Problem: swollen sealing ring in the control switch connector

[happyinmotion]

The control switch on my MX 1.0 has been misbehaving - the status LED is always dimly light and the bike occasionally behaves as if the buttons are held down.

Sounds like dirt in the switch, yes? But taking that apart and cleaning it thoroughly didn't help.

So next steps is the connector, where a found this issue. The sealing ring is swollen and buldges out. It isn't sealing or keeping dirt out. I think contamination here is causing leakage between the wires leading to my control switch problems, or the sealing ring is pressing on the pins. Current is tracking through dirt on the ring and making weak shorts between the pins. But the seal won't even sit back into the right place so the connector can be connected.

Anyone else had this issue? Is there a resolution other than just running without the sealing ring?

(And yes, I have raised a support ticket with Stark on this but no response yet.)

 

[Theo]

I think contamination here is causing leakage between the wires leading to my control switch problems

Unless you cleaned the connector before taking the pictures, I doubt that the little dirt I see has caused problems. Maybe water.
One thing to consider is that this connector, unlike the other two, has the female socket below the male plug and therefore anything small that is pushed down by gravity has more chances to pass through their seam.

or the sealing ring is pressing on the pins.

I doubt that it can happen, given the shape of the white plastic plug and socket.

Is there a resolution other than just running without the sealing ring?

Maybe trying to cut it, shorten it and use it with a small gap.

Anyways, I have seen that kind of connector in my old Italian Husqvarna 610, too: it must be fairly common. Gemini, to whom I've shown your picture, says it belongs to the JWPF line of connectors.
Now, I don't know the size of the seal ring you need, but these guys, for example, may have a replacement:
Sale JST JWPF Series 8 Hole Seal Ring 08R-JWPF-VSLE-D

 

[happyinmotion]

Further checking confirms to me that the sealing ring is definitely the cause of the issue. Joining the plug and socket without the sealing ring causes the control switch to work as expected. Joining the plug and socket with the ring in place causes phantom signals. It is also much harder to close up the connector, implying the seal ring is squished by the face of the male plug. That would cause to press on the pins.

Thanks for identifying the connector. I can use that to order a replacement sealing ring...

... no wait, I'm in NZ so I'm going to have to get a whole new connector from overseas to just get the seal. No suppliers that I can find keep them in stock in country so I guess I'll wait two weeks for the parts to turn up. Then we'll know if this fixes the problem.

 

[Bodo]

The seals seem to be generally only available with the housing. That site offering them without housing seems to be a seal only manufacturer.
Good news is the housing is less than €2 incl. VAT
Here's how to put the terminals in and out (from 5:15)

You won't need that tool when you find something that you can make work

 

[AL_V]

If you are still in warranty, Stark should help.
If not:
I believe this link is the right connectors, you could buy a couple just to get the seals.
There are variations with 2,3,4,6, or 8 pins.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808241213414.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.4.eb238be9698UtL&algo_pvid=8feef347-d607-4bb2-9ffd-5d9bb68eb3e8&algo_exp_id=8feef347-d607-4bb2-9ffd-5d9bb68eb3e8-3&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22order%22%3A%2259%22%2C%22eval%22%3A%221%22%7D&pdp_npi=6%40dis%21EUR%210.78%210.59%21%21%210.88%210.66%21%4021038e6617559742017978620e0653%2112000045040605195%21sea%21DE%210%21ABX%211%210%21n_tag%3A-29910%3Bd%3A9d6bc1c6%3Bm03_new_user%3A-29895&curPageLogUid=04crSC8QRTGV&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A%7Cx_object_id%3A1005008427528166%7C_p_origin_prod%3A&gatewayAdapt=deu2usa4itemAdapt

 

[Theo]

Further checking confirms to me that the sealing ring is definitely the cause of the issue. Joining the plug and socket without the sealing ring causes the control switch to work as expected. Joining the plug and socket with the ring in place causes phantom signals. It is also much harder to close up the connector, implying the seal ring is squished by the face of the male plug. That would cause to press on the pins.

I didn't understand how it happens because I took it for granted that the seal ring stayed on the side, but it makes sense that it ends up between the faces with the pins because it protrudes from the side and then it hinders the pins action.

Maybe a simpler solution -if the bike is not under warranty- could just be to remove that seal ring and use some electrical tape to seal the two halves of the connector from the outside. You can't use many layers of tape because the connector needs to fit into the connector holder, but you can apply tape all the way up to the black sheath so that it becomes really unlikely that water and dirt reach the pins.

 

[happyinmotion]

I think that's exactly what's happening when the connector is closed up. There's no way to stop the sealing ring from being pushed forward and squishing into contact with the pins.

Solution 1 is just to run without the sealing ring. That's what I'm doing now and the bike is behaving as expected. Given how wet it is round here, that's not a long term solution.
Solution 2 is tape, but the shape of the latching mechanism on the connector means that it's going to be hard to get a good seal.
Solution 3 is a new sealing ring. That's on order.
Solution 4 is a new wiring harness. The bike is in warranty and that is what Stark Support have offered. So that's the ideal solution for me. It's a bit of a design flaw that a problem due to one sealing ring means the whole wiring harness has to be replaced. I hope the MX1.2 version with the new design for the wiring harness avoids this issue.

 

[Theo]

Solution 2 is tape, but the shape of the latching mechanism on the connector means that it's going to be hard to get a good seal.

I agree: that's why I recommend wrapping tape past that point (not that I've tried).

Solution 4 is a new wiring harness. The bike is in warranty and that is what Stark Support have offered. So that's the ideal solution for me.

Good for you! Of course you can keep the old wiring harness as a spare part for when the warranty will have expired.