USB / fag lighter sockets - mounting

[Arfa]

Have any of you fitted a fag lighter and/or usb sockets to your Fazer's? If so, which socket and mount location did you opt for? What have you found worked best, stood up to the weather best and such like?


I've thinking of drilling a hole in the plastic infils and mounting something in them. Probably have to be the flat horizontal part though, due to lack of space behind on the vertical bits. Just a little concerned about the wet going in.


Wiring wise, I was going to run a lead direct from battery to a relay triggered by a lead spliced into side lights, so the socket is only live when lights are on. Sound reasonable? Where would you locate fuses?


My main motivation is to power my Roadhawk camera. I have it spliced directly into side lights right now, but it keeps cutting out. My suspicion is a fluctuating power supply. Camera is fine on it's own battery attached to fairing, so I don't think it's vibration. It's also fine from fag lighter socket in car. Also figured a USB socket would be handy for a phone/satnav mounting on bars too.

[IamEEKY]

Hi Arfa,

I brought a USB charger around 2 years ago, still working today, and my fazer was mainly stored outside.

I brought this (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171388498197) I found the best way was have the button under the seat, and the usb socket was perfect size to fit just below the top yoke on the right hand side, i haven't got a pic of mine but see the pic below for where i placed it. It was a squeeze but it didn't budge after, and it was perfect for a tank bag or anything mounted on the handlebars



Thanks,

Tom

[Arfa]

Cool. Regarding the box with the button: how is the operation of that? Do you have to press on every time you start the bike? Or just press it to turn it off when required? I'm kind of preferring one with no on/off button, but I like the look of those water proof USB sockets.

[IamEEKY]

Well I had mine wired directly wired to my battery as back then I didn't want to splice into the sidelights or the ignition and put more load on those wires (although it would only be small) and I used to charge my things whilst stationary with the ignition off.
But you would beable to get away with splicing into the sidelights and just leaving the on/off button on? 
And the waterproof socket works quite well, like I said, I've had mine for 2 years+     just make sure you close it up again 


The only thing I found is the boxes dont like to be thrown about so use the cable ties, one to keep the usb in-place, and two to keep the box from knocking about. (had one in my zx9r and that lasted 5 seconds because it wasnt secure... ).

Tom

[Arfa]

Well I had mine wired directly wired to my battery as back then I didn't want to splice into the sidelights or the ignition and put more load on those wires (although it would only be small) and I used to charge my things whilst stationary with the ignition off.
But you would beable to get away with splicing into the sidelights and just leaving the on/off button on? 

Yeah, this is what I've done already to directly power the camera, and isn't working so well.
However, I was hoping by going down the relay route, there would be negligible power drain on the sidelight circuit, it would merely turn on/off the lead direct from the battery. With all the power coming direct from the battery, there should be issue with overloading stuff.

[IamEEKY]

Well I had mine wired directly wired to my battery as back then I didn't want to splice into the sidelights or the ignition and put more load on those wires (although it would only be small) and I used to charge my things whilst stationary with the ignition off.
But you would beable to get away with splicing into the sidelights and just leaving the on/off button on? 

Yeah, this is what I've done already to directly power the camera, and isn't working so well.
However, I was hoping by going down the relay route, there would be negligible power drain on the sidelight circuit, it would merely turn on/off the lead direct from the battery. With all the power coming direct from the battery, there should be issue with overloading stuff.

I would say that it should work, but I have never tried it, as I haven't needed to get that technical 

I think you should go with the rear light to trigger the relay, rather than the front, as then it would keep the wires tidy (because everyone loves a tidy boot  ) and everything will be in the same place.


Tom

[Val]

There are power distribution blocks that do not use relays and fuses at all just solid state elements, this way you avoid bucnh of messy leads, the only problem is they are expensive like Dispatch 1 and PDM60

http://www.nippynormans.com/products/fuse-panels-exclusive/item/pdm60-power-distribution-module-with-programming-cable-row-pdm60

Here is old fashioned way using license plate light as switch:

http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/relay.php

[clayt74]

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/maplin-motorbike-usb-charger-2-port-n73dp

I got one of these, connects direct to battery with its own reverse polarity protection, current and voltage management (so the bike battery won't go flat) extending cover so can be used in wet and fits in 5 mins. And now at £9.99.

[Arfa]

Damn that looks like an easy solution. Think I'll be popping into Maplin tomorrow. Have always dismissed them in the past, as they're usually 2-3 times the prices of stuff on ebay... But that's not bad actually.

[clayt74]

You will also need a M10 bolt(iirc)  to mount to the mirror mount on the bars. I think I had a M10x25