Powering accessories on my RT

[ItsABeemur]

Ok...here I go again...I love this site and all the wonderful people who respond! That being said...I am wanting to accessorize my 2 wheeler. I have a radar detector, a gps, an Ipod and a cell phone. I recently aquired the ipod power cable and the wires to hook to the stereo as well as a power port splicer...1 to 2 splitter giving me one "traditional" size cigarette outlet and one factory sized(smaller). Now I am anal retentive...I HATE WIRES. Therefore, I want to scrap the splitter and hard wire all the outlets to the input for the frame mounted power ports. I figured I would just expose the wires and sauder on the four new power ports that I neede and run the wires in heatshink under the plastices along the frame rails. This way all of my units turn off with the bike..except for the gps because it has a 30 second delay and touchscreen election that allows you to run on internal battery(which is the way I want it to be...I'm the guy who forgets and would end up with the dead battery.)

 

Does anyone have another suggestion or pictures of how they have routed their wires. I have decided to purchase the BMR shelf for the gps and the radar. The ipod and phone will go in the tank bag. So 2 of the wires need to be routed near the triple clamp and the other two need to go under the guages and I am going to route the wires form the devices through the hole above the odometer reset know. I think I know what I want...I'm just interested in other input...an abundance of grey matter never hurts!

[TexasRT]

Whew - not sure if I understand the ultimate goal but would make the suggestion to add a separate fuse panel (Centech, Blue Seas, Etc) rather than use the existing power points to power everything. After that, I'd home run appropriate size wiring from the fuse panel (where ever you choose to mount it) down the frame and up through the "dash" for the GPS, radar detecter, etc that you are mounting there. Then, I would run appropriate size wiring to "electrify" the tank bank and also possibly put a second small distribution strip in the tank bag. That would depend on your total power needs/types in the tank bag.

 

You will have the option to choose switched or non-switched for the fuse panel as a whole or depending on the panel for a portion of the outputs. That will help you manage what stays on or goes off when the bike is turned off.

 

There are a number of good threads that cover all of this if you will search.

[ElevenFifty]

If you are just looking to 'power' your phone charger and ipod charger ... then think about a powered tank bag

 

If you want to USE your iPod and phone then think about an Autocom or Starcom system with speakes and microphone in your helmet.

[ItsABeemur]

i have a bletooth smart phone and use it with my blue tooth wireless headset (teamset) com system, so I DO want to use the phone, but I just need to be able to charge it on the road in the event I need to use it heavily at a stopping point to access websites like BMWsporttouring.com LOL! I have a mps device ready cd player built in and just want the ipod to be attached to the stereo and since I replaced the factory speakers with some super loud quality speakers, I can hear the radio at 0-about 75m depending on the road conditions and the amount of traffic. So, yes...I want to be able to use each device, but all I really need at this point is POWER!!!!!! But now the goal has become to mount my gps and radar detector to the front. I ordered the BMR shelf and it should be here next week. I can't wait as I just got done riging my RT to hold the radar for this weekend...and it looks ghetto...but it shold work...and that is my ultimate goal!

 

I like the suggestion of the extra fuse panel...SAFETY FIRST huh? I think I might have to go this route! Maybe put toggle switche(s) in the stereo screen replicator spot on the dash.

[Tizone]

I'm curious as to what speakers you upgraded to... And where you got them...

[daveinatlanta]

You're about at the point I was several weeks ago when I embarked upon a complete rewiring of my RT. Echoing the comments of others --- I would suggest:

1. The installation of a Centech AP-1 fuse panel and a relay. You really don't have all that much stuff to wire up NOW but if you add more in the future such as Gerbings, intercom, driving lights, sat radio ET AL, having this panel will make the job neater and easier. The relay is to provide power to the fuse panel from the battery and you can pick any ignition-on powered wire as a trigger. Most people will suggest getting the trigger from the tail light. After all of this is done, you'll have all of your power leads under the seat rather than use the acc'y sockets.

2. Route all of the power wires heading to your shelf on the instrument panel and to your tank bag on one side of the tank. I did most of mine on the right side and wrapped all the wires in spiral wrap that you can get at Home Depot or Radio Shack. IF you have audio leads, you can route them on the other side. I seem to have read something about this separation being recommended to avoid interference.

3. Run one power feed and ground to your tank bag. You can then splice in your cigarette lighter sockets. When you need to charge something, put it the bag.

4. Read up on ground loops and ground loop isolators. LOTS of info here about those. If you use bike power for anything that also has audio - such as MP3, GPS, intercom, you may encounter these pests.

5. On that subject, use the same ground point for everything. If you do use a fuse panel such as the Centech AP1, it has a grounding strip that I simply tied directly to the battery. Nearly every electrical component I have is then grounded to that grounding strip.

6. Centech has another fuse panel, the AP-2 that has split power buss. One can be powered on all the time while the other one is powered on only when the ignition is on - similar to the AP1/relay arrangement described above. This may be useful if you want to use your GPS without turning on your bike's ignition or if you want to charge up your MP3 or cell phone when the bike is off. Of course you can accomplish the same thing with an AP-1 and then tying the stuff you want powered all the time to the power feed TO the relay.

[ItsABeemur]

I am fortunate enough to have a friend that builds custom automobile stereo systems for stereo companies...ie Sony, Pioneer, JBL, Polk, JVC, Rockford, Clarion, etc in Montreal. He's the electronic engineer these companies send parts to and have a show car delivered and pay him to fabricate and install some rediculous cusotm setups in cars they use for display at major auto stereo shows and competetions. His parents live near me and he has an abundance of audio equipment he got to keep from his last job testing audio equipment. I dropped my bike off at his parents house in NC and when I got back(9 hours later) he had removed the speakers and put a pair of polk speakers in it. Even on the 30 volume setting(highest) it seems to be very crisp. I'll email him and find out what model they are.

[daveinatlanta]

He's the electronic engineer these companies send parts to

Then you had all the help you needed right there.

[Tizone]

Thanks! I haven't heard the stock speakers but from what I have been told.... they aren't so hot. I'm looking forward to finding out what they are. PM me the info if you prefer.

[ItsABeemur]

I bought the Cenech AP-1 you suggested. My pal live is Montreal and I'm in NC...so asking him to rig up my bike is just beyond realisic.