[dieselndixie]

2007 Vee...PO said he had his GPS wired directly, but I dont have much info other than that. I found this (see pics) looks like a relay and says 12V on it. Thick Red Wire goes to the pos terminal, and has an inline fuse. The small black wire goes to the neg terminal, there is also another small red wire that goes into one of the small fuse boxes about 4 inches in front of the battery. Is that something that makes it for switched power only? Im not that good with electrical. decent, not great.

There is an open terminal on the relay. Is that what I wire a 12v outlet to? ANY other info you have on this setup would be great. Is it setup right? Can it support a 12V outlet, AND a direct gps connect?

 

[bcnu53]

It is a relay......
looks like you could run a wire from the bare terminal and that it would have power when the key is turned on

Can it support a 12V outlet, AND a direct gps connect?


it would work for a 12v outlet and it could power a gps but (direct) connection?? it would not be hot all the time. only when the key is on

 

[dieselndixie]

So, should I just wire up a 12v outlet and be done with it? That way I can plug inthe gps, and even my phone charger if needed? Any advantage to wiring the gps up directly with it being switched power?

 

[bcnu53]

just run the (pos) lead from your 12V outlet to the empty spade on the relay and the (neg) lead from your 12V outlet to a good ground.
the 12V outlet will be hot with the key on

as for running the gps to a hot all the time source. there are both good and bad points. if it is hot all the time you can program it with out having the key on, but if you forget and leave it on it will run the battery down. I have mine so it is only hot with the key on. but the choice is up to you

 

[jar3316]

I prefer the GPS be on a switched power that way when you turn the bike off the GPS goes off.

to make sure it is a switched relay hold it in your hand and turn the bike on and of if it clicks with the bike key it is switched. Or use a test light.

I would set up a cig. lighter jack with power all the time and a manual switch that way it can be on when your bike is parked (charging your cell phone) but you can switch it off if need be, like on a trip and lots plugged in and don't want to unplug everything.

If you wanted to go whole hog you could set up dual fuse blocks one switched off that relay, and one off the wire between the fuse and relay for constant power, could put you manual switch there to.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I think the newer Vees have about 120 watts of extra power. you could put in a 10AMP fuse in the holder that would keep you from asking to much of your system.

 

[NewSuz]

(neg) lead from your 12V outlet to a good ground.


IIRC its not a good idea to ground stuff to the frame. Something about dissimilar metals.

 

[SCraig]

... but if you forget and leave it on it will run the battery down...

In about 20 or 30 hours.

It appears that the empty pin on the relay goes to the load but you might want to check the pin connections first before you start connecting things to what might or might not be the right pin. It most assuredly does make a difference what the pins are connected to. Two of them go from the battery plus through the load. Two of them (one to switched 12V and one to ground) control an electromagnet in the relay that turns the relay on and off. I can't tell for certain from the photographs which is which.

 

[dieselndixie]

awesome, i am going to find a marine grade outlet and get one installed. i want it to be switched power. I can just charge my phone if needed while riding. mainly will be running the gps off of it. my gps still gets around 2 hours of battery life after being unplugged anyway.

thanks guys