Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

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stevepmoore
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 11:02 am
Location: London

Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by stevepmoore »

Hi, please could somebody check the attached ride file from this morning? I have had issues with the Powerpod since I rode for 3/4 hours in the rain on Saturday. Towards the end of the ride Powerpod stopped working properly, giving random readings or 0w at times. I figured this was due to rain in the wind port. When I got home I took it off the bike and left it standing on its end (port down) to allow it to dry and for any moisture to run out if necessary.
I used it again on both Monday & Tuesday (2 rides each day) and once again was either getting readings of 0w or getting random figures displayed on my head unit. Although I have a power trace of sorts (low) in my strava/garmin files, Powerpod itself recorded nothing for any of the 4 rides.
I resent and reset my profile before today's ride and Powerpod has finally recorded, however I am not 100% sure that it is correct. My ave/NP for my journey are lower than normal and the readings on my head unit seemed to be less consistent than normal (dropping to 0w regularly again at times whilst I was moving).
The attached file from today is for my commute into London, so there is lots of stop/start and riding in traffic. It may not be the best example for an analysis, but as I say, none of my previous 4 journeys have recorded.
I am hoping to do an FTP test tomorrow morning before work so if it is possible to get this resolved today I would be very grateful.
Also are there any possible solutions to the problem of rain getting into the wind port? I have been a bit slow on getting the winter bike out of the garage due to the mild weather to date, so probably haven't helped the situation by riding without mudguards recently.

Thank you in advance for any help. - Steve
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Velocomp
Velocomp CEO
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Re: Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by Velocomp »

It looks like your wind port is clogged. I would look at it carefully and make sure there is not any mud in it. Also, you might want to tap on it, to clear any water trapped inside, then blow a fan into it, to dry out any water stuck near the top of the port.

Your ride file shows you going down a hill, to a lower elevation at the end of your ride. Is this correct?

I created a corrected profile for your ride file. It has a higher wind scaling factor that fixes your wind problem. However, if you clear a blockage in your wind port, this profile will record too much wind speed.
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John Hamann
stevepmoore
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 11:02 am
Location: London

Re: Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by stevepmoore »

Thanks John. I've shone a torch in the port (couldn't see any cause of blockage), but have carefully cleaned around the inside of the port opening again.
I have used a fan to dry it and will see if it makes any difference on my way home this evening.
Yes, my commute is slightly downhill into work. Not much, but probably 80ft-100ft over the course of my ride.
Thank you for the amended profile. If the problem isn't resolved this evening I'll set the amended profile to my device as a temporary measure.
Steve
stevepmoore
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 11:02 am
Location: London

Re: Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by stevepmoore »

John, please can you take a quick look at the attached and let me know if it's ok. This was my ride home last night. I cleaned out and dried the wind port as per your instructions (although I couldn't see any obstruction and and no mud/muck was present when I cleaned it). It worked consistently on the way back so I gave it a small 20min effort to see how it responded. To my mind it is reading low. I know it is off-season, but I would be expecting to produce a little bit more power than it seemed to indicate - however it may be right and I am not as fit yet as I'd hoped ;-)
I kept the same profile I had previously instead of uploading the one you created yesterday in the hope that it would sort itself out and I wouldn't need the latest tweaked profile.
Again, thanks in advance for your response. - Steve
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Velocomp
Velocomp CEO
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Re: Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by Velocomp »

I looked at your ride file.

Your wind speed is MUCH better now--it looks like your wind port has cleared out. I would not change the profile at all.

I don't see anything that indicates a calibration problem, so I think your power is correct.
John Hamann
stevepmoore
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 11:02 am
Location: London

Re: Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by stevepmoore »

Velocomp wrote: Thu Nov 29, 2018 2:57 pm
I don't see anything that indicates a calibration problem, so I think your power is correct.
Damn! Not the response I was hoping for 😆😆

Many thanks for looking at the that John. Good to hear that it looks like the issue is resolved. Now I just need to grow a new pair of legs

Steve
stevepmoore
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 11:02 am
Location: London

Re: Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by stevepmoore »

John, Please can you check my latest file from this mornings ride (specifically the section from 20-40 minutes). I am pretty sure that my PP is still reading low as according to this I've lost 80 watts since a similar effort in the last 3 weeks. I accept that there may be a slight loss (although I have been slowly ramping up my training so it would be disappointing), but not that much. Either my PP was not set up correctly before (I have used the same profile since about June) or I am still having issues since it stopped working in the rain. Please can you check and advise. I tried to do some 1min/1min under/over intervals yesterday and abandoned after the first set as the readings were all over the place.

Thanks in advance, Steve
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Velocomp
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Re: Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by Velocomp »

Something is not right. You have way too many power spikes in your ride file, and towards the end of the ride your wind readings fall off.

I'm not sure your unit is still in warranty but I would send it in to be checked. Please email technicalsupport@velocomp.com for next steps.
John Hamann
stevepmoore
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu May 24, 2018 11:02 am
Location: London

Re: Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by stevepmoore »

John, Thanks, will do. I brought it in February, so hopefully it should still be covered.

Steve
Velocomp
Velocomp CEO
Posts: 7793
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:43 am

Re: Powerpod Issues Since Ride in Rain

Post by Velocomp »

stevepmoore wrote: Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:19 am John, Thanks, will do. I brought it in February, so hopefully it should still be covered.

Steve
Make sure to include proof of purchase information.
John Hamann
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