Hi GStwins
I am shure someone has asked this before me, but I did not find the excact answer I needed, so
excuse me if this is a trivial question.
I want to draw power to my new TomTom Rider 40 (wich I really like and recommend btw).
I do NOT want to alter the original electrical harness. My bike is in untouched condition, and I would like not to interfere too much.
My mechanic told me to draw power directly from the battery. I use the bike every day, so I am not going to drain my battery,
and for the winter I will either hook it up to a battery maintainer, or at least disconnect my battery or something.
I still think it would be cool though, if the power was hooked linked to the existing harness in such a way that it turns on with the egnition,
so that I can leave the GPS on the handlebars when I am not leaving the bike out of sight anyway.
I see that some people draw power from the fusebox where the lights are fused.
The GS500 has only one main fuse right? -Could I draw from this fuse with same results?
I don't want to just jam a cable alongside the fuse in there, but then I found these fusetaps, or piggyback something..
Is that a legit and healthy way to do things?
I know nothing about this stuff. Advice on other ways to do this is also welcome.
I can always do the "direct to battery" solution if anything.
/Daniel from denmark
Direct to the battery is easiest. If you will be using a battery tender in the winter, you can often use the same pigtail connector for accessories as you do for the battery tender.
I dont have a batterytender or any output installed.
I just ment that I am planning on keeping the battery maintained in some way during the winter, and that my bike doesn't suffer any other downtime.
I think it would be just as easy to install a piggyback feed on the main fuse, but I am looking for any info regarding if that would be possible?
Any orange wire should be switched on with the ignition. Just tap into that wherever it is convenient
Anything is possible with time, money, and resources. It all depends on what you're willing to accept. Take a look at the appropriate wiring diagram for your year and it will likely become very evident what is easily done.
This is the best way. You can play around with the GPS...plan trips etc...with the ignition turned off, (or on)....Probably can charge a cell phone too, with bike off...while eating lunch or whatever..
You can add a switch to the circuit if you want to be able to turn off your power supply to the GPS...
I just unplug....
I use same plug for battery tender...easy!
Check out "ANDERSON POWER POLES" for nice connector to use...
Cookie
Quote from: jdoorn14 on June 22, 2016, 06:17:26 AM
Direct to the battery is easiest. If you will be using a battery tender in the winter, you can often use the same pigtail connector for accessories as you do for the battery tender.
(http://i.imgur.com/M3gQmV6.jpg)
Hope photo comes out...
This is Anderson power pole connector.....thick wires go to battery...with fuse inline...
Wires on the right go to the 12 volt to 5 volt power converter...(under under seat) then wires go to the handlebar mount for GPS.
cookie
(http://i.imgur.com/64Frbux.jpg)
GPS mounted on handle bar
Cookie
Cool, thanks for the suggestion, I will check it out.
But those wires, are they completely separate to the harness,
meaning you go from battery - fuse - "powerpole" - (converter) - gps?
In that case, it is pretty much what I ment by going simple and just connecting it straight to the battery,
only you have that plug in the middle, which is a nice feature though..
You don't want power going to the 12volt / 5 volt converter all the time (when the ignition is off)...hence the plug...or you could put a switch.
You could wire to the ignition somewhere...but you are then messing with the OEM harness...potential for trouble...And you will not have power to the GPS if the ignition is turned off..
The Powerpole connector is also to charge the battery during times of inactivity..
Everybody has to decide for themselves what is important or not..
Cookie
Quote from: dathudo on June 23, 2016, 08:27:02 AM
Cool, thanks for the suggestion, I will check it out.
But those wires, are they completely separate to the harness,
meaning you go from battery - fuse - "powerpole" - (converter) - gps?
In that case, it is pretty much what I ment by going simple and just connecting it straight to the battery,
only you have that plug in the middle, which is a nice feature though..
Have you considered instead of wiring it in, using a portable usb power pack, you can get a 13,000mAh battery for not much. They come in less capacity that are really tiny.
https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerCore-13000-Portable-Charger/dp/B00Z9QVE4Q (https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerCore-13000-Portable-Charger/dp/B00Z9QVE4Q)
That is a great idea! I use this set up for a portable GPS I use in flying airplanes. I have a 5 volt, 4000 mah battery unit that I got at walmart for like $10. It is the size of two packs of gum...will run a GPS receiver, and a small tablet...for 8 hours or more on a charge.
The round black thing is the GPS receiver...the blue box is the 4000 mah battery...and the tablet is a KOBO mini...converted into a GPS and flight computer.. The whole deal straps onto you knee..
That same battery could run just about any portable GPS for many hours..
(http://i.imgur.com/RyLD9qb.jpg)
Cookie
Quote from: user11235813 on June 23, 2016, 02:49:04 PM
Have you considered instead of wiring it in, using a portable usb power pack, you can get a 13,000mAh battery for not much. They come in less capacity that are really tiny.
https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerCore-13000-Portable-Charger/dp/B00Z9QVE4Q (https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerCore-13000-Portable-Charger/dp/B00Z9QVE4Q)
OOPS! Photo is AFU...sorry!
Cookie
You can control the size of your pictures by using the "width" modifier inside the img tag. To see what I'm talking about hit the quote button on this message to see how I modified your image link.
(http://i.imgur.com/RyLD9qb.jpg)
Cool! Thanks!
So like: width =500
Cookie
Quote from: lucas on June 23, 2016, 09:35:09 PM
You can control the size of your pictures by using the "width" modifier inside the img tag. To see what I'm talking about hit the quote button on this message to see how I modified your image link.
(http://i.imgur.com/RyLD9qb.jpg)
Cool!...I went back and fixed the image size in the earlier post! Now everybody will confused on my post that says image AFU :dunno_black:
Cookie
I was already confused - What is AFU?
