Cardo Scala G-4 Ear Bud modification

[labmunky]

Question(s) for anyone that might know:

Are these 3.5mm jacks sealed in any way internally to minimize or eliminate moisture? If not, how would one best retain the weather-resistant nature of an umolested unit after doing this mod (or as part of the mod perhaps)?

I ride in wet conditions frequently so the weather-resistance is crucial.

[Golevi]

Originally Posted by labmunky

Question(s) for anyone that might know:

Are these 3.5mm jacks sealed in any way internally to minimize or eliminate moisture? If not, how would one best retain the weather-resistant nature of an umolested unit after doing this mod (or as part of the mod perhaps)?

I ride in wet conditions frequently so the weather-resistance is crucial.

The Philmore jack that I used is a molded piece and I imagine that it would be at the very least water resistant, but the place where water could enter is around the hole that i drilled and put the jack through. I would think that adding some silicon, or epoxy around the inside of the jack would help from water entering the housing. I have been through a few rain storms (one for about 4 hours) and have not had any problems. Where the jack is located, there is a PCB (printed circuit board) however, most of the control circuitry is in the removable unit that is sealed (and as Cardo Scala says) is water resistant.

[labmunky]

^^ My GF and I had a set of Q2s, and recently picked up the G4s. They've all gotten quite wet with no ill effects. Compromising the sealed base for this mod is what concerned me. But it sounds like that shouldn't be a problem if addressed as you suggest. Thanks for the info, and the great write-up

Cheers

[JetGrl]

The thing is that you are really not modifying anything but the clamp. The comm unit is not changed in any way and warranty is only an issue for the $45 clamp.

Eileen

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

[blaster11]

Originally Posted by JetGrl

The thing is that you are really not modifying anything but the clamp. The comm unit is not changed in any way and warranty is only an issue for the $45 clamp.

Eileen

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk

Are you still doing the modification, I sure would like to get mine modified?

[JetGrl]

Yes I am still doing them for $30. I will put a plug on the speakers for an additional $5, some people had asked for that.

[Mikef5000]

Eileen,

Have you had any experience with the Q2? As stated in the first few pages of this thread, it's a bit more complicated.

[JetGrl]

Yes, I did a few of them. I won't do any more. I found too many different versions of them and every one was a challenge.

Sorry.

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[Drnoleak]

So I did the mod to 2 sets. First on with a boom mic, worked great. Secon one for a full face helmet with the other style mic.

Second one ,I only get sound out of 1 speaker when the plug is all the way in. If I push the plug in part way, I get sound out of one speaker, push in a little farther, out of both all the way in 1 only.

Any ideas? I tried a different plug and same thing happened.

[JetGrl]

There are 2 possibilities. Assuming it is the same with another set of ear buds, the jack could be bad or it could be misswired . A volt/ohm meter can be handy here to check the wiring.

You just need to take it apart and check it carefully until you find the problem.

[Golevi]

Jetgrl is right, get your volt/ohm meter out and begin checking your connections...
Those solder points are pretty small and it could have creeped over and made contact with another solder point, or it could be a bad solder making it a bad connection...

Keep us posted...

[4n6iscool]

Thanks for posting this walk through. I had the mod performed today and it works great. The headphones of my cradle crapped out and my warranty had expired so I decided to go with this mod so that I can use any 3.5mm plug ear buds or helmet speakers. Plus, if those crap out I can change them out quickly with no tool unlike the hard wired helmet speakers that came with the unit.

[Golevi]

Glad everything worked out for you, 4n6...

[missoulamike]

Originally Posted by John Smallberries

I have a flip-up Nolan and a G4. After a few months of flip-up/flip-down cycles, the foam cover for the G4 mic got cut. Now I ride with no cover. I used it for bike-to-bike for the first time last weekend and had clear communication, but the VOX seemed to stick on. I'll try your duct-tape fix as my suspicion is that the wind noise kept my unit stuck on open mic most of the time. I listen to music via Bluetooth connection to my iPhone. It works beautifully to cut in/cut out for phone calls and intercom usage. It didn't work well on my last ride as the intercom was open most of the time. Even after long periods of not speaking, my music still didn't cut back in. Only after I stopped did it do so.

So my advice - pair your wife's G4 to a music player that can do streaming Bluetooth.

Any further thoughts on whether the boom mic or cord mic is the better bet for the flip up helmet? I have the Nolan N102 and am about to order up the G4 (and thereafter request the modification for jack/ear bud) but am still uncertain about whether to get the boom mic version or the cord mic version. Ditto scenario for my pinion partner . . . Not intending to highjack this thread, but help? Thanks!!

[Golevi]

Originally Posted by missoulamike

Any further thoughts on whether the boom mic or cord mic is the better bet for the flip up helmet? I have the Nolan N102 and am about to order up the G4 (and thereafter request the modification for jack/ear bud) but am still uncertain about whether to get the boom mic version or the cord mic version. Ditto scenario for my pinion partner . . . Not intending to highjack this thread, but help? Thanks!!

I am guessing that the boom mic setup would be best for the flip up helmet... My wife has a Shoei Multitec and the boom mic works well for hers... I am not sure how long the cord is on the corded type G-4 and I wonder if it would reach when the helmet is flipped up...

Anybody else have anything here?