How do I connect Gerbings wiring to OEM receptacle?

[JayW]

I would rather not have a pigtail hanging out below my seat, so am trying to connect my Gerbings wiring harness from the battery directly to the BMW electrical port below the left handlebar on my R1200RT. However, I am having trouble finding a way to connect the cut wire to the back of the OEM receptacle. The connector is an odd shape. I do not want to cut the OEM wiring harness, and I hate to buy the whole Powerlet adaptor kit when I have everything else I need.

 

So far, 2 electrical shops in town have not had anything that will work. Can I buy just the male connector from BMW and attach it to the Gerbings wire? Is there something generic that will work?

 

Thanks.

 

Jay

[lightcycle]

Is this what you were looking for?

 

http://www.gerbing.com/Products/accessories.html

 

 

1st product: accessory plug.

[bmwdude]

Disclaimer: I am not a technical person; I ask around and listen to the advice of those that I think are experienced and then make a decision--and I try to learn in the process.

 

That being said, I think that the Gerbings will draw too much current from the bike and cause the CANBUS system to fault when the socket functions in its stock condition. I, too, was in search of a solution to plugging in the Gerbings and other such things. The solution that was proposed to me was to power the outlet socket directly from the battery and bypass the CANBUS system; it now has a 20 amp fuse and works just fine.

 

I may have some of the particulars worded incorrectly but I think that you will get the idea. Perhaps others will comment further.

 

Good luck.

[EffBee]

Disclaimer: I am not a technical person; I ask around and listen to the advice of those that I think are experienced and then make a decision--and I try to learn in the process.

 

That being said, I think that the Gerbings will draw too much current from the bike and cause the CANBUS system to fault when the socket functions in its stock condition. I, too, was in search of a solution to plugging in the Gerbings and other such things. The solution that was proposed to me was to power the outlet socket directly from the battery and bypass the CANBUS system; it now has a 20 amp fuse and works just fine.

 

I may have some of the particulars worded incorrectly but I think that you will get the idea. Perhaps others will comment further.

 

Good luck.

 

John has it right. Your accessory port is CANbus-limited to a maximum of 5 amps before it will shut off. Gerbings (and every other maker of jacket liners) draw a click or two in excess of 5 amps. Even if you were able to find a match to the very unique plug BMW uses to connect from the main wiring harness to the back of the accessory port, you would still have the 5-amp limit. The solution, if you want to plug into your factory accessory port, is to bypass the CANbus system and use the Powerlet Direct Wiring Harness. This is part PKT-067 and comes in 12/24/36/48-inch lengths.

 

Your CANbus system sees the accessory port as an open electrical connection. Disconnecting the factory wiring from the back of the port changes nothing. It's still an open connection as far as the bike's computer is concerned. Connecting the fused Powerlet harness direct to the battery has several advantages.

 

First, it will allow direct connection, bypassing the CANbus system's low limits. Second, this makes the accessory socket hot all the time, just they way they were for a decade before CANbus. Therefore, if you pull off the road on a cold day and shut off the engine, you will continue to have power to your Gerbing. Third, because it's a battery-direct connection, it allows you to use a regular Battery Tender in lieu of the much more expensive BMW charger for the CANbus system.

[AZgman]

I run two sets of gerbings jackets from the two powerlet ports on my 2007 R1200RT without a problem. The outlets are limited to 10 amps BTW.

[krussell]

I've seen a bunch of discussion about the 5 amp limit. I haven't tried to pull more than that. I don't have a good way to test. In my 08 owners manual it says the accessory circuit is 10 amps. I wonder if it is 10 amps total, or 10 amps each. Regardless, if you try it and it doesn't work, the powerlet folks have really nice ready made kits to connect your outlets straight to the battery.

 

Please let us know what you end up doing.

[Ken H.]

Given your objective, I think you've to two tasks - Get the adapter plug Gene "lightcycle" points out. And rewire the OEM accessory socket so it is powered directly from the battery rather than through the ZFE module (often incorrectly refereed to as the "CAN-bus").

[JayW]

I appreciate the responses, but it appears that I did not make my question very clear.

