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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Power to a GPS
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Message started by terpfan1980 on 04/10/14 at 14:18:55

Title: Power to a GPS
Post by terpfan1980 on 04/10/14 at 14:18:55

Hopefully I'm not duplicating a question that has been asked previously (I swear I did do a search for this and didn't get any hits that were applicable) but I'm trying to figure out how I would be best advised to route power to a GPS that I would have in a handlebar mount system.

I was thinking that perhaps I should run cables down and into the light bucket and just tap into power there so that power would be fed to the GPS when the light was on. If I did that would it be harmful to the GPS in anyway? Would it damage the bikes electrical system in anyway?

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by arteacher on 04/10/14 at 17:00:01

I don't see why that wouldn't work. Don't forget to put an inline fuse in the circuit as well.

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by Steve H on 04/10/14 at 17:14:35

Pull your power from the running lights instead of the headlight. That way when you go to hi beam, you won't lose the GPS.

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by old_rider on 04/10/14 at 18:09:33

I simply ran a wire from the positive side of the battery up under the tank on the right side and hooked it up to a 12v marine plug.

I put the switch on the right side bar at the tank bottom, then the fuse before the marine plug.

I ran the ground to the screw on the right side reflector.

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by terpfan1980 on 04/15/14 at 20:07:44

I wound up buying (buy it now) one of these:
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDYwMA==/z/tgEAAOxyVLNS86PN/$_12.JPG (http://www.ebay.com/itm/271394584165)
on eBay. I figure it should make it easy to mount on the handlebar and still give me enough wire to get down and into the light bucket to connect into the running lights as suggested.

I like that this gadget is supposed to be water/weatherproof and should be enough so to deal with the typical rain amounts I'd have to deal with. If I mount it so the 12V connector would point down, it should help with keeping any rain from running into the socket instead running down the connector towards the (sort of like the old cable TV/TV antenna drip loop routine).

I'll try to remember to come back and update once I get it and have it installed and in use. If it works out like I hope, I'll eventually get one for the HD Dyna Glide I'm supposed to buying from my bro-in-law. Gotta have my GPS if possible since I tend to rely on it for traffic re-routing in my area.

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by old_rider on 04/15/14 at 20:45:53

Those caps are meant to keep the water out of your connections, they overlap the sockets.
If you turn it upside down, water will seep down the cable into the internals.... trust the design, keep the caps upright.

:)

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by Steve H on 04/16/14 at 03:21:39

Only question I have is what's gonna happen if the socket is actually in use in the rain?

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by terpfan1980 on 04/16/14 at 07:33:57

7B7870667D707166140 wrote:

I'm thinking more when the plug has been inserted into the socket. If the plug is sticking out and it gets wet, it will likely let water get down and into the socket and not run out. Not that I've actually seen inside the socket, as it is possible that the socket has a hole along the bottom that would let water that is in there run out, but it is something that I'm thinking is fixed if the water can't run in and sit in the socket.

Certainly the caps would work to keep water out if the socket is sitting upright.

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by terpfan1980 on 04/16/14 at 07:35:15

4E550C0F0E090B043D0 wrote:

Only question I have is what's gonna happen if the socket is actually in use in the rain?

Same question here and is pretty much what I'd like to avoid any issues with. It might be a case where I'm gonna have to create some sort of umbrella type cover to go over the connection to keep that issue at bay.

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/16/14 at 08:13:38

Just study the design in hand before ya decide anything,,Its obviously meant for a BIKE & THAT = HARSH ENVIRONMENT. Ooops, caplox,, Mite need to drill a drain hole or slap some pookey on the wire into it,, Only playin with a Low Current 12V application, as long as water doesnt get across connectors in the usb Id doubt it would ever act up in the rain,.
The + & - on the fat 12V hookup are well seperated. If the GPS runs on the USB then maybe having it face down would be a decent idea, but what happens to rain at 40 MPH at the handlebars? I never needed to study that,,How much is swirling? Dangfino.,If its a problem, then a gizmo type solution will be worked out,.

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by verslagen1 on 04/16/14 at 08:20:25

something like a shower cap is going to be your best bet.
something that'll go over the assembly... cables and all and pull it together with a small hole at the bottom.

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by Dave on 04/16/14 at 09:09:55

Yep....what Jog said. I don't think wet 12V connections are an issue, as your handlebar switches are not sealed and get wet all the time. The wiring in the headlight housing gets a full load of 60 mph water when you are riding in the rain. Boat trailers get dunked in the water and the lights get all soaked and the lights work fine.

A small drain hole would be nice to allow water to drain out so it doesn't fill up with water if you should get caught in the rain. And if it does bother you you can try to cover it with something. For the cigarette lighter plug a snug fitting O-ring pushed over the plug and snug up against the housing might help.

Title: Re: Power to a GPS
Post by old_rider on 04/16/14 at 09:45:25

On the last dragon trip I was running my gps in the rain and had not problems.

But I did put it away after the first 15 minutes...we was SOAKED. :)