2010+ power outlet mod

[Mister Tee]

Being that those of us with a 2010 model can't use the front power outlet for more than a GPS or phone charger, has anyone modded the wiring in such a way as to make it a 10A or greater outlet?  If so what did you do?

I would like to be able to plug my heated gear or a small compressor in to the outlet.  Yes I already have a pigtail for the heated gear.

[stevewfl]

I wired a fuzeblock in and wire all my "stuff" off of it, including my heated gear. Takes standard fuses >10 amp or whatever you want. Goes directly to battery. Switched or unswitched power depending on which way to insert the fuse. Uber-nice power source.

[RBX QB]

I just added a second outlet to the glovebox, wired to battery with a fuse. Not so convenient for heated gear, but works for charging devices when its raining. I just have to remember that it's "always on", so no high-draw items when the bike isn't running.

[maxtog]

Being that those of us with a 2010 model can't use the front power outlet for more than a GPS or phone charger, has anyone modded the wiring in such a way as to make it a 10A or greater outlet?  If so what did you do?

I would like to be able to plug my heated gear or a small compressor in to the outlet.  Yes I already have a pigtail for the heated gear.

If my memory serves correctly, the OEM outlet is 5A and is unshared.  5A@12V=60 watts.  That is a lot more power than just a cell phone or GPS.  Tiny compressor... probably.  Heated clothing, also probably (my jacket is only 23 watts).

I have seen the wires, and they are not that thick, so if you did plan to upgrade to a different power source, it would require new wiring all the way up to and into the power outlet.

[B.D.F.]

I believe the aux. power circuit shares power with the heated handgrips on the 2010s and later. That is why that cirucit was reduced from the earlier 10 amp. rating that it had on the '08's and '09's.

The wires size is exactly the problem with putting more current through any vehicle circuit. The wire would have to be replaced and it is probably split several times inside the bikes' wiring harness. It would be easier in the end to just wire a new circuit to the battery with heavier wire and a higher rated fuse.

By the way, 23 watts is pretty low for a heated jacket. The Gerbing jackets are rated at 77 watts and draw very close to that amount when I checked mine.

Brian

If my memory serves correctly, the OEM outlet is 5A and is unshared.  5A@12V=60 watts.  That is a lot more power than just a cell phone or GPS.  Tiny compressor... probably.  Heated clothing, also probably (my jacket is only 23 watts).

I have seen the wires, and they are not that thick, so if you did plan to upgrade to a different power source, it would require new wiring all the way up to and into the power outlet.

[accbiker]

Follow Steve's and Brian's advice, this topic was talked to death on the old board.  Get an auxiliary fuse block and leave the power outlet alone (or use it for an occasional low power draw).

-David
Athens, GA

[maxtog]

By the way, 23 watts is pretty low for a heated jacket. The Gerbing jackets are rated at 77 watts and draw very close to that amount when I checked mine.

Hmm... I know I measured mine and I it was the same as the heated seat (which I just looked up... yep, 24 watts).  Gets PLENTY hot, though!   So in my case, I could easily run my heated jacket AND a GPS AND a phone charger

But I have a pigtail for the jacket, which is wired into the seat which is wired into a Chili-controller (variable pulse thermostat).  And  the GPS is on a different circuit plugged into the Helibar riser's powerlet.  I really don't have much use for the stock power outlet... I wish it were higher amp AND full-time, then at least I could use it for a trickle charger or something.

[Mister Tee]

I just added a second outlet to the glovebox, wired to battery with a fuse. Not so convenient for heated gear, but works for charging devices when its raining. I just have to remember that it's "always on", so no high-draw items when the bike isn't running.

Sounds like it would be just as easy to wire the existing outlet the way you state. I don't need two outlets, I just would like one that I can plug in high draw items if I need.  A second fuse block doesn't really get it for me since I still need an outlet for a 12V device.

The other option for me would simply be to chop the 12V plug off a compressor and replace it with a coax plug compatible with my heated gear pigtail.  Actually, that's probably exactly what I'll do.

[B.D.F.]

The manufacturer of the bike is not likely to ever put an 'always on' tap anywhere on the bike.

What I do on my bike is to use two different, relatively high power taps for everything that uses substantial power on the bike. The taps (whips) are coaxial connectors from Gerbing and we use them for our heated clothes in the winter. Each tap is fused at 15 amps and the ends just hang down from under the left side of the saddle. Things like the portable air compressor have been modified to use that coaxial connector and plug into either one of those whips on the bike- it is not likely that we need heated clothes while pumping up a tire anyway. If I was to use a trickle charger, I would modify that to also use a coaxial connector and plug the bike into it that way.

