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Author Topic: Unified Theory of The Glitch  (Read 2307 times)

ZeroSinMA

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Unified Theory of The Glitch
« on: July 14, 2013, 06:15:59 PM »

I have now experienced the glitch 3 times in the year and a half that I have owned my 2012 Zero S Z9. Each time the conditions were:

1. Cool weather during the previous day
2. Hot humid weather the next day (such that water condensed on the stone tile the floor where I park the bike)
3. Glitches

If I leave the bike in the hot sun the glitches go away.

I've ridden through torrential rain without issues so it is not water per se that causes the problem. My theory is that water is condensing on a circuit board somewhere and when it dries out the problems go away.

Anyone else notice the same cause/effect?

Does Zero conformal coat all of the circuit boards vs count on the seals on the boxes that hold the boards? If not they should.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2013, 06:26:18 PM by ZeroSinMA »
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eyeinsky

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2013, 07:13:54 PM »

If you find or suspect a area and want to add water proofing the best product I know about is a aviation product called "Corrosion X" We have been using this on RC Float planes for water proofing electronic. It works awesome.


Check it out: 
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ZeroSinMA

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2013, 09:40:15 AM »

I can reliably reproduce the glitch under the following conditions:

1. Store in dry, low temp location during the day
2. Store in humid, high temp location overnight
3. 100% chance of glitches (on start and on route) in the AM

I can reliably avoid the glitch 100% under the following conditions:

1.  Store in dry, hot location at all times

Water is condensing on circuit boards, guys. Conformal coat the boards and seal the boxes.
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dahlheim

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2013, 08:13:46 PM »

I can reliably avoid the glitch 100% under the following conditions:

1.  Store in dry, hot location at all times

lucky me, i live in the high desert.  hard not to store the bike in a dry, hot location.  well, except the winter i guess.  still dry, just cold.  for the record, no glitches here (crossing fingers).
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ZeroSinMA

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2013, 08:09:30 AM »

I can reliably avoid the glitch 100% under the following conditions:

1.  Store in dry, hot location at all times

lucky me, i live in the high desert.  hard not to store the bike in a dry, hot location.  well, except the winter i guess.  still dry, just cold.  for the record, no glitches here (crossing fingers).

Don't worry. You like Trikester who lives in the desert will never see the glitch ever. Owners in Florida and other humid climates will.

I hope Zero is reading this.
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WindRider

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2013, 09:11:46 AM »

Interesting observation... and observation always beats theory!

To add to the collected data I have ridden almost 5K miles now on a 2012 Zero DS 9 here in Idaho where the summer has extremely low humidity... yesterday the dew point was -1 F !

Have not experienced the glitch.
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Bdavis

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2013, 01:26:41 PM »

I live in the Las Vegas desert and am on my third round of the glitch on my 2012 zf6s  I park in an open parking garage at home and work(very warm) and there is almost no humidity here.
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protomech

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2013, 10:35:25 PM »

I rode my Zero in AL's summer humidity for almost 3000 miles before the glitch appeared. After the 1st glitch service it ran mostly fine for approximately 3000 more miles in the winter/spring before the 2nd glitch appeared .. including numerous days with heavy rain.
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ZeroSinMA

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #8 on: July 26, 2013, 02:24:10 AM »

I rode my Zero in AL's summer humidity for almost 3000 miles before the glitch appeared. After the 1st glitch service it ran mostly fine for approximately 3000 more miles in the winter/spring before the 2nd glitch appeared .. including numerous days with heavy rain.

Right, it's not the rain or humidity per se that causes the problem, it's circuit boards inside that are cool or cold relative to the warm, humid air outside. Apparently enough of the outside air gets into the chassis holding the boards to condense on the circuit boards and cause them to act screwy. The necessary conditions are cold boards plus warm wet air plus 8 - 12 hours.

Any desert dwelling Zero owners here ever experience glitches? That'd throw cold water on my theory, so to speak.  :D
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protomech

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #9 on: July 26, 2013, 02:44:37 AM »

See Bdavis's post above.
I live in the Las Vegas desert and am on my third round of the glitch on my 2012 zf6s  I park in an open parking garage at home and work(very warm) and there is almost no humidity here.

The battery box isn't even remotely water-tight .. which is why the boards are (in theory) weatherproofed. Could still be a problem with them of course.
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BSDThw

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #10 on: July 26, 2013, 12:03:56 PM »

Living in Germany I have hot to cold and dry to wet, The bike is in a garage not tempered and at the company exposed to all weather.

Having 9600Km and no glitch. Once I had the switch on and no run effect ( I guess the bike was rolling back while I turned it on never tested this theory again ).
And I had once before the SW-Upgrade a glitch but I have adjusted some sevcon settings different and be 99% sure it was my own produced glitch.

As much as I see most problems now are from the SIN/COS encoder inside the Motor!  (crossing fingers too) I think it is very accidentally if your bike suffer the glitch.
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trikester

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2013, 08:52:01 PM »

I experienced my 2013 FX not responding to the throttle when I had been rolling back when I turned on the key. This may be a factor.

After I recycled the switch it worked without any further problems.

Trikester
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Richard230

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2013, 09:03:15 PM »

I have been making it a point never to get on or move my bike when it is first booting up in the morning.  For the past month I have not experienced the morning-start "glitch" and my bike has been behaving perfectly (knock on wood).
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RickSteeb

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #13 on: July 27, 2013, 07:17:56 AM »

I have had my '12 DS ZF6 cut out without apparent reason three times over the past week, twice on my way to work in the AM, and once on my way home.  Each time, I was traveling 60-70 MPH in the diamond lane, keeping pace with traffic... a reboot, while coasting in the center divide, was the remedy each time.  Called Zero and made a report to a service tech today; they will call me back next week with a plan...

 :-\
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ZeroSinMA

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Re: Unified Theory of The Glitch
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2013, 05:03:58 AM »

I live in the Las Vegas desert and am on my third round of the glitch on my 2012 zf6s  I park in an open parking garage at home and work(very warm) and there is almost no humidity here.

Your experience blows my theory out of the water, so to speak. Back to the drawing board.
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