All F*cked Up.
Quote from: lucas on June 24, 2016, 03:44:21 PM
I was already confused - What is AFU?
Ok. Well to future GStwinners, time traveling founding fathers, and inter-dimensional tongue-beasts: Cookie posted a photo that was too huge to display properly. :icon_twisted:
Battery pack is not a bad idea, and I did consider that solution at some point, but my Rider 40 comes with a real nice mount
that is meant for powering the device while holding it in place, and I want to make use of that. Its nice and clean when installed, and nothing
has to go on and off the bike, also I don't have to make sure my batteries are ready for whenever I need my GPS next time..
(https://tomtom.ssl.cdn.sdlmedia.com/image/635633948081688039QO.jpg)
The mount is meant for direct mounting, I am pretty sure, so I don't need a transformer.
Either I mount it directly to the battery with a fuse inline, or I find a sophisticated way of drawing power so that it turns off when I turn the key.
This is why I asked about the fuse tap method. I figure it would be just as easy to connect the positive wire to a piggyback fuseholder at the main fuse,
as at the positive pole of the battery. Also, I wont be altering the harness at all, other than the piggyback fuse, which is essentially the same as splicing the positive lead just before the fuse,
only its very much undoable..
I just don't know if the main fuse is only active with the ignition, and if there is any danger in drawing power herefrom.
The power my GPS can draw is pretty minimal, so I find it hard to believe that it could be a real danger, but then again, I don't know a lot about this stuff.
Just open the headlight and find the accessory wire. I think it is brown on my 95 and orange on my 2002.
There's a wire for that purpose? That seems really smart! Is it just a "dead end positive" lying around in there I am looking for?
Not sure about the F models, but behind the round headlight models serves as a junction point for the wiring....just tap into a wire that is live when the ignition is on. Here's my 2002. I've tapped the white wire into the circled brown/black plug.
(https://cdn.img42.com/a18bc53e95615ba201663ff0cb983c24.jpeg)
That gizmo has the power converter...(12v to 5 volt).. inside of it....if you connect it direct to your battery, it will run down the battery...even if the GPS is not connected to it..
There are two types of voltage converters...one is very power hungry and work at like 30% effeceincy...the other type works at 95% efficient...but both types draw power all the time..
Quote from: dathudo on June 25, 2016, 09:05:21 AM
Battery pack is not a bad idea, and I did consider that solution at some point, but my Rider 40 comes with a real nice mount
that is meant for powering the device while holding it in place, and I want to make use of that. Its nice and clean when installed, and nothing
has to go on and off the bike, also I don't have to make sure my batteries are ready for whenever I need my GPS next time..
(https://tomtom.ssl.cdn.sdlmedia.com/image/635633948081688039QO.jpg)
The mount is meant for direct mounting, I am pretty sure, so I don't need a transformer.
Either I mount it directly to the battery with a fuse inline, or I find a sophisticated way of drawing power so that it turns off when I turn the key.
This is why I asked about the fuse tap method. I figure it would be just as easy to connect the positive wire to a piggyback fuseholder at the main fuse,
as at the positive pole of the battery. Also, I wont be altering the harness at all, other than the piggyback fuse, which is essentially the same as splicing the positive lead just before the fuse,
only its very much undoable..
I just don't know if the main fuse is only active with the ignition, and if there is any danger in drawing power herefrom.
The power my GPS can draw is pretty minimal, so I find it hard to believe that it could be a real danger, but then again, I don't know a lot about this stuff.
My thanks to all those who contributed to this discussion. I too have been thinking about putting a power outlet on my GS to run my TomTom GPS unit, but I am much struck by the idea of using a portable power pack instead. I already have a 2600mAhr, but even a 200000mAhr battery pack is a comparable price to a cigar lighter socket for the bike, so I'm preferring the battery pack. solution. All I need to do is to devise the best mount for it. Not too difficult.
I would never have thought of using the portable power pack. Thanks guys!
@Hpp.. Ah, alright. But this is kinda what i wanted to avoid - altering the harness.
When you said "accessory wire", i thought there was a positive feed meant for accessories.
I don't want this to sound wrong, but nobody has actually discussed the main fuse I asked about. I am still curious to know if the piggyback trick would
work and provide me with a "live when ignition" wire? I bought a cheap voltmeter, so I might try to test if the current is activated with the ignition there, or if
it is always on, meaning the ignition cuts the circuit later on. I still seek you knowledge on weather or not it is possible/safe to draw power here..
The reason I don't want to let it go is because I think it is an obvious and easy solution, providing it actually works.
It would be just as simple to plug in here, as straight to the battery.
End result would also be plug/switch free, clean install, and with no modification to the harness.
I did not alter the harness, just wedged a wire into the end, which goes to a 12V socket with fuse. Another benefit here is that it is close to where the GPS and other electronics (phone charger) would be mounted.
https://www.amazon.com/BlueFire%C2%AE-Waterproof-Motorcycle-Scooter-Cigarette/dp/B00ZGDYG7Y/ref=sr_1_29?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1467127260&sr=1-29&keywords=12v+socket+fuse
Ah, okay, I see that :)
Looking at the wiring diagram the fuse is connected directly to the positive terminal of the battery so that would be an "always on" situation.
Edit - ok it matters how the piggy backing is done. If the GPS ends up in "series" with the fuse, then it will be "on with ignition" but if you are connecting to ground using one of the black-with-white-stripe wires it will be "always on."
If you connect it in series with the main power like this you might run into issues. The voltage available to the rest of the system will drop. It might not be enough to dim the headlights significantly or weaken the spark, but watch out for that.
It is best to splice into the orange wire and use that as your + wire and the black/white as the - wire. That way it will be "on with ignition" and also not reduce the voltage to the rest of the motorcycle.