Simplest point for GPS-mount power?

Hi all
New to the forum, new to Yamaha - bought a 2009 Fazer 600 (abs, "S2" - in europe after all) a couple days ago.

On my last bike I had a garmin gps mounted, with a fuse-hijacker thing that took the 12V from the fusebox directly. I had a look at this method on the Fazer but the fuses are the mini ones, so I don't have the right hijacker piece.

I am not going to mount any hi-power stuff - just the Garmin - so no desire to do the whole relay / custom job that I see so many threads on.
What's the easiest place to hijack a 12V connection that's only on when ignition is on?

So far I see these as the two simplest possibilities:
1) buy a mini-fuse hijacker thing, do it the same way I did before on my last bike
2) get something like this H7 headlamp extension cable, and hijack directly at the right headlight. Problem here, is that the cable has no easy way onto the handle bars since they move, so it would probably have to run along back to the fuel tank and out with the others. Not so clean-looking I guess.

What's simplest, as defined by zero factory cables cut & only an hour or two?

cheers

If you piggyback on the headlight it will only be active when the engine is running. Maybe one of the front running lights or the speedometer power to get acc on function? I'm not at all sure either one of these can handle extra current draw though.

The Garmin unit has a battery so it is fine to be only active when engine running.
How would you suggest piggybacking on the headlight - right where the plug goes into the bulb?

Buy one of these:



and connect it to your battery.

Then, when you want to run your gps, plug in this:



Now you can plug in a myriad of 12v devices and you have a spot to hook up a battery tender or other type of charger.

Hi Mikesova
Thanks -- yeah that is exactly what i WOULD do, if I wanted to hook up more than just my GPS, and also wanted always-on power.
But, I only want the GPS powered when the ignition is on (or engine running -- either is fine). I also don't want to connect things directly to the battery - am looking for something easier (the battery is not quick to get at)
thx

The draw is extremly minimal. I have mine wired as follows:

The positive tied into the right side directional RUNNING light (with a "Posi Tap")

The ground wire to a ground block (I have mounted inside the fairing) or for you, any ground or frame. This way it only comes on with the ignition and goes off with it as well.


I'm assuming you have an adapter for the GPS or its already wired for 12 volts?


Posi Taps: Order Online- Discounts

Townsends, that looks perfect -- i've never heard of a posi tap before, now I will hunt for one (here in Switzerland).

Where exactly did you tap the right headlamp wire? If that is shown in one of your thumbnails, then I did not understand where the tap on the headlamp wire is.

My GPS is 12V native (Zumo 4xx) with a fat ugly dock thing. I just took it off my last bike that I sold.

cheers

xaphod said:

Townsends, that looks perfect -- i've never heard of a posi tap before, now I will hunt for one (here in Switzerland).

Where exactly did you tap the right headlamp wire? If that is shown in one of your thumbnails, then I did not understand where the tap on the headlamp wire is.

My GPS is 12V native (Zumo 4xx) with a fat ugly dock thing. I just took it off my last bike that I sold.

cheers

Click to expand...

I used a Posi Tap just above where the directional plug, plugs into the main harness (its really hard to see in the pic I just took as the inner black fairing should come off).

In your case, I'd just follow / find the front directional running light (if its not hooked up, just tie into there, No Posi Taps needed). Tieing anywhere into that line will work fine.



The below pic's are how the Posi Taps work.

The center section has a sharp point that pierces one wire. The other end has a slot to hold the wire and is threaded for the mid section.

Your GPS wire (+) gets stripped a little bit, slid into the male end and both are screwed together. The wire thats tapped has a tiny, tiny hole, NO major hacking...

They come with Hyperlites (rear/flashing brake lights) standard is how I learned of them. I've since bought boxes of them as well as the fuse holders (as seen in the above post pic's) for a very neat install.

