Can I operate PIAAs, Motolights, and Heated Vest on my RT?

[twilmotte]

I have operated my PIAAs and a Widder heated vest on my 04 RT without a problem. I'm thinking about adding Motolights and wondering if the bike's electrical system can handle the additional load. The PIAAs are wired to the battery; the heated vest is plugged into the BMW accessory outlet. I also run a GPS, CB radio, and an XM radio wired to the bikes's battery, but they don't use much current. How much can the bike's electrical system handle?

[Ken H.]

Sure you can, no problem. We have two heated seats, two heated vests & heated gloves, two aux. lights, the heated grips, Autocomm, GPS, GMS Radio, the factory lights and probably a couple of things I can't think of at the moment, all on at once, all the time. No issues.

[Effervescent]

Ride on, twilmotte!

 

It's one of the advantages to having a Toyota automotive alternator!

 

-Eff

[DavidEBSmith]

Well, there's always a But. Realize that your bike's alternator puts out way more watts than you can ever use at highway speeds. However, realize that your bike's alternator puts out many fewer watts at idle. As I recall, the difference is something like 700 rated watts at speed, and 252 rated watts at idle. So if you find yourself sitting in heavy traffic on a cold day, with a couple of heated vests and four heated gloves cranked up all the way, the heated grips and heated seat on, Motolights and PIAAs blazing, XM cranked and CB transmitting, you're close to the lower limit of the alternator.

 

My wife found this out years ago when our old Subaru's battery was dead after sitting mostly at idle in hours of stop-and-go traffic in a blizzard, with headlights and fog lights on, heater blowing, and the rear window and side mirror defrosters sizzling.