onesea Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 OK Yesterday I fitted my first bike mod Handguards... Cheap ones from Ebay that needed a little tweaking but it seems to of gone well (for £18 I cannot grumble)...Now I might be hooked looking at other Mods I would like one that is hi on the list is USB charging. I like the look of this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Sc ... =undefinedbut.....I know what I am like I would leave something plugged in over night and find I had flat battery... Similar with extra lights I might like to add later I like the look of these (Or similar for cost effective extra lights):http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/13145922 ... ue&ff13=80Again same concerns.. What I would like is a small waterproof magic box's that I can connect to the battery and once the alternator is charging (over 13v?) the relay? switches and gives power to the lights... I really do not want to have to start breaking into my wiring loom I will carry on without if that is the case... They must be out there Oxford have them on there heated grips... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastanglianbiker Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 easiest way to do it is find the power out from ign switch and take feed from that so when you turn the key off it shuts them down as well,you can always use relays to trip in once power is on but dont forget you dont want to go overloading the alternator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeman Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Yep, if the charger doesn't shut its self off (some do) then a single relay is easy to do. Two leads to the battery and one to the tail light to activate the relay (assuming your lights are on all the time the bike is running)Three wires, easy peasy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onesea Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 and take feed... to the tail light to activate You both lost me about there , I know I am an unashamed coward when it comes to this stuff..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 the lights will need to go on a relay at least the USB socket maybe not if you are worried about leaving things plugged in then there is something wrong with you!! why would you leave your valuable stuff attached to your bike? I will be shocked if you do do not tap in to switched lives on the bike to power lights or USB the stock systems are usually made to just about cope with whats attached already I recommend using a new fuse box run off 1 relay that way you only have one wire on the battery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onesea Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 why would you leave your valuable stuff attached to your bike? I am bad for it far to trusting.... GPS Yup I would probably do that, phone no well unless I am going to be quick, well maybe.... I do it often enough with the bikes keys (its OK they are normally hidden by my gloves )....I guess I was hoping there was a option for a small VSR out there and that it would work on a bike to keep things simple.... I have similar for the boats domestic battery and it makes life fool proof...As for something wrong with me you would not be the first to say that and not just the X Wife (although I would like to think most say it in jest!)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 then your best option would be an auxiliary fuse box where the power controlled via a relay you could get a 6 way fusebox that will have one power feed then you can run each item off the fusebox on a separate circuit the relay would be close to the battery and when you switch the key on it will apply power to the fusebox obviously when you switch the key off the relay will turn off and kill the power to all accessories Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Using the feed to one of the lights as the control for a relay wouldn't load that circuit up significantly.......I think that this would be my preferred option...... Then maybe power the extra lights and USB socket from the relay..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 yes thats true Bob but powering anything more than a relay from stock wiring is a no no Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul-Kent Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Where in the country are you maybe someone local could help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onesea Posted January 16, 2016 Author Share Posted January 16, 2016 Paul The New Forest is in Hampshire but its basically on the Hampshire Dorset border....For the moment it is idol pondering but getting less and less idol as time goes on....The thing becomes next step how to mount phone, GPS and charging point on limited handlebar space... Can it be REALLY quick release and small or being to trusting they will stay on the bike, tank bag is no use as I would not carry it with me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 check out ram mounts loads of options Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeman Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 yes thats true Bob but powering anything more than a relay from stock wiring is a no no Totally. Also on modern bikes you need to be careful about taking extra power off some circuits as it can upset the computer. For example my BMW can get funny about taking a feed from the lights as it can make it think a bulb has blown and produce a warning on the dash.But I've taken a low current feed from the rear light to activate a small 15amp relay and included a diode for back emf protection. This switches a high current feed direct from the battery for my usb charger and tracker's ignition sense and anything else I might wire up in the future (upto relay's Max load of 15amps).Tail light is a convenient switched circuit as the wiring is easily accessible in the tail unit and can be taped into with a scotch block and easily removed when selling the bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul-Kent Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 On my bike a use an ultimate addons phone holder. It comes with a charging lead with the