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Panel Nightlight too Bright & How Do you adj the headlights?

ulflyer

ulflyer

Active member
First time I'd been out after dark yesterday and was astonished at how bright the digital panel was. Seemed almost like a flashlight shining in my face. Pulled the idiot instruction panel out and let it hang over the panel. Question: where is the sensor that makes the panel get brighter at night? Can it be found and covered?

Secondly, headlights on dim are too high. Tried to adj with the brass knob under each side panel to no avail. Couldn't turn by hand.
What is the secret?
 
Some of the brass adjusters need a little help. They have a hex or torx indent in them, so you can use a tool to assist in adjustment. One of mine turn freely, but the other needs a helping hand. If it is bound up hard, see your dealer.
 
Thanks folks. Will give both suggestions a try tonite and report back if the tape works.

Gotta do the second oil/filter(s) change today so its "mess with the Can Am" day.

PS: Its still dark here, so I went out in garage and couldn't see the sensor, but covered the whole speedo and it didn't affect the bright blue nite lite. Changed the contrast from 100% down to 50% to see if that works.
Hope it doesnt lower the daytime lite too much. Will know shortly. ha.
 
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If you have an RT, you may wanna check

ulflyer said:
First time I'd been out after dark yesterday and was astonished at how bright the digital panel was. Seemed almost like a flashlight shining in my face. Pulled the idiot instruction panel out and let it hang over the panel. Question: where is the sensor that makes the panel get brighter at night? Can it be found and covered? Secondly, headlights on dim are too high. Tried to adj with the brass knob under each side panel to no avail. Couldn't turn by hand.
What is the secret?
Click to expand...

Before you get into adjusting the headlights (may be too late) you may want to check your rear suspension. If you have an RT-S or RT Limited you have a toggle switch on the dash in front of you listed "HARD or SOFT", easy way to check, hop on, put SpYder in gear with parking brake off (holding foot brake) & push the toggle switch on "HARD" til it reads at the top of the display. If you watch in your rear view mirrors, as you hear the air compressor working, you should notice the angle of the view in the mirrors change. Or you can take a tape measure & meassure from the ground to the rear fender, adjust, then measure again, that works also. If you have the RT base or RT-AC, you dont have automatic adjustments, but a Shrader-Valve under the seat, and you can manually check the pressure there with a tire gauge. I know I had the same issue at first with TEDDYS 2010 RT-S but found my rear airbag wasn't holding air & going all the way down. If the rear of the SpYder goes down, the angle of the front (headlights) goes up & causes just the problem your talking about. Not sure if this is your case or not, but may be something to check into.

:2thumbs:Hope you get it figured out & your back to be'n a Happy SpYder Ryder:2thumbs:

PS... If you look under the How To Forums, Lamontster & a few others have picture step by step directions & tips for doing your own oil changes & making it easier for the next time:thumbup:
 
Thanks CancySpider. Will check it before I adjust the lights. Good info. I did my own 600 so I know what a pain it is; but am looking to see if I can get at the transmisssion filter without pulling all the side panels. I left the bottom panel off so getting to the two main drains, and the main filter is doable; its just the transmission filter that is problematic.
 
ulflyer said:
Question: where is the sensor that makes the panel get brighter at night? Can it be found and covered?
Click to expand...

I didn't know a brightness sensor was incorporated but are you sure this is the right way round? A sensor to automatically adjust the brightness of the display would logically make the display less bright at night and brighter during the day, wouldn't it?

But I do agree, for safety reasons the display needs to have its light output reduced at night. Please let us know if you find a workable solution to the problem. :shocked:
 
Don't really think there is a totally satisfactory solution. I reduced the contrast to 40% which works reasonably well at night, but then the daytime panel is too dim. So either you adjust it each time, or maybe just live with something in between.

When all else fails, just drop the idiot pull out panel over the dash!
 
Yep. I would agree. It should get more dim at night so covering the sensor should keep it at daytime bright 24x7.

