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Power for GPS?

Joined
Jul 1, 2010
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Location
London, Ontario, Canada
I have a Garmin GPS that I would like to mount to my 2008 Bandit 1250s. The GPS power cable has a fuse built in. I would like to hardwire it so that it only has power when I turn the key on. I previously had it on my Honda VTX and I connected power to an available auxillary in the headlight.

Is there a location, like the headlight, to connect my GPS cable for power? Thanks for you help and patience.

Frank
 
I don't see anything in the wire schematic. I remember my DL1000 had something like that. As little power as a gps draws, maybe you could Parallel it with one of the fused functions that operate with the key. Turn signals or brake lights. Be the easiest way seems to me without getting into relays, etc.
 
I got a simple automotive relay, which now powers my GPS, Heated vest and power outlet (cigarette lighter).
It is connected directly to the battery with a 10A fuse and uses the license plate wire as a switch.
Simple and easy to remove/disconnect if need be.
 
use something non critical as a trigger for a relay. I use my lic plate light as a trigger. No power unless the key is on.
 
I highly recommend a fuse block and the Eastern Beaver along with their relay kit !! I have a PC8, have my GPS, heated hand grips and a 12v plug seamlessly wired in. Just tell him its for a Bandit 1250.
 
The way he was asking, I think he was after a more simple solution than fuse blocks and relays. A GPS draws so little current that you can hook up in parallel with most circuits that operate with the key on and not have problems. I did that to my KLR using the Hot to my Headlight switch. Never had a problem in the 10 years I used it.
My bandit has a fuse block but no relay as I choose to have everything connected to it hot at all times. I just unplug it if I don't want it happenings at stops.
 
I don't see anything in the wire schematic. I remember my DL1000 had something like that. As little power as a gps draws, maybe you could Parallel it with one of the fused functions that operate with the key. Turn signals or brake lights. Be the easiest way seems to me without getting into relays, etc.

Don't use brake light circuit, or turn signals as they are not on very much! You need a switched with ignition source such as running lights.
 
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Don't use brake light circuit, or turn signals as they are not on very much! You need a switched with ignition source such as running lights.

Another option if you do not want to tap into your wiring is to get the tail light adapter from easternbeaver. Super easy to install and then you can just connect your wiring to the supplied wire which will be switched:thumb:. Have a look at the URL below and look for the "Bandit Tail Light Adapters" towards the bottom of the page. I'm not affiliated, just a happy customer:

http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Bike_Specific/Bandit/bandit.html
 
Don't use brake light circuit, or turn signals as they are not on very much! You need a switched with ignition source such as running lights.

I guess your bike is not wired like mine from the factory. I always have voltage to my brake and tail light systems when I turn the key on and not, when I turn it off. Same to my horn circuit and headlight circuits. Just have to tie into them before the switching units. IE Brake light switches, Horn button, etc. Done it on too many of my bikes over the years with no problems. Now , heavy draw items as Heated gear and the such, go directly to the battery or in some cases, starter solenoid post on the hot side.
 
One thing I did is to wire a waterproof socket (marine with stainless fittings and rubber cover) via fuse direct to the battery. I thought about switching it via relay (as I have for my heated grips), but I figured there was no way I'd be leaving any electrical device unattended on the bike. The biggest advantage of wiring it direct is that I have put a matching plug on my battery charger, so if I park up for a while, I simply plug it in without having to lift the seat etc. Really convenient.
 
I'll second going to Eastern Beaver and wiring in a nice Powerlet socket. I have one forward which can recharge my phone, ipod, run the GPS, etc., and one on the rearset to power my heated gear. No more cold hands for Greg! :clap:
 
Ditto on a powerlet socket for heated gear. Also have a simple two wire plug in for GPS or battery tender. Both on separate circuits to fuse board under seat. Under seat is really busy with Gorilla Alarm system, Speedohealer and Fuse Board. Have the new Radar detector hooked straight to the battery along with fuse board at present as the wire ends for it were for that and I didn't take time to change them out to small ones for TB. \
On my last test, voltage stayed up above 13.5 at 1500 rpm with everything on. IE , widder vest and gloves , alarm system, speedohealer, Gps and detector.
 
I tried wiring a Bell waterproof socket (no fuse) direct to the bike's battery, and plugging the cigarette plug from my Garmin into that. It had the right reach and the GPS worked great, but it blew the fuse in my Gorilla alarm. That kinda spooked me, so I disconnected the socket from the battery. Any insights into what I did wrong?
 
Sounds like you wired it to alarm circuit which sounds like is fused at way less than what GPS draws. I would caution you to NOT wire directly to battery. re: any short to ground on the power lead will creat copious smoke and many melted wires and maybe an ensuing fire! place horrified scary face here
 
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I made a real bone-head move trying to wire auxiliary lights for my Bandit...

