12v power socket install

Hi all,
If anyone is curious about mounting options for a 12v power outlet, here's how I did it.  I got this at Radio Shack complete with battery leads and an in-line fuse for about 10 bucks.  I ran the wires direct to the battery.  I used silicone adhesive sealant to keep it from wiggling around, and it holds pretty tight while still being removable in the future if need be.



And here it is with a Griffin coiled lightening charger plugged in.


Nice and clean and out of the way.

-Eric

Looks nice and clean. I am thinking of adding one, but haven't gotten around to it. Looks like a perfect spot for it.

dmmcd wrote:

Looks nice and clean. I am thinking of adding one, but  haven't gotten around to it. Looks like a perfect spot for it.

If you're going to install it in the same location, here are a couple bits of advice:

Pay attention to the wiring of the 12v outlet as you turn the bars to full lock left and right.  You'll want to leave just enough wire such that it doesn't pull on the socket, especially when turning the bars full right.  

The clutch cable runs down this same passageway and will make contact with the 12v outlet when turning the bars.  It is not intrusive contact and won't impact the operation of the clutch, however, it will wiggle the 12v outlet until you secure it with some kind of adhesive.  Clear household silicone worked well for me, but you could also use any number of adhesives such as RTV, epoxy, or Shoe Goo :)

Hope this helps.
Eric

Nice work! looks good!

I'm thinking of using the harness going up to my wolfman enduro bag to secure mine. I will have the electronics plugged into the bag anyway, and that means that I won't need to worry about routing issues that interfere with the steering. If i come up with anything clever during the install I'll put some pictures up.

Is it ok to hook up right to the battery? That won't drain the power? I want a outlet like this for a gps, but not sure what to hook it up to. And don't want to cause a drain or other issues. Also, is the fuse in line, or do you have to wire that in somewhere? Thanks!

Thethirteenthone wrote:

Is it ok to hook up right to the battery? That won't drain the power? I want a outlet like this for a gps, but not sure what to hook it up to. And don't want to cause a drain or other issues. Also, is the fuse in line, or do you have to wire that in somewhere? Thanks!

Direct to battery is perfectly fine.  Just don't keep a charger plugged into the socket when not in use.  Some chargers may pull a few milliamps when plugged in.  You can also wire it to a switched power source such as the headlight, but I find it handy to be able to use the charger at times when the bike is parked, such as at a campground or something like that.  The outlet itself won't drain any power since the loop is only closed when something is plugged into it.

The outlet I purchased from Radio Shack came with about 6 feet of wire and an inline fuse built in. But it is just as easy to DIY the fuse if you need to. I don't recall what kind of fuse it came with, probably 10 amp.

-Eric

Looks good emdavis197. I think I will to do the same after I get a RAM mount. I was skeptical of the RAM mount but it seems like a lot of people use them. I just wonder if it will hold my phone if i were to bring a wheelie down hard.

WR450X250X wrote:

Looks good emdavis197. I think I will to do the same after I get a RAM mount. I was skeptical of the RAM mount but it seems like a lot of people use them. I just wonder if it will hold my phone if i were to bring a wheelie down hard.

The ram mount you see in my picture above will hold it. I would trust it fully even in the roughest off-road conditions. It is adjustable, so you can make the gripper fingers as tight as you want. I know they make another universal style with a spring type mechanism, and those don't look quite as stout to me. I did a review of my Ram Mount on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yScOs23xIs8 In the video, you will find the actual RAM part numbers that I used.



Thanks!
Eric

emdavis197 wrote:

WR450X250X wrote:

Looks good emdavis197. I think I will to do the same after I get a RAM mount. I was skeptical of the RAM mount but it seems like a lot of people use them. I just wonder if it will hold my phone if i were to bring a wheelie down hard.

The ram mount you see in my picture above will hold it.  I would trust it fully even in the roughest off-road conditions.  It is adjustable, so you can make the gripper fingers as tight as you want.   I know they make another universal style with a spring type mechanism, and those don't look quite as stout to me.  I did a review of my Ram Mount on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yScOs23xIs8    In the video, you will find the actual RAM part numbers that I used.



Thanks!
Eric

I think i'll give it a try when I free up some money for the WR. It would be nice to have my phone out of my pocket and easy music/gps access without pulling over!

Thanks for the quick reply, I'm pretty good with wiring, just want to double check. I assumed that as long as there's nothing hooked up no draw can be taken from the battery, I just wasn't as sure with the bike running at what rate the battery gets charged (fast enough to power something plugged in I assume).
On a side note, I picked up the Ram phone/gps mount that uses the spring clamp "x" style holder, I was hesitant of it holding on, until the guy at the shop opened the package, put his iPhone in it without a protective case on it, and whipped it around in his hand. It never budged, and I was sold!