Zumo User Forums

the half helmet ear pads speaker pockets arrived, placed cardo speakers in the pockets and the pad tabs slip in easily on the helmet, works good and found a spot on helmet strap to clip the cardo headset unit, the only concern I have is charging up the cardo unit battery with the unit on the helmet strap, trying to figure out how this charging up cardo unit battery is going to work, at least with cardo unit clipped onto the helmet there won't be many wires because when I had tested out putting the cardo in my jacket pocket, it functioned but the dangling wires was a nuisane, sort of like when I had a Zumo 550 with earbuds wire hanging outside my riding jacket all is working ok so far

The specs for the Spirit are 10 hour battery life and 2 hour recharge which is similar to my real time experience with Packtalks. One of the first things we do upon arrival at a destination is unclip the Packtalks and plug them in for charging. It's a priority upon arrival because recharging those is too important to forget when we're travelling. Second priority is finding a cold beer within walking distance.

I'm trying to think up a way to plug-in a portable 5v battery pack to the cardo unit while it's on the helmet

Good for you that you can do +10 hour riding days. Those days are gone for me, or will only be done if absolutely necessary.

twowheelstom wrote: ↑Thu Mar 13, 2025 8:21 pm I'm trying to think up a way to plug-in a portable 5v battery pack to the cardo unit while it's on the helmet

Why not just top it up then you are stopped. In theory a 1 hr lunch stop would give you another 5 hours - assuming that you have been riding for 5 hours before lunch.

Alternatively, you just need a long cable - or one short cable fixed to the helmet in some way, and a USB extension lead that you can detach when you get off.

I don't understand why you fix it to your chin strap. Why not to the helmet behind the lift up section ?

jfheath wrote: ↑Fri Mar 14, 2025 6:43 am

twowheelstom wrote: ↑Thu Mar 13, 2025 8:21 pm I'm trying to think up a way to plug-in a portable 5v battery pack to the cardo unit while it's on the helmet

Why not just top it up then you are stopped. In theory a 1 hr lunch stop would give you another 5 hours - assuming that you have been riding for 5 hours before lunch.

Alternatively, you just need a long cable - or one short cable fixed to the helmet in some way, and a USB extension lead that you can detach when you get off.

I don't understand why you fix it to your chin strap. Why not to the helmet behind the lift up section ?

Half helmet.....

jfheath wrote: ↑Fri Mar 14, 2025 6:43 am
I don't understand why you fix it to your chin strap. Why not to the helmet behind the lift up section ?

that cardo clip-on tab won't fit between chin strap and shell, that chin strap is glued in there solid, but on the inside of the strap there's room between the strap and foam, that's where I slipped in my new amazon headphone pockets (those things are cool), or I could use the cardo sticky base higher up on the half helmet, I only use a half helmet because I tried on a full face at the store and it was removed immediately, panic city I could never be a sailor on a submarine nor be a pilot, fear of heights also lol

twowheelstom wrote: ↑Fri Mar 14, 2025 11:37 am I tried on a full face at the store and it was removed immediately, panic city

My wife is like that too but is comfortable in a 3/4 open face helmet. The key for her was finding one with a wide eye area. The Cardo Packtalk is clamped on; its speakers are in the helmet's speaker pockets.

The clip will not fit on my helmet either. There's a pull off section which I think is intended for a Sena - and there are grooves and recesses for a Sena. I bought a Cardo - the JBL earpieces fit nicely but the other recesses are not used. So my Cardo uses the stick-on mount - which has worked perfectly for the last two years. Its low down on the outside towards the rear, so the entire unit on the outside is behind where my earpiece is located on the inside. Wires come out under the rim - these are secured in place by foam pads to stop them vibrating.

My Cardo Edge is away for a warranty replace. It looks to be a smiliar shape to the Spirit - with the 3 buttons top, bottom and forward. The lower button suddenly decided to stop working. No movement, no click. Its 2 years old and has a 3 year guarantee so they sent me a return label for DPD to pick it up at the post office.

the speaker pockets that I installed on my half helmet

the cardo spirit HD speakers that came in the box are 40 mm size
I wonder if maybe 45mm size speakers (for more sound) might fit inside these pockets