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        General >> Off Topic Subjects >> Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
        
(Message started by: jonnycab on Jan 10^th, 2008, 4:00am)

Title: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by jonnycab on Jan 10^th, 2008, 4:00am

My taxi meter has developed a fault, in that certain parts of the digits of the fare will fade or dissappear completely... ???

It is always the same part of the display across the meter that goes....for example '555' will always have the same bits of the digit disappear.

If you squeeze the top front of the meter & back of the meter together, the lost bits in the display light back up ???....bad connection internally ?....or part of the block display is kaput ?

Are there any electronically minded or qualified members that could help ?....please :)

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by peteHull on Jan 10^th, 2008, 6:51am

Hi Jc
Is it possible to open the unit up? some Lcd's consist of a plug in unit that fits a socket similar to an IC socket ie 16pin dil (Dual in line) socket, if it is this type of thing as opposed to soldered in type it could be that the connections are slightly sulphated and usually just need disturbing a bit to remake the connection maybe just spray with a bit of switch cleaner or the like. I did this with the led display on my RDS 7000 a while back and it cleared the problem with that.... certainly worth a try...

Hth
Pete

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by Highlander on Jan 10^th, 2008, 9:45am

If you just charge everything as an 8 you should be ok ;)

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by peteHull on Jan 10^th, 2008, 10:07am

on 01/10/08 at 09:45:55, Highlander wrote:

If you just charge everything as an 8 you should be ok ;)

}{ }{ }{
I thought they allready did.... :-/

pete

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by TiberiuS on Jan 10^th, 2008, 4:50pm

...Some LCDs are also connected to the board via a conductive rubber 'zebra' connector and heat cycling over time gradually lets the pcb and display flex/seperate a tiny bit and breaks the contact between them.

Tricky fault to do but that's likely the cause :)

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by jonnycab on Jan 11^th, 2008, 12:38am

Thanks for the advice guys........& 'Highlander & Hull's' comedy double act sketch ;D

Now I know what problems to look for, I'm gonna open it up at the weekend & check it out :)

Hopefully this advice may have saved me the price of a new meter....about £300 :o...... ;)

P.S.....it's not LCD, it's those digital number blocks/rows that are red & the same as you get in old digital clocks....can't remember what they're called though ::)

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by peteHull on Jan 11^th, 2008, 6:32am

on 01/11/08 at 00:38:51, jonnycab wrote:

can't remember what they're called though ::)

8 Segment displays made up from 8 LED's connected in an array with a common earth connection and driven via a microprocessor...... you should be able to sus it, enjoy yourself JC

Highlander and Hulls double act.... }{

Pete

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by Baz on Jan 11^th, 2008, 9:38am

on 01/11/08 at 06:32:25, peteHull wrote:

8 Segment displays made up from 8 LED's connected in an array with a common earth connection and driven via a microprocessor......

I'll get me coat!

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by jonnycab on Jan 13^th, 2008, 3:55pm

....Oh yea, LEDs....duh ::)

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by Big_Green_Tank on Jan 14^th, 2008, 6:17pm

Up to date technology I see.!!
LOL
How many decades old is the meter?

Bob

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by jonnycab on Jan 15^th, 2008, 12:50am

The meter is only about 8 years old. Most taxi meters are red LED displays, probably due to the fact that LED displays are a hell of a lot brighter than LCD displays.....so even at 2 o'clock in the morning, the bleary eyed lager heads can still read them ;).... ;D

Anyway, today, I bought a second hand (same model) meter off a fellow cabbie for £50 (£300 new) & it's being calibrated to work in the Scorp & have the tariff rates programmed in tomorrow. Once that's done, it's off to the council to get it tested & then I'm all legal again :D

Regarding the old meter....I took it apart & couldn't find anything loose, no burned out components or dry/broken solder joints. So diagnosing the problem is well beyond my capabilities & a job for a qualified engineer with proper test equipment ;)

Doesn't mean it's worthless though. The guy doing the meter calibration & tariffs has agreed to take my old meter as payment, which is usually £35 :)

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by Jaye_Martin on Jan 28^th, 2008, 2:32pm

no wonder my cabbie is all wedged up...his meter is iffy too!!

Title: Re: Taxi meter fault....can anyone help?
Post by merseyscorp on Jan 29^th, 2008, 1:59am

Sounds a hell of a headache Jonnycab. I used to be on one of the biggest private Hire circuits in the UK (over 1800 cars) & meters were not compulsory. Infact, virtually all PH cabs up here are still on the old tripometer & cards!!
Best of luck with it anyway!