To be able to operate my GPS on the motorcycle without draining the rechargable batteries, I installed a cigarette lighter socket on the left fairing insert. I understand a Powerlet system might be a more modern and superior solution but the GPS came with a cigarette lighter plug and that is the only auxiliary device I plan to run off of it, at least for now anyway. There would also be little sense in installing as Powerlet socket at this time since an additional converter cable from cigarette lighter plug to Powerlet plug would be required. Since no permanent alterations are made to any of the bike's components, it would be easy to later convert the cigarette lighter socket to Powerlet if the need ever arose. All the wiring will already have been done.
There are two schools of thought on the wiring of an external device power source, whether or not to allow power while the ignition key is in the OFF position. I elected to have this operate the same way automobiles work and that is that there should be no power to the socket while the key is OFF. It would be a simple matter to add a bypass switch to the wiring to permit dual mode operation (see below). Experience will tell me if I need to do this in the future.
To prepare for doing this you should first remove the seat then lift and prop up the tank. Turn fuel petcock to OFF for safety. Remember to turn it back ON when you lower the tank.
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Next, remove the left fairing insert. This shows the right side, the left is the same.
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This shows the cigarette lighter socket and relay. A Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) Bosch type relay was used (12 Volts, 40 Amps). It comes with a convenient hole-drilled mounting tab. All that was needed however was a Single Pole Single Throw (SPST) type also shown here as used in the horn installation. Terminal 87a on the SPDT relay is just not used.
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Wires must be soldered to the terminals of the cigarette lighter socket. Two negative terminals are provided, just pick one. Unscrew the two parts of the socket to show the terminals. The wires are passed through the rubber grommet at the end. I used a wire about 2 feet long (later trimmed to about 18 inches when attaching the connecting terminals).
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Pass the two wires through the center hole in the fairing insert. Affix connecting terminals as shown. Tie a knot in the wires to prevent the socket connections from being damaged if it is yanked on too hard.
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This is a diagram showing how I wired the power adapter. When current passes though terminals 86 and 85 (which is what happens when the ignition key is turned to ON and the side running lights are turned on), a connection is made between terminals 30 and 87 and power is supplied to the cigarette lighter socket.
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To employ a dual mode whereby power can be optionally supplied to the cigarette lighter socket even with the ignition key OFF, all that would be required is the installation of a switch (normally OFF) which connects terminals 30 and 87 of the relay. When ON this switch would short around the relay and connect the socket directly to the battery. If you did use an SPDT relay as I did (just because I already had it in my parts bin) then the unused relay terminal 87a can be tapped as 'hot' when the ignition key is OFF (it is not active with the ignition key ON). In that case a switch that bridges terminals 87 and 87a could be switched ON for power that is ON to the socket. The power would either go through the switch or through the relay but there would be power to the socket all the time (except for a momentary power interruption during the transition).
Power is taken directly from the battery using the same wire and inline fuse I used for the dual horn installation. Make a connector to attach to the positive terminal of the battery. Include an in-line fuse. I used one with a 20 Amp rating, fast burn. Position the fuse and connector under the left side cover. To connect to the battery, first disconnect it so nothing gets inadvertently shorted out as you are working with the connections. These four pictures are from that horns page.
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I made a Y-adapter to feed power to a separate power wire that is run to a spot underneath the tank where the relay is mounted.
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Extend the lead from the left side cover under the tank. Route it along existing wiring through the retaining clips. Make it long enough to route all the way to the front of the undertank area and curve back to clip into the relay. Attach a female spade connector to the end so it can plug directly into terminal 87 of the relay (see photos later below). The first two pictures are from the horns page. The next three show the cigarette lighter socket power wire run alongside the horns power wire.
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Next, make connecting wires as shown.
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Make the connections under the left fairing insert. Here the red/blue running light wire to the side light is tapped into. Also, the black ground wire to the side lights is used as a good local ground connection for the cigarette lighter socket. This picture shows the complex and unfortunately messy connections for all the LED front lights. The thing to see here is are two Y-connectors used to provide access to the red/blue and black side light wires while preserving the connections for those LED front lights.
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Connect the relay activation wire from the red/blue side light wire to the relay area. Run it along the fairing, under the voltage regulator and across to the relay area under the tank.
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Make the connections from the cigarette lighter socket already attached to the fairing insert. These are the socket ground connection to the other y-connector going to the side light ground connection (black wire) and the socket power lead to the relay area. Note these wires are long enough to facilitate future removal of the fairing insert.
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Clean up the area as best as possible with a wire tie before positioning the fairing insert into place.
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Make all the connections to the relay and attach it using the screw already there. Of course, after I made all the connections I discovered the attachment hole was too small for the screw so I had to enlarge it. I got a chance to use one of the titanium step drills I got on sale at Harbor Freight.
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Make the ground connection for the relay. From terminal 85 of the relay connect to the same good ground used for the water temperature gauge connections. An eyelet attaches underneath to the attachment bolt and nut.
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This shows the final installation under the tank. The other wires there are for dual horn installation and the water temperature gauge connections.
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Check the power output of the cigarette lighter socket for proper voltage. This is with the ignition key ON, of course, but the engine is not running. Make sure the voltage is zero when the ignition is OFF.
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Attach a short strip of Velcro to secure the cigarette lighter socket so it doesn't jump around when you hit a bump.
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Lastly,
Installed pictures.
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Last Updated: 11-05-2005
Copyright © 2001-05, Patrick Glenn, All Rights Reserved.
The information presented here reflects solely my personal experience with my motorcycle and is presented
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Any attempts to follow or duplicate any of these procedures are done so completely at your own risk.
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