| Author | Message | ||
     Nadz |
OK, so I'm figuring the last bits out before I push out to Homecoming, and what I need is to run my GPS and cell phone charger with the engine off. But the aux power ports only work with switch in "run". Soooo.... Is there an easy way to get the power ports (dash and/or tail) to stay ON all the time? Like swapping a wire (a la yellow headlight wire fix) or bridging a relay? I'd rather avoid tapping off the battery and fishing wire to the flyscreen if possible. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Buy a 12 volt female car aux car plug for about 5 bucks and hook it to your battery. You can even purchace them with aligator style clamps so that you can just clip them on or off the battery posts in a second. At Ace Hardware you can buy one for under $6.00 that comes with 2 female plugs with batter clips. You can always wire in a fuse also. Here's a zillion of them to look at: http://www.thefind.com/electronics/info-male-cigar ette-lighter-plug Here's the one from Ace that I just bought so I can run my GPS in the house off a spare battery I have. http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?produ ctId=1904112&cp=2568443.2568455.2629363.1258923 | ||
| Ratbuell |
Also if you look at most bike shops (BMW comes to mind) there is an adapter pigtail that will plug into the battery tender harness, and give you the same cig outlet. You gonna leave your GPS and cell phone on the bike when it's parked? Usually charging-while-riding does me just fine, and I unhook and take them with me when I dismount. To answer your original question, though - no, there is no easy rewire. The aux ports are run by the ECM. If system power drops below a certain threshold, it cuts the aux outlets to funnel power where it's needed (engine/lights). | ||
| Mikef5000 |
The simplest method would be to use a test light in the connector to the power outlet, find which wire is positive. Cut it and wrap the old end up. Then add a new wire, through a fuse, straight from your cut power outlet wire to the battery positive. This would be cake under the seat, but a bit more difficult for the dash plug, simply because of the distance you must run a new wire. | ||
| Nadz |
OK, thanks for the ideas. I'm gonna go with hard-wiring the GPS to the front AUX port lines using inline taps. On the back: two ring termlugs at the battery, an inline fuseholder, and unplug the rear CLA and power it by an inline splice. No real need for constant power up front, I just wanted the option to charge gizmos overnight. I'll charge the cell from the aft port and use it while driving to do Google Lattitude triplogging. Maybe I'll even add a battery tender at the same time. Never needed one before but hellwhynot, maybe someday I'll want a heated vest or something. C-yall on Wednesday! | ||
| Ronmold |
You just need to pull the relay under the seat and put a jumper in. I had some inserts to make it out of but you can use (2) 1/4" spades and a chunk of wire.   | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
It's generally a bad idea to charge a battery from another battery. We're not talking about a lot of current draw from the small stuff you're talking about but the lead acid batteries in vehicles have a comparatively low amp-hour capacity compared to the energy density of a Lithium-ion battery. do the math and make your own decisions: Say the Buell's battery is 12AH How many Amps does the charger take? How long does the charger take to recharge the phone or GPS? Chilly night camping with two things leeching off the battery? Park on a hill! I used to run my old civic with a hardwired charger for my diskplayer (no lighter socket) I measured it as taking .125 A No big deal if you drive to work every day. Leave the car alone for a couple of days and dead as a rock! |