 

I already own the adaptor Lightcycle refers to, I know that the Gerbings won't run well off the CANbus system, and I already have a direct battery connection with a pigtail hanging off the side of the bike. I want to get rid of it though. My goal is to electrify the OEM socket directly from the battery instead of through the CANbus system.

 

The easiest solution is to cut off the connector at the end of the OEM wiring harness where it plugs into the back of the receptacle, cut off the connector at the end of the wiring from the Gerbings harness, and then connect the two together. I do not want to cut the OEM wiring harness though.

 

Powerlet sells a kit exactly for this purpose for about $40. It apparently includes a connector that plugs into the back of the receptacle, but I was hoping to just replicate their kit with stuff I already have. That connector is all I am missing.

 

Sorry for the confusion.

 

Jay

[HenWin]

I already know that the Gerbings won't run well off the CANbus system, and I already have a direct battery connection with a pigtail hanging off the side of the bike. I want to get rid of it though. My goal is to electrify the OEM socket directly from the battery instead of through the CANbus system.

(I hope I'm reading this correctly) I have researched this to death--what can I say?--I'm cheap! The problem here is that the connector to the female receptacle--at the rear edge of the fairing, below the left grip--has a different connector (it's a CAN-bus type) on it and it will not fit anything but a BMW CAN-type connector. That's why people are recommending the Powerlet set up. It is actually the least expensive way to get what you want.

The easiest solution is to cut off the connector at the end of the OEM wiring harness where it plugs into the back of the receptacle,

and that's where the problem is...the receptacle is, as noted above, a CAN-bus type plug-in.

cut off the connector at the end of the wiring from the Gerbings harness, and then connect the two together. I do not want to cut the OEM wiring harness though.

Good idea...not to cut the OEM harness. Better to just replace the entire thing with Powerlet harness

Powerlet sells a kit exactly for this purpose for about $40. It apparently includes a connector that plugs into the back of the receptacle, but I was hoping to just replicate their kit with stuff I already have. That connector is all I am missing.

What I think you actually need is Powerlet kit # PKT-067, which is the wiring harness for the OEM plug. Powerlet Plug Harness

[BigAdv]

I believe that what you need it the connector cable that is used on the rear socket of the RT. You can buy this seperately for about 15.00. The part # is 61127701299. Just cut off the end you don't need and wire in to the batt. It will plug right in to the back of the socket. You can look up all these kinds of parts at Max BMW's online parts fiche.

 

Earl

[BigAdv]

You did not say waht year your bike is, there was a change to the style of plug at the socket in late 06, the part # I gave is for the newer style, but there is a harness listed for the older style as well, just look it up at max bmw.

 

Earl

[JayW]

I believe that what you need it the connector cable that is used on the rear socket of the RT. You can buy this seperately for about 15.00. The part # is 61127701299.

Earl

 

Yes, Earl that is exactly the part I need! Thank you so much.

 

Jay

[drzep]

If you decide to use the BMW cable/connector, you may want to consider placing an in-line fuse.

[hopz]

FWIW My wife and I run two sets of BMW Motorad Electric Vests, one from the riders power outlet and one from the second plug near the passenger seat. No perceptible issues.

[bt2]

Related question. I connected a gerbings connector to the battery so I can plug in my vest directly to the battery. I also have an old style bmw battery trickle charger which cannot be plugged in through the accessory socket so I need to connect it directly to the battery. Can I simply buy a SAE to Gerbings connector (the trickle charger has a SAE connector) to connect the charger to the battery through the SAE->Gerbings male -> Gerbings female -> Battery cables? The Gerbings female -> battery connector has, I believe, a 15 amp fuse on it.

[Ken H.]

Related question. I connected a gerbings connector to the battery so I can plug in my vest directly to the battery. I also have an old style bmw battery trickle charger which cannot be plugged in through the accessory socket so I need to connect it directly to the battery. Can I simply buy a SAE to Gerbings connector (the trickle charger has a SAE connector) to connect the charger to the battery through the SAE->Gerbings male -> Gerbings female -> Battery cables? The Gerbings female -> battery connector has, I believe, a 15 amp fuse on it.

Yup, that's exactly the way I have it. One connection, two purposes.