I tried to wire the aux. lights to the turn signals for convenience and ignition control, but all I got was flashing aux. lights! :doh: My last bike had the turn signals powered all the time, only interrupting power when actively signalling...but the Bandit is the opposite.

Once I undid that 'fix' and wired them to the headlight everything was better. I definitely should have caught that before I started the project...
 
I wired mine to the battery with a toggle switch(and fuse of course) to turn the power off and on when needed. My current Magellan and past Tom Tom wouldnt get charged enough when hooked to the bike and would only run for a few minutes after power was shut off. I guess the bikes charging system isnt strong enough to give it a charge like my car does. I didnt want to have to turn my bikes key on when I was stopped and wanted to search for routes or program a destination. The switch is by the GPS so there isnt a problem with me leaving it on and I remove unit when going in somewhere so even if switch is left on(wich I havent done yet in two years) the battery wont go dead. Nothing like having GPS on a bike when you like to just go ride and not really know sometimes where you are or how to get home.
 
I wired mine to the battery with a toggle switch(and fuse of course) to turn the power off and on when needed. My current Magellan and past Tom Tom wouldnt get charged enough when hooked to the bike and would only run for a few minutes after power was shut off. I guess the bikes charging system isnt strong enough to give it a charge like my car does. I didnt want to have to turn my bikes key on when I was stopped and wanted to search for routes or program a destination. The switch is by the GPS so there isnt a problem with me leaving it on and I remove unit when going in somewhere so even if switch is left on(wich I havent done yet in two years) the battery wont go dead. Nothing like having GPS on a bike when you like to just go ride and not really know sometimes where you are or how to get home.

Does your wiring allow John Q Public to turn the switch on without you knowing it? And if so, does the switch feed an outlet or is it hard wired into the GPS connector? Usually a switched[via ignition] power lead is desireable.
 
Thanks to Wanabeguru for scaring me. I took Thunderbolt's advice and got the Bandit 1250 tail light adapter from EasternBeaver. Snapped in place, this adapter draws power from the tail light circuit when it's on (the tail light only draws power on my 2009 Bandit when the key is on). I included Kewwig's experience and inserted a mini-blade fuse holder and a 2 amp fuse(the auto store was out of 1 amps) between the EasternBeaver power line and the cigarette socket. Turned on, my GPS works! Once turned off, I'm happy to report that the new circuitry does not burn out the fuse on my Gorilla alarm. Of course check current and ground with a multi-meter, measure twice-cut once, and secure everything with plastic cable ties.

Thanks guys.
 
Does your wiring allow John Q Public to turn the switch on without you knowing it? And if so, does the switch feed an outlet or is it hard wired into the GPS connector? Usually a switched[via ignition] power lead is desireable.

It feeds to a outlet that the gps plugs into. Johhny Q more than likely wouldnt even notice the switch and since its never parked with the gps left on the bike even if someone turned it on it wouldnt drain the battery.
 
It feeds to a outlet that the gps plugs into. Johhny Q more than likely wouldnt even notice the switch and since its never parked with the gps left on the bike even if someone turned it on it wouldnt drain the battery.

I always worry about a vandal shorting out a connector that is hot wired[even thru a switch] killing battery and maybe melting wiring harness!!:eek2:
Just my .02 and 50 years as a tech. YMMV
 
Never had a problem in over 40 years of riding, but if someone wants to screw with your bike they can find all sorts of crap to do... how about just kicking it over or a hand full of sand in your oil filler. I think trying to find a way to short the electrical out would take a lot longer than many other destuctive acts.
 
Never had a problem in over 40 years of riding, but if someone wants to screw with your bike they can find all sorts of crap to do... how about just kicking it over or a hand full of sand in your oil filler. I think trying to find a way to short the electrical out would take a lot longer than many other destuctive acts.

Obviously you don't work with electrical equipment. Just my .02 YMMV
 
I think trying to find a way to short the electrical out would take a lot longer than many other destuctive acts.

As most bikes have fuses to protect most of the important wiring, shorting out something should blow the fuse or trip the circuit breaker. Not as bad as it used to be years ago where you would smell or see the smoke, and , just know, you're bike's electrical system is in serious trouble. :lol2:Look at your bike or any bike closely and see how many ways a knife or hammer or something could be used to damage the harness. May surprise you. Now, don't do , as many do, and call an open circuit a short. Open circuits being cause by cutting the wires or smashing them till the wires inside break , leaving the insulation intact but scarred where you may not see it right off. If you're lucky, just disconnecting at the connectors. :trust:
 
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