Wiring Question

Hi everyone.  I just bought a TomTom Rider GPS and it came with a bike mount.  I temporarily wired it with a two prong SAE connector since I already have the battery tender installed.  This works to power the GPS but it works even when the bike is off.  This isn't ideal because it could potentially drain the battery if I leave the GPS mounted after the bike is stopped.

I'd like hardwire the mount to a circuit that's only hot when the bike is running.

I came across this page http://www.bigdogadventures.com/WR250R.htm where Mark says he wired his GPS to the "grey wire" coming from the high beam switch.  I don't have a grey wire and I"m wondering if anyone can advise me what wire to tie into so that my GPS is only hot when the bike is running.

Here's what I have coming from the high beam, turn signal switch assembly.



Thanks for any advice.

Hey mate,
             Ive just hardwired a montana 650t to the WRR.
I used the wires off the parking light in the headlight.
Brown being positive/ black negative.
powers up when ignition is on
powers off when ignition is off and remains on gps on board battery if desired.



"
this is the connector to the bikes battery going  to the parking light (male plug)
" />
This is the female plug which i cut off the parking light and wired to my gps.
i moved the wiring near my ignition so I can unplug the gps and wiring so it wouldnt get stolen and put a dust cap over the male wiring clip when gps is not in use.

hope this helps

I tapped into the blue wire, which powers the running lights in the stock turn signals to trigger a relay to run all my accessories on a switched circuit. You could probably power the GPS directly from that line.



https://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/t8467-winterizing-the-wrx-hand-guards-heated-grips-and-more

Here's a write up on how I installed my Garmin on the WR.
Just go give you another way to "skin the cat" :-)
http://www.dualsportbc.com/forums/showthread.php?11889-GPS-On-a-Yamaha-WR-250&p=114437#post114437
http://www.dualsportbc.com/forums/showthread.php?11889-GPS-On-a-Yamaha-WR-250&p=114437#post114437

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I'll post what I end up doing.

You might also consider skipping tapping into your bike's wiring shyte and choose something from Eastern Beaver instead.

In my case, I chose a simple always on option, although I understand good reasons for not going that route.  He offers different options, including some that have both switched and unswitched outlets.  The harness I chose simply attaches to your battery terminals - includes a fuse - and then runs to wherever you want it, different lengths of wire being available.

In my case, I use a Garmin Rino 530 HCx handheld in a Ram mount because it's not unusual for me to park the bike and head out hiking.  I don't want wires running up to stuff on the bars, but I also want the ability to charge things while on multi day trips.  So my solution was to run the wiring into my tank bag, where it has a splitter.  That means I can have a spare Garmin charging along with my cellphone, or a live line to my 7" tablet running DualSportMaps in my map pocket, or a charger for my DSLR battery, etc.  Works great, wires are out of the way, haven't been slicing, splicing, and dicing bike wiring, etc.

I understand the TomTom is a different kind of GPS, but you can still use the same approach i.e. using one of Eastern Beaver's selections.  BTW, he rides a WRR, so he has a pretty good idea of what WRR owners are looking for as far as wiring options go.

Thanks Jager. I checked out his site but have no idea what I'm looking at. I plan on emailing him to see what my options are.

I don't know how you ride and whatnot, but I would assume that, since you're doing some wiring, you might as well have at least two outlets anyways instead of just one.

The first would terminate at the handlebars where your TomTom is mounted, as I'm pretty sure those units don't allow you to run them on one battery while a second battery is on deck, charging in a tank bag as I do.  The second would terminate at your tank bag or tail bag, allowing you to charge batteries, phones, tablets, etc on the go.  They can be set up as either always on, on only when the bike is running, or a combination of the two.  

The simplest solution worked for me - direct wiring from the battery, under the gas tank, to my tank bag, with an inline fuse, terminating in a splitter ending with two SAE connectors.  I have two SAE to cigarette lighter style sockets to plug in my auto chargers for phone, camera batteries, GPS batteries, tablet, etc.  Carry them all neatly stuffed in a very small bag I got at Staples.  Bit of fussing occasionally required to switch them around, but it keeps the great majority of my tank bag free for the other stuff I carry in there and my electronic goodies charged and ready to go.  

Only real bitch is the cigarette lighter style sockets are a bit bulkier than some of the more streamlined options for devices designed for motorcycle power.  However, my electronic goodies all came with on the go chargers that assume you have a cigarette lighter handy somewhere to plug them in to - thus the big plugs and sockets.  It is kind of irritating that the chargers for handheld GPS, cellphones, etc are almost as big as the devices they charge themselves.  Somebody who knew their electronic stuff well could probably cut off the big plugs and wire in the small SAE connectors instead,  but I ain't that guy.

If you are thinking of heated grips, heated clothing, etc as well, then you are probably looking at one of his more complex kits as others have used.  I haven't read of anyone who has got their wiring bits and pieces from Eastern Beaver and been unhappy about what they received.  You could probably find more posts on other wiring jobs done by others by searching here on Eastern Beaver.

TheCycle wrote:

Hi everyone.  I just bought a TomTom Rider GPS and it came with a bike mount.  I temporarily wired it with a two prong SAE connector since I already have the battery tender installed.  This works to power the GPS but it works even when the bike is off.  This isn't ideal because it could potentially drain the battery if I leave the GPS mounted after the bike is stopped.

I'd like hardwire the mount to a circuit that's only hot when the bike is running.

I came across this page http://www.bigdogadventures.com/WR250R.htm where Mark says he wired his GPS to the "grey wire" coming from the high beam switch.  I don't have a grey wire and I"m wondering if anyone can advise me what wire to tie into so that my GPS is only hot when the bike is running.

Here's what I have coming from the high beam, turn signal switch assembly.



Thanks for any advice.

From what I understand from Mark's post is that he tapped into a wire that feeds the high/low beam switch on the handlebar at a point between the switch and the headlight relay. It is a switched 15 amp circuit. If you tap into the wire after it leaves the switch and goes to the actual headlight you run the risk of overloading the switch itself with any extra power draw. I am about to wire my  WR up like you want to do.

If you look at the photo of the wiring diagram here you can see the headlight relay near the lower middle (#42). The wire that appears to be cyan colored I think is the one we need to tap into between the relay and the headlight switch assembly. The wire on the diagram goes straight down from the relay (#42) to the headlight switch (#43). Hopefully Mark will see this post and help us out.
" />

Your bike is looking good.

why not just install your own relay? Bosch units are cheap and can be "energized" from same wire that runs the WRR  headlight relay.

This pic is from a r1200 GS site..



I also bumped into these awhile back.. sae plug with a water resistant cover
5.00 a pop vs 25.00 setups from tank bag suppliers
they are called SAE roof top connectors available HERE






best of luck

I thought it would be easier for me just to tap into the 15 amp switched headlight circuit rather than add another relay or a Centec relayed fuse block like I have on my GS. Either way is good.