GeoffCee said:
I didn't know a brightness sensor was incorporated but are you sure this is the right way round? A sensor to automatically adjust the brightness of the display would logically make the display less bright at night and brighter during the day, wouldn't it?
Click to expand...
 
OK....first off, I am NOT an electrician or anything that vaguely resembles such.
BUT...I am looking at the wiring diagram for the RTS and there are 4 wires to the fuel gauge, 4 wires to the temp gauge and a number of wires to the cluster.
I would have to figure that 2 of these wires in each gauge are for the light!!!??
There does appear to be some commonly colored wires to each unit.
IF an electronics wizz can interpret the diagram and decode which is the lighting feed, MAYBE, just maybe you could "splice in " a dimmer knob/dial/switch like in a car and fit it to your dash.
It would, of course, involve removal of the dash panel etc etc, but hey if it is bothering you that much it may be worthwhile.
Don't know whether that might have any effect on any of the canbuses
Personally I haven't been out after dusk yet so I cannot attest as to whether it might also bother me.
Another simpler option could be to try a piece of light tint window tinting film over the gauges. I'm sure an auto window tinting dealer would have plenty of scraps you could experiment with.
Good luck
 
Rattigan_Roger said:
It is approx 0.5in below the 200 on the speedometer side of the display.
Click to expand...

I can find no evidence of a light sensor on my 2011 RT's display. I had my Spyder in the garage in total darkness and shone a very powerful beam of light on the center panel of the display, simulating daylight. I saw no change in the display's level of illumination one way or the other. This is disappointing, IMO a faceful of continuous bright light when riding a dark road at night is an accident waiting to happen. :sour:
 
NancysToy said:
The Spyder RT display does not dim at night...it changes color.
Click to expand...

The plot thickens! A change of colour but I won't ask why that instead of a dimmer. My first night ride is likely to be this weekend, just under 100 miles as we return home from visiting family. I've just got through fitting a couple of blinker LED's to the dash. I trust I will get the Spyder to my liking one day, Scotty, but I'm guessing it won't be any day soon! ;)
 
Geofcee: if yours is like mine, the panel will get almost as Blue as the temp block in your replies, and the speedo numerals will almost double in thickness. I put the contrast of mine on 60% which works well for daytime; don't know yet bout night. If its still too bright, I'll try the suggestion above of some tinting film. Seems odd no one else is bothered by this, or at least I couldn't find anything by searching.
 
Display change at night

The display does change color at night to a predominately blue color. As soon as it get dark mine changes and the brightness is fine for night time riding.
Mine even changes when I ride into my shed during the day if the light are not on.
If your Spyder is not changing when it gets dark I would suggest that you have a problem with your display.
My ride is a 2010 RT-S with 18,000 relatively trouble free miles.
 
Night time

GeoffCee said:
Remarkably, as I've had my RT since March, I haven't yet seen it in the dark with the electrics on. :opps:
Click to expand...

Just go out when it is dark and turn on the Spyder ignition and you will see the difference. You don't have to ride it.
 
I've lowered the contrast to 40% which makes the nite lite more tolerable and the day still reasonably visible. Might try some diff settings to see what works best for you.

When I get "aroundtuit" I'm gonna see if I can find a piece of film to put over the panel just to see how that works.
 
Who woulda thunk it? :hun:

I gotta say I was comfortable riding at night for the 1st time on Sunday with the dash self-dimmed to dark blue. Changing colour is an interesting solution to the problem of nighttime glare from the instruments, but it works and in this regard maybe you have to see it to believe it. Thanks to y'all who chipped in to open my eyes! :shocked:
 
The Light sensor

The sensor is designed to change color with a fixed level of darkness (nighttime, tunnels, parking garages, total eclipse). Unfortunately, there is only one contrast ratio for both day and night. Also, some individuals are more sensitive to bright light (for example I sneeze in bright light - irritating) than others. Perhaps 2 contrast ratios are needed.

MY2012 graphics are nicer.
 
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