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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Phone charging
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Message started by Hiko on 09/16/19 at 21:14:49

Title: Phone charging
Post by Hiko on 09/16/19 at 21:14:49

I have an idea to fit a cigarette lighter socket under my seat and wire it to the third position on the ignition switch and disconnect the tail light from that circuit as I dont use that facility

I go motorbike camping at times and it would be good to be able to use this socket to charge my phone off the bike battery through a 12v usb charger.

Is this a practical idea that wont discharge the battery too much overnight?

I figure I should be able to do this work myself.

I think I could also use that socket to plug in a small maintenance charger from the mains at home.
Any advice welcome

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by GOF on 09/17/19 at 05:29:39

I would get one of those USB power outlets and wire it so it is only on when the key is on.

This one uses the same standard plug as many of the trickle chargers.
https://www.amazon.com/MOTOPOWER-MP0609A-Motorcycle-Charger-Adapter/dp/B01DYE54LI/ref=asc_df_B01DYE54LI/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241881426435&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10002667100705264715&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1022764&hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-528662527671&psc=1

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by stewmills on 09/17/19 at 07:07:24

As long as you have it wired to a circuit that is only hot when the key is on, there shouldn't be any parisitic drain to drain the battery dead overnight. However, if you plan to use this method to charge your phone while the bike is just sitting there and not running, personally I wouldn't. Sitting there with the key on WILL drain your battery since it is not being recharged. Once you lose ~2 volts, it will drop below the level needed to spark and your bike will not crank.

Safer bet is to just buy a $10 power pack if all you need is an emergency charge....or plug in your phone to your new plug and ride around while it is charging.

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by T And T Garage on 09/17/19 at 07:51:02

5850591F0 wrote:

I have that exact one and it works great. Highly recommend.

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by Hiko on 09/20/19 at 00:52:35

Thank you everyone for your replies I did not realise there were so many options. In the end I wired in a cigarette lighter socket as this will accept the car phone charger I had.
I tried to wire it in to the ignition switch at the beginning That proved to be a mistake as the screw heads on the switch at the back immediately snapped off as Mr Suzuki had set the 3mm screws in loctite as a permanent closure.
I managed to get the remains out by removing all the plastic parts and heating the body with a heat gun until the loctite let go and allowed me to assemble again with new screws.
I wired the new socket through a fuse direct to the battery after that.
I need to remember to only charge when I am riding

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by stewmills on 09/20/19 at 06:40:53

Hiko,

What I did (with the referral from MMRanch here) is tap my charger into the headlight hot wire inside the headlight bucket with a crimp splitter and just ran the ground wire to the frame...I grounded to one of the horn bolts. I still installed an inline fuse, and if I remember correctly my USB outlet came with a built in inline fuse.

This way you know you are pulling power from a larger line (headlight hot line) and not some other small wire, and it doesn't take power unless the key is ON. This alleviates any potential for draining the battery.

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by batman on 09/20/19 at 20:45:33

Let us be careful of our wording here ,I wouldn't be charging the phone with the "key on" with out the bike running .That could ruin the TCI ignition . Using the third key position overnight ? How much power does the phone draw?

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/20/19 at 22:57:43

Why bother with going through the ignition?
I'd put a pigtail on the battery for charging and hang a cell phone charging wire on , too. You can put a switch in it if you want, but I don't see why.

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by norm92de on 09/21/19 at 08:33:23

I'm with you Justin. K.I.S.S. :)

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by batman on 09/21/19 at 15:39:11

No ,simple is leaving the phone home , and enjoying , just you and the bike.

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by Ash19 on 09/23/19 at 08:03:42

I've bought a marine cigarette lighter charger and I'm planning on putting a switch in so it'll only be on when I need it, but don't have to mess with the ignition.

Title: Re: Phone charging
Post by Hiko on 09/23/19 at 19:28:29

49796A6F726E696E797F0B0 wrote:

I've bought a marine cigarette lighter charger and I'm planning on putting a switch in so it'll only be on when I need it, but don't have to mess with the ignition.

Here is what I finished up with Phone goes in jacket pocket when riding and plugs in to car charger through marine cigarette lighter socket mounted under rear of tank . Socket wired through fuse direct to battery and also accepts trickle charger
Works fine