Thanks so much for the help.
When you say "the directional plug, plugs into the main harness" -- the site of the tap -- do you mean where the wire plugs into the actual bulb on the right side, or somewhere else? sorry, am totally not familiar with this bike (yet)

xaphod said:

Thanks so much for the help.
When you say "the directional plug, plugs into the main harness" -- the site of the tap -- do you mean where the wire plugs into the actual bulb on the right side, or somewhere else? sorry, am totally not familiar with this bike (yet)

Click to expand...

I'm not sure if you have a "naked" bike or regular, faired bike.

On mine, its faired, with the black, plastic (with yellow lense) directionals that come out just below the fairing. Look close at the below pic, the front, right directional.

Once that's un-bolted from the bike, the short electrical harness from there plugs into the main bike harness. Once you find the running light wire (on either harness) you can tap into that wire. You shouldn't be near the bulb, you just need access to that running light wire.

Alot of guys change out the front directionals so there's NO running lights in the directionals. The wires are still there, just not hooked up. IF, that's your case, you can just tap into that unused wire.

If you just follow the wires from the directional up to the main harness, you'll find a connetor. You can before or after that(probably after that as there's a little more room)

Make sense?

Ah - light bulb moment - when you say "directional", you mean the turn indicators. NOW I got it ...

thx I will go have a look later this week. My bike almost certainly has no mod on it - probably everything stock... so will follow the wire up from the directional and tap from there.
:thumbup:

xaphod said:

Ah - light bulb moment - when you say "directional", you mean the turn indicators. NOW I got it ...

thx I will go have a look later this week. My bike almost certainly has no mod on it - probably everything stock... so will follow the wire up from the directional and tap from there.
:thumbup:

Click to expand...

As "Curly" for from the "Three Stooges" (a very old threesome of hot dog comedians in the US) would say, re directionals and turn indicators, Certainly!! :thumbup:

My fuse box, and 12v power supply..:BLAA:

Each slot has its own fuse.:rockon:

OK so obviously my powers of observation aren't that great -- I took off the inner (black) fairing of my fazer and discovered that alongside the two headlamps are two MORE forward-facing lights! Durrrh didn't see'em before. So -- I plan to splice into one of these forward-facing side light things, so everything is nicely under the inner-fairing. I assume they are on some 10A circuit etc (just putting a garmin on there) so it'll be fine.

Sound reasonable?

Update: I just measured the voltage across the plug to the right forward-facing side light, with the light disconnected, and measured 24V. Hmmm... is that just because I had the light disconnected (ie would be 12V with it connected) ? I assume so... but nice to hear before I splice...

xaphod said:

OK so obviously my powers of observation aren't that great -- I took off the inner (black) fairing of my fazer and discovered that alongside the two headlamps are two MORE forward-facing lights! Durrrh didn't see'em before. So -- I plan to splice into one of these forward-facing side light things, so everything is nicely under the inner-fairing. I assume they are on some 10A circuit etc (just putting a garmin on there) so it'll be fine.

Sound reasonable?

Update: I just measured the voltage across the plug to the right forward-facing side light, with the light disconnected, and measured 24V. Hmmm... is that just because I had the light disconnected (ie would be 12V with it connected) ? I assume so... but nice to hear before I splice...

Click to expand...

I believe, some (if not all) of the European bikes have those outer pods lit up, the US version is NOT.

It should be 12 volts, with the rest of the system. How you're getting 24 volts, I dunno, wrong setting maybe?

As for enough power for the GPS, yes, it would be fine to hook up there.

That separate pod light should have two wires to it, a ground and a positive.

I'd just ground my tester to the frame and poke into each wire until I found which one was hot and wire to the GPS accordingly... :thumbup:

I have a Garmin Zumo 550, I just mounted mine directly to the battery. It has been a few years but if I remember correctly the mounting kit had a inline fuse. It was super easy and just took a short time to mount it. Be sure to use plenty of zip ties to clean up your wire job.

Good Luck

Doc

hi y'all
so after tapping into the right forward-facing side light and having my accursed multimeter still telling me 24V, i decided my meter is toast and just plugged in the GPS anyways. Seems to work ok

thanks very much for the help!!!