Exercise Bike Cable Problem

[MoonRiver]

I bought an exercise bike a few months ago. It worked fine for a while, and then started ignoring the computer. It turned out that the cable that connects the computer to the motor doesn't make a good connection. Bike is completely unusable without the computer.

The connector on the computer side connects directly to the board in the computer. The cable connector doesn't seat tightly to the computer. If I push the cable into the connector at a slight angle, the computer works fine. If I just plug it in, the computer doesn't work. These are relatively small connectors and I had to cut the electrical tape in 3rds to get a narrow enough piece to wrap around the connectors. It didn't tighten the connection all that much.

These are small plastic connectors that just push together. No way to screw them together. I tried using electrical tape to hold the connection together and it worked for a couple of days, but now it fails again.

I'd like to superglue the darn thing together, but if that doesn't work, I probably have ruined the connectors - including the one on the computer. I also tried jamming a toothpick into the edge of the connector to create a tight connection. Didn't work.

So is there anything I can use to glue the 2 connectors together that I can unglue if it doesn't work?

The manufacturer is supposed to be sending me a new cable, but I think the company is on the verge of bankruptcy. Their web site is gone and they seldom answer their phone. I mailed my warrantee in and it was returned for no forwarding address.

I went to a local company that repairs exercise equipment and he said the computer and cable are proprietary and he couldn't help me. So I think I am on my own to get this fixed.

Thanks for any ideas. Bike was about $500 so I don't want to try anything that might damage the computer.

[Bearfootfarm]

You may be able to fix it with a magnifying glass and a pencil eraser.

Look CLOSELY at the contacts and see if there is any type of coating on them that could be preventing the connection.

Use the eraser to LIGHTLY clean them

When finished, use a Q Tip and some alchohol to wipe them down

Use some canned air to blow out the female half of the connection

[arabian knight]

Pick up a can of Electrical Contact Spray. And also a small tube of dielectric grease. Both very inexpensive.
Take the connection apart, and spray the contact spray into both sides, let dry, takes just a few seconds.
Then put a small coat of dialectic grease on the pins. Put the connector back together and you should be "good to go".
But Make SUre you have the thing Unplugged before doing any of the aforementioned above things.

[Harry Chickpea]

It would be a big help to be able to see the connector and the pins it connects to. I would just remove the connector, bare the wire ends, and solder them directly to the board. If I needed to replace the board later, I would clip the wires a ways up and use a new connector.

[MoonRiver]

I'll try posting a couple of pictures when my camera battery is recharged. The cable has a small, flat connector on both ends. The connector is 12 pins, although I use the term pin loosely. They look like ribbon cable connectors, but the cable is round - 12 conductor.

I used to make computer cables, so I am familiar with the standard type of connectors from 15 years ago. This connector is only maybe 1/4" thick and an inch long. I can't tell how the cable is fastened to the connector. Since it is round cable going into a flat connector, I assume it was done by hand and a wire or 2 have pulled back a little. Can't tell just by looking at it.

Just did some more searching and I think these are micro serial ATA connectors. This is a picture from the web, not my exact connectors, but similar to the 1st two in the picture.



Does anyone know how the cable is inserted into the connector?

[Harry Chickpea]

Hate that stuff. The board should have a registration number on it that you can enter into Google. All electronics have some sort of FCC registration. From that, you want to look for a manual or other documentation. The key thing you want is the pinout diagram.

Alternately, if the thing ain't working at all, clip the connector off a couple of inches into the wire that goes into it. Strip the outer insulation to expose the wire colorations, then use a multimeter or test probe to search for continuity. You should be able to jot down stuff like Pin one (they should be numbered in tiny tiny numbers) = red/white, Pin two = orange/white, and so on. Get a new connector from Mouser or some place, and connect up the same way. Or...

once you have determined which connection is intermittent or open, use a dremel and cut-off wheel to cut away some plastic and explore where the wire connects, and attempt to resolder that joint, or tighten the crimp if it is one of those sucky crimp connectors, or pull the wire out and push a new section of it into the crimp. The flex of a connection can break wire from fatigue, right where it attaches to a fixed connector pin or crimp. Magnifying glasses and alligator clip holder and a steady hand are required.

[solidwoods]

If its the computer to the motor then it should be a 2 wire wire.
I'm assuming this connection doesn't have a finger operated lock like phone lines.
Some female connectors a device to help hold the male plug in tight. Looking into the female you should be able to see the device. Typically it will be a small strip of shiny steel. Open the case of the computer and you may be able to see it better. If it can be gently adjusted try that.

If you can't find the problem with the connection look to see if the cable can be soldiered directly to the female connector or the circuit board.
If you go that route, you will need to add an anti cord strain. If you can remove the bad female plug that should make an outlet hole for the cord.
Good anti strain can also be achieved by fastening the cord to the outside of the case right after where the cord exits the case.

If the computer dies. Check the motor voltage and if its 12vdc, the motor could be manually operated with a pwr source , motor reverse switch, On-Off switch.
Recycle
Re-use
Re-purpose
Re-build it
jim

[MoonRiver]

Originally Posted by solidwoods

I'm assuming this connection doesn't have a finger operated lock like phone lines.
Some female connectors a device to help hold the male plug in tight. Looking into the female you should be able to see the device. Typically it will be a small strip of shiny steel. Open the case of the computer and you may be able to see it better. If it can be gently adjusted try that.


Recycle
Re-use
Re-purpose
Re-build it
jim

It does have a lock, but it only holds the 2 connectors together, not tightly together. I think the problem is that 1 or more of the wires have been pulled back a little and don't make good connection. There is a piece of heat shrink on it but it looks like it's mainly for show.

When I called service, they knew immediately what the problem was, so I'm thinking this is a design problem with the cable. I would make a new cable if I could find the connectors and instructions on terminating the wire. There is probably enough slack I could cut off the bad end and re-terminate it. Again, I need to find a connector to do that.

[MoonRiver]

Here's the pictures. I took and retook pictures and my camera just wouldn't take a good picture. These are the best 2.





You can see that the top picture has a catch for the tab on the lower connector. It keeps the 2 connectors connected, but not tightly. What seems to work is to push the left side of the connector all the way in and pull the right side back a little. So I'm thinking that means 1 or more wires in the cable are not properly terminated in the connector.

[Harry Chickpea]

Digikey may have something.

http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts-kws...ipin-connector

Just as likely would be an auto parts store.