kit an there are various mounts to choose from. I use my phone as my navigation also.As for charging points, it all depends on what you want it for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tPIC Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I have direct-wired a single USB port to my battery and it doesn't leak any charge when not being used which is great. It's proven invaluable for keeping my phone acting as sat-nav fully charged. I used a ram X-grip mount for the phone, it was excellent but ram mounts are flippin' expensive.I've just upgraded (?) to a dedicated Garmin Zumo so that it can shout at me through my Sena if I'm speeding. This I still need to wire in so am also looking at some sort of fuse block to run that and the USB from. A project for spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Totally. Also on modern bikes you need to be careful about taking extra power off some circuits as it can upset the computer. For example my BMW can get funny about taking a feed from the lights as it can make it think a bulb has blown and produce a warning on the dash.But I've taken a low current feed from the rear light to activate a small 15amp relay and included a diode for back emf protection. This switches a high current feed direct from the battery for my usb charger and tracker's ignition sense and anything else I might wire up in the future (upto relay's Max load of 15amps).Tail light is a convenient switched circuit as the wiring is easily accessible in the tail unit and can be taped into with a scotch block and easily removed when selling the bike. canbus systems are a friging nightmare! good job 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999% of bikes don't have them! Yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeman Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Totally. Also on modern bikes you need to be careful about taking extra power off some circuits as it can upset the computer. For example my BMW can get funny about taking a feed from the lights as it can make it think a bulb has blown and produce a warning on the dash.But I've taken a low current feed from the rear light to activate a small 15amp relay and included a diode for back emf protection. This switches a high current feed direct from the battery for my usb charger and tracker's ignition sense and anything else I might wire up in the future (upto relay's Max load of 15amps).Tail light is a convenient switched circuit as the wiring is easily accessible in the tail unit and can be taped into with a scotch block and easily removed when selling the bike. canbus systems are a friging nightmare! good job 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999% of bikes don't have them! Yet I was gonna install the LED indicators from the HP4 until I read the bike would need re-coding by BMW. Sod that, might as well buy an hp4 the prices they charge for labour Lol(Still might, but use some clever trickery to fool the bike into thinking its still got bulbs.. Experiments needed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 [geekmode]you can get error cancelling LED bulbs but its not as simple as that! the attributes need to be changed in the control module to make them the right brightness!!the coding for the brightness of the standard ones would be set at 100 but LED need to be something like 127 its probably the same system they use on the cars and I reckon anyone with the diagnostic gear would be able to do it I have the stuff to do all VAG motors been a VAG driver you have probably heard of VCDS?[/geekmode] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeman Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 [geekmode]you can get error cancelling LED bulbs but its not as simple as that! the attributes need to be changed in the control module to make them the right brightness!!the coding for the brightness of the standard ones would be set at 100 but LED need to be something like 127 its probably the same system they use on the cars and I reckon anyone with the diagnostic gear would be able to do it I have the stuff to do all VAG motors been a VAG driver you have probably heard of VCDS?[/geekmode] yeah probably the same for bikes too, but I didnt get a clear answer from anyone. The website isnt even clear, says may require coding but probably wont! and for £130, I decided to leave it.. These are the ones for the K47 that may or may not require coding on my bike... maybe in the spring i'll take the punt...http://www.bmw-motorrad-store.co.uk/bmw ... l-set.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 yeah probably the same for bikes too, but I didnt get a clear answer from anyone. The website isnt even clear, says may require coding but probably wont! and for £130, I decided to leave it.. These are the ones for the K47 that may or may not require coding on my bike... maybe in the spring i'll take the punt...http://www.bmw-motorrad-store.co.uk/bmw ... l-set.html How bloody much is there not a local garage that specialize in BM's that could plug the bike in and see if they can connect to the module's? you never know they might do it for free if they then realise they can do bikes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeman Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 yeah probably the same for bikes too, but I didnt get a clear answer from anyone. The website isnt even clear, says may require coding but probably wont! and for £130, I decided to leave it.. These are the ones for the K47 that may or may not require coding on my bike... maybe in the spring i'll take the punt...http://www.bmw-motorrad-store.co.uk/bmw ... l-set.html How bloody much is there not a local garage that specialize in BM's that could plug the bike in and see if they can connect to the module's? you never know they might do it for free if they then realise they can do bikes If I ever bite the bullet and decide I need to spend 130quid on set of LED indicators I'll investigate further.. Not looking likely any time soon though! Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 I would look in to it before buying the indicators Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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