows.

 

Then I noticed the other day that when I drove into a non-lighted garage the panel brightened - as I watched it.

 

Didn't see anything in the manual except the dimmer adjustment.

 

Any way to keep at least some of the background light on in the panel in the daytime?

 

Or, even, where is the sensor that controls that - maybe possible to at least partially block the light to it, like a small piece of electr tape over it or something?

 

Thx!

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Evening Macx

 

You can try covering the ambient light sensor as that will keep the back light bright to see if it helps (didn’t make any difference at all on my 1200RT in the sun though).

 

If you look at your speedometer-- on the bottom just below the MPH letters there is a round dot, that is the ambient light sensor that controls the back light dimming.

 

 

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Macx... I asked a couple of years ago about the dimming of the panel when it got warm/in direct sunlight. Seems part of the answer is the technology behind the LCD itself and not much we can do about it. You might do a search and limit it to 3 years and see what you come up with. It should be in this forum.

 

Wayne

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Hate to be a smart A$$.... but have you read the manual for your bike??

 

There is a contrast adjustment for the LCD screen, and the manual will tell you how to adjust it.

 

That said... when the bike gets really warm from sitting out in the sun the LCD displays have been known to be hard to read.

 

Good Luck!

 

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---There is a contrast adjustment for the LCD screen, and the manual will tell you how to adjust it.

 

 

Afternoon Bruce

 

Can you explain that CONTRAST adjustment a bit more? All my riders manual shows (or at least all I could find anyhow) is the back light dimmer adjustment.

 

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Sorry, my bad!!

 

I'm thinking of a different bike.

 

DR is correct, just the backlight is adjustable on the RT.

 

Cheers

 

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Are your driving glasses polarized? I've noticed my polarized sunglasses make the LCD screen much harder to read.

 

Nope, don't even have sunglasses yet. Been looking for a pair of 1.00 or 1.25 magnifier sunglasses, think I just found some. But thanks for the tip, I'll avoid that.

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I took a look at that this afternoon on the way home from work.

 

I see the sensor, but the glass covering the gauges is quite a ways away from the gauge and quite a bit of light probly will still get to the sensor unless I cover at least maybe the bottom half of the whole gauge. Tried putting my gloved hand over it, no diff, that's when I noticed how far the glass is away from the gauge.

 

And I'd have to venture a guess that it'd be maybe more work than it's worth to do enuf surgery to get at the actual gauge face.

 

Maybe I could drill a small hole, squirt some paint on the sensor, and plug the hole with a rubber plug?

 

JUST KIDDING !!!

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Evening macx

 

Just cover most of the speedometer with your gloved hand, that usually triggers the sensor to turn on the back lighting.

 

Just keep in mind that the sensor circuit has a delay so it takes a short while to change. If it didn’t have the delay the dash back lighting could come & go as you passed under street lights or went through shaded areas.

 

I doubt you will see much change or improvement in the sun light as all that changes is the back lighting not the LCD numbers or LCD intensity.

 

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Didn't think about the delay, of course that's necessary.

 

When it's in direct sunlight it's easy to see, it's when it's in shadow (sun not directly behind me) that I thought some backlight would have the effect of more contrast, making the numbers/letters stand out against a lighted/lighter background.

 

Where does it say it can never be easy? :-/

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I get this too, at certain angles of the sun (seems to happen mostly in summer) the display is very hard to read.

My backlight is also set to maximum. Now its winter here the sun angle is lower and the sun being less intense I have no trouble reading the LCD panel. Wearing sunglasses (non-polarised) seems to accentuate the problem again especially in summer.

I doubt there is a lot we can do about though, I welcome suggestions though.

 

Teddy

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Survived-til-now

Can't help with the OP's problem but maybe I can with your's.

 

The LCD does sometimes fade in strong sunlight and the solution is to adjust the backlight level with the righthand rubber button. Don't know why it works but it does bring back the LCD.

 

My bikes a 2005 but I have a vague memory that since then this trick was put in the handbook???????

 

Andy

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I took a closer look during my weekend ride yesterday and, unbeliveable as it may sound, it looks like there's a small panel that contains the lenses and that covers the gauges and it appears to be fastened on with just a few screws that are readily accessible.

 

Might just have to see if I can pull that panel off and THEN cover the sensor with a little tape.

 

That auto-dimming of the backlight is one feature they could have left off AFAIC.

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