Brian

Hmm... I know I measured mine and I it was the same as the heated seat (which I just looked up... yep, 24 watts).  Gets PLENTY hot, though!   So in my case, I could easily run my heated jacket AND a GPS AND a phone charger

But I have a pigtail for the jacket, which is wired into the seat which is wired into a Chili-controller (variable pulse thermostat).  And  the GPS is on a different circuit plugged into the Helibar riser's powerlet.  I really don't have much use for the stock power outlet... I wish it were higher amp AND full-time, then at least I could use it for a trickle charger or something.

[stevewfl]

The manufacturer of the bike is not likely to ever put an 'always on' tap anywhere on the bike.

What I do on my bike is to use two different, relatively high power taps for everything that uses substantial power on the bike. The taps (whips) are coaxial connectors from Gerbing and we use them for our heated clothes in the winter. Each tap is fused at 15 amps and the ends just hang down from under the left side of the saddle. Things like the portable air compressor have been modified to use that coaxial connector and plug into either one of those whips on the bike- it is not likely that we need heated clothes while pumping up a tire anyway. If I was to use a trickle charger, I would modify that to also use a coaxial connector and plug the bike into it that way.

Brian

How could we possibly let our KiPass and bikes sit that long!?  I travel a lot for business, before my bike sits that long i'll take it instead of flying the friendly skies. The HONDA bike gets the trickle charger treatment 

[maxtog]

How could we possibly let our KiPass and bikes sit that long!?  I travel a lot for business, before my bike sits that long i'll take it instead of flying the friendly skies. The HONDA bike gets the trickle charger treatment 

On a modern bike, it doesn't take as long as one might think to drain the battery.  The computer and KIPASS systems are a constant drain on the battery.  Lead Acid batteries *hate* to be sitting on a low charge, it will greatly shorten their lives.  A quality battery isn't all that cheap, and replacing the battery on a Concours is a hassle.  Keeping it charged up is not a bad idea at all.

Perhaps you can ride every few days, but many of us just don't have the opportunity.

[B.D.F.]

I do not believe that is the case- KiPass is totally shut down when the LCD screen is blank and draws no power until the KiPass activation switch is pressed by pushing the ign. key down. The ECU may continue to draw very slightly on the battery just to keep some data in memory (avg. fuel consumption, trip meters) but the processor itself is either shut down or in sleep mode and uses <virtually> no power. Even the red LED on the dash stops blinking after 24 hours on inactivity to conserve battery power. A C-14 will sit for a couple of months and then fire right up without any external changing system. I agree that modern vehicles DO draw some small amount from the battery even when the vehicle is not powered- up but it is pretty close to insignificant (technical term).

Brian

On a modern bike, it doesn't take as long as one might think to drain the battery.  The computer and KIPASS systems are a constant drain on the battery.  Lead Acid batteries *hate* to be sitting on a low charge, it will greatly shorten their lives.  A quality battery isn't all that cheap, and replacing the battery on a Concours is a hassle.  Keeping it charged up is not a bad idea at all.

Perhaps you can ride every few days, but many of us just don't have the opportunity.

[B.D.F.]

Mine sat last winter for something like 7 or 8 weeks without being touched because there was a lot of snow in the driveway. Otherwise a week is a long time for mine to be unused.

Brian

How could we possibly let our KiPass and bikes sit that long!?  I travel a lot for business, before my bike sits that long i'll take it instead of flying the friendly skies. The HONDA bike gets the trickle charger treatment 

[stevewfl]

KiPass <---can even produce its own pow-ah!   

[maxtog]

I do not believe that is the case- KiPass is totally shut down when the LCD screen is blank and draws no power until the KiPass activation switch is pressed by pushing the ign. key down. The ECU may continue to draw very slightly on the battery just to keep some data in memory (avg. fuel consumption, trip meters) but the processor itself is either shut down or in sleep mode and uses <virtually> no power. Even the red LED on the dash stops blinking after 24 hours on inactivity to conserve battery power. A C-14 will sit for a couple of months and then fire right up without any external changing system. I agree that modern vehicles DO draw some small amount from the battery even when the vehicle is not powered- up but it is pretty close to insignificant (technical term).

Kewl, that puts my mine at ease some

However, I do believe the KIPASS system is ALWAYS active.  I will explain why- if you have to use the passive system (the "credit card" version or the active fob with a dead battery), you have to hold it to the ignition for a few seconds, then press the stovekey.  You don't have to wake the bike up first.  Since the passive gets power from the bike, that means it is "always" energizing the area at the top of the stovekey.  Granted, it might not be much power, but it is still always there.  I confirmed this by testing with my passive fob and also from the manual.

I haven't had the bike long enough to really know for sure about total draw, nor have a measured, but even the user's manual (such that it is) warns about continuous tiny current draw on page 236.  For example, at 10mA, it will go from 100% charge to 50% discharged in 42 days; or in 28 days at 15mA.  They recommend charging if the bike is not used for just two weeks.

