Best Source For Switched Power for GPS

[SMDL]

Hi, folks.

 

Lots of work to the 2003 Le Mans recently. I built a manometer and balanced the throttle bodies (runs beautifully now), installed some MPH risers, put on some Motobits foot pegs/controls, upgraded to Fiamm El Grande horns, and am now in the process of insalling a Zumo 665 GPS. I was really surprised when, working on power, I found that the bike had three major cable connections to the positive terminal of the battery! This doesn't even include the new one I just added for the horn relay, or the one that the previous owner added for the power point. Is this really normal? All previous bikes that I have owned have only had one positive cable (plus anything that has been added after manufacture). No matter, really, but there is not much room around the positive terminal as it is, and all those connections really make a mess of things.

 

Now to the issue at hand. I have figured out where I want the GPS mounted, and have started running the wiring, but am looking for suggestions for a good source of switched power. I definitely don't want to wire anything else directly to the battery, and I think it is better to go switched for the GPS anyway. So, any recommendations relating to successful options would be very much appreciated. I'm running the XM antenna into the tail section regardless, and have the bodywork completely stripped anyway, so there is really no dificulty in accessing any part of the bike.

 

Thanks for any input.

 

Shaun

[Kiwi_Roy]

You can pick up 12 Volts at the tacho from the red/black wire.

That wire comes from the headlight relay so it's on when the ignition is on.

[Trevini]

This is what I have on mine...I've added a fused ignition switched relay under the seat purely as a power supply for running accessories. Connected to the "out" side of the relay is a double aux socket on a fly lead that is long enough to run to either a tank bag or panniers. Something similar with maybe a permanent waterproof socket in the dash area may suffice for you? The main advantage is that is doesn't add any extra strain to the somewhat unusual electrics already on the bike. I have the same setup on my TDM, with an extra power source up front for sat nav etc and it works fine for me. I know what you mean about the crows nest that starts to appear on the battery terminals, though.

 

If you've added a relay for your horn already, could you not use that? as your horn is only used rarely. Assuming the relay is ign switched, you'd only have to run one extra wire up front as the supply and you wouldn't have to add anything else to the battery.

 

Trev

[Kiwi_Roy]

This is what I have on mine...I've added a fused ignition switched relay under the seat purely as a power supply for running accessories. Connected to the "out" side of the relay is a double aux socket on a fly lead that is long enough to run to either a tank bag or panniers. Something similar with maybe a permanent waterproof socket in the dash area may suffice for you?

Trev

 

That's a good idea if you want to add heated clothing or some other serious loads.

The GPS however will only draw about 200 mA so it would be OK on an existing circuit, the dash area has a couple.

 

BTW, if you're thinking about cutting the plug off your GPS cable and wiring it in place just check that it is 12 Volts between the plug and GPS before you do i.e. bare the two wires and measure the voltage with it plugged in first, just in case it's something like 6.

[SMDL]

Thanks, gentlemen.

 

Sorry, I should have mentioned that the Zumo 665 uses a hardwired crade, not an lighter socket/power point. So, my intent was to wire it into an existing switched circuit. For the horn relay, I have wired fused power from the battery, and am using the stock horn circuit to switch it when the button is pressed, so that wouldn't work well for other things.

 

I am really against cutting into any existing wiring, so my thought was to create a split patch lead to insert in between an existing termination point, thereby powering two devices without disturbing any of the stock wiring at all. I would then be able to return it to stock very easily by removing GPS along with the intermediate wire. Does this sound like a reasonable approach?

 

Thanks,

Shaun

[IBA 270]

Whenever I built (build?) Iron Butt Rally type bikes, I normally install a seprately relayed fuse box and additional aux wiring for any extras. Four advantages to this;

 

1) Should you lose a heated vest/GPS/Game Boy, etc., you aren't losing any other bike systems (and vice versa)

 

2) You can mount the fuse box anywhere you'd like giving easy access should you need it.

 

3) You don't need an owners manual or a diagram should you get into a jam as YOU decide which circuits get which accesories.

 

4)It's completely and totally reversable.

 

Should you need switched power for a device instead of the box, simply use a double spade connector to tap the low beam and another relay. Sounds tougher than it is.

 

I rewired a BMW RT and placed hi/low/driving/fogs to different circuits on the aforemention aux fuse box. There was no way to lose my entire lighting system. Did the same for heated clothes, GPS, etc. Worked very well and I had access without removing seats, luggage, fuel tanks, etc.

 

FWIW...

 

Thanks, gentlemen.

 

Sorry, I should have mentioned that the Zumo 665 uses a hardwired crade, not an lighter socket/power point. So, my intent was to wire it into an existing switched circuit. For the horn relay, I have wired fused power from the battery, and am using the stock horn circuit to switch it when the button is pressed, so that wouldn't work well for other things.

 

I am really against cutting into any existing wiring, so my thought was to create a split patch lead to insert in between an existing termination point, thereby powering two devices without disturbing any of the stock wiring at all. I would then be able to return it to stock very easily by removing GPS along with the intermediate wire. Does this sound like a reasonable approach?

 

Thanks,

Shaun

[SMDL]

Wow, some fantastic ideas, here -- I never would have thought about adding a separate fuse block!

 

My sincere thanks to all. Once I get back out there and get it sorted, I will post an update.

 

Cheers,

Shaun

[IBA 270]

Centech (google is your friend) or West Marine (not sure for canada...) for fuse panels.