[Mister Tee]

My bike regularly sits for a month at a time while I'm overseas.  I've never had an issue with a drained battery when I've returned.  At least not yet.

[B.D.F.]

I actually tested the KiPass system activation, current draw and dormant state when I developed the by- pass for the activation switch. The system is fully powered- down when the bike is off. Pushing the ign. key down is what activates the system in the first place and the first thing KiPass does upon power- up is to poll for a fob(s).

I cannot remember the current draw at the moment but it is less than 10 milliamps. It starts out at 75 milliamps (if memory serves) but drops off after something like 10 seconds. The manual mentions it because there is a slight current draw but again, in my opinion, it is not significant over any reasonable amount of time. If the bike was left idle for, say, 5 months or more then it might become a problem but the self- discharge of a lead- acid battery is greater than the bike's current draw when it is 'off'. Put another way, I do not believe the battery in a static C-14 will lose charge appreciably faster than the same battery, at the same temperature, sitting on a shelf in the garage.

Brian

Kewl, that puts my mine at ease some

However, I do believe the KIPASS system is ALWAYS active.  I will explain why- if you have to use the passive system (the "credit card" version or the active fob with a dead battery), you have to hold it to the ignition for a few seconds, then press the stovekey.  You don't have to wake the bike up first.  Since the passive gets power from the bike, that means it is "always" energizing the area at the top of the stovekey.  Granted, it might not be much power, but it is still always there.  I confirmed this by testing with my passive fob and also from the manual.

I haven't had the bike long enough to really know for sure about total draw, nor have a measured, but even the user's manual (such that it is) warns about continuous tiny current draw on page 236.  For example, at 10mA, it will go from 100% charge to 50% discharged in 42 days; or in 28 days at 15mA.  They recommend charging if the bike is not used for just two weeks.

[stevewfl]

I actually tested the KiPass system activation, current draw and dormant state when I developed the by- pass for the activation switch. The system is fully powered- down when the bike is off. Pushing the ign. key down is what activates the system in the first place and the first thing KiPass does upon power- up is to poll for a fob(s).

I cannot remember the current draw at the moment but it is less than 10 milliamps. It starts out at 75 milliamps (if memory serves) but drops off after something like 10 seconds. The manual mentions it because there is a slight current draw but again, in my opinion, it is not significant over any reasonable amount of time. If the bike was left idle for, say, 5 months or more then it might become a problem but the self- discharge of a lead- acid battery is greater than the bike's current draw when it is 'off'. Put another way, I do not believe the battery in a static C-14 will lose charge appreciably faster than the same battery, at the same temperature, sitting on a shelf in the garage.

Brian

The mad pow-ah of KiPass

[lt1]

The manufacturer of the bike is not likely to ever put an 'always on' tap anywhere on the bike.
<snip>

Actually, Kawasaki did exactly that on the ZX-6e, and probably was not unique in the action.

As noted, there are a number of good options to add electrical outlets to a bike.  Fuse blocks (switched or unswitched).  Direct taps from the battery.  Taps switched through a relay.  Powerlets, cigar outlets, coax leads, SAE leads.   All will work if you think the process through correctly.  I've added 2 unswitched Powerlets and one switched SAE outlet to my bike.   Some people have hard-wired their heated gear controllers into the bike.

My Widder electric vest pulls about 42 watts.  24 watts seems a bit low and indicates impressive efficiency.

The battery in my bike is getting old, and will no longer hold a charge sufficient to start the bike over 3 weeks.  I use a Powerlet to SAE adapter to hook the battery tender to the bike.

The cigar outlet on the C14 is shared (fused) with the taps at the left front fairing and under the seat (and with the heated grips on the Gen 2's).

[just gone]

I believe the aux. power circuit shares power with the heated handgrips on the 2010s and later. That is why that cirucit was reduced from the earlier 10 amp. rating that it had on the '08's and '09's.

I looked into this, the only part I could see was that the front accessory leads (not the power socket) may share some
portion of the ground circuit* with the heated grips. From the power side (+) the grips and the accessory circuits have separate power relays and separate fuses.
 * I guess you could say that everything electrical on the bike shares some portion of the ground circuit starting at the negative terminal of the battery, however in this instance I was referring to a common section of a single ground wire carrying current from the two different circuits.Then again maybe I'm misreading the schematic.

....the OEM outlet is 5A and is unshared.  5A@12V=60 watts.  That is a lot more power than just a cell phone or GPS.  Tiny compressor... probably.  Heated clothing, also probably (my jacket is only 23 watts).

My small Slime compressor popped that 5A fuse in less